At Edinburgh tuesday the seventh day of Januarie Jaj vjc nynty and fyve years
A1696/1/2
A1696/1/21
Act
Act of Banishment William Murray
Anent the petitione given in to the Lords of his majesties privy Councill by William Murray Vintiner in Edinburgh now prisoner in the Tolbooth therof Shewing That there being about one and tuenty weeks since a news Letter came from London direct to the said petitioner (2and the said Letter (as all Letters direct to Him in the tuelve moneth bygaine have been) being open read and perused at the post House ere the same was put in his Hands and he did as other Change or Coffee house keepers use to doe allow the same to be read over by such as 3 come to drink in His house and John Robertsone late Baillie now dean of Gild being informed of the Contents of the said Letter and that there was false news in the same did thereupon call upon Him and summarly Committed Him to prisone and He haveing frequently supplicat the Magistrats and Toune Councill of Edinburgh to be heared for vindicatione of his owne innocence To the effect that after Clearing He might be set at Liberty The said magistrats did not only refuise to grant the just desire of his said petitione but instead of giveing him any Redress did send their officers and Caused them summarily and by open violence thrust out his wyfe and familey out of the petitioners dwelling House and did put on padlocks on all the doors thereof and Cellars by which not only 4 his Liquors and furniture are absolutely spoyled and his poor wyfe and familey exposed to the greatest Extremity and hazard of being starved for Cold and hunger in this seasone of the year and He himself in the meantyme keept prisoner in great miserie and necessity The only means of his Livelyhood being the Keeping of a private Change House here in Edinburgh and albeit He alwayes was and as yet is willing to clear and vindicat his owne innocence from any Cryme or guilt that could be alleadged against him and that their Lordships knew That ane Englishman’s directing of ane news Letter to Him was neither a cryme nor any fault or deed of his and in case there was any thing unwarrantable in the Letter the postmaster was oblidged in Duety to have suppressed the same after He had read and perused it and the Postmaster Haveing delyvered the same to the said petitioner after he had read and perused it was sufficient to put him in bona fide to beleive That the said Letter might therafter be made patent and allowed to be read by any other persone who should come and drink at his House and this summar useage of the petitioner and his poor familey being far above the greatest severity that ever was inflicted by your Lordships or any Soveraigne Court of the Natione it most be conceived it most be illegall arbitrary and unwarrantable and contrair both to the Claime of Right and established Laws and inviolable practise of the natione And therefore Humbly Craveing the said Lords to Consider and Commiserat the said and distressed Conditione of the said petitioner and his poor familly And ordaine Him to be Sett at Liberty and to be reponed to the posessione of his dwelling house and goods upon his finding Cautione to appear before their Lordships or any other Judicators their Lordships should appoynt upon ane Legall Citatione for that effect Especially Considering That by his Long and miserable imprisonment his health is so farr decayed that if he were any Longer where he is the recoverie therof will be absolutlie desperat as the said petitione at Lenth bears The Lords of his majesties privy Councill Haveing considered the foresaid petitione given in to them by the said William Murray with the answers made thereto for the magistrats of Edinburgh They have banished and Hereby Banishes the said William Murray furth of the shyres of Edinburgh Haddingtoune and Linlithgow and ordaines Him to depart furth of the said Shyres within ten dayes next after the date Hereof And discharges him to returne within the same with certificatione to him That if at any tyme after the said ten dayes he shall be found within any of the said three shyres he shall be banished to his Majesties Plantationes in America in respect the said William hes enacted Himself in the books of privie Councill That He shall depairt furth of the said three shyres within the space foresaid and not returne therein under the penalty abovewryten
1. NRS, PC1/50, 307-309.
2. Sic.
3. The phrase ‘use to’ scored out here.
4. The word ‘my’ scored out here.
1. NRS, PC1/50, 307-309.
2. Sic.
3. The phrase ‘use to’ scored out here.
4. The word ‘my’ scored out here.