At Edinburgh 12 August 1692

A1692/8/54¹

Proclamation

Proclamation concerning the hearth money

The following proclamation being read, approved, and signed, was ordered to be recorded, whereof the tenor follows:
William and Mary, by the grace of God king and queen of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, defenders of the faith, to our beloved […] macers of our privy council, messengers at arms, our sheriffs in that part, conjunctly and severally, specially constituted greeting. Forasmuch as the estates of parliament of this our ancient kingdom by their act of the date 10 September 1690 made a humble offer and tender to us of the sum of fourteen shillings Scots for every hearth within this our kingdom, to be paid at the term of Candlemas 1691 by the inhabitants dwelling in the houses where the said hearths are, without exception or exemption of any except the hearths of hospitals and poor people who are upon the charity of the parish, and where any houses are not inhabited, that the hearth money shall be paid by the heritor, liferenter, or proper wadsetter to whom the same for the time does belong. And the estates of parliament, by their other act of the same date, having empowered the lords of our privy council to give such orders for collecting and ingathering the said hearth money as they should judge fit. Conform whereunto we, with advice of our privy council, have emitted diverse proclamations and issued sundry orders for the better and more effectual collecting and inbringing of the said hearth money, which have not received and been answered with such ready and exact obedience as they ought to have been, to the great prejudice of the several shires and burghs of this kingdom who have advanced or paid any sums of money to our forces, and to the great prejudice of our army concerning the payment of their bygone arrears, to which particular uses the said hearth money should be applied. And we being resolved that the said hearth money shall be uplifted and collected with all diligence and wholly applied to the uses above set down, in manner specified in the said act of parliament, therefore we with advice of the lords of our privy council require and command you […] Lord Yester, Sir John Baird of Newbyth, Sir John Lauder of Hatton, Sir John Lauder of Fountainhall, and William Anstruther of that ilk, senators of the college of justice, for the shire of Edinburgh; John, Lord Belhaven, Sir Robert Sinclair of Stevenson, Sir James Hay of Linplum, […] Morison of Prestongrange and […] Nisbet of Dirleton for the shire of Haddington; one of the senators of the college of justice, John Swinton of that ilk, […] Home of Westreston, and […] Kerr of Cavers for the shire of Berwick; Sir William Kerr of Greenheild, […] Bennet of Grubbit elder, John Scott of Well, Mr Thomas Steill, bailie to the marquis of Douglas, […] of Muirhouslaw younger for the shire of Roxburgh; James Murray of Philiphaugh, one of the senators of the college of justice, […] Scott of Galashiels, […] Pringle of Torwoodle, […] Scott younger of Gilmerscleugh, and William Plumber of Midlestead for the shire of Selkirk; Sir Archibald Murray of Blackbarony, Sir David Murray of Stenhope, James Naismith of Posso, Alexander Baillie of Callens and James Williamson of Cardrona for the shire of Peebles; William Laurie of Blackwood, Sir William Lockhart of Carstairs, […] Hamilton of Hallcraig, one of the senators of the college of justice; William Hamilton of Wishaw elder, John Hamilton of Barnecleugh, and […] Hamilton of Aikenhead for the shire of Lanark; Sir Robert Laurie of Maxwelton, […] Douglas of Dornock, Sir James Johnston of Westerhall, […] Kilpatrick of Closeburn, and […] Maitland of Eccles for the shire of Nithsdale and Dumfries; [James Dalrymple] the Lord Viscount Stair, Sir Andrew Agnew of Lochnaw, James Dunbar of Mochrum, […] of Castle Stewart, and […] Mcdougall of Garthland elder for the shire of Wigtown; the Lord Montgomerie, […] Boyle of Kelburn, […] of Grange, […] Crawford of Kilbirnie, […] master of Cathcart; the laird of Adamton, the laird of Auchinleck, and John, Lord Bargany for the shire of Ayr; the laird of Kilmarnock, the laird of Orbiston, […] Buntein of Ardoch, the laird of Houston, and the laird of Luss for the shire of Dumbarton; the sheriff of Bute, […] Bannatyne of Kames, and Mr John Stewart of Ascog for the shire of Bute; Sir John Maxwell of Nether Pollock, […] Shaw of Greenock younger, […] Stewart of Blackhall younger, William Cunningham of Craigens and Crawford of Carseburn for the shire of Renfrew; [Alexander Livingston] the earl of Callender, the laird of Polmaise, William Cunningham younger of Blaquharn, the laird of Polmaise, William Cunningham younger of Balquharn, the laird of Herbertshyre, the laird of Powhouse, and […] Livingston of West Quarter for the shire of Stirling; the laird of Livingston, the laird of Wrae, […] Dundas of Maner, […] Sharp of Houston and […] Cochran of Barbauchlaw for the shire of Linlithgow; the laird of Gleneagles, the laird of