Procedure: commission
Commissioun in favour of Colonell William Stewart, capitane of the kingis majesties gardis

Anent the supplicatioun gevin in be Williame, commendatar of Pettinweme, capitane of his hienes gairdis, for him selff and in nam of capitanis, utheris officiaris, gentlemen and suldeartis quha servit under the regiment and charge in the weris of the Nether Landis, to our soverane lord and lordis of his hienes parliament, makand mentioun that quhair, be our soverane lordis regentis and counsell for the tyme, it being permittit and licentiat to assist the Prince of Orange and estatis of the saidis Netherlandis in thair weiris, the said colonell, with his saidis capitanis and utheris abonewrittin, willing to advance thair caus efter thair power, past to that effect out of his cuntrie to the saidis landis quhair they, for the maist pairt, having servit be the space of ten or twelff yeiris, hes induring the said space omittit na devoris to the advancement of the said caus, proffitt of the saidis landis and contentment of the saidis estatis, as the inhabitantis thairof and estatis pastport gevin to the said colonell will testifie; and trew it is that he doubtis not it is not unknawin, pairtlie to our said soverane lord and lordis foirsaidis, during the said space thair personis hes not bene onlie subject to the hasert of the weris aganis thair inimeis, but likwayis to the intolerable extremitie of povertie and hunger in defalt of thair wageis acquirit and dew unto thame, quhairthrow the skaith sustenit be thame in tynsell of thair awin bluidis, slauchter of thair freindis, with utheris violenceis be thair saidis inimeis, may not be comparit to that quhilk hes followit of thair intolerable povertie proceding of the causis foirsaidis, throw the quhilkis, beside the great numer miserablie dead thairin, without ony moyoun of support, they have bene forceit to employ thair credite at syndrie merchandis and utheris, thair freindis handis, for diversis great sowmis of money to releif thair necessitie, for the quhilk thei ar daylie molestit and cravit, as in likemaner be the wedowis, bairnis and kinismen of syndrie thair freindis and suldeouris for the debt awand to thame for thair service maid to the saidis estatis under thair charge, quhilk they (albeit not ignorant that without help the same will tend to thair wrak) on na wayis ar hable to support nor put remede unto be reasoun of non ressait thairof, nor yit hable to assist thame with ony pairt of the samyn in respect of the great debt awand to the said colonell and his said regiment, quhilk will extend to the sowme of nyne hundreth and thriescoir thowsand merkis Scottis or thairby as thair obligationis and decompt respective maid be thair commissaris deput be thame to that effect particularlie thairupoun will testifie; quhairfoir, in consideratioun of the premisis and that the said colonell this lang tyme bygane in his regiment, alsweill be thame selffis as utheris in thair namis, hes solistit and desirit pament of thair said debt dewlie acquirit be thame be thair and thair freindis bluidis, as likwyis be spending sa lang tyme of thair best yeiris and hes, nor can obtene na contentment, as yit requeisting thairfoir, maist humblie, oure said soverane lord and lordis forsaidis to deput and direct ane comissionair to the saidis estatis, desiring thame to mak the said colonell and his regiment pament of the said debt restand awand as said is, or at the least of ane pairt thairof for releif of thair saidis creditouris, help of the puir wedowis, fatherles bairnis and utheris of the natioun lamit, maid impotent and crippill in thair saidis weiris; and likwyis to gif to thame sufficient assignatioun for pament of the rest at reassounable termis, conforme to thair oblismentis and contract respective maid with the said colonell thairupoun, or ellis that the kingis majestie and lordis foirsaidis will tak sic ordour thairintill that they may be satisfeit and ane numer of his grace trew and faithfull subjectis preservit from utter ruing and perditioun, quhilk they, without his majestie and lordis favorable aid and assistance in the premisis, can not escape, as at mair lenth is contenit in the said supplicatioun. Quhilk being first sene and considerit be the kingis majestie and lordis of his articles foirsaidis, and thairefter be the lordis estatis in parliament, and they thairwith being ryplie advisit, the kingis majestie, with avise of the thrie estatis of parliament, ordinis ane commissioun to be gevin to sic honorable persoun or personis as the kingis majestie, with advise of the lordis of secrete counsell, sall direct according to the instructionis and forme of comissioun that salbe gevin, quhairin it salbe alwayis eschewit that the king be his intercessioun for the debtis contenit in this supplicatioun in favouris of his subjectis sall not afferme that the capitanis and sulderis serving the estaitis wer send be his commandement or allowance.

  1. NAS, PA2/12, ff.134v-135r. Back