Warrant, 31 December 1695, Edinburgh

Edinburgh The 14th March 1695

D1695/3/24

D1695/3/24¹

Order

Anent James Williamsone

Anent the Petition given in to the Lords of his Majesties privy Councill be James Williamson servant to James Moncreiff late Collector of his Majesties Customes at the port of Aberdein Shewing That wher the said James Williamsone haveing been a servant for Severall years to the said James Moncreiff was Sumarly Imprisoned by ane order from the Lord Advocat at the instance of the Tacksmen of the Customes upon pretence he hade Imbazled severall writtes and soumes of money belonging to his masters, and for which his master was Comptable to the saids tacksmen And the Cryme alledged against him being a Calumnious alledgance upon the false representatione of which to the magistrats of Aberdein he was Imprisoned unwarrantably before the Lords Advocats Warrand was procured, and the send Warrand being obtained by the Calumnious and false insinuationes of his enemies without any accussatione against him and he being most unwilling to subject himself to the determinatione of Law Contrare to which he has been so long detained in prisone for no Crime proven against him And Therfore humbly Craveing the saids Lords would be pleased to ordaine him to be set at Liberty as the petition bears, The Lords of his majesties privy Councill Haveing Considered this petition given in to them be the above James Williamsone and answers therto for his majesties advocat and the Tacksmen of the Majesties Customes, Togither with ane missive letter produced with the saids answers They hereby Give orders and warrand to the magistrates of Aberdein and keeper of their Tolbooth to sett the petitioner at Liberty furth therof he first before extracting heirof Giveing bond and finding suficient Cautione acted in the books of privy Councill That he shall enter himself prisoner in the Tolbooth of Edinburgh betwixt and the […] day of […] Ther to Continue till he make Just Compt and reckoning and payment to the saids tacksmen of what shall be Laid to Charge either for his oun or James Moncreiff his master their intromissiones or Imbazlements of his Majesties Customes whensoever he shall be Called to that effect before any Judge Competent, and if he shall faill to find the said Cautione Recomends to Sir James Stewart his majesties advocat To give order and Warrand to the magistrats of Aberdein to delyver the petitioner to the shireff or his deputs to be by them delyvered to nixt shirreff and so from shirreff to shirreff untill he be transported to the Tolbooth of Edinburgh and appoints the magistrats of Edinburgh and keeper of their Tolbooth to receive and detaine him prisoner therin till farder order.