Letter: royal, 14 January 1693, Edinburgh

Act, 28 December 1693, Edinburgh

Att Edinburgh the Fourteinth day off Januarij Jaj vjc nyntie three years

A1693/1/291

Letter: royal

Schem of the militia sent with the above Letter

Overtures For Putting the Kingdome in ane posture off Defence for the year Jaj vjc nyntie three years Haveing by a proclamation of the tuelth day of Januarij instant ordered all heretors wodsetters and Lyfrenters within this Kingdom to put themselves presently in readiness with there best horses (being good and sufficient) armes and provisiones to meet on fourty eight houres advertisement and attend there Majesties host and standard as they shall be called by order from the Councill It is overtured that the half of the foot militia appoynted by law be put in readiness be the severall shyres in the proportiones And be regimented In maner following viz By the shyres of Selkirk and Roxburgh Six Hundreth Sixtie seven men And by the shyre of Peebles Ane Hundreth and thretty three Inde Eight Hundreth men to be in tuo regiments. By the shyre of Berwick Four Hundreth men into one regiment By the shyre of Edinburgh Four Hundreth men into one regiment By the shyre of Haddingtoun Four Hundreth men into one regiment By the shyre of Linlithgow Ane Hundreth sixtie seven men and the Shyres of Stirling and Clackmannan Three Hundreth thretty and three men Inde Fyve Hundreth men to be in one regiment By the Burgh of Edinburgh Leith and Canongate Four Hundreth men to be in one regiment By the shyre of Dumfreiss Four Hundreth men to be in one regiment By the shyre of Wigtoun and stewartry of Kirkcudbright Four Hundreth men to be in one regiment By the shyres of Air and Renfrew six Hundreth and sixtie six men to be in one regiment By the shyre of Lanerk Fyve Hundreth men to be in one regiment By the shyres of Fyff and Kinross Eight Hundreth men to be in tuo regiments By the Shyre of Pearth Eight Hundreth men to be in tuo regiments By the shyre of Forfar2 Fyve3 Hundreth men to be in one regiment By the shyre of Kincardine and Marischalls pairt of Aberdeen Four Hundreth men to be in one regiment By the rest of Aberdeen and Banff Shyre Fyve Hundreth and thretty three men to be in one regiment By the shyres of Elgin Nairne and this syde of Ness Fyve hundreth men to be in one regiment By the Earle of Sieforth and Lord Lovats divisione of Inverness And the shyre of Cromartie Comprehending also the viscount of Tarbatts vassells and tennents in Ross shyre the number of Four Hundreth men to be in one regiment By the shyres of Sutherland Caithness and the rest of Innerness Excepting the viscount of Tarbatts vassells and tennents in Ross shyre Four Hundreth sixtie six men to be in one regiment By the shyres of Arguyll Dumbartoun and Bute Four Hundreth men to be in one regiment By the stewartrie of Orknay three hundreth and thretty three men to be in one regiment, That each Company consist of Fiftie centinells with a Captain Leivetennent Ensigne tuo serjeants and one drummer At least to be as near to that number of Centinells as is consistant with the totall of each regiment which is to be divyded in Eight Companyes It is offered in the termes of the act of parliament That the Collonells Leivetennent Colonells and majors be Comissionate by the King And the Captains and other Inferior officers to be named by the Commissioners of Militia with consent of the superior officers It is overtured that the Militia be armed with Fyre Locks of one Caliber which are to be furnished by the heretors Item that everie regiment have one pair of Colours And everie Company one drum And everie serjeant one halbert To be provyded at the charge of the shyres Item that it being now the tyme of warr there be tuelve randevouze dayes for this year of the severall militia Companies Item that the Comissioners of supplie be appoynted Commissioners of militia in the severall shyres Item That a third pairt of the Commissioners qualifyed according to Law be a quorum for the militia Item That the Commissionat officers among the Militia viz Collonells Leivetennent Colonells and Majors Captains of horse and foot and Leivetennents of horse be Commissioners of the militia Item That the following Instructiones be given to the Comissioners of militia in the severall shyres /Primo/ The Commissioners of militia are at there first meeting to choise there president or Conveener /Secundo/ The president or Conveener is to have power to call meeting when he sees cause /Tertio/ The Conveener is to be chosen every new year aither by Continueing the former or nameing a new one /Quarto/ To cause List the names of the souldiers with the names of every mans parents or duelling place /Quinto/ To delyver Lists of the souldiers to there Captains Sexto/ That no souldier be changed for another without