Ancient deeds and other writs in the Mackenzie-Wharncliffe charter-chest

MACKENZIE-WHARNCLIFFE DEEDS
ground of a debt against Argyll's estate by which he got that title of
Mellfort, it being a title in Argyllshire, and I am sure your Ladyship
will get information in this either from my Lord Tarbatt or Prestonhall.
This is all I shall or can say in these affairs.' 1
The decree of Parliament following upon Sir William Scott's
petition is among the family papers. It proceeds in the first place
to quote ad longum the whole of the original petition and the citation
of the parties thereon. It would seem that during the course of the
process a decree of suspension before the Lords of Privy Council at
the instance of Hugh Wallace already referred to, then his late Majesty's
cash-keeper, against Sir William Scott, dated the 15th day of November
1683, whereby, to use the words of the decree, 'the Lords of Privie
Council have found the letters and charges raised, used, and execute at
the instance of the said Hugh Wallace, his Majesty's cash keeper,
against the said Sir William Scott upon ane decreit obtained against
him, and pronounced by Adam Urquhart of Meldrum as having com-
missione from the Privie Council orderly proceeded against the said Sir
William Scott for the soume of forty sex thousand one hundred and
twenty ffye pounds Scots money bot in regaird of the power and latitude
allowed to the Council by the king's letter of nynteen day of April six-
teen hundred eight three years to modifie delinquents finis charged for
but so as to keep them over their heads as ane awe band for their future
good behaviour ordained the letters at the instance of the cash keeper to
be putt to furder executione against the said Sir William Scot suspended
ay and whyle he made payment to the said cash keeper for the king's
use off the sum of fifteen hundreth pounds starline of the whole soume
charged for.' There were also produced copies of his Majesty's order to
Sir George Mackenzie of the precept granted by the Duke of Queens-
1 Fountainhall in his Historical Notices, vol. ii. p. 772, under date 16th Decemher 1686, notes
the following reference to Buntein : 'George Porteous Herauld pershues Archibald Buntein, Sir
George Mackenzie's servant, for invading him in the Hy Street and beating him. Alledged you
were the first aggressor, for you assaulted and beat me the day before, and so compensatione
tollunter. Iteplyd that was a chaud melle and accidental recontre, but yours was a deliberat for-
thought assassination — having gathered Auchlossan and sundry with you, you treachously sent for
me out of my house to speak with a friend, and then fell upon me, and self-defence must be incon-
tinenti, and he offered to prove all this by his oath. It was committed to Tarbat and the
President.'
P 113