[1661/1/391]¹

Procedure: report read and recorded

[James Douglas], earl of Queensberry's losses

The report underwritten was produced and read in parliament, whereof the tenor follows.

We [James Graham], marquis of Montrose, [James Livingstone], earl of Callander, the lairds [John Murray, laird] of Polmaise and [Sir James Foulis of] Colinton, and [Hugh Sinclair of Ingleston and John Irvine], the commissioners for the burghs of Annan and Dumfries, commissioners appointed by his majesty's commissioner and estates of parliament for trying the debts, fines and losses sustained by James, earl of Queensberry, for his loyalty to the king's majesty during those troublous times, do humbly return to his grace and parliament our report as follows. First, we find that the said earl of Queensberry lent, according to an order directed thereupon on 25 April 1644, the sum of £10,000 Scots money according to a public bond granted thereupon, which, with the annualrent thereof to this time, extends to the sum of £20,500 Scots money. Secondly, we find that the said earl paid as a fine upon 11 March 1646 the sum of 120,000 merks in manner following: namely, to Sir Adam Hepburn of Humbie, the sum of 10,000 merks; to Archibald Sydserf, treasurer depute to the said Sir Adam, the sum of 10,000 merks, and to George Porterfield, then provost of Glasgow, the sum of 100,000 merks, which sum, with the annualrent thereof to this present time being fifteen years, extends to the sum of £144,800 money foresaid. And also, we find that in the year 1650 the said earl of Queensberry was fined by that traitor Cromwell for his loyalty to the sum of £12,000 Scots money, which sum we find the said earl was forced to pay to George Bilton, one of the commissars to the English army, conforming to two receipts thereof granted by the said George to the earl, and which sum of £12,000 money foresaid, together with the annualrent thereof to this present time, extends to the sum of £16,320. Which three articles containing real liquid sums of debts and fines which we find sufficiently instructed by writ produced and really paid by him, in manner above-written, extends in whole to the sum of £181,620, and this we find to have been really paid by the said earl in manner foresaid. Also, in addition to his great losses and grievous sufferings for his loyalty, as first by a year's imprisonment in Carlisle, Glasgow and St Andrews in the year 1646, in which time he also lost a considerable sum of money and much furnishing which was plundered by a party of Sir John Brown's regiment, extending the said loss to the sum of £30,000; secondly, by his maintaining a garrison of 100 men in the houses of Drumlanrig against those who opposed the marquis of Montrose and that for the space of three weeks, whereby the said earl was at the loss and expenses of £2,660; thirdly, that the English in November 1650, having put a garrison of dragoons in the castle of Sanquhar, the same was by them defaced, and cost the said earl in repairing thereto £4,000; fourthly, that the said English dragoons did exact off the barony of Sanquhar belonging to the earl more than their due proportion, the sum of £400 weekly, and that from November 1650 to June 1652, for which the said earl was necessitated to give down to the tenants of the said barony a whole year's rent, extending to the sum of £13,000 money foresaid, and fifthly, that in the said year 1652 there was taken out of the house of Drumlanrig by Colonel Aldridge, governor of Ayr, 200 muskets, besides pikes worth £2,000, six hundred weight of powder valued to 400 merks, three field pieces of brass and one of iron, valued to 2,000 merks, in all amounting to the sum of £3,599, and which five last articles of losses, which cannot be instructed by writ and yet are attested to be of verity by reputable persons, does amount in the whole to the sum of £53,259, and which in our opinion could extend to no less than the said sum. And which sum of £181,620 mentioned in the said three first articles, that are clearly instructed by writ, as said is, being added with the said sum of £53,259 contained in the foresaid five last articles, will amount to the sum of £234,879, and all the said losses we find to be sustained by the said earl for his loyalty, as said is. And as the earl's fines and sufferings have been exceeding extraordinary, so it is our opinion the same may be singularly represented and recommended to his majesty as the lord commissioner his grace and parliament thinks fit, which we humbly offer as deserving special consideration from his majesty and parliament, and this is the report of our procedure and opinion in the said matter subscribed with our hands at Edinburgh the [---] day of June 1661. Signed, Montrose, Callander, J. Murray of Touchadam [and Polmaise] and J. Irvine.²

Which report, being considered by his majesty's commissioner and estates of parliament, they do approve of the same and appoint it to be recorded in the books of parliament.