Procedure, 19 December 1704, Edinburgh

At Holyroodhouse the thirtie day of August J^aj vi^c and four years

D1704/8/2

D1704/8/2¹

Act

Act In favours of William Gordon Factor at Paris

Anent the petition given in and presented to Her Majesties High Commissioner and the Lords of Her Majesties privie Councill by William Gordon late factor at Paris, Shewing, that the petitioner receding at Paris a Considerable time before breaking out of the warr did soon after retire himselfe to Italy with a Resolution to withdraw his effects from France to that place and to have remitted the same from thence to Scotland and return through Germany, But it being most malitiously represented by the petitioners Debitors that he was Dead and consequently his effects as a Stranger escheat to the Croun of France, The Kings Tacksmen obtained a Sentence of Confiscation and therupon seased the samen which not only Disapointed the petitioner in his Designe but obliedged him to return to France in order to reduce the sentence of Confiscation which with much trouble and Difficulty he obtained, and the petitioner having still purposed to withdraw himself and all his effects from thence, Humbly layed befor His Grace and Lordships his Circumstances and that he could neither follow his Imployment and Bussiness ther without incurring the penalty of our Law’s nor can he gett his effects brought home without her Majesties allowance and protection being obnoxious to Her Majestie and her allies ships of Warr who would make prize of any Ship or Goods brought from thence, unless Her Majestie Vouchsafe to Grant her royall pasport to the petitioner who has a Ship called the Royall Anne of Leith, Burden about one hundered and fourty Tuns to that purpose, and Seeing that it hath been your Grace and Lord Justice and goodnes in the like caices as that of Robert Arbuthnet and Robert Gordon both factors at France to Recommend her Majesties good Subjects to her Royall favour to have the pasports necessary for the ends abovementioned both for their own preservation and the visible advantage of her Majesties Customs, And Therfore Creaving His Grace and Lordships to Recommend the petitioner to Her Majestie that Her Majestie may be Gratiously pleased to Grant the petitioner her allowance and pasport for bringing home the forsaid ship with such of his goods and effects as are allowable to be imported to this Nation, as the said petition bears. His Grace Her Majesties High Commissioner and Lords of Her Majesties privie Councill having considered the petition given in to them by William Gordon late factor at Paris and the samen being read in their presence the saids Lords doe heirby Recommend to the Earle of Cromerty principall Secretary of State to lay the affair and matter represented in the above petition befor her Majestie, That Her Majesty may be graciously pleased to Grant to the petitioner her allowance and passport for bringing home the above ship belonging to the petitioner Called the Royall Ann of Leith with such of his goods and effects as are allowable to be imported into this Nation, and that otherway’s her Majestie may doe therin as she in her Royall wisdome shall think fitt.