Auchtertyre, the laird of Balhousie, the laird of Ochil, the laird of Bachilton, […] Stewart of Ardvorlich, […] Ramsay of Banff, and […] Hay of Kirkland for the shire of Perth; Sir Thomas Burnet of Leys, […] Bannerman of Elsick, Sir Alexander Falconer of Glenfarquhar, and Sir David Carnegie of Pittarrow for the shire of Kincardine; Sir John Forbes of Craigievar, […] More of Stonywood, […] Forbes of Foveran younger, the laird of Monymusk younger, Andrew Fraser of Kinmundy, […] Keith of Tilligone, […] Forbes of Auchintoul, and […] Gordon of Lessmore for the shire of Aberdeen; the laird of Grant, the laird of Kilravock, the laird of Strichen, William Duff elder, […] Forbes of Culloden, and Bailie Dunain for the shire of Inverness; the laird of Caddell elder, the laird of Kilravock, and the laird of Lethane for the shire of Nairn; the laird of Newhall, Donald Mackenzie of Meddal, Alexander Cluny of Dunskeith, Robert Dunbar of Fairness, and […] Dollar of Kirkston for they shire of Cromarty; the laird of Arkinlayes, Dougal Campbell, bailie of Kintyre, […] Campbell of Lochwell, […] Campbell of Inverae, and […] Macneill of Gallachoill for the shire of Argyll; the laird of Scotstarvit, the laird of Balfour, George Lumsden, portioner of Kilrennie, Sir Philip Anstruther, and Mr Archibald Hope of Rankeilour, one of the senators of the college of justice, Sir John Dempster of Pitliver, the laird of Woodmill, and Sir William Bruce for the shires of Fife and Kinross; the laird of Phinhaven, Patrick Lyon of Balgellie, John Falconer of Bomeschannar, Mr John Lammie of Dunkenny, […] Mauld, chamberlain to the earl of Panmure, and the sheriff depute of Forfar for the shire of Forfar; Sir Patrick Ogilvie of Boyne, the Laird of Birkenbog, William Dunbar of Durn, Alexander Duff of Braco, and […] Garden of Troup for the shire of Banff; the viscount of Kenmure, […] Gordon of Troquhen, Hugh Macguffock of Rusco, William Lindsay of Mains, and […] Irving of Drumcoltran for the stewardry of Kirkcudbright; Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun, […] Gordon of Embo, Adam Gordon of Dalfollie, […] Gray of Skibo, and George Dunbar of Auchindean for the shire of Sutherland; […] Sinclair of Clyth, […] Sinclair of Ubster, […] Dunbar of Hempriggs, and […] Murray of Garrden for the shire of Caithness; the Lord Duffus, the laird of Grant, the Laird of Brody, Sir James Calder of Muirton, and Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun for the shire of Elgin; the laird of Gairsey, […] Graham of Brackness, […] Bellenden of Stenhouse, and […] Stewart of Burrall for the Orkney and Shetland Isles; John Keirie of Gogar, […] Abercrombie of Tullibody, and Stirling of Herbertshire for the shire of Clackmannan; and Sir George Monro, Sir Alexander Mackenzie, Sir Donald Bayne of Tulloch, the laird of Balnagown, [and] the laird of Redcastle for the shire of Ross, to meet at the head burghs of the respective shires foresaid upon the second Thursday of September next, and call for Mr Hugh Craig, then merchant in Edinburgh, and John Craig there, his brother, their collectors of the hearth money for the city of Edinburgh within the walls thereof, Mr William Archibald, writer in Edinburgh, sub-collector for the two parishes of Leith, the parish of Canongate, the west kirk, and Edinburgh without the walls, Peter Kennoway of Adiwell for the rest of the shire of Midlothian James Hamilton of Balderston for the shire of Linlithgow; Evan Campbell, surveyor at Prestonpans for the presbytery of Haddington in East Lothian; Patrick Lamb in Leith for the presbytery of Dunbar in East Lothian; James Whyte, commissar clerk of Lauder for Berwickshire called the Merse; James Burnett of Whitehope for the shires of Selkirk and Peebles; Thomas Turnbull of Knowe for the shire of Roxburgh; James Scott, brother to the laird of Rhynoldburn for Dumfries and Annandale; Mr William Fullarton, collector at Kilpatrick for the shire of Wigtown; George Gordon brother to the laird of Holme for the stewartry of Kirkcudbright; John Hamilton chamberlain to the earl of Cassills, for Carrick; Mathew Frew, merchant in Kilwinning for Cunningham; David Crawford of Drumfuie for Kyle; King’s Kyle, and Kyle Stewart’ Lieutenant Thomas Stewart for the sheriffdom of Renfrew; John Mure of Easterpossil for the shire of Lanark alias Clydesdale and town of Glasgow with his nine deputes viz Frances Naismith in Hamilton, William Somervail, brother to Spittal, William Weir in Lesmahagow, John Weir in Abbaygreen, David Weir there, James Witherspoon, merchant in Glasgow, George Hutcheson in Glasgow, William Spence, clerk of Rutherglen, John Clyde, clerk of Douglas; Alexander McArthur in […] For the shyre of Argyll and Bute John Macfarlane of that Ilk for Lennoxshire alias Dumbarton; John Burd, bailie in Stirling for the town and shire of Stirling; James Burne, servitor to the countess of Marr for the shire of Clackmannan; George Duncan of Pitnamoon for the presbytery of Dumfermline in Fife; Thomas Fairfoul in Cassingray for the presbyteries of