Act, 28 December 1703, Edinburgh

Edinburgh the 30th September 1703

D1703/9/22

D1703/9/22¹

Act

Act Infavours off John Cross junior merchant

Annent The petition given in and presented to His Grace Her Majesties High Commissioner and the Lords of Her Majesties privie Councill By John Cross Junior merchant Naturall born subject of the Antient Kingdom off Scotland and Citizen off Glasgow Shewing That haveing for the space off Eight years past Resided at Theneriff one off the Canary Islands, Factor in one off the Cheiffest houses off bussiness there Did upon the apprehension off this present war Endevour to bring off his effects and did Imbark from thence (leaving all behind him) In order to Fraughting off a shipe for that purpose wherin he hes been singularly Disappoynted by the Generall Embargo then in England and by the Declaration off this present war as does more amply appear by the followeing relation off the petitioners Caice That immediatly upon the petitioners arrivall in England (which was in the moneth of February 1702) He procured a Shipe on fraught burden 240 Tuns Then lying in the River of Thames, every way Equipt, and ready to proceed the voyadge But was unhappily detained by the Generall Imbargo, then in England, Wherupon a petition was presented to his Late Majestie and Councill That the said shipe in soe singular a Caice might be exempted from the Embargo But by reason of his said late Majesties sickness and Death, noe privat affaires took place and the said petition was never heard And the Embargo continueing till the Declaration off war By her present Majestie The petitioner hes been totally disappointed in his measures as also off another shipe then lying in the Bay of Duplin burden 160 Tuns, being fully loadned and dispatched and haveing actually set saill from the said Bay was affterwards put back by Contrary winds and Detained therby till the Declaration off war and soe frustrated of his First intended voyadge That this caice of the petitioner is in all respects quite differrent from that off any English subject or other that hes lived upon the saids Islands Inas much as the petitioner hes all his effects still wholy remaining ther (to that Degree that he hes noe possibility off subsistance otherwayes then by Credit with his freinds till he can gitt off his effects) not haveing been able to bring off any pairt therof ever since the Declaratione off war By the disappointment off the abovementioned ships designed for that purpose That the Major pairt off his Effects have been unavoidably bartered for wines to be receaved off the grouth of the Ensueing vintage, therby the more to Induce the Spaniards to Conceall and secure the rest off his effects in their hands which is lykewayes a particular Circumstance that noe English subject or other but the petitioner does ly under and iff not Complyed with upon his pairt will inevitably ruine him That he hes made noe remittances aither off money or goods since the Declaration of war to the said Canary Islands or any other pairt off the Dominions of Her Majesties Enemies That the petitioner hes late advices from the said Islands That his effects (tho in great Danger) have not been yet either discovered or confiscated, and he hes Lykewayes assurance From the persones with from he hes intrusted his concernes That they will procure a Method to send off his effects provyding the petitioners can send a Shipe to receave the same with pipe staves only for the makeing off Cask to put the vines into and doubts not the Spaniards, will performe their Ingadgements, If his Grace and Lordships will be graciously pleased to permit the petitioner to performe his voyadge By goeing to bring his effects out off the danger Which at present they are Exposed to And to Import the same into this Kingdome wherby considerable Custome will accrew to the Revenue And Therfore Creaving His Grace and Lordships To grant licence for the shipe Adventure Burden 240 Tun’s To goe to the said Canary Islands with pipe staves only and to return with his Loadning of wines off the grouth off the Ensueing vintage and other goods the product off the said Islands, The reall effects off the petitioner And to Recommend unto Her Majestie That she would be graciously pleased To grant Her Royall passport for the Security off the said shipe and loadning (²as hes been granted in the caice of Robert Gordon Factor at Bourdeaux and Mr Robert Arbuthnet That she may not be molested By Her Majesties English Ships off war or others which is what solely can prevent the petitioners further misfortune and avert his impending ruine Haveing not Dependance upon the Spaniards as to their Complyance affter the Ensueing vintage, to the Contrary he is assured That iff the petitioner be not allowed to Embrace the occasion His effects will be unavoidably lost and he therby irrecoverably ruined As the said petition Bears The Lords of her Majesties privie Councill Haveing Considered the petition given into them By John Corse merchant Naturall born subject off Scotland and Citizen off Glasgow, and the samen being read in their presence The saids Lords of Her Majesties privy Councill Doe Heirby leave it To the Lord High Chancellor To lay the matter within represented in the petition befoir Her Majestie and to Communicat the same to the secretary of state for that effect