1.

Forsamekle as the Kingis Majestie and lordis of secrete counsell ar informed that certane personis abuseing His Majesteis princely name power and auctoritie hes maid some levyis of men within this kingdome to be transportit to the weare of Swaden, his Majestie being noways acquented, nor maid foirsene thairof nor his hienes licence haid and obtenit to that effect wharin thair presumptioun is so muche the moir greater in that thir levyis ar maid aganis his Majesteis darrest bruthir the King of Denmark his Majestie haveing formerlie refuisit the King of Swaden to grant him ony supplie of men or vtherwys for his assistance aganis the said King of Denmark, And besydis this heich presumptioun of the personis foirsaidis thay haif to the fardir contempt of the Kingis Majestie and misregard of law ordour and justice violentlie pressit and tane a grite nomber of honnest menis bairnis and servandis hes put thame in schipboard aganis thair will and intendis to transport thame to the countrey of Swaden whareupon suche ane universall complaynt murmour and greif of his Majesteis subjectis is raisit throughout the haill countrey as yf thay levit not in the conditioun of frie subjectis bot war undir the slaverie and tirrannie of strangearis quhilk being ane abuse intollerable and not hard of in a free kingdome the same aucht to be advertit to preventit and stayed And thairfoir the saidis lordis ordanis lettres to be direct to command charge and inhibit all and sindrie personis bering the name of Colonell or Capitane within this Kingdome and all utheris haveing commandiment under thame that thay nor nane of thame presome nor tak upoun hand to cary or transport furth of this realme to the said Kingdome of Swaden ony sojouris or men of weare upoun quhatsomevir cullour or pretens, And that thay onnawys presse nor tak ony men heirefter under the pane of dead certifeing thame that failyees or dois in the contrair that thay salbe takin apprehendit and execute to the dead without favour and without ony respect of thair birth qualyteis or uther conditioun quhatsomevir, And siclyke to command charge and inhibite the maisteris awnaris and marineris of all and quhatsomevir schippis and veschellis that thay onnawys presome nor tak upoun hand to mak saill nor to transport ony of the saidis sojouris and men of weare listit and tane up for the saidis weares of Swaden under the foirsaid pane of dead And yf neid beis to fens and arrest the saidis schippis and to tak the saillis from the raes swa that thay depairt not As alswa to command and charge all schireffis justices of peace provestis and bailleis of burrowis and utheris judgeis officiaris and magistratis to burgh and land, that whenevir they salbe adverteist be complaynt or uthirwys that ony personis ar preist and tane to be transportit as said is that they immediatlie rail his Majesteis subjectis nixt adjacent yf neid beis and releve the persone or personis swa tane and prest aganis their will, And that thay tak and apprehend suche personis as ar the takaris of thame and keepe thame in sure firmance quhill ordour be tane for thair tryall and punneishment as appertineth.

2.

Forsamekle as the lordis of secrete counsell hes ressavit sindrie informationis that of laite thair hes bene ane verie extraordinar and uncouthe oppressioun committit upoun divers of oure soverane lordis good subjectis be certane personis undir the pay and commandiment of the Capitanes and utheris bowne for the weares of Swaden who haveing shaikin af all reverence of the law and regaird of ordour modestie and discretioun hes most presumptouslie at thair handis without lauchfull warrand power or commissioun violentlie prest and tane a grite many honnest menis sones and servandis and hes caryed thame to their schippis aganis thair will of purpois to transport thame to Swaden And the further to testifie their most presumptous and heich contempt divers of thame in swaggering manner gois athorte the countrey awayting the tyme and occasioun how and whair thay may apprehend ony personis travelling in thair lauchfull adois and yf thay may be maisteris of thame thay immediatlie lay handis on thame and be force and violence caryis thame to the nixt shoir whair thay haif thair boites in reddines to tak thame aboard of thair shippis sua that thair is suche a feir and dredour rissin amangis the commoun people that nane of thame dar travell in thair lauchfull adois unles thay be accompanyed and upoun thair gaird able to withstand and resist the violence and injurie of the saidis personis and divers young and able fellowis who war resolvit to haif come to thir pairtis to haif awaitit upoun the harvest and cutting down of the cornis, ar upoun the occasioun foirsaid affrayit to come heir This is ane abuse and contempt most intollerable the lyk quhairof hes not bene hard of in this kingdome Wharin althoch the lordis of his Majesteis previe counsell hes bene most cairfull to haif tane ordour and accordinglie to haif punneist the committaris of thir enormiteis, yitt in regaird of the silence of these who hes sustenit wrang and that no particular complaynt hes bene maid heirupoun to the saidis lordis The ordour taking with this abus and contempt hes bene neglectit and ovirsene Alwys the saidis lordis considering how far the ovirsicht and impunitie of suche ane offens may prejudge his Majesteis good subjectis heireftir yf upoun this preparative and example utheris undewtifull personis sall presome to attempt the lyk And the saidis lordis being verie desyrous to gif contentment and satisfactioun by cours of justice to suche personis as will complaine and justifie thair complaintis Thairfoir ordanes lettres to be direct chargeing officiaris of armes to pas to the marcat croce of Edinburgh and uthiris places neidfull and thair be oppin proclamatioun to intimat and declair to all his Majesteis subjectis who hes sustenit ony harme or violence of the saidis personis that yf thay will complaine to the saidis lordis and justifie and qualitie thair complaintis that thay sall haif suche favorable justice ministrat unto thame as sall gif unto thame satisfactioun and salbe ane terrour to all utheris to committ the lyk enormiteis heirefter.

