At Edinburgh munday 17th December 1694

A1694/12/29

A1694/12/29¹

Letter: to the Council

Another letter from the King anent recruits

The following letter from the King being also read was ordered to be recorded whereof the tenor followeth sic suprascribitur William Rex Right trustie and right well beloved Cousin and Councillor Right trusty and intirely beloved Cousin and Councillor Right trusty and right weill beloved Cousins and Councellors Right trustie and right weill beloved Councillors Right trusty and welbeloved ² Councillors and trustie and well beloved Councillors we greet you well wheras we wrot to you on the 28th of November last about the recruiting of our scots regements in Flanders we think fitt to alter somethings in that letter and signifie to you our pleasure more fullie upon that subject It is evident on the one hand how much it is both for the Honour of that our Kingdome and the good of our service, That those forces in Flanders be effectuallie recruited and we are sensible on the other both of the accidents that have lately happened and that abuses are ordinarly committed upon such occasions We doe therefore earnestlie recomend to your Care and prudence, to fall upon a due temper in this matter in giving our officers all necessarie Countenance and assistance and yet keeping them within the bounds that the law prescrives In ordor to these purposes It is our pleasure that ye Emitt a proclamatione in our name containing in substance what follows and what more you shall think fitt to add as conduceing to the same ends That all shirriffs their Deputs Justices of peace magistrats Commanders of our Forts officers of our standing forces and all other our good subjects be requyred and encouraged to give their assistance in this matter That all passes out of the Kingdome be secured to prevent the Escape of Deserters That all such as have deserted from our Scots forces or Regements since they were in Flanders be seized on and none others by the officers from Flanders That the officers of our standing Forces in that our Kingdome be allowed to seize upon none upon the head of desertione but such as have deserted from one or other of the regements of which they are officers That none be seized on pretence of desertione before our accessione to the Croune That the officers of the Regements out of which the draught is to be made, be not allowed to recruit till such tyme as the flanders officers shall have shipt their recruits. That violence be done to noe man to make him engadge but such as doe voluntarly engadge be not allowed to retract but be as they are considered and used as Desertors That for the greater encouragment to such as wil engadge to goe to Flanders it be declared That after three years service they shall have their passes and ful freedome That as to the maimed and wounded who become unfitt for service the same Care will be taken Here of them that is taken of all others on the pay of this our Kingdome and that we are resolved to put the Establishment for the invalids amongst you upon a better foot and to augment the fonds of it als soon as we can wee have also further considered the draught to be made out of the standing Regements of that our Kingdome conforme to the tenor of our other letter the tuentie eight day of November and doe requyre you That instead of one Hundred men out of each of the sex Battallions as is there ordered The draught be of one Hundred and fiftie men out of Hills regement and of one Hundred and threttein out of each of the other four Regements Thus not doubting of your zeall and dilligence in this whole matter since it is so much for his service We bid you heartily farewell Given at our court at Kensingtoune the tenth day of December J^aj vj^c nynty and four years and of our Reigne the 6th year By his majesties Command sic subscribitur J Johnstoune.