Act, 28 December 1693, Edinburgh

Edinburgh the Twentie thrid day of February J^aj vj^c nyntie three years

D1693/2/35

D1693/2/35¹

Act

Act The heritors and parishoners of Erroll.

Anent a Petition given in to the Lords of their Majesties privy Councill be the heritors and elders of the parish of Erroll. Shewing that in obedience to the saids Lords late act and proclamatione against vagrant beggers they are most ready to mantaine their oun poor and to apply for that effect the intrest and annualrent of all mortificationes belonging to their Church without diminishing the stock as the said proclamatione appoints Bot, are therin invinceable Impeded by Mr John Nicolsone late incumbent in the said paroch his keeping up of the bonds of Mortificationes and other bonds for the poors money with the poors box Lykeas he also keeps up the comunion cups and other utincells of the Said Church Notwithstanding he was charged by letters raised upon the saids Lords Deliverance for giveing up the Same, Which charges he not only sometime agoe Suspended bot when lately requyred by Commissioners Specially appointed by the petitioners appointed for that effect He alledged that ther were other heritors of the parish that had ane inttrest in the said mortificationes and poors money also weell as the petitioners And that he had allready suspended a charge given him to the same purpose, which charge Lay over undiscused wherby the Lords might perceive that he still shifts the delivery of the said mortificationes and other bonds Still in his hand For the treuth is that albeit upon the forsaid bill of Suspensione the petitioners letters were suspended simplicitor upon a Condescendance that he was ordained to make under his hand and give to the saids Lords Clerks upon the persones by name and Designation to whom he delivered the premisses and did at that tyme make a fashion of a Condescendance, yet the same was not true for Mr James Brown Clerk to the session to whom he sayes he delivered the forsaid mortificationes and bonds hath given it under his hand that the farr greatest part of them is yet in Mr Johns oun hands as a list all written with the said Mr Browns hand therwith produced would testifie, And seing that the treuth is and appears by the instrument therwith produced That Mr Nicolson doeth only delay and tergeverse both with the saids Lords and the petitioners as to the delivery of the said mortificationes and bonds as also as to the Comunion Cups which he would be sure to turne from hand to hand unles he be fixed by the saids Lords ordinance And Therfor Humbly Craveing the saids Lords to ordaine the said Mr John Nicolson peremptorly to exhibit and deliver to the petitioners upon oath the wholl foresaid Mortifications and bonds Comunion Cups and other utincills abovementioned that he hade in his hands to the effect that they might execute the forsaid act and proclamatione and what else belongs to their charge in the said parish And this they humbly Craved to be done sumarly because by the instrument produced The Lords might see that the said Mr Nicolsone alledges his former bill of suspensione raised before the Lords to be still depending undiscussed as the petitione bears The Lords of their Majesties privy Councill haveing heard this petition given in to them be the above minister Heritors, and Elders of the parish of Erroll and instrument produced therwith They ordaine letters to be direct heiron for citeing of the above Doctor John Nicolsone to Compeir befor their Lordships upon the Fourth day of Aprill nixt to come and answer to the points contained in the said petition, And in the mean tyme Ordaines the said Doctor to exhibit and produce in the hands of the Clerks of privy Councill upon oath the wholl mortificationes, bonds Comunion Cups, and other utincells abovementioned that he has in his hand to the effect the same may be made Furthcomeing as accords.