3.

Forsamekle as the Kingis Majestie and lordis of secrete counsell ar informed that Capitane Hay Capitane Ker and Capitane Sinclar hes tane up and listit some companyis of men within this kingdome to be transportit to the weares of Swaden his Majestie noways being acquented nor maid foirsene thairof nor his Majesteis licence haid and obtenit to that effect wharin thair presumptioun is so muche the moir in that thir levyis ar maid aganis his Majesteis darrest bruthir the King of Denmark his Majestie haveing formerlie refuised the King of Swaden to grant him ony supplie in that querrell, And besydis this heich presumptioun of the saidis Capitanes to levey his Majesteis borne subjectis to serve a forreynnar without his Majesteis allowance they haif to the further contempt of the Kingis Majestie violentlie tane grite nombaris of honnest menis bairnis and servandis and hes caryed thame aboord of thair schippis quhair they ar detenit as slaves and captaves aganis thair will quhill the commoditie of thair transport be offerrit This is ane abuse most intollerable, the lyk quhairof hes not bene hard of in this Kingdome quhairupoun suche ane generall and universall complaint is maid be his Majesteis subjectis throughout the haill Kingdome as yf thay levit not in the conditioun of frie subjectis bot war under the slaverie and tyrrannie of strangearis Thairfoir the saidis lordis ordanes lettres to be direct to command charge and inhibite the saidis three Capitanes and utheris officiaris and memberis of thair companyis that they onnawys presome nor tak upoun hand to cary or transport furth of this realme to the said Kingdome of Swaden ony sojouris and men of weare under quhatsomevir cullour or pretext quhill first they obtene licence of oure Soverane Lord to that effect, and that this licence be intimat to his Majesteis counsell and thair consent haid thairunto under the pane of dead As alsua that thay onnawise presome to presse and be violence to tak and detene ony men heirefter under the said pane certifeing thame that failyees or sall do in the contrair heirof that they salbe followit and persewit takin apprehendit and execute to the dead without favour And siclyk to command charge and inhibite the maisteris awnaris skipperis and marinaris of all and quhatsomevir shippis and veshellis that they onnawyse presome nor tak upoun hand to louse and mak saill nor to transport ony of the saidis Capitanes or thair companyis furth of this realme under quhatsomevir cullour or pretens under the pane of confiscation of the saidis schippis and veschellis to his Majesteis use, and furder under the pane of dead to be execute upoun the saidis maisteris awnaris skipperis and marineris incais thay failyee in the premissis, And for this effect to fens and arrest the saidis schippis and veschellis and to tak thair saillis fra the raes quhairthrough thay depairt not And to command and charge the provestis and bailleis of the burrowis and townes in whose roadis or harboryis the saidis schippis and veshellis ar lyand that they go aboard of the saidis schippis concurre with his Majesteis officeris in making of the said arrestment and taking of the saillis fra the raes And siclyk that they examine the haill personis being within the saidis schippis quhidder or not they haif bene violentlie tane and detenit aganis their willis and yf ony within the saidis schippis will complene of violent taking and detentioun, that the saidis provestis and bailleis see thame put to libertie furth of the saidis shippis And siclyk to command and charge all schireffis justices of peace and utheris magistratis and officeris to burgh and land that quhensoevir thay sall heir or be adverteist be complaynt or utherwis that ony personis ar violentlie tane and detenit that thay immediatlie rys follow and persew the same personis and the takaris of thame and keep thame in sure firmance quhill ordour be tane for thair triall and punneishment as appertineth.

