Warrant, 31 December 1695, Edinburgh

At Edinburgh thursday the nynteenth day of December J^aj vj^c nynty and fyve years

A1695/12/24

A1695/12/24¹

Commission by the Council

Commissione for examening the Baxters of Glasgow and others anent the importatione of Irish Victuall

The Lords of his Majesties privy Councill being informed That there are Considerable quantities of Victuall transported from Ireland and other forraigne places into this Kingdome and especially into the western parts thereof preceeding the tuelth day of December currant and that the Baxters in and about the Toune of Glasgow Have imported or caused import or had occasione to the importing of severall quantities of the said forraigne victuall into this kingdome Therfore the said Lords of his majesties privy Councill have given and granted and Hereby Giv’s and Grants full power warrand and Commissione To Mr Francis Montgomerie of Giffane Sir John Maxuell of Pollock two of their oune number […] Mure of Rowallane […] Crafurd of Fergushill […] Hamiltone of Barncleugh and Sir William Fleeming of [Ferme] Commissar of Glasgow or any three of them whom they Hereby declaire to be a sufficient quorum To take tryall anent the importatione of the said Irish or other forraigne Victuall preceeding the day foresaid And for that effect to Call for and examine the said Baxters in and about the Toune of Glasgow and all other persons guilty of or haveing accessione to the Importatione of the same And all merchants Skippers owners of boats boatmen and other servants whatsomever concerned therein Living in or about the said toune of Glasgow or at any other place within the bounds contained in the Commissione granted to David Crafurd of Drumsuy according as their names shall be given in to them in a List by the said David Craufurd And particularly to examine the persones foresaid upon the Interrogators following Primo if they by themselves or any impowered for them directly or indirectly Have imported or Caused or directed any to import Victuall from any other Kingdome into this Kingdome since the first day of January J^aj vj^c nynty and fyve years Secundo since the said day they Have brought any victuall from any persone or persones who to their Knowledge did bring the same into this Kingdome from any other Kingdome especially from Ireland Tertio from what particular persons they did buy any victuall since the said day That to ther knowledge did come in Vessells into the Firth or River of Clyde or any other place on the sea coast And that they Condescend upon the names of the persons and the quantities of the Victuall bought by them from tyme to tyme since the foresaid day And appoynts the said Commissioners to call for any decreets against any of the foresaid persones and bonds granted by any of them to […] the said David Craufurd of Drumsuy whom the said Lords doe Hereby appoynt to attend the said Commissioners With full power to the said Commissioners or their said quorum to elect and choise theire owne Clerk for whom they shall be answereable and To cause draw up the depositiones and Examinationes of the persones to be called before them authentickly in wrytt and to cause the persones Examined subscryve the Same And als That the Commissioners and ther said quorum subscryve the same themselves With power to the said Commissioners or ther Quorum to impose fynes conforme to the act of parliament J^aj vj^c seventy and two years to be exacted and uplifted by the said David Craufurd and applyed and compted by Him in the terms of his Commissione granted to Him or imprisone all such persones against whome their shall be two concurreing witneses proveing they imported or had accessione to the importatione of any Irish or other forraigne Victuall with power also to the said Commissioners or ther said quorum to take of any sequestratione layd upon the wheat belonging to the Baxters upon such termes and under such security as they shall think fitt And appoynts the said Commissioners to meet at Glasgow the second day of Januarie J^aj vj^c nynty and sex years for the first place and dyet of ther meeting And therafter to adjourne themselves to such other places and dyets as they shall find Convenient from tyme to tyme betwixt and the Last day of the samine moneth And appoynts them to make report of ther Haill procedure of this matter to the said Lords of his Majesties privy Councill betwixt and the said day to the effect their Lordships may give such furder ordor thereanent as they shall find necessar sic subscribitur Twerddale Cancel Queensberrie Southerland Polwarth James Stueart Adam Cockburne W Anstruther Archibald Murray G Campbell