Procedure: petition, 31 December 1696, Edinburgh

Att Edinburgh the Seventine Day of November J^aj vi^c nyntie six yeirs

D1696/11/7

D1696/11/7¹

Act

Act in favoures of these who Suffered by the Late fyre in the Cannogate

Anent the petitione given in to the Lords of his majesties privie Counsell be The ministers and kirk sessione of the Cannogate in Behalfe of Such as have Suffered by the Late fyre Shewing That wheron the seventh of November current it pleased The Lord in his infinite wise providence to visite this poor place with a most sad and terrible fyre wher by threttie seven families were throwen out of doors ther houses burnt to ashes the most of ther goods and effects distroyed by the most of ther goods and effects distroyed by the flames and such of them as were throwen owt on the Street broken rendered wseles or Stollen away So that all the inhabitants of these houses have Sustained Such Losses as cannot in all probabilitie be repaired or they putt in a conditione to Live without some extraordinary Supplie be allowed them most of the inhabitants being wtterlie impoverished and disabled from following ther trades wherby they may yearne ther bread and keep ther families togither the present dearth and Scarcetie of Victwall exposeing these families to Starve for want unles ther Lordships provide Some remedie And the multitude of ordinary poor makeing the petitioners wtterlie incapable to affoord any Supplie to these poor families by ther ordinarie collectiones And therfore humblie craveing to the effect eftermentioned As the said petitione bears The Saids Lords of his majesties privie Counsell haveing considered the above petitione They heirby appoint a contribwtione to be made for the releiffe of the above distressed persones within the bownds of the presbetries of Dalkeith Hadingtowne Linlithgow and the Countrie paroches of the presbetrie of Edinburgh at the church doors upon the threttein day of december next to come And within the city of Edinburgh Cannogate Leith and Westkirk paroch to be collected from house to house As the Severall Kirk Sessiones Shall appoint on Such other dayes as Shall be most convenient And in the burghs and townes of St Johnstowne Dwndie Montrose Jedburgh Aberdeen Glasgow and Kelso upon the twentie or following Dayes of december next to come to be collected aither at the church Door or from house to house as the foirsaids burghs and towns shall think best And appoints the collections to be made within the Saids respective places to be given in to Angws Black present thesaurer of the burgh of the Cannogate and David Whyte present kirk thesaurer ther within fourtein dayes efter the ingathering of the Same In respect the said Angws Black and David Whyte hes given bond and found Sufficient Cautione acted in the books of privie Counsell to imploy and distribute the Same for the releiff of the foirsaids persones who have Suffered in the said fyre at the Sight and be the advice of The magistrats ministers and kirk Sessione of the Cannogate And ordaines these presents to be printed and intimat at the Severall paroch churches within the bownds foirsaids upon the respective Lords Dayes preceeding the said collectione