[A1651/5/13]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Petition tenants of Kilsyth
To the king's most excellent majesty and the right honourable the estates of parliament, the humble petition of the most part of the tenants of the lands of Kilsyth and Banton
Shows,
That where the enemy in his march from Edinburgh to Glasgow two separate times, namely: in October and February last, came to the lands aforesaid and there quartered with his whole army by the space of [...], likewise the enemy having placed a garrison in the house of Kilsyth, the said garrison was for the space of nine weeks supported by the tenants of the said lands, who besides were plundered and spoiled at pleasure by that garrison. And likewise the said tenants have since November last paid great amounts of cess to the garrisons of Stirling, Airth, Craigbarnet and Duntreath, and in same manner the aforesaid tenants having for security put in the house of Kilsyth their whole victual (which was left unexhausted for helping to sow the ground), with their clothes and other goods belonging to them, the same of late was totally burnt and destroyed in the said house by the enemy, who refused to permit any thing to be brought out of the same. Notwithstanding whereof, the said tenants were necessitated of late to pay a great cess to the guard of horse at St Ninian's kirk, who drove their horses and livestock and would in no way restore the same until the said tenants were forced to pay the said cess, whereby the said tenants are totally impoverished and ruined and their condition rendered so lamentable as that they cannot express the same, many of the said tenants having left their houses and habitations, they nor those who yet remain having nothing almost to maintain themselves or to sow the ground. And though the said tenants have suffered more and borne greater burden since September last than any of their neighbours near to them by the [...], and that many of these tenants have left their habitations as aforesaid, and that through this those who yet remain are forced to bear burden for themselves and the other tenants who have left the lands, and that now there is no more left but a cow to a family who for want will shortly starve, yet are your petitioners distressed and quartered upon by those that were in the garrison of Airth for assisting quarters to the parish of Airth and for assisting quarters to the parishes of Fintry and Gargunnock, and also cessed for the garrisons of Stirling, Craigbarnet and Duntreath, which we are altogether unable to bear and at last must also leave the lands, being exposed to cold and hunger, all which they had in the world being spent, sold, burnt and destroyed. May it therefore please your majesty and the parliament to take our deplorable condition [into consideration], and not only to liberate us of these insupportable burdens which cannot be expected from us, but also to appoint a competent allowance in a public way for our subsistence as your majesty and the parliament shall think fit. And your petitioners shall ever pray etc.
31 May 1651
Read and remitted to the committee for managing the affairs of the army.
6 June 1651
The king's majesty and estates of this present parliament, having heard and considered the supplication above-written, they have remitted and seriously recommended the same with the desire of the supplicants contained therein to be taken into consideration by the committee of estates, with power to them to determine therein.
Mr David Hay†