Act, 28 December 1703, Edinburgh

Edinburgh the 28th December 1703

D1703/12/6

D1703/12/6¹

Act

Act Infavours off John Thomsones Elder and younger

Annent The petition given in and presented to the Lords of Her Majesties privie Councill By John Thomson in² Turriff and John Thomson junior his son Shewing That where the said John Thomson younger being aboard off a ship bound to Flushing in the Netherlands in the year 1699 was upon the 30th of October the said year seased and taken by ane Algerine man off Warr and sold into severare slavery in Algire in the moneth of November thereafter wher he continues a Slave to this hour and doeth undergoe most cruell hardships by extream labour heavy Chains and barbarous blows, daily inflicted upon him by these to whom he is sold and who cannot be redemed from the said slavery without the payment off a great soume haveing been sold for 450 Rue Dollars Which the petitioners (who are poor men) are not able to raise And the said John Thomsone being a native born subject off Scotland and most desirous to be freed from thee Barbarous and inhumane hardships that hes these Four years bygone and doeth at present groan under That soe he may be rendered capable to come home to his owen native Country there to live and die in the profession off the trew protestant religion wher he was born, baptized, and Educat, and seeing that the seasure and slavery off the said John Thomsone is attested under the hand of Robert Cole Her Majesties Consul at Algire herewith produced and Lykewayes a Missive Letter From the said John to his Father containing the Barbarous severites he laboures under and that he cannot be redemed from the said slaverie and bondage without their Lordships be pleased to allow and ordaine a generall Contribution to be made for that end in all the paroch Kirks off this Kingdome upon the […] day of […] nixt to Come and ordaine the said Contribution to be payed into John Fordyce off Craiglocher upon his Finding Caution to apply the same for the use abovementioned And Therfore Creaving to the effect aftermentioned As the said petition bears The Lords off Her Majesties privie Councill Haveing Considered the petition given into them by John Thomson In Turriff and John Thomson junior his son under slavery in Algeirs And the same togither with ane Certificat under the hands off Robert Cole Her Majesties Consull at Algeirs Being read in their presence The saids Lords Doe heirby Grant to the petitioner a Generall Contribution to be collected within all the paroch churches of this Kingdome upon such dayes as the petitioners shall appointed after Intimation at the paroch Churches The Sabbath day Immediately befoir collecting therof either at the Church Doors off the respective paroches or in such other manner and way as shall be Concerted and aggreed upon by the petitioner And that for redeming and Ransoming the said John Thomson Junior from the Bondage and slavery he is now under in Algeir And ordaines the said Collection to be payed into John Fordyce off Craiglochers upon his Giveing Bond and Finding sufficient Caution acted in the books of privie Councill That the Contribution soe to be collected shall be apply for the end forsaid and that at the sight off the petitioner