4.

Forsamekle as the lordis of secrete counsell hes laitlie ressavit some directioun from the Kingis Majestie concerning thir men of weare listit under the pay and command of Colonell ____ Ramsay to be transportit to the weares of Swaden Thairfoir the saidis lordis ordanes lettres to be direct chargeing the said Colonell ____ Ramsay to compeir personalie befoir the saidis lordis upoun the morne efter the charge to heir and sie his Majesteis will pleasour and directioun in this mater imparted and signifeit unto him and such ordour tane thairin as may gif unto his Majestie contentment and satisfactioun under the pane of rebellioun etc. with certificatioun etc.

Richt trustie and richt weilbelovit cosen and counsellour We greit you weill At what tyme the last service of Sir Robert Ker of Ancrum in the Midle schyres wes relaitit unto ws, we understood that he haid apprehendit a nomber of malefactouris quhairof some wer executed some sett at libertie upoun cautioun and some sent to Swaden, whiche last point we nather could then nor yett can understand what it meaneth, for whareas it is said that thair is a Colonell and certane Capitanes leveying men thair to go to Sweden we wonder that ony subject of ouris dare presome in that kynd to serve ony forreyne prince not onlie without oure licence bot directlie aganis oure meaning and speciall promeis maid to our deare bruther the King of Denmark: in respect quhairof we planelie refuisit the King of Swaden to assist or send ony of oure subjectis to his service and also recalled Sir James Spens of Wolmerstoun not sufferring him ather ony longer to serve the said King or to remane in his dominionis till now that we haif sent him as our ambassadour It is thairfoir our pleasour that ye certifie us what that leveying of soldiouris meaneth by what authoritie it is done and that ye mak stay of all proceiding thairin till yee sall be adverteist of oure fardir pleasour concerning that mater. And so we bid you fairweill at our court at Kirbie the last of July 1612.

5.

The lordis of secrete counsell according to the Kingis Majesteis will pleasour and directioun signifeit unto thame ordanes officeris of armes to pas command and charge the maisteris awneris skipperis and marineris of shippis and veshellis frauchted for transport of sojouris to Swaden, that thay bring in thair shippis to the harborie of Leyth and thair suffer thame to ly and onnawise lowse nor depairt quhill thay understand the counsellis will and pleasour towardis thame within twa houris nixt efter the charge undir the pane of rebellioun and putting of thame to the horne, and yf thay failyee the said space being bipast to denunce thame rebellis and to put thame to the horne and to command and charge the Admirall and his deputis the provest and bailleis of Edinburgh the bailleis of Leyth and Bruntyland to convocat his Majesteis lieges yf neid beis and to go aboard of the saidis schippis and to see this directioun and command be satisfeit and obeyit and as the occasioun sall fall out upoun the refuisall and dissobedience of the saidis skipperis or oppositioun and resistance to be maid be ony of the personis within the schippis, that the saidis Admirall provest and bailleis with the concurrance and assistance of his Majesteis goode subjectis to be assemblit be thame, compell and force the saidis skipperis and marineris to gif thair obedyence and to bring thair shippis to the said harborie, for doing quhairof thir presentis salbe unto thame a warrant and commissioun And yf ony personis being within the saidis schippis complene of thair forceable detentioun and that the Capitanes and utheris refuis to put thame to libertie, that the saidis Admirall provest and bailleis assist and see thame put to libertie, and suche malefactouris as wer delyverit unto the Capitanes to be transportit that the said Admirall provest and bailleis tak thame bring thame ashoir and put thame in sure firmance quhill thay understand the counsellis will towardis thame.

6.