the Captains Consent /Septimo/ To choise and List new souldiers in the place of such as shall be removed by death or otherwayes and send his name to his Captain /octavo/ To rank the Companyes In there regiments by Consent or Lott /nono To Judge and determine all questiones and differences about discipline order pretensiones and all controversies amongst all officers and Souldiers belonging to there respective shyres in all militarie matters reconcile quarrells And punish those that faith in point of duety with Imprisonement /Decimo/ To punish with Imprisonement or mulct or both such souldiers as remove from there paroch totally or keep not there randevouze without Leave of one of there officers of there Conveener in wreitting /undecimo/ To make use of no article of warr But In so farr as concernes the ordinarie rules of militarie duety allennarly useing no other punishment but mulct and Imprisonement And Casheering of Leivetennents and other under officers where there is cause /Duo Decimo/ In all cases that are difficult and weighty to have recourse to the Lords of there majesties privie Councill /Tridecimo/ To order and see the performance of all requisite poynts of militarie duety when the regiments or Companyes are at there randivouze for mustering and exerciseing /Decimo quarto/ To take care That upon no pretext any officer or souldier be exempted from the authority of the Law and ordinarie Judge in matters civill or Criminall /Decimo quinto/ To advertise the Councill with any new electiones which shall be made of officers And send the names of there new officers to the Councill to be approven by them and transmitted to the King As also when any superior officers dyes That new Comissioners may be obtained from his Majestie /Decimo Sexto/ That the Commissioners who being warned or have notice of there respective meetings and absent themselves without a reasonable cause or Leave of the Conveener Be Lyable to a fyne not exceeding […] /Decimo Septimo/ It being now the tyme of warr to fyne pairtyes for souldiers absence from there randezvouze not exceeding Four pound scotts money for the footman absent Ilk day of the randivouze And Lykewayes such as shall be deficient in the outrick of the foot or in payment of the fractiones thereof or of the proportiones of colours and drummes or of the pay allowed conforme to the act of parliament or of the pay allowed conforme to the act of parliament Item That the souldiers be payed be the Countrey at Six shillings scotts per diem for each randivouzes day Conforme to the act of parliament And that the Leivetennents serjeants and drummers be payed by the King viz The Leivetennents at Fourty shilling scotts The serjeants at Eightein shilling scotts And the drummers tuelve shillings scotts for each randivouze day which in a wholl year at tuelve randivouze dayes in the year will extend to Four pound Eight Shillings sterling for each company And for the wholl tuenty three Regiments will not exceed Eight Hundreth and nyne pounds tuelve shillings sterling for the wholl year Item That all the officers doe punctually attend there charges And that none of them offer to desert or demitt the same but upon Just and reasonable cause to be first offered to and allowed by the Councill under the paines following viz a Colonell Tuo Thousand Merks scotts A Leivetennent Colonell Ane Thousand Fyve Hundreth merks scotts A major or Captaine one Thousand merks scotts A Leivetennent or Ensigne Fyve Hundreth merks scotts And If any officers shall refuse to accept without a reasonable cause to be first allowed as said is They shall be Lyable to the respective fynes forsaids And If any officer shall neglect there service and not give due attendance to the dyetts of randivouze of the regiments and of the Companyes It being now a tyme of warr They shall be Lyable in the fynes following viz A major and Captain Fiftie pounds scotts And the other Inferior officers Tuenty four pound scotts Conforme to the act of parliament And If the shyres of Lanerk Air Renfrew Wigtoun and Stewartrie of Kirkcudbright whose foot militia were upon ane exigent once converted into horse and the change approven by act of parliament Shall desyre to put out the horse rather then them the foot In that case they are to put out the half of the horse which were put upon these shyres In place of there foot viz For Lanerk Fifty tuo horse for Air and Renfrew Sixtie Four horse And for Wigtoun and the Stewartrie of Kirkcudbright Thretty tuo horse Item that everie officer at the first randevouze Shall take the oath of alleadgeance and signe the assureance appointed by act of parliament In presence of tuo of the Commissioners of militia And every souldier shall swear the oath of alleadgeance In presence of there respective superior officers at there first randezvouse.

