[1594/4/65]¹

Ratification in favour of David Seaton of Parbroath, comptroller

Forasmuch as by the act of our sovereign lord's exchequer of the date at Edinburgh, 18 January the year of God 1591 [1592], it is found and declared by the lords auditors of his highness's exchequer that David Seaton of Parbroath, comptroller, is overspent in the sum of £8,294 7s 5d, and therefore they have determined and ordained the clerk register and his deputes that they in any way extract, draw forth or deliver any extract of any debt contained in his accounts whereof he has taken allowance to no persons, whereby he may in any way be charged for payment of any of the said allowances to the time he be first satisfied and paid by his highness of the sum above-specified contained in his account wherein he is found overspent, and that no letters nor charges shall be directed or used at the instance of any party against the said comptroller for payment of any of the said allowances or sums of money therein contained, suspending and discharging the same in the meantime until the said comptroller be first satisfied and paid of the foresaid whole sum of £8,294 wherein he is found overspent as said is, as at more length is contained in the said act. Our sovereign lord and estates of parliament, having at length heard, seen and considered the said act, find and declare that no letters, action nor execution shall be granted, used nor executed at the instance of whatsoever persons, creditors, against the said comptroller for payment to them or any of them of any debt whereof he has taken allowance in his said accounts to the time the said comptroller be first satisfied and paid by his highness of the said sum of £8,294 7s 5d, wherein he in his said accounts is found overspent as said is; or else that his majesty obtain at the hands of the said creditors sufficient discharges and exonerations discharging simply the said comptroller, his heirs, executors and assignees of the foresaid sum of £8,294 7s 5d. Which being done, the king's majesty and estates foresaid decree and ordain letters and execution to be directed upon the extracts of the said accounts to be subscribed by the clerk register against the said comptroller at the instance of the particular creditors, of whose debts allowances is taken by him in his said accounts for payment to them and each one of their special debts therein mentioned after the form and tenor of the said accounts in all points, notwithstanding the foresaid act of supersedere granted in the exchequer to the said comptroller of date above-written, likewise as if the same had never been made.