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To my lord high commissioner, his grace, and the other lords of the articles, the petition of the commissioners of the royal burghs.
Humbly shows,
That where they are informed there was an act of parliament passed upon 12 July 1661, being the last day of the first session of this present parliament, ordaining the whole burghs of this kingdom to content and pay to the lord treasurer, treasurer depute or other receivers of his majesty's revenues the sum of 80,000 merks etc., which as they humbly conceive was passed under some other title or in such general terms as not one of the whole commissioners of burghs did apprehend or can remember that any such thing relating to them was passed, until of late the lord treasurer depute has produced the same. And because that now, toward the close of this session of parliament, the petitioners are so taken up with continual attendance as they cannot have time to condescend upon the reasons (which are weighty and just) for which they ought to be freed from being liable in that sum or any part thereof, therefore they humbly beseech your grace and lords to suspend the said act and whole execution thereof to the next session of parliament, at which time your petitioners shall give in valid and sufficient reasons why the said act should be repealed and they exonerated. And your petitioners shall ever pray.
Edinburgh, 5 September 1662
The lord commissioner and estates of parliament, having considered the supplication above-written, do suspend all execution upon their former act for 80,000 merks to be paid by the burghs until the next session of this parliament.
[William Cunningham, earl of] Glencairn, chancellor, in the presence of the lords of parliament
Act in favour of the royal burghs
At Edinburgh, 5 September 1662. The estates of parliament having heard a supplication presented to them in name of the royal burghs, mentioning that they are informed there was an act passed upon 12 July 1661 ordaining the whole burghs of this kingdom to content to pay to the lord treasurer, treasurer depute or other receivers of his majesty's revenues the sum of 80,000 merks, which, as they humbly conceive, was passed under some other title or in such general terms as not one of the commissioners of burghs did apprehend or can remember that any such thing relating to them was passed, until of late the lord treasurer depute has produced the same. And because that now towards the close of this session of parliament the petitioners are so taken up with continual attendance as they cannot have time to condescend upon the reasons (which are weighty and just) for which they ought to be freed from being liable in that sum or any part thereof, therefore humbly desiring that all execution upon the said act may be suspended until the next session of parliament, as the supplication bears. Which being taken into consideration, the king's majesty, with advice of the estates of parliament, does suspend all execution upon the former act for 80,000 merks to be paid by the burghs until the next session of parliament. Extracted furth of the records of parliament by me, Sir Archibald Primrose of Chester, knight and baronet, clerk of his majesty's council, registers and rolls.