[A1598/6/2]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The king's majesty, his nobility, council and estates presently convened, considering the proud rebellion, defection and disobedience of the inhabitants of Kintyre and other parts of the isles and highlands of this realm, subject for the most part these many years bygone to all kind of insolence, barbarity and cruelty, not only in committing of vile and beastly murders, slaughters, robberies, theft, open harrying, oppressions and depredations upon his majesty's peaceable and good subjects, inhabitants of the countries next adjacent, but every one of them most unnaturally putting violent hands in others, besides innumerable other treasonable, monstrous and odious crimes committed by some of the chief persons, inhabitants of the said isles, who in no way acknowledge his majesty as their sovereign lord and king, neither paying their mails, duties, exactions and customs to his highness, his comptroller and ordinary officers, the same mails, duties and customs being a great part of his majesty's proper rent and patrimony of his crown whereupon his princely port and estate should be sustained. And therefore his majesty is resolved to repair in proper person to Kintyre and other isles and highland parts of this realm with all convenient expedition for abandoning and reducing of the said unnatural, rebellious and disobedient persons to the acknowledging of his highness and his laws and compelling of them to make payment of his majesty's proper rents and duties in time coming, for the which purpose necessary it is that his highness be well and substantially accompanied with a force of his faithful, loving and good subjects. And therefore his majesty, with advice of his said nobility, council and estates, ordains letters to be directed charging all and sundry earls, lords, barons, feuars and freeholders valued in yearly rent to the sum of 300 merks, either in heritage or annualrent, between 60 and 16 years dwelling within the bounds of the sheriffdoms of Dunbarton, Renfrew, Bute, Carrick and Cunninghame and nether ward of Clydesdale, as well as regality as royalty, together with the inhabitants of the burghs of Dumbarton, Glasgow, Ayr, Irvine, Renfrew, Rothesay and Paisley, by open proclamation at the market crosses of the same burghs, that they and each one of them well equipped with arms in fear of war, with ships, crayers, boats and all other vessels and provision requisite and necessary for transporting of them to the said highland parts and from isle to isle within all the bounds thereof during all the time that they shall be occupied in that service, address themselves to meet his majesty at the burgh of Dumbarton upon 20 August next to come, provided to embark and pass forward therefrom to the said isles and highlands, and to attend and accompany his highness for the space of 40 days after their coming to the effect foresaid under the pain of loss of life, lands and goods.