[1702/6/47]¹

Procedure: representation and remit to privy council

A representation of the heritors and others upon the coast of Lochryan for securing the said coast against privateers read, and remitted to the privy council to do in the matter represented what they shall judge necessary for the end foresaid, as at more length is contained in the following remit.

Remit to the privy council in favour of the heritors, tenants and others inhabitants upon the coast of Lochryan

Her majesty's high commissioner and the estates of parliament, having heard a representation for the heritors, tenants and other inhabitants upon the coast of Lochryan, showing to them that the bay of Lochryan, being a place most safe and commodious for shipping and where most of the fleets from Scotland and the west of England do rendezvous, and so is continually infested with privateers whereby not only ships at anchors and even in the harbours are robbed and the men taken and carried off, but likewise they shoot at boats and ravage the houses upon the coast and carry away the inhabitants with their goods, and even do attempt to come in upon the country and drive out herds of cattle, whereby that place, during the last war, was become almost desolate and was made known not only to the lords of privy council but likewise to the last session of parliament by the depositions and declarations of several persons exhibited before them in May 1700. All which dangerous and sad calamities do now again imminently threaten that place, several of the pirates having appeared upon the coasts already since the declaration of the war, whereby the same will be devastated and ruined unless some effectual means be taken for preventing thereof, which is humbly expected his grace her majesty's high commissioner and the honourable estates of parliament will not omit by ordaining a competent number of men with six or eight pieces of cannon to reside in that place where, with a little expense, they may be easily accommodated and be a preservation both to shipping and country, as the said representation bears. Which being considered by her majesty's high commissioner and the said estates of parliament, they have remitted and do hereby remit to the privy council to do in the matter represented what they shall judge necessary for the end described.