Act, 28 December 1693, Edinburgh

Edinburgh The Tenth day of January J^aj vj^c nyntie thrie years

D1693/1/13

D1693/1/13¹

Order

[Anent William Craig, skipper]

Anent a Petition given in to the Lords of their Majesties privy Councill to William Craig Skiper in Kinghorne Shewing That wher the petitioner being ane Considerable ouner of the good ship called the Morton of Leith, The haill other ouners of the said ship at least the major part therof Did by their Commission of the date the […] dayes of August J^aj vj^c Eightie Six years for the Causes therin mentioned Commissionat nominat and appoint the petitioner to be master of the said ship In place of Allan Wat skiper at Leith then master of the same, with full power to the petitioner to sett out and fraught the said ship for whatsomever voyages long or short within or without the kingdome to whatsomever merchants or other person or persones the petitioner should think most convenient as the said Commission of the date forsaid therwith produced would Testifie Conform to which Commission the petitioner hath ever since the year J^aj vj^c Eightie Six continued master without interuption, And accordingly did fraught the said ship to Captaine Robert Young for transporting of Souldiers for his majesties service to Holland or Flanders as their Convoy should Land and for that effect Oblidged him to have his ship in readieness in the port Harbor or road of Leith against the fifth day of January instant, To receive on board the saids souldiers under the penalty of Ten pund Sterling incaise of faillie as the said Chartor partie past betwixt the said Captain Robert Young and the petitioner therwith also produced would Lykewayes testifie yet nevertheless also produced would Lykewayes testifie yet nevertheless some of the ouners of the said ship either of Designe to Obstruct his majesties service or upon some Other Sinistreous designes, Did two or thrie dayes after the date of the said Chartr partie, withdraw from Joyneing in said voyage, and did apply to the admirall depute and upon some frivillous and groundless pretences did procure from him ane warrand for arreisting the said ship untill such tyme as ane roup should be made of the same Wherby the petitioner (who is the greatest part ouner of any one himself) was not only highly prejudged Bot his majesties service in transportation of the saids souldiers obstructed, The said Captain Young being expressly ordered by the saids Lords to bring his men from Blackness to Leith in order to their transportation And Therfore Humbly Craveing the saids Lords would ordaine the said arreistment to be Loosed and allow the petitioner to goe on in makeing the said ship ready for transporting of the Saids Souldiers Conforme to his Chartor partie above mentioned, And to ordaine his other ouners to make payment to him of the damnages sustained be him in their arreisting of the said ship, And that in Respect of the said Captaines express order from the saids Lords and his Urgency of shipping of souldiers Conforme to the said Chartor party Or otherwayes to free and releive the petitioner of all Chartor parties and of all Coast Skaith, damnage or expences that he can sustaine Or incurr therby any maner of way throw obstructing his Majesties Service in not transportation of the souldiers or any maner of way whatsomever as the petition bears. The Lords of their Majesties privy Councill haveing Considered this petition given in to them be the above William Craig with the Comission and Chartor partie mentioned therin and produced ther with Togither with the verball report made to them be a Committie of their oun number to whom is was Remitted They heirby ordaine the Judge Admirall to see the said ship prepaired and made ready be the ouners therof, Conforme to the Charter partie betwixt the shipper and Captaine Young that their majesties service may not be retarded, And that notwithstanding of the arreistment, And Remitts to the said² Judge admirall to discuss any point of right that may be in debate betwixt the ouners and the Master anent the said shipp with all expedition that the ship may tymely provyded of seamen, And all other necessaries for the Voyage mentioned in the said Chartor partie.