Legislation: private acts

Ordinance regarding the payment of officers

The which day the supplication by the officers of the army desiring payment of their whole arrears, together with the report from the committee for the army, with a supplication from William Thomson desiring order and resolution regarding some questions therein contained which will arise in the payment of the officers, being read in audience of his majesty and estates of parliament, his majesty and estates foresaid approve the report of the committee so far as concerns the payment of the officers of the army, as well soldiers of fortune as gentlemen within the country, and also for the manner of security to be given for the monies uplifted for that effect, and give order to William Thomson to pay the officers according to his warrant; and declare that the making payment according to the orders of the committee from the army the same shall be a sufficient exoneration to him, notwithstanding there be payment made over and above what is due by other intromitters; and also declare that the payment to be made by the supplicant shall be passed upon the general accounts of the army.

[1641/8/84]¹

Act regarding John and Thomas Blake's trial and transportation to Edinburgh

The which day the king's majesty and estates of parliament, having taken to consideration the supplication given in to them by Janet Corsbie on behalf of John Blake, her husband, and Thomas Blake, their son, making mention that they were imprisoned by [Robert Maxwell], earl of Nithsdale in Dumfries almost two years since and have lain in irons for suspicion of the death of John Maxwell of Middlebie, whereof they are innocent, the said John dying in a moss in the night; and yet the said John and Thomas Blake refuse no legal trial and notwithstanding are still starving in prison and irons almost these two years and are neither tried nor relieved, and therefore desiring that the widow of the said late John Maxwell be put to take out a commission to try the said John and Thomas Blake and to use them according to law rather than that they die for famine in prison, or otherwise if they refuse to pursue between now and an appointed day that warrant be given for relieving of the said John and Thomas Blake, as the supplication in itself purports and bears. And hereupon, having given warrant to a committee from parliament for hearing the said Janet Corsbie on behalf of her husband and son, and of Andrew Stewart, present for himself and in name of Marion Maxwell, his spouse, widow of the said late John Maxwell, and Robert and William Maxwell, their bairns (against whom the foresaid supplication is given in), regarding the granting of the desire of the foresaid supplication, and report being made by the committee regarding the foresaid desire of the foresaid supplication, which report being read and considered, his majesty, with advice of the estates of parliament, ordains the said John and Thomas Blake, delinquents above-named, to be tried and judged at Edinburgh by the justice or his deputes, and appoints the parties to pursue and put them to trial there between now and 30 November next. And therefore ordains the said John and Thomas Blake to be transported from the prison of Dumfries where they are presently incarcerated to the tolbooth of Edinburgh between now and the day above-written, and appointed their transporting to be as follows, namely: ordains the provost and bailies of the town of Dumfries and sheriff thereof to deliver the two prisoners above-named to the sheriff of the next adjacent shire, and thereafter from sheriff to sheriff until they be brought to the tolbooth of Edinburgh. And ordains the parties' pursuers to assist the transporting of the said two persons, and in the meantime ordains them to be liberated of the irons and only to be kept in close ward, and the pursuers to pay daily to each one of the two prisoners 3s 4d for their maintenance during their remaining in ward, beginning the first day's payment thereof on Monday next, 4 October next.