Family records of the Bruces and the Cumyns

616 KINNAIRD.
His Majesty KING CHARLES II., his Letter to ALEXANDER BRUCE of
Kinnaird.
"Charles Rex.
" Whereas we understand that Captain Robert Bruce of Kinnaird, brother to
Alexander Bruce, now of Kinnaird, having been a captain in the Earl of Mar's
Regiment of Horse, was by us called, in the year 1650, to be one of the cap-
tains of our Life Guard, in which office he continued till the fight of Worcester,
where, doing all that became a gentleman and a good soldier, he received those
wounds which were the cause of his death soon after ; and now, being informed
that the said Alexander Bruce fought manfully in those wars, and received
many wounds in our service, and that, after his brother's death, he had his
estate confiscated by the English usurpers, and all his goods and movables
seized upon ; and likewise being informed that the said Alexander Bruce is
under divers processes of horning, captions, acts of warding, and arrestments
for several sums of money wherein he stands bound as principal or cautioner
for the deceased Sir Henry Bruce of Clackmannan, and for David Bruce, now
of Clackmannan, and for William Bruce of Newtoune, whereof they are bound
to relieve him, which he would be the better able to take course with, and to
procure his own relief and satisfaction to the creditors, if he had, for some com-
petent time, freedom to his person for settling his affairs, and considering that
his freedom from the execution of the law against his person, for these debts,
may and will tend to the greater benefit of his creditors in general, and to his
own better subsistence, than his restraint and imprisonment by them can pro-
duce : Therefore wee, of our princely bounty and goodness, do hereby give and
grant our royal protection to the said Alexander Bruce from all hornings, cap-
tions, acts of warding, arrestments, and execution of the law against his person,
of any debt for which he stands bound for the deceast Sir Henry Bruce of
Clackmannan, David Bruce, now of Clackmannan, and William Bruce of New-
toune ; or stands bound as principal with them, whereof they are bound to
relieve him during the space of one year, to commence from the date hereof,
commanding hereby all judges, magistrates, messengers-at-arms, and all others,
our officers of justice whatsoever, no way to stop, trouble, or molest the said
Alexander Bruce in his person for any of the debts above mentioned during the
space foresaid, as they shall answer to the contrary.
" Given at our Court of White Hall, the 3d day of February 1682-83, and of
our reign ye thirty-fifth year. By his Majesty's command.
(Signed) "MORRAY."