Judicial Proceeding, 10 December 1700, Edinburgh

Att Edinburgh The Thirteenth day of June J^aj vii^c years

A1700/6/7

A1700/6/7¹

Act

Act Anent Patersone and Watsone

Anent The Petition given in to his Grace his Majesties High Commissioner and Lords of his Majesties privy Councill By Hugh Patersone Churgeon apothecary Burges of Edinburgh Shewing That Their Petitioner Haveing some days agoe been called before a Committee of their Lordships number, upon Examination he was Committed Closs prisoner in the Tolbooth of Edinburgh where he has Remained Ever Since To the great Detriment of his health and Loss of his Employment And now being hopefull That The Committee will be pleased to Report his caice to their Lordships He does with all Submission and in all humility pray their Lordships To Consider his present Condition and Circumstances and his Indisposition Through his Restraint in Such a Season of the year, as also the Loss of his Employment which is the Subsistance of himself and family, And Therfore Humbly Craveing² their Lordships To allow him To be sett at Liberty upon his Finding caution To answer before their Lordships And Anent another Petition given in to their Lordships by James Watson Printer and Burges of Edinburgh Shewing That their Petitioner Being Imprisoned by ane order of ane Committee of ther Lordships for alleadged printing some sheets of paper, which it seems has offended their Lordships for their not being Licensed according to their Lordships order which alleadged deed is not said to be accompanied with any Ill design of their Petitioner, Bot at most ought Reasonable to be Imputed, to the necessity He was under of printing something or other that may sell as the only means of subsisting his Numerous Family, And If any prints hes passed their Petitioners Press without their Lordships licence, The dayly Custom amongst all the printers in Town might be alledged as ane Excuse for their Petitioner, And It’s well Known That what prints are taken off printed books or papers publickly Sold are not in use to be licensed, But their being Sundry printed papers which may give Just offence to their Lordships and to the Committee For the prenting wherof Their Petitioner Is altogether Free, and hes truly acknowledged what he hes printed as the Lords of the Committee will declare, Yett he is Content to find Baill To answer at will, And being very valetudinary Through his Closs Imprisonment in this hott Season and sorely troubled with the Gravell as the Keepers will declare And Therfore Humbly Craving His Grace and their Lordships In pity and Compassion to his Sickly Condition and poor family To order his Liberation upon his Finding Baill To answer whenever their Lordships shall please to call him, as the said petition bears. His Majesties High Commissioner and the Lords of his Majesties privy Councill having Considered this Petition given in to them by the above Hugh Patersone with a verball Report made by his Majesties Advocat of the procedure of the Committy who Examined the Petitioner and James Watson printer, with this petition given in by the said James Watsone, And So Craving Liberty upon Baill In Respect of their Indisposition, They heirby gives order and warrand To Sir James Stewart his majesties Advocat To Raise and Insist in a process against the Saids Hugh Patersone and James Watsone before their Lordships as was formerly ordered by the Committee who Examined them both and That with all Expedition and Conveniency, And in the mean tyme Continues the said Committee as Formerly, with power to the said Committee, To Call for and Examine Such other persones as they shall think Fitt, And to Imprison Such of them as they Find Convenient or necessary, And Further to Re-Examine the saids Petitioners.