[A1641/8/153]¹

[Supplication of Lord Sinclair for exoneration of his carriage]

Supplicatione Lord Sinclare, remittit to the comission for the common burdings²

Unto the kingis most excellent majestie and honorabill hous of parliament,

The humble petitioun of Johne, lord Sinclair

Schawing,

That quhair in the beginning of thir last trowbles nothing wes thocht mor conduceable to the publict than that the haill kingdome sould be richtlie informet of the causis of thais commotiounes and brocht in the way of unnitie to joyne thair hands and hartis for redres, in which consideratioun the most remot and northerne pairtis of the kingdome war judgit most obnoxious to misinformatioun be ressone of thair distance and the inclenatioun of sum greit men haveing power in thais places, quhair upoun it wes thocht expedient that sum man sould be send thither to provene all oppositioun quhilk micht cum frome thence by giveing thame trew informatioun of the grounds and ressones of our proceidingis; as lykwayis to bring frome thence (giff possebely it could be had) ane regiment to assist the publict in the comoun caus. This imployment I wes commandit to undergo, and albeit I micht have bene deterrit be the consideratioun of the lenth, payne, danger and expensis of the voyage, both by sea and land, yit such wes my affectioun to the guid caus that I did undertak the same; and by the assistance of God, haveing overcome all the defficulteis which might flow frame the powerfull oppositioun of sum evill affectit greit persones liveing thair, or the naturall rudnes of the people hardned aganes me, I past throuche most pairt of that devisioun commitit to my chairge with such trayne and expensis as wes necessar for the publict end and my securitie, and not onlie brocht the people be trew informatioun to that conformitie whiche hathe evir since contenit thame in quyetnes and dewtie, bot did levie and bring frome thence ane compleit regiment, which hath still and yit doeth attend in the north for verie guid use and hath reliveit the publict of the greitter expensis of ane greitter regiment formerlie imployit in thais places. Heirin gif my paines have bone proffitable and my travells successull, I sall the moir easelie dispence with my greit chairges and with the many dangers I did incunter, being in the midle of ane cuntrey commandit by powerfull unfreinds, seiking frequentlie occasiounes to overthrow me and my intentiounes. Bot now sieing by the blissing of God upoune the wowsdome and fatherlie cair of our dreid soverane all our bygane troubles ar now happelie quyetid, I thocht it incumbent for me to represent thais thingis to the view of your gratious majestie and this honorabill hous of parliament.

May it thairfoir pleis your majestie and this high court of parliament to tak the premisis to consideratioun, and that I may have exoneratioune and approbatioun of my service, and that such notice and cours may be takin heirin as sall seme expedient. And I as in dewtie bound sall hairtlie pray etc.

16 November 1641

Red in audience of the king's majestie and parliament, and remitted to the comittie for the comone burdings.

Balmerino, I[n] p[raesentia] d[ominorum] parliamenti