Cupar and St Andrews and Kirkcaldy in Fife; Thomas Campbell of Kerenoch for the presbyteries of Dunblane and Auchterarder and parishes of Culross and Tulliallan in Perthshire; Lachlan Mackintosh, collector at Perth for the presbyteries of Dunkeld and Perth and town of Perth in Perthshire and the parishes of Meigle; John Arnot of Balcormo for the shire of Angus; Alexander Burnett, chamberlain to Leys Burnet for the shire of Kincardine alias Mearns; Mr Robert Martin of Burntbrae for the town and shire of Aberdeen; Mr George Leslie of Burdsbank for the shire of Banff; Henry Ross in Ardersier for the shires of Moray and Nairn; James Dunbar younger, merchant in Inverness for the shire of Inverness; Colin Mackenzie of Ballinuckie for the shire of Ross; Mr George Gray, writer in Edinburgh for the shire of Sutherland, David Sinclair, brother to South Dun for the shire of Caithness; and James Young, bailie of Kirkwall for the shires of Orkney and Shetland, all sub-collectors nominated and appointed by James Melville of Cassingray, our collector and receiver of the hearth money, whom we hereby require and command you the said day and place and take and receive from them subscribed with their hand a list of the whole hearths within the respective shires foresaid according as they have been collected and taken up by them with the names and designations of such who at the term of Candlemas 1691 possessed the several houses where the said hearths are. And that you proceed and make choice of a person or persons, whether formerly employed or not, one or more sufficiently qualified to whom you are hereby empowered to give order and warrant to survey the whole hearths of all houses, tenements, mils, smithies, kilns for drying of grain, ovens, furnaces for brewing, saltpans, soap and glass works within the said several shires and towns thereof, as well those inhabited as those which are waste, and who were the possessors of the said houses and others foresaid inhabited, and who were the owners of such as were waste at the said term of Candlemas 1691, excepting always in manner abovementioned. And upon oath make up an exact list upon ocular inspection what number of hearths are in the said several houses and others above expressed, and to give in the lists thereof subscribed under their hand or by a notary for them to the persons commissioners respective abovenamed for the several shires above set down. Whereof the said commissioners are to transmit exact duplicates to the clerks of our privy council, and the said persons so to be employed for surveying the said hearths are to have paid into them the twentieth penny of the hearth money of all the hearths which they shall discover as omitted out of the lists given in by the said sub-collectors to the commissioners respective abovenamed. And we hereby require and command the several sub-collectors abovenamed to make exact recollection of the hearth money conform to the said lists which are to be delivered to them, and to have the whole hearth money within their respective commissions gathered up and in their hands within thirty days after receiving the said lists. And which several sums they are to retain in their hands until the same be applied for the uses specified in the act of parliament, conform to the orders and precepts to be issued forth by the lords of our treasury therein. And we, with advice foresaid, certify and declare that where any of the said sub-collectors shall be employed by the said commissioners as fittest to make the said new survey, they shall have no salary, either for that or their former pains of collecting, until first they have made the said new survey upon oath by ocular inspection, and fully brought in the whole hearth money conform thereto. And we with advice foresaid require and command the whole masters of families to meet at the respective parish churches within which they dwell upon such day and at such diet as shall be intimated to them by the commissioners respective abovenamed, and there give an account to the said respective commissioners or any of them what hearth money they have paid, and what deficiency to the respective collectors within whose bounds they dwell. And that the said commissioners make an exact inventory and a account thereof, and transmit the same, subscribed with their hands, with the duplicates of the lists above mentioned, to the clerks of our privy council between [now] and the second Thursday of November next to come, as they will be answerable. Our will is and we charge you that, immediately these presents [are] seen, you pass to the mercat cross of Edinburgh and [the] whole other mercat crosses of the head burghs of this our kingdom, and there by open proclamation make publication of the premises, that none may pretend ignorance. Given under our signet at Edinburgh 12 August and of our reign the fourth year 1692 sic subscribitur Tweeddale cancel: Queensberry; Drumlanrig; Linlithgow; Strathmore; Forfar; Kintore; Breadalbane; Tarbat; Stair; Raith; Cardross; Carmichael.