[1641/8/191]¹

Act in favour of the procurators for the estate

Our sovereign lord and estates of parliament, considering that Master Roger Mowat, Master Alexander Pearson, Master James Baird and Master Thomas Nicolson, advocates, were nominated and appointed by the committee of estates of parliament, upon good considerations, to be advocates for the estates for pursuit of all such actions as concerned the public and for consulting and advising of all such business as should be recommended or committed to them by the committee of parliament, and that the said Master Thomas Nicolson was not only appointed one of the advocates for the estates, but also was appointed to have the charge of all processes to have been intended before committee or parliament for the affairs of the public, and to attend continuously upon the said committee and manage the business of the public as he should receive order from the same committee. And also our sovereign lord and estates of parliament, having found that the said advocates of the estates have faithfully and diligently discharged their duty in their service to the public, both to the committee and this present parliament, in consulting, advising and in prosecuting and discharging all the points of their charge respectively above-written against all persons cited to this present parliament for the public interest, therefore our said sovereign lord and estates of parliament allow and approve the carriage of the said advocates for the estates in all things wherein they have been employed by the said committee and by the present parliament in consulting, advising and otherwise attending the affairs of the public at all occasions as they were required as good service done by them to the king's majesty and estates of this kingdom, and ordain the commissary-general to make payment to the said advocates of their bygone fees, according to an act of the foresaid committee made relating thereto, and remit the consideration of the recompense of their pains and travails taken and to be taken by them in their service for the public to the committee of the common burdens, recommending the same to the said committee to be considered by them accordingly as the said advocates shall be found to have deserved.