Warrant, 15 December 1692, Edinburgh

Act, 29 December 1692, Edinburgh

Att Edinburgh the Fyfteinth Day off December Jaj vjc nyntie tuo years

A1692/12/291

Warrant

Warrand to open the Exchange Coffie house

Anent the petitione Given in to the Lords of there majesties privie Councill be the Maisters and owners of the Exchange Coffee house Shewing That there Lordships haveing appoynted the magistrats of Edinbrugh to shutt up the said Coffeehouse upon the account of a letter presented to there Lordships direct to the said Coffeehouse Containing severall false and seditious news The petitioners doe in all humility And for vindicatione of there oune Innocence Represent to the saids Lords primo That albeit there were severall Letters offensive to the Government that came doun from London to Edinburgh yet ther wes never a Letter seen in that Coffie house againest which any objectione could have been made befor the tyme that there Lordships appoynted all the news Letters to be delyvered to the Clerks of the Councill before they were opened /Secundo/ Constantly from the tyme of the saids Lords there order forsaid The haill news Letters Direct to that Coffiehouse were conforme to there Lordships ordinance Constantly Carryed to the Clerks of the Councill and broken open and perused by them befor they Came abroad As the Clerks themselves have declared Tertio The petitioners finding (that above Fyve or six weeks befor the saids Lords ordained the said Coffie house to be shutt) The Letters directed thereto were keept up Some of the petitioners did apply to there majesties sollicitor to know the reasone thereof And being Informed by him That there were severall things in these Letters That might give Just offence to the government They declared they would establish a new Correspondent And have no more to doe with him that wrot such Letters And which accordingly they did And receaved for severall posts, Letters from there New Correspondent which were all perused by the sollicitor or the Clerks of Councill and approven of by them Quarto This Letter which hes given the saids Lords so Just offence is certainly ane act of the greatest malice Imaginable In the petitioners there old correspondent off purpose to bring the petitioners under trouble upon the account of there Giveing over all correspondence with him And which is evident from the contents of the Letter (as the petitioners are Informed) which are so notoriously false That no man of sense or reasone (except out of such a malicious designe) could ever be perswaded to wreitt the Lyke And that this Letter is from there old correspondent and not from the persone the petitioners have Lately established is evident by Compareing the hand wreit And Sieing the petitioners were alwayes and still are resolved to shune all occasiones that can give the saids Lords or the government the Least offence And that the Locking up of the Coffie house will certainly be verie prejudiciall to the petitioners there private interest They haveing expended a Considerable stock for makeing provisiones for the same And that the Correspondent which the petitioners have presently established is a person knowen to be well affected to there majesties government and therefore Craveing that the saids Lords would be pleased to take the premises to consideratione And to recall the former ordinance And to allow the petitioners coffeehouse to be opened and made use of as formerly Sieing the petitioners are content to find Cautione that no news Letters hereafter to be2 directed to there keeper of the said coffee house shall be published or devulged untill first the same be offered to there Majesties advocat or sollicitor or ane of the Clerks of privie Councill to be perused and revised by them or aither of them or any other persone the saids Lords shall think fitt to appoynt for that effect As the said petition bears The Saids Lords of there Majesties privie Councill Haveing Considered the above petitione Given into them subscryved be Gilbert Fyff and James Marjoribanks merchands in Edinburgh as ouners and Maisters of the Exchange Coffee house They hereby allow the said Coffeehouse to be open as formerly and made use of And Gives order and warrand to the Clerks of Councill to delyver up to the saids Gilbert Fyff and James Marjoribanks the Keyes of the said Coffeehouse Lyeing in there hands3 In respect the saids Gilbert Fyff and James Margoribanks have found sufficient Cautione acted in the books of privie Councill that they shall vent no false news in the said Coffee house nor expose any news Letters to publict view untill the same be perused by such as the Councill shall appoint under the penalty of Fiftie pounds Sterling In case they shall transgress in any pairt of the premises, The reviser alwayes setting his name thereto as haveing revised the same or at least ane other mark as haveing revised the same.

At Edinburgh 15 December 1692

A1692/12/291

Warrant

Warrant to open the Exchange coffee house

Regarding the petition given in to the lords of their majesties’ privy council by the masters and owners of the Exchange coffee house, showing that their lordships, having appointed the magistrates of Edinburgh to shut up the said coffeehouse on account of a letter presented to their lordships directed to the said coffeehouse containing false and seditious news, the petitioners in all humility and for vindication of their own innocence represent to the said lords: First, that albeit there were several letters offensive to the government that came down from London to Edinburgh yet there was never a letter seen in that coffee house against which any objection could have been made before the time that their lordships appointed all the news letters to be delivered to the clerks of the council before they were opened; Second, constantly from the time of the said lords’ order foresaid, all the news letters directed to that coffeehouse according to their lordships’ ordinance were constantly carried to the clerks of the council and broken open and perused by them before they went abroad, as the clerks themselves have declared; Third, the petitioners finding (that above five or six weeks before the said lords ordained the said coffee house to be shut) the letters directed thereto were kept up, some of the petitioners did apply to their majesties’ solicitor to know the reason thereof, and being informed by him that there were several things in these letters that might give just offence to the government, they declared they would establish a new correspondent and have no more to do with him that wrote such letters, which accordingly they did and received for several posts, letters from their new correspondent which were all perused by the solicitor or the clerks of council and approved by them; Fourth, this letter which has given the said lords so just offence is certainly an act of the greatest malice imaginable in the petitioners’ old correspondent of purpose to bring the petitioners under trouble upon the account of their giving over all correspondence with him, which is evident from the contents of the letter (as the petitioners are informed), which are so notoriously false that no man of sense or reason (except out of such a malicious design) could ever be persuaded to write the like, and that this letter is from their old correspondent and not from the person the petitioners have lately established is evident by comparing the handwriting, and seeing the petitioners were always and still are resolved to shun all occasion that can give the said lords or the government the least offence and that the locking up of the coffee house will certainly be very prejudicial to the petitioners’ private interest they having expended a considerable stock for making provisions for the same, and that the correspondent which the petitioners have presently established is a person known to be well-affected to their majesties’ government, and therefore craving that the said lords would be pleased to take the premises to consideration and to recall the former ordinance and allow the petitioners’ coffeehouse to be opened and made use of as formerly, seeing the petitioners are content to find caution that no news letters hereafter to be directed to the keeper of the said coffee house shall be published or divulged until first the same is offered to their majesties’ advocate or solicitor or one of the clerks of privy council to be perused and revised by them or either of them or any other person the said lords shall think fit to appoint for that effect, as the said petition bears. The said lords of their majesties’ privy council, having considered the above petition given in to them subscribed bye Gilbert Fife and James Marjoribanks, merchants in Edinburgh, as owners and masters of the Exchange coffee house, they hereby allow the said coffeehouse to be open as formerly and made use of and give order and warrant to the clerks of council to deliver up to the said Gilbert Fife and James Marjoribanks the keyes of the said coffeehouse lying in their hands, in respect that the said Gilbert Fife and James Marjoribanks have found sufficient caution acted in the books of privy council that they shall vent no false news in the said coffee house nor expose any news letters to public view until the same are perused by such as the council shall appoint under the penalty of £50 sterling in case they shall transgress in any part of the premises, the reviser always setting his name thereto as having revised the same or at least an other mark as having revised the same.

1. PC1/48, 515-17.

2. Word ‘delyvered’ scored out here.

3. Word ‘The’ scored out here.

1. PC1/48, 515-17.