Privy Council Acts 1565 - Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee

Edinburgh 10 th December 1622
Sederunt -Chancellor; Treasurer; Mortoun; Glencarne; Lothiane; Bugeleugh; Melros; Lauderdaill; Lord Gordoun;
Lord Areskin; Colvill; Carnegie; Master of Elphinston; Master of Jedburgh; Privy Seal; Treasurer-Depute; Clerk of
Register; Advocate; Kilsyith; Craigtoun; Sir Johne Scot; Mr Peter Rollok Mr Robert Spotiswood.
“Forasmekle as the Lordis of Secreit Counsell ar informit that their hes bene sindrie racounteris betuix the companies
of the King of Spaine shippis of Dunkirk and Holland warre shippis lyand at Aberdeene and in the harbourie of Leythe,
and that some bloodshed and otheris inconveniences hes fallin out betuix them to the break of his Majesties peace;
and that likwayes some unrewlie, undiscreit, and rude people, inhabitants of Aberdeene and Leythe, and utheris
resorting and repairing thairunto, hes verie oft misbehavit themselves against the saidis straungeris, sometymis by
offering of violence and uther injuries unto them and sumtymis by uttering of reprochefull and disgracefull speeches
against them and giving a number of occasiouns of offense and displeasour unto them both by word, deid, and
countenance; quhilk being a mater of bad exemple and against the commoun dewtie of humanitie, that straungeris
and the subjectis of a prince and estate with quhome our Soverane Lord standis in good termis of freindship sould be
so rudelie, uncomelie, and uncourteouslie used, against reasoun, modestie, and diseretioun, and no notice taine therof
and punishment inflicted upoun the offenderis: Theirfoir the saidis Lordis ordaines and commandis the proveist and
baillies of Aberdeene and the water baillie of Leythe to cause a strait prohibitioun be made by sound of drume throgh
thair toun that nane of his Majesties subjectis inhabitantis within the saidis touns, nor na utheris resorting nor
repairing therunto, give anie just cause or oceasioun of offense or displeasour, by word, deid, or countenance, to anie
of the companie and equippage of the saidis shippis, but that they respect them with these commoun dewties of
freindship quhilkis beseemeth good and modest people to show to straungeris, being freindis and confederatis, under
the paine to be apprehendit, wairdit, and utherwayes punished at the discretioun of the saidis proveist and baillies and
water baillie of Leythe, everie one of them within their awin boundis. And siclyk to command and charge the companie
and equippage of the saidis shippis that they keep good reule and quyetnes ilk ane of them with utheris during their
remaining in his Majesties wateris, and that they mak no provocatioun of offense the one to the uther, nor doe nor
attempt nothing quhairupoun anie truble or disordour may arise betuix them, under the paines abovewrittin, as the
saidis proveist and baillies and water baillie of Leythe will answer upoun the contrare at their perrell."
Edinburgh 19 th December 1622
Complaint by William Layng, merchant burgess of Abirdeyne, as follows :-He lately sent from London a ship full of
wares; and, when it arrived at “the Ely," there was a true entry given up of the whole goods and his Majesty's custom
was paid thereon; after which, by the Complainer's own order, a bark was freighted to carry part of' the goods to
Aberdeen, which sailed under the command of George Baillie in the East Ferry of Dundee as master. But, while he was
waiting "for the tyde at the bak of the bar of Abirdene, Jane Raymorgan and William Clasen, capitanes of the Wauchter
schippis quhilk presentlie lyis in the harborie of Abirdeyne, come with two schip boittis, with the nomber of men in
every one of thame, all boidin in feir of weir with muskattis, pickis, and uther armour, to the said bark the tyme
foirsaid, and, having violentlie enterit aboordof hir, thay caryed hir furth to the roade of Abirdeyne," and wrongfully
intromitted with the complainer's goods. Compelling George Baillie and his company "to oppin thair haill kistis and
cofferis," they "ryppit and searcheit all the pairtis thairof, gif thair haid bene any money thairintill." As the captains
could not transfer all the goods from the bark to their own ships that night, a number of men guarded the bark all
night, and the goods were carried off in the morning. The captains also compelled skipper Baillie to deliver to them his
Majesteis cocquet, threattining him with death gif he dissobeyit and, when the bailies of Aberdeen desired them to
render the same with the goods, they refused, "alledgeing the same to be thair prey, and sua as yit detenis both guidis
and cocquett."--The pursuer appearing personally, and the defenders not appearing, the Lords order the defenders to
be denounced rebels.
Edinburgh, 2nd January
Sederunt -Chancellor Melros; Treasurer-Depute; Ridhous Sir Johnne Scot; Mr Peter Rollok.
The Kingis Majesties missive letter for warrant of the Act underwrittin - Right trustie and weilbeloved counsellour,
right trustie and weil belovit cousens and counsellouris, we greete yow weill.-By your letter of the fyft of this instant we
have understood the substance of the petitioun latelie made unto yow by the captains of the two Dunkirker shippis
lying at Leith. and Aberdeene, and lykwayes have considerit what wes propouned be the Lord Gordoun unto yow in the
name of the Marquis of Huntlie, his father. Quheranent becaus ye desire to be acquainted with our resolutioun, we
have thoght good heirby to certifie yow that, being much and often tymis importuned by the States Commissioneris to
give ordour for the releefe of their prisoners deteaned be the Dunkirkeris in Leythe, our answere hath still beene to
them that we wold have directid that to have beene done long agoe if the Waughteris had not invaded them in our
wateris. But, since that can not now be done, the safest and fairest course we think can be intendit for satisfactioun of
both pairties is to indeavoure that the prisoneris may be delyverit be the Dunkirkeris, and, that done, that the
Waughteris give assurance not to truble or invade them in thair voyage home. Quherfore our pleasure is that ye first
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