the ends contained in his Remonstrance."a On the 13th of June following, the General Assembly passed an ordinance for excommunication of the Earl of Seaforth, not only for having himself subscribed, but for having seduced and threatened others to subscribe "that perfidious Band made and, contrived in the North, under the name of 'An humble Remonstrance, against our National Covenant, and the League and Covenant of the three Kingdoms;' boasting also the pursuance of that his Remonstrance against all deadly the opposers thereof, whether King or Parliament." Vigesimo Septimo Martij, 1647. RATIFICATION IN FAVORS OF THE LAIRD OF BRODIE. The Estates of Parliament, now conveend in this sext session of the first trienniall Parliament, Ratifies, approves, and confermis the act or decreit of the Committie of the Estates of Parliament given and pronuncit be them at Edinburgh vpon the twentie day of Maij, jm vi fourtie sex yeirs, in favors of Alexr. Brodie of that Ilk, ffinding and declaring him, his airs and successors, to be frie from all action and execution quhilks may be clamed or execute against them be quhatsomevir persones dwelling within the Sherefdomes of Invernes, Narne, and Elgine, being than within the cuntrie the tyme of the vsing of the citatiounes mentioned in the foresaid decreit, given aganis them, and quharupon the said decreit proceidit, for the causs and reasones respective mentioned in the aforesaid decreit, as the samen, of the date abonewritten, in the selfe mair fullie beiris, in all and sundrie the headis, articles, clauss, conditions, and provisions respective, specifeit in the foresaid decreit, and conforme to the tenor therof in all points: And declares this present Ratification tharof to be alse valeid, effectuall, and sufficient, as if the foresaid act or decreit abonementioned wer insert verbatim heirintill, Quheranent, and anent all defectis and imperfections of the samen, The Estates heirby dispenss for evir: And also the saidis Estates declares that the foresaid act or decreit abonementioned, of the twentie day of Maij, jm vie and fourtie sex yers, and this Ratificatioune tharof, sall nawyis be extendit aganis Niniane Dumbar of Grangehill, nor his airs and successors, nor aganis anie richtis of multours, noraganis anie uther richtis, indentors, actions, or uther writtis or securities personall or reall, perteining or competent to him for himselfe, or as air or appeirand air to anie of his predecessors. Row's Life of Robert Blair, pp. 180, 181. Unprinted Acts of Parliament, 1647, p. 501, b. Peterkin's Records of the Kirk, p. 445. Vigesimo Septimo Martij, 1647. RATIFICATIOUNE IN FAVORS OF THE LAIRD or Brodie. The Estates of Parliament, now conveend in this sext session of the first trienniall parliament, taking to their consideration that the Kingis Majestie, with consent of his Hienes Thesaurer principall, and Thesaurer deput, and remanent Lordis of exchecker, by virtue of the act of the Committie of Estates haveing full power from the parliament to that effect, granted in favors of ALEXANDER BRODIE of that Ilk, Hes by his Hienes chartar vnder the great seall (conteining ane gift de novo damus therintill), disponed vnto the said Alexander his airs male and assigney is heritablie, vpon his awne resignation, all and haill the landis and barronie of Brodie, comprehending the particular landis and teindis therinspecifeit, erected of old in ane frie barronie, called the barronie of Brodie, lyand in the parochine of Dyke, and sherefdome of Elgine and fforres; all and haill the toune and landis of Greiship and Bronns crook, with the pertinentis, lyand within the parochine of fforres and sherefdome foresaid; all and haill the kirk landis of Dyck, with the brew seats and brew landis therof, with all the liberties, priviledges, pairtis, pendicles, and pertinentis belonging to the saidis landis, barronie, and others contenit in the said chartar, and off all and sundric the teind sheavis of the landis and barronie of Brodie and uthers, at mair lenth contenit in the said chartar, as the samen, of date the aucht day of Julij, jm vi and fourtie sex yeirs, mair fullie proportis: And herewith also considering the trueth and realitie of the groundis and causs quhervpon the foresaid chartar was granted, and quhervpon the act therein mentioned, of the twentie sevint of September, jm vi & fourtie five yeirs, did proceid, Thairfore the Saidis ESTATES OF PARLIAMENT hes ratified, approven, and confirmed, and doe heirby ratifie, approve, and confirme the foresaid chartar and infeftment abonementioned, with the instrument of saising following thervpon, togither with the act and groundis quhervpon the same proceidit, in the haill headis, articles, clauss, conditions, and vthers therin contenit, and