Act, 27 December 1694, Edinburgh

At Edinburgh. Tuesday the 9th October 1694

A1694/10/7

A1694/10/7¹

Act

Petition and Act anent Provost Dick and others in Stirlin

Anent the petition givin In by John Dick Late provost of Stirline Thomas Miller, John More, James Keir and John Wilsone Baillies, David More Dean of gild, John Robertson Deacon, Unto the Lords of their Majesties privy Council. Making mention, That wher ther being a lybell raised against ther petitioners some tyme agoe upon severall grounds and Especially upon their alledged disafection to the Government, Testified by their drinking the Late King James and the pretended prince of Wales their healthes, dureing their Magistracy in Stirling, Wherupon their Lordships were pleased to order a precognition to be taken, and therafter to Issue furth a uarrand for aprehending them, And accordingly the said John Dick being apprehended, have remained prisoner since the last Council day in september, And they the other petitioners have bein restrained from going about their Lawfull Effairs, and were all Citted to appear befor their Lordships. They were most heartily sorry, That they should be so unfortunat as to ly under any Jealousie of Disafection to the government, And they did most ingenuously and sinceerly profess that they have behaved themselves with all deutie and affection to their Majesties Government, And that they doe resolve to adhere most stedfastly and afectionatly therto, And as to what was Lybelled against them in relation to the drinking of the forsaid healthes, Their Lordships would be pleased to Consider that the wittnesses only declare and doe not Depon, and they humbly presume, that non of them have declared, that any of them did begin or name either of these healths Expressly or under any Covert, name or designatione, And tho they may not possibly be able to answer for Every Extravagancy that may fall out in Company which could not be restrained, yet they doe most firmly assert and declare that they never drunk or understood any of the forsaid healthes, much less did they ever begin or approve such undutyfull and undescreet practices. And as to all the uther poynts of the Lybell against them, They doe utterly and absolutly deny them and every circumstance of them, Except, that ther was ane act of Council Destinating 200 merks to their Late Minister who visited the sick and prayed amongst ² them³ when there was no settled minister in the place, which they judged to be ane act of Charitie, and wherof the money is not yet payed. And seeing that the said John Dick have already remained being prisoner, and they, the other petitioners, had bein as long under the same sentence and appointment to be Imprisoned and detained from prosecuting their Effairs, as the said petition at more length bears, Which petition being this day read in presence of the Lords of their majesties privy Council, and they having at Length Considered the same, They herby give order and Uarrand to the Magistrats of Edinburgh and keeper of their Tolbooth, To sett at Liberty furth therof the said John Dick, and allowes the other petitioners to be at full Liberty to goe about their Effairs, In respect the said John Dick hes givin bond and found sufficient Cautione acted in the books of privy Council, That he shall appear befor the saids Lords, and answer to what shall be Laid to his Chairge whensoever he shall be called for, and in the mean tyme that he shall Live peaceably under and with all submission to the present Government of their majesties King William and Qween Mary, and that he shall not Act, Consult nor Contryve any thing in prejudice therof, and that he shall not Converse nor Correspond with any rebells under the penalty of five hunder pound sterlin in case he shall transgress in any parte of the premisses. And ilk ane of the uther persons, petitioners forsaids, having givin Bond and found sufficient Caution in the same terms under the penalty of Ane hunder pound sterlin a peice In case they shall transgress in any parte of the premisses.