Procedure, 30 December 1701, Edinburgh

Att Edinburgh the Sixth day of February One Thousand Seven hundred and one years

D1701/2/4

D1701/2/4¹

Act

Act Walter Pringle merchant anent Irish victuall

Anent a Petition given in to the Lords of his majesties privy Councill be Walter Pringle merchant second Lawfull sone to the deceast Mr Walter Pringle of Craigcrook advocat Shewing That the petitioner haveing for more then a year past followed out a trade of victuall betwixt Ireland and this kingdome he did some moneths agoe, Long before the saids Lords Late act of Councill prohibiting the Import of victuall into this kingdome buy up a Considerable quantitie of Barley in Ireland and payed the pryce therof, and came over himself with a Ships Loadening of it to New Port Glasgow in order to see it ther, and upon his comeing over hyred another vessell at Newport Glasgow to pass over to Ireland and returned Loadened with two hundred and fiftie bolls as the remander of the said Cargoe of Barley left be him in Ireland, Which vessell being there Long detained by contrary winds was not returned, when the saids Lords late act of Councill prohibiting the Import of graine came out; Thus wherof the petitioner was most willing to depone upon Oath He humbly begged Leave to lay his Cause before the saids Lords First That he was bona fide in a Course of trade and hade actually bought the forsaid Barley and payed the price and hyred the said vessell to transport the same long before the saids Lords act, when ther was not the least surmise of the same in these parts of the kingdome, Bot on the Contrary great Scarcity and demand of grain ther, Which rather gave hopes of incouradgment from the saids Lords to the Importers Secondly If it hade not been for the contrary winds and storme that therafter ensued, The said vessell hade aryved at Port Glasgow before the saids Lords act Thirdly Barley being a kynd of Grain which suffers more damnadge by keeping then any other kynd of grain especially when keeped aboard of ships as this has been, The petitioner might as weell throw it over board and give it up for Lost as think of transporting of it to any foreaigne Countrey after it arryves which he hourly expects, and probably may be before this petition could be presented to the saids Lords Therfore and inrespect of the petitioners Innocencie in the matter above, who hade not nor could not possibly have the least intentione of Contraveening the saids Lords act and that the petitioners case was Singular, and could have no bad Consequence If the If the² saids Lords according to their Constant Justice and Clemancie releiffe him therin, And Therfore Humbly Supplicating the saids Lords to the effect after mentioned as the said petition bears His Majesties high Commissioner and the Lords of his Majesties privy Councill haveing Considered the above petition given in to them be the above Walter Pringle They have Allowed and hereby Allowes the petitioner to Import the above two hundred and fiftie bolls of Barley if the samen be not already arryved and seazed and Discharges the tacksmen Customers Surveyers and waiters to make seazure therof And if it be already arryved and Seazed Ordaines the same to be restored to the petitioner he paying the duty and entering the same as was in use before the Councills act of prohibitione and the petitioner verifieing by oath the Cercumstances of the matter above narrated before the Judge Ordinar in the place.