[1649/5/178]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The estates of parliament, taking into their consideration a supplication given into them by Hugh Wallace, younger, of Craigie and Dame Christine Pringle, his spouse, showing that where upon a false rancour or malice conceived against them by Sir Hugh Wallace of Craigie, his father, without any ground or reason, has to his great disgrace most unnaturally caused charge him and his said spouse before the justice general upon criminal letters to underlie the law for the alleged breaking up of his study door and taking away certain sums of money within the place of Craigie, the supplicants being most innocent of that fact, but in the contrary they being at the alleged time of the committing thereof three or four miles from that place, riding upon his horse, whereupon the said Sir Hugh, not being content to cause charge them, being innocent, but also has detained and withdrawn their means and estate upon which they and their children and family should live on. Through which and sundry other unnatural and rigorous dealing has made him distracted these 12 months bygone and is not yet settled in mind, that he is neither able to govern himself nor his affairs, as is well-known to the whole gentlemen where they live and to some of the said estates of parliament present of his distracted condition. After which charge, he, out of his foolish humour, he being necessitated by his taking of the means of his life from him, went over to Ireland and coming back again, thinking to have some of his friends act as cautioner for him, they seeing his present condition refuse. Upon this advantage, his father has caused denounce him to the horn, so that he has not only detained his means but also has detained 3,500 merks of moveables due to his said spouse by her first husband, whereupon his said spouse came to Edinburgh, by reason of his inability, with her young children and family to let the said estates of parliament know their present distressed estate and condition. And seeing the day of his compearance is before the justice general upon 13 July next and that nobody will be cautioner for him, seeing his present distracted condition, and that it is their earnest desire that the said estates of parliament before the said day of compearance would appoint so many of their number to take trial and precognition of the whole premises, therefore humbly supplicating the said estates of parliament to take the premises into their wise consideration, and that they would be pleased to appoint the aforesaid committee for trying and examining of witnesses which they shall lead before them for verifying of the whole premises; and if they be not found innocent of all these aspersions laid against them and sufficiently shall not qualify before the said estates their distressed estate and condition aforesaid, and his rigorous and unnatural dealing with them in manner aforesaid, they are content to be remitted to the aforesaid justice general and there to under lie whatsoever punishment they shall impose upon them, as at more length is contained in the said supplication. Which being taken into consideration by the said estates of parliament, they have remitted the said supplication with the desire thereof to the earls [John Kennedy, earl of] Cassilis and [William Kerr, earl of] Lothian, lairds [Sir Andrew Kerr of] Greenhead or [Alexander Brodie of] Brodie and [John Dickson of] Hartree and John Graham, burgess, to consider thereupon and report their opinion relating thereto to the parliament or their committee, that the said estates or their committees may take further course therein as they shall find just and reasonable. And in the meantime discharge any inferior judges to proceed therein and give warrant and command to a macer or messenger of arms to cite and warn the aforenamed Hugh Wallace of Craigie to compear before the said estates of parliament or their committees and to summon witnesses.