[A1649/5/36]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Supplication Mr William Douglas
To the honourable lords of the estates of parliament, your humble supplicant, Mr William Douglas, late minister at Aboyne, humbly shows that in the year of God 1644, I being appointed by the committee of estates then sitting at Aberdeen to lend and advance to the public the sum of 1,000 merks money, which sum I did likewise really pay and deliver for the use of the public to the assignees of John Denholm, commissary for the time, together with the sum of 300 merks of bygone annualrent at the feast and term of Whitsunday [21 May] 1648, but now, partly by plundering, taxes, quarterings, payment of monthly maintenance and other impositions, and partly by want of my small benefice of which I was deprived in 1644, being reduced to such poverty that I am not able any longer to subsist to maintain my family and educate my children, which the general assembly, taking into their consideration in 1647 and 1648, did twice recommend me to the honourable lords of the committee of estates that they would be pleased to take some course for my repayment, which their lords considering ordained Sir James Stewart [of Kirkfield and Coltness], commissary-general, to repay and refund to me in satisfaction of the public bond the aforesaid sum of 1,000 merks therein contained and bygone annualrents of the same since the date thereof, and that out of the first and readiest of the rents of the estates of delinquents and excommunicated persons in the north due and payable to the public. But it being of verity that I have received no payment thereof as yet from the said commissary-general, nor has he (as I am informed) had any intromission with the said estates of the delinquents and excommunicated persons in the north by reason others have been authorised by your lords for uplifting the same, therefore that I be not longer put to expensive attendance, and that your lords' gracious intentions in granting me a precept may to my refreshment prove real and effectual, I would humbly beg of your lords that since [Arthur Forbes], laird of Echt is particularly authorised and clothed by your lords' authority with a commission for intromitting with and uplifting the estates of these excommunicated persons in the north, your lords would give order to him out of the first and readiest of the said rents to make payment to me of the aforesaid sum of 1,000 merks and bygone annualrents thereof in satisfaction of the public bond and for relief of my present insupportable burdens, under which I am not able any longer to subsist if timeous relief be not thus given to me by your lords. And your lords' gracious answer I humbly expect, who am
Your lords' daily orator and humble supplicant and servant, Mr William Douglas
Edinburgh, 27 July 1649
The committee of bills having heard and considered the supplication of Mr William Douglas written within, showing that he being ordained by the committee of estates at Aberdeen to lend the sum of 1,000 merks for the use of the public, which he did pay to John Denholm, their commissary, and that in November 1648, he having supplicated to take his case into consideration, the supplicant being brought then to a very low and mean condition, the said committee of estates did ordain the commissary-general to pay to the supplicant the sum of 1,000 merks out of the first and readiest rents of delinquents and excommunicated persons in the north, and therefore supplicating, seeing the said precept has yet been useless to the said supplicant, that it may now be made effectual to him. The committee aforesaid having seen the act of the committee of estates ordaining the said sum of 1,000 merks to be paid to him in manner aforesaid, it is the humble opinion of the committee that the parliament makes the said precept for payment of the sum of 1,000 merks above-written with the bygone annualrents thereof effectual to the supplicant and for that effect that they give command and warrant to the laird of Echt that he pay the supplicant the said sum of 1,000 merks with the bygone annualrents thereof according to the said act of committee, and that out of the first and readiest of the rents of the estates of delinquents and excommunicated persons in the north that shall be intromitted with by him, without prejudice of prior assignments.
Mr J. Hay, in the presence of the committee
30 July 1649
The estates of parliament approve the report without prejudice of the laird of Echt himself.
[John Campbell, earl of] Loudoun, chancellor, in the presence of the lords of parliament