Procedure: petition, 31 December 1696, Edinburgh

Att Edinburgh the twentie one Day of Jully J^aj vi^c nyntie Six yeirs

D1696/7/23

D1696/7/23¹

Order

Recomendatione Sir James Ramsayes relict

Anent the petitione given in to the Lords of his majesties privie Counsell Be Dam Lilias Seatone relict of Sir James Ramsay of Logie Shewing that wher The petitioner and her Deceast husband haveing represented in the last Sessione of parliament That the said Sir James being brother in Law to This Earle of Seaforths grandfather Did to retrive the said Earle from the prisone gates and for preserveing his estate ingadge himself and fortwne in a considerable Soume of money which will amownt to above Seventie Thowsand merks for payment wherof Sir James was forced to Sell his own estate and betake himself and familie to a poor cottage wher they have Lived in great miserie and want upon which ground And others therin mentioned The honorable estates of parliament by the act the twentie Seventh of Juny J^aj vi^c nyntie five therwith prodwced Did grant ane aliment to the petitioner and her husband and Longest Liver of them two of Ane Thowsand punds Scotts yeirly Dureing the Dependance of the reductione which aliment is therby Declaired to comence frae whittsonday J^aj vi^c nyntie five And that out of the Lands possest be the said Earle of Seaforth As The Countess his mother And for that effect granted warrand for Letters of Horning against the factors and possessors of the saids Lands But in respect that through a mistake of the clerk register the foirsaid aliment was not payable till whittsonday Last bypast And that the petitioners necessitie was Soe great that it was impossible for them to Subsist till the said terme without Some pairt atleast of the aliment were Advanced to them Therfore Ther Lordships upon the petitioners applicatione for that end Did Recomend them to the Lords Commissioners of his majesties thesaurie who instantly granted them a precept upon the generall receaver for five Hundereth punds as the first terms aliment Dwe at Mertimes J^aj vi^c nyntie five And while the petitioner was attending the Councell and waiteing upon the receaveing of the said Five hundered punds her old husband was removed being above Seventie nyn yeirs of age which was no Small addition to the petitioners afflictione that She was not present to performe her last Duety to him with whom She had Lived above Sixtie yeirs in a maried State And Seing the foirsaid five Hundereth punds was Litle enewgh to defray her expensses in attending here and the charge of her husbands fwneralls And that She hes cawsed James Guthrie pursevant charge denunce and registrat to the horne The Countess of Seaforth with her factors and tennents in whose hands the letters are Still lyeing for want of money to releive them And that notwithstanding of all the dilligence She hes wsed She cannot command a Sixpence of the said Earle of Seaforths estate nether for the said aliment nor other debts they owe the petitioner wherthrowgh now in her old age being about Eightie yeirs She and her poor family are in hazard of Starveing both for want of money and credit except ther Lordships provide remeid And therfore craveing to the effect eftermentioned As the said petitione bears The Lords of his majesties privie Counsell haveing considered the above petitione with the act or Decreit of parliament mentioned therin or prodwced therwith They heirby recommend to the Lords Commissioners of his majesties thesaury to cause payment be made to the petitioner of the above five Hundereth punds Scotts As the Last termes aliment Dwe at Whittsonday Last bypast The petitioner allwayes assigneing the Lords Commissioners of the thesaurie as hes bein formerly Done