interponis the authoritie of Parliament thereto: And ffindis and declares this generall Ratification therof to be alse valeid and effectual as if the same wer at lenth word by word insert heirintill, Quheranent the Estats dispenss: And also ffindis and declares that the chartar, infeftment, and others foresaidis, with this present Ratificatione therof, ar, and salbe gude, valeid, and sufficient richtis to the said Alexr. Brodie of that Ilk, and his foresaids, ffor bruiking and posessing of the foresaids landis, barronies, teindis, and uthers therin specifeit, in all tym comeing, conforme to the tenors therof respective: And ffindis and declares that the certificatioune of improbatioune or reduction salbe granted for not production of anie of the principall prior infeftmentis, richtis, and evidentis of the landis, and others specifeit in the said chartar and infeftment abonewrittin, in respect the samen wer burnt and destroyed by rebells and enemies of this Kingdome, at the tyme of the burning of his hous of Brodie, as is instructed by the said act of the Committie of Estates and probatioune ressaved." Decimo quinto Martij, 1649. ACT IN FAVOURIS OF THE LAIRD OF BRODIE. The Estates of Parliament, having taken to their consideratioune the supplicatioune given in to thame be the Laird of Brodie for himselff, and in name of his mother, and the relict and bairnes of vmquhile Coleine Campbell of Arthneseir, and Alexr. Dowglas of Spynie, and Marie Innes, his mother, Desyreing that the Parliament wald approve their act maid in favouris of these wha hes their landis brunt and waisted by the barbarous rebellis, by exeming of thame frome all publick dewis, and the samen maid effectuall to thame, according to the probatioune led, and the yeeres therin contenit, And to discharge Collectoris and vtheris frome uplifting of the samyne, or troubleing thame therfoir, Togidder with the reporte maid be Sir Williame Scott of Clerkingtoune and Johne Dicksone of Hairtrie, to whome the said supplicatoune wes remitted, wherby they fand it instructit be Actis of the Committee of Estates, subscryved be Sir Archibald Prymrose their clerk for the tyme, That the heretoris of brunt and waisted landis sould have deductioune of the mantenance and vther publick dewis, and be exemptit fra all payment therof, according as thair landis are brunt and waisted in haill or in pairt: The Saidis Estates of Parliament approves and allowes of the said Reporte, and ordaines the benefeit of the foirsaid act to be extendit in favouris of the said Laird of Brodie, and his mother, and the relict and bairnes of the said vmquhile Coline Campbell, And als[0] in favouris of the said Alexr. Dowglas of Spynie, and Marie Innes, his mother, ffor all bygane taxt and loane, and for the seven monethis mantenance whilk wes first granted: And thairfore the saidis Estates of Parliament heerby dischairges all Collectoris, subcollectoris, and vtheris intromettoris with the public dewis, to vplift the samyne, or to trouble and molest the saidis Supplicantis for the seven monethis mantenance foirsaid." The following letters are connected with the proceedings of the Scottish Commissioners in their negociations with Charles the Second in Holland, May, 1650. SIR JOHN SMITH TO MR. ROBERT DOUGLAS. Reverend Sir,-It hes pleased the Lord in his merci to grant us evident demonstrationes of his kyndnesse in everi thing conduceable for our journey. And in these things for establishement of religion and lawes quhat lenth we ar cum I doubt not, Sir, bot yow hav had the particulers from diverse hands. Wee have reason to blise God for quhat is doine. And as we hav fund the return of your and God's people's prayers, as I hairtili wish yow wold continou, That the Lord wold extricat him [the King] out of evil compani, and the mani dificulties he is yet involved in. The mouthes of mani wilbe oppen and mak conclusiones to themselfs as [if] all wer doin; and thereby occasion our wigilant adversaries be sea and land to look to our motiones. The Lord quho as it wer, caryed ws in eglis wings in our woyage heer, and made his creatures sensibli to concurr thervnto. Ther is no les (if not more) nead now to wrestle with the Lord day and night that ther and our return may hav the same safe convoyance. I conceaved at our depairtour that monoyes had cum alongs for suppli of his [Majes]tie's effaires, which wold hav cum weri seasonabli, if his personale and domestick wants wer alse weel knoen at home as to others your servands heer. The publicq credit is not adverted to at home, which maks it of smale waleu heer; and throw disapoyntments in Holland hes occasioned Provest Jafrey and my cuming hither yisternight. Thes we ar to speak with heer hes smale will to the work in regard of