Att Edinburgh, 14 January 1693

A1693/1/291

Letter: royal

Scheme of the militia sent with the above letter

Overtures for putting the kingdome in a posture of defence for the year 1693 having by a proclamation of 12 January instant ordered all heritors, wadsetters and liferenters within this kingdom to put themselves presently in readiness with their best horses (being good and sufficient), arms and provisions to meet on 48 hours’ advertisement and attend their majesties’ host and standard as they shall be called by order from the council. It is proposed that half of the foot militia appointed by law be put in readiness by the various shires in the proportions and be regimented in manner following, viz: by the shires of Selkirk and Roxburgh 667 men and by the shire of Peebles 133, totalling 800 men to be in two regiments; by the shire of Berwick 400 men in one regiment; by the shire of Edinburgh 400 men in one regiment; by the shire of Haddington 400 men in one regiment; by the shire of Linlithgow 167 men and the shires of Stirling and Clackmannan 333 men, totalling 500 men to be in one regiment; by the burgh of Edinburgh, Leith and Canongate 400 men to be in one regiment; by the shire of Dumfries 400 men to be in one regiment; by the shire of Wigtown and stewartry of Kirkcudbright 400 men to be in one regiment; by the shires of Ayr and Renfrew 666 men to be in one regiment; By the shire of Lanark 500 men to be in one regiment; by the shires of Fife and Kinross 800 men to be in two regiments; by the shire of Perth 800 men to be in two regiments; by the shire of Forfar 500 men to be in one regiment; by the shire of Kincardine and Marischal’s part of Aberdeenshire 400 men to be in one regiment; by the rest of Aberdeen and Banff shires 533 men to be in one regiment; by the shires of Elgin, Nairn and this side of the Ness 500 men to be in one regiment; by the earl of Seaforth and Lord Lovat’s division of Inverness and the shire of Cromarty comprehending also the viscount of Tarbat’s vassals and tenants in Ross the number of 400 men to be in one regiment; by the shires of Sutherland, Caithness and the rest of Inverness excepting the viscount of Tarbat’s vassals and tenants in Ross 466 men to be in one regiment; by the shires of Argyll, Dumbarton and Bute 400 men to be in one regiment; by the stewartry of Orkney 333 men to be in one regiment; that each company consist of 50 sentinels with a captain, lieutenant, ensign, two serjeants and one drummer, at least to be as near to that number of sentinels as is consistent with the total of each regiment which is to be divided in eight companies. It is offered in the terms of the act of parliament that the colonels, lieutenant colonels and majors be commissioned by the king and the captains and other inferior officers to be named by the commissioners of militia with consent of the superior officers. It is proposed that the militia be armed with fire locks of one calibre which are to be furnished by the heritors. Item, that every regiment have one pair of colours and every company one drum, and every serjeant one halberd to be provided at the charge of the shires. Item, that it being now the time of war there be 12 rendezvous days for this year of the several militia companies. Item that the commissioners of supply be appointed commissioners of militia in the various shires. Item that a third of the commissioners qualified according to law be a quorum for the militia. Item That the commissioned officers among the militia, viz colonels, lieutenant colonels and majors, captains of horse and foot and lieutenants of horse be commissioners of the militia. Item that the following instructions be given to the commissioners of militia in the various shires: First – the commissioners of militia are at their first meeting to choose their president or convener; Second – the president or convener is to have power to call meetings when he sees cause; Third – the convener is to be chosen every new year either by continuing the former or naming a new one; Fourth – to list the names of the soldiers with the names of every man’s parents or dwelling place; Fifth – to deliver lists of the soldiers to their captains; Sixth – that no soldier be changed for another without the captain’s consent; Seventh – to choose and list new soldiers in the place of such as shall be removed by death or otherwise and send his name to his captain; Eighth – to rank the companies in their