Laird of Blaikerstoun's losses

The report wnderwritten wes presented and read in parliament, wherof the tenor followes.

We undersubscryvers, commissioned be the parliament for takeing tryell of the sufferings and losses sustained be Sir Robert Douglas of Blaikerstoun, find that the said Sir Robert Dowglas hes, for his adherence to the royall interest and his endeavours for promoveing the same, sustained the losses and sufferings following. Inprimis, wee find that in March 1644 he wes forced to advance to the pretendit committie of estates the sume of tuo hundreth pund[s] sterline, proven be the band granted be the said pretendit committie bearing interest till the repayment, which principall sume, with the interest till March last at sex per centum, amounts to three hundreth and four score, tuelff pund[s] sterline. Secundo, wee find that the said Sir Robert Douglas wes, after Philiphaugh [and] for his joyning with the marques of Montrose, fyned in and payed the sume of on thousand pund[s] sterline, proven be tuo discharges granted be the severall persons who had power and warrand from the generall commisser to receave the same, which with the interest from the tyme of payment to Candlemes 1661 at sex per centum, extends in the haill to ane thousand and nyne hundreth punds sterline. Tertio, wee find it proven be the depositions of diverse famous witnesses that the said Sir Robert did, by commission from the marques of Montrose, his majesties' commissioner, levey a troope of horse consisting of threescore, besids officers, all well appointed with armes and other furniture, and joyned with the said marques before and at Philiphaugh, the charges whairof the said Sir Robert declares, upon his word of honor, did amount to seven hundreth pund[s] sterline, which with the interest at sex per centum to Witsunday 1661, amounts to one thousand, three hundreth and threttie pund[s] sterline. Quarto, wee find, be the depositions of diverse famous witnesses, that the said Sir Robert Douglas did, in obedience of the commands of the deceast James, duke of Hamilton, his majesties' commissioner for the tyme, and of the privy councill of Scotland, goe to the paroche churches within the barronie of Ranfrew and shirreffdome of Lanerick and ther, with the hazard of his liffe, caused reid his majesties' covenant, the charges wherof the said Sir Robert declares, upon his word of honor, did arise to the sume of one hundreth and fiftie pund[s] sterline. Quinto, the said Sir Robert Douglas declares, upon oath, that by and attour the payment of his fyne he wes forced at that tyme to put forth seven horse and ten dragouns, the charges whairof did amount to tuo hundreth [and] threescore sex pund, threttein shilling[s] [and] four pennies sterline. Sexto, wee find by the depositions of diverse famous witnesses upon oath that the said Sir Robert wes keept prissoner after Philiphauch in the castles of Dumbartan and Glasgow be the space of three quarters of a yeer, at which tyme the whole army under the command of David Leslie, or a considerable parte therof, did ly upon the said Sir Robert his lands and destroy the whole cropt of the grund, and plunder his whole horses, the charges and expences whairof the said Sir Robert declares, upon his word of honor, did amount to the sume of one thousand, three hundreth pund[s] sterline. Lastlie, wee find that in the yeer 1648 ther was three troops quartered on his tennents all the tyme the English armie stayed then in Scotland, and that the said army in the yeer 1650 did spoyle his duelling houses and brunt his principall duelling house of Hairhead, and plundered great quantities of horse, nolt, sheip and cornes that he had on the maynes of Blaikerstoun, and other roums stockt with his oun goods, and that the English, after their landing at Innerkeithen, did plunder his houshold stuff, his wiffe and familie being in the house of Spencefeild within a quarter of a myll of the said toun, as also that he lost great quantitie of silver plate, arras hingings, carpets and other houshold plenishing taken away by the Englishes, all sufficiently proven be the depositions of diverse famous witnesses, the which particulars the said Sir Robert Douglas declares, upon his word of honor, amounts to the sume of tuo thousand and fyve hundreth pund[s] sterline; sua that the totall of his sufferings upon the account of his loyaltie, amounts to the sume of seven thousand, eight hundreth [and] threttie-eight punds, threttein shillings [and] four pennies English money. It is, therfor, our humble opinion that the said Sir Robert Douglas, his sufferings and losses extending, as said is, be recordit in the registers of parliament as ane evidence to present and after ages of his constant and untainted loyaltie in the worst of tymes. Subscryved with our hands at Edinburgh, the eighteinth day of Junij 1661 yeers, so subscribit Montrose, Roxburghe, Jo[hn] Gilmour, S[ir] Ar[chibald Stirling, Robert Murray [and] John Bell.

Which report, being taken into consideration be his majesties' commissioner and estates of parliament, they have appointed and appoints the same to be recordit in the books of parliament.

  1. NAS. PA2/27, f.97v-98.