former disapoyntments We ar presentli to meet with them. I had the honor to speak with the K[ing] yisterday, and did represent to him how that wicked man in the north (Montrose ?) his inconsiderable appearance ther wold mak a diversion of Da. Lesselie's forces, and therby in cace of any southerne incursiones indauger his now, (?) London, Edinburgh, and Leath. He seamed to relish extream weel that expression and said that ther was sum present course layd doun for recalling that wicked one's pretendit commission. I sould be sori yow hav not ane exprese from heer. He is not cum yet. This for my exoneratione at your hands, however yow hav all fra better hands. My best respects rememberit to your wyf. I cease, and remaines, Your affectionate freind to serv yow, Camphear, Maij, 1650. For his Reverend Pastor, Mr. ROBERT DOUGLAS, these. J. SMITH. MR. JOHN LIVINGSTONE AND MR. GEORGE HUTCHESONE TO DOUGLAS. Reverend and loving Brother,-When wee wrote last unto yow by Mr. James Dalrymple we did not expect to have bin so long detained as that we should have needed to have written again. But it pleases the Lord so to retard matters, as that wee could not hitherto get off. We are dailie made to expect that wee shall remove from this place, but (whether through want of preparation or of resolution, we will not determine) it is probable it may be a good while ere all be readie. We have diverse times bin made to consult about our oun comming away, but have not as yet found it convenient so to do; but if matters foreslow as they are like to do, it is like wee may resume some such resolution. Wee know we need not put yow in minde to take notice of all negotiations from hence (for some ar gone over whose earand we know not), and that matters heer ar promised to us (and that with such deserts as yee will observe in the papers), but not performed which we have told the King was only that which his subjects their can build any thing upon. Yee will receive her[e] inclosed a double of the paper we gave in yesterday to the King, which wee think shall be our last addresse. We blesse the Lord that hath appeared for his people against that execrable traitor. The Lord keep Scotland from provoking him to take away their strength and shaddow from them! To his grace wee commend yow, and are, Your verie loving brethren, Breda, May 4, 1650. Jo. LIVINGSTONE. Our brother, Mr. James Wood, is this day gone abroad on some private bussinesse of his oun and the Colledge of Saint Andrewes, so that he could not with us salute yow. For our Reverend and Loveing Brother, Mr. ROBERT DOUGLAS, Minister at Edinburgh. In his letter to Mr. Robert Douglas, and repeatedly in his Diary, Brodie makes allusion to the sufferings and losses sustained by his uncle, Alexander Brodie of Lethen, in those evil times, from the Marquess of Montrose and the Marquess of Huntly. The account which Brodie of Lethen himself has given of his sufferings and losses may here be quoted, as contained in a petition or petitions, presented by him to the Estates of Parliament, the substance of which is engrossed in an Act of Parliament in his favour, dated the 27th of March, 1647. It may be added that Alexander Brodie of Lethen died previous to June 4, 1673, at which date his son Alexander was served his heir. The Estates of Parliament, having taken to their consideratioune the several supplicatiounes given in to thame be Alexr. Brodie of Lethen, Beareing that he out of his affectioune to the good caus, in Anno 1643 yeeies, lent to the publict the soume of two hundreth pundis sterling, whereof, as zit, he had never receaved any payment principall nor annuels: Lykeas, in the yeere 1645, his hous of Lethen was beseidged be James Grahame and his adherents, wha, not able to prevaill, brunt his haill barnes, barneyairdis, and cornes, plunderit the haill insight and plenishing of his baronie, and took away eight hundreth oxin and kyne, eighteine hundreth sheepe and goates, two hundreth horses and meares: Lykeas therefter the laite Marques of Huntlie, and his sones, with two thousand fute and horse, beseidged the supplicantis hous of new, be the space of twelff weekis, Wha, being dissapoynted and inraged throw the loss of many of their men, at last did vtterlie burne over againe the said supplicant his haill landis, Whervpone their wes abone the number of eight scoir persons, and left not ten of them to remain vpone the saidis landis: And about half a yeere therefter, the Hielanders took away all that wes left vpone the ground: And the Supplicantis losses being valued extendit to ffourscoir fifteine thousand thriescoir pundis: Whilk being represented to the Estates of Parliament in Anno 1647, they ordained the said Supplicant to have ten thousand pundis for his subsistance, |