regiments by consent or lot; Ninth – to judge and determine all questions and differences about discipline, order, pretensions and all controversies amongst all officers and soldiers belonging to their respective shires in all military matters, reconcile quarrels and punish those that fail in point of duty with imprisonment; Tenth – to punish with imprisonment or fine or both such soldiers as remove from their parish totally or keep not their rendezvous without leave of one of their officers or their convener in writing; Eleventh – to make use of no article of war but in so far as concerns the ordinary rules of military duty only, using no other punishment but fines and imprisonment and cashiering of lieutenants and other under officers where there is cause; Twelfth – in all cases that are difficult and weighty, to have recourse to the lords of their majesties’ privy council; Thirteenth – to order and see the performance of all requisite points of military duty when the regiments or companies are at their rendezvous for mustering and exercising; Fourteenth – to take care that upon no pretext any officer or soldier be exempted from the authority of the law and ordinary judge in matters civil or criminal; Fifteenth – to advertise the council with any new elections which shall be made of officers and send the names of their new officers to the council to be approved by them and transmitted to the king, as also when any superior officers dies that new commissions may be obtained from his majesty; Sixteenth – that the commissioners who being warned or have notice of their respective meetings and absent themselves without a reasonable cause or leave of the convener be liable to a fine not exceeding […]; Seventeenth – it being now the time of war to fine parties for soldiers’ absence from their rendezvous not exceeding £4 Scots money for the footman absent each day of the rendezvous and similarly such as shall be deficient in the outfitting of the foot or in payment of the fractions thereof or of the proportions of colours and drums or of the pay allowed according to the act of parliament or of the pay allowed according to the act of parliament. Item, that the soldiers be paid by the country at 6 s. Scots per day for each rendezvous day according to the act of parliament, and that the lieutenants, serjeants and drummers be paid by the king, viz: the lieutenants at 40 s. Scots; the serjeants at 18 s. Scots; and the drummers 12 s. Scots for each rendezvous day, which in a whole year at twelve rendezvous days in the year will extend to £4 8 s. sterling for each company, and for the whole 23 regiments will not exceed £809 12 s. sterling for the whole year. Item, that all the officers punctually attend their charges and that none of them offer to desert or demit the same but upon just and reasonable cause to be first offered to and allowed by the council, under the pains following, viz: a colonel 2,000 merks Scots; a lieutenant colonel 1,500 merks Scots; a major or captain 1,000 merks Scots; a lieutenant or ensign 500 merks Scots, and if any officers shall refuse to accept without a reasonable cause to be first allowed as said is, they shall be liable to the respective fines foresaid, and if any officer shall neglect their service and not give due attendance to the diets of rendezvous of the regiments and of the companies, it being now a time of war, they shall be liable in the fines following, viz: a major and captain £50 Scots, and the other inferior officers £24 Scots, according to the act of parliament, and if the shires of Lanark, Ayr, Renfrew, Wigtown and stewartry of Kirkcudbright (whose foot militia were upon an exigency once converted into horse and the change approved by act of parliament), shall desire to put out the horse rather than the foot, in that case they are to put out half of the horse which were put upon those shires in place of their foot, viz: for Lanark 52 horse; for Ayr and Renfrew 64 horse, and for Wigtown and the stewartry of Kirkcudbright 32 horse. Item, that every officer at the first rendezvous shall take the oath of allegiance and sign the assurance appointed by act of parliament in presence of two of the commissioners of militia, and every soldier shall swear the oath of allegiance in presence of their respective superior officers at their first rendezvous.

1. PC1/48, 552-5.

2. The word ‘Eight’ scored out here.

3. Word inserted above the line.

1. PC1/48, 552-5.