Forsamekle as it hes pleasit the Kingis Majestie upoun some speciall caussis and considerationis to gif ordour and directioun that the companyis of men laitlie listed undir the charge and commandiment of Colonell Ramsay and some utheris capitanes for the weares of Swaden salbe brokin and that thay sall noway be transportit to Swaden to serve in these wearres, And seing the saidis companyis according to his Majesteis pleasour and commandiment ar now to be sett on land to the effect that thay and every ane of thame may repair to the placeis of thair former aboad and residence and thair attend thair severall charge and calling Necessar it is for the better preserving of his Majesteis peace and keeping of good reule ordour and quyetnes in the countrey and for eschewing of suche disordouris and insolencyis as may fall out alsweill amangis the companyis thameselffis as be thair occasioun aganis his Majesteis good subjectis yf thay be sufferrit ony space to remane togidder or to travell in nomberis and companyis through the countrey That thairfoir immediatlie efter thair landing thay dissolve thame selffis and that no nomberis of thame remane togidder bot that thay seperat thame selffis and addresse thame in peaceable and quyet manner without offending his Majesteis subjectis in thair travelling through the countrey, ffor quhilk purpois ordanes lettres to be direct to command and charge all and sindrie personis listed and tane up for the wearres of Swaden be oppin proclamatioun at the shoir and peir of Leyth at the mercat croce of Bruntyland and utheris places neidfull, that thay and every ane of thame within the space of tua houris after thair landing dissolve thameselffis and repair every ane of thame in quyet and peaceable manner to thair awne dwellingis and placeis of residence and that no nomberis nor companyis of thame exceiding tua personis remane togiddir upoun quhatsomevir cullour or pretens under the pane of dead Certifeing thame that failyees or dois in the contrair that thay salbe apprehendit and the said pane of dead execute upoun thame and to command and charge all schireffis justices of peace and magistratis to burgh and land, that thay and every ane of thame as thay sall happin to challange ony personis travelling through the countrey who ar or may be suspectit to be men of wearre yf thay pas tua in nomber or yitt yf thay commit ony disordour or insolence in thair going through the countrey that thay apprehend thame and committ thame to waird as malefactouris and detene thame quhill ordour be gevin for thair puneishment.

7.

The lordis of secrete counsell haveing hard the propositioun maid be Colonell Ramsay tuicheing his willing dispositioun to randir his obedience to the Kingis Majestie by dissolveing and brecking of the companyis of men of wearre laitlie listit under his regiment and commandiment for the wearres of Swaden and tuicheing the advis and opinioun cravit be him in what forme and ordour he sould dissolve his companyis and quhair he sould sett thame on land The saidis lordis being advisit with the said propositioun thay haif prescryvit and sett down to the said Colonell the ordour following to be observit and keept be him in the dissolving and landing of his saidis companyis, videlicet, that he sett the ane half thairof aland at Leyth and the uther half of the same at Bruntyland, and that the said Colonell tak exact triall and examinatioun amangis his capitanes and sojouris what personis wer delyverit to thame be the commissionaris of the lait bordouris and quhat uthiris personis thay haif ressavit out of the toilbuith of Edinburgh and Dunbar And that he caus all thir personis be delyverit in suirtie to the bailleis of Edinburgh to be committit to waird in thair toilbuith ay and quhill ordour be tane with thame as appertynes, and that this pairt be first performed afoir the landing of the rest of the companyis.

8.

The lordis of secrete counsell ordanes lettres to be direct chargeing Colonell ____ Ramsay to compeir personalie befoir the saidis lordis upoun the xviij day of September instant to answer to suche thingis as salbe demandit of him tuicheing the lait levey maid be him of a grite nomber of his Majesteis subjectis to haif bene transportit be him furth of this realme for the weares of Swaden under the pane of rebellioun and putting of thame to the horne with certificatioun to him and he failyee lettrez salbe direct simpliciter to put him thairto.

9.

Anent the charge gevin be vertew of oure Soverane lordis lettres to Colonell Andro Ramsay to haif comperit personalie befoir the lordis of secrete counsell this present auchtene day of September instant to haif answerit to suche thingis as sould haif bene demandit of him tuicheing the lait levey maid be him of a grite nomber of his Majesteis subjectis to haif bene transportit be him furth of this realme for the weares of Swaden under the pane of rebellioun and putting of him to the horne with certificatioun to him and he [failyeed] lettres wald be direct simpliciter to put him thairto lyk as at mair lenth is contenit in the saidis lettrez executionis and indorsationis thairof Quhilkis being callit and the said Colonell Andro Ramsay not comperand Thairfoir the lordis of secrete counsell ordanes lettres to be direct chargeing officeris of armes to pas and denunce the said Colonell Andro Ramsay his Majesteis rebell and to put him to his hienes horne and to escheat etc.