Att Edinburgh the Fourteinth of March Jaj vjc nyntie three years Ante Meridiem
A1693/3/54
A1693/3/541
Act
Liberation Jaffrey and Smith
Anent the petitione given in to the Lords of there majesties privie Councill be John Jaffrey and Alexander Smith merchands in Aberdeen Shewing That where the petitioners have been by ane mistake that can scarce be paralelled detained prisoners for the space of seventeen weeks at Aberdeen And brought over here in order to ane tryall For ane cryme of which the petitioners were never guilty in thought much more in expressione or concealling the samen The petitioners affectione to the present government never haveing been doubted no not by there greatest enemies And the saids Lords haveing been graciously pleased to remitt the Cognitione of the alleadged cryme to ane comittee who did upon Saturday last Call the petitioner befor them with other tuo who were lykewayes present the tyme It wes Committed our Soveraigne King William and his officers should have been Cursed by one or tuo of the petitioners Company The petitioners being all four in one roume together And what ever may be alleadged againest the other tuo as to there carriadge at other tymes yet the petitioners can declare That they were free of the cryme they are now conveened for nor wes there any thing spoken in that company then what the petitioners declared to the saids Lords of the Comittee and at severall other tymes under there hands nor is it to be presumed that the petitioners have been in the least disingenuous in there narratione The other tuo being strangers to them And with Whom they never hade any fellowship And who by there oune declarationes If there were any treasonable words (as there wes none) acknowledges themselves to be the speakers And now Sieing the petitioners have given all the satisfactione to the Lords of the Comittee the petitioners were capable of And that the petitioners Loyalty and principles were ever hitherto unspotted Although now to the petitioners great misfortune it hath been called in questione which doeth trouble them more then there seventeen weeks Imprisonement and the almost ruine of there trade The petitioners shop doores being Locked up all that tyme Besydes that there Freinds upon this report have withdrawen there Countenance By all which the petitioners Conditione is very deplorable And therefore Craveing that the saids Lords would be pleased to ordaine the petitioners to be sett at Liberty without paying Jaylor fies or anything that may draw upon them the least suspicione or guilt As the said petitione bears The Saids Lords of there majesties privie Councill haveing considered this petitione given in to them be the above Alexander Smith and John Jaffrey They hereby give order and warrand to the magistrates of Edinburgh Bailzies of the Canongate and Keeper of there tolbooth to sett the petitioners at liberty In respect they have given bond and found sufficient Cautione acted in the books of privie Councill that they shall appear and bear witnes againest Mr Alexander Morisone and Mr Patrick Strachan now prisoners in the tolbooth of the Canongate in any process befor the Lords Commissioners of Justiciary or any other Judicature for any expressiones uttered by them againest the government when they shall be cited to that effect under the penalty of Fyve Hundreth merks a piece And that the petitioners have Sworne and signed the oath of alleadgeance and signed the assureance to there majestyes appointed by act of parliament In presence of one of the Lords of privie Councill.
1. PC1/48, 639-40.
1. PC1/48, 639-40.