To his Grace, His Majesty's high Commissioner, and the Right Honourable the Estates of Parliament. The PETITION of Alexander Hunter of Muirhouse,  
Humbly showeth,  
THat where the deceased Mr. Alexander Hamilton my Grandfather, provided me to the sum of ten thousand pounds' Scots Money, and thereafter I was married to Barbara Moncreiff, with whom I had the like sum of ten thousand Pounds of Tochar, both which, and eight thousand Marks with my Mother, were uplifted by the deceased Mr. James Hunter of Muirhouse my Father, and applied to his own proper use. In remuneration whereof, my Father did secure me in the sum of an hundred Pound sterl. yearly, out of the Lands of Muirhouse, during his Life-time, and provided me to the Fee of the said hail Lands, extending to twenty eight Chalder of Victual or thereby of yearly Rent. And my Father being involved in great and considerable sums of Money, far exceeding the Value and Estate of Muirhouse, and all his other Real and Personal Estate, did induce me to engage, as Principal and Cautioner for him, in the greatest part of all his Debts. And from term to term, when new Bonds were subscribing, he made me believe, that the sums borrowed at these terms were to satisfy and clear off other Creditors, to whom I was formerly bound for him. And I being bound in duty, not to distrust any thing which my Father said, never made any further enquiry, but believed that when I subscribed new Bonds, they came in place of former, neither did I ever doubt the same, until the time of my Father's sickness, (whereof he died,) and then it did but too evidently appear, to my sad experience, that there was little or no part of the sums wherein I was first engaged for my Father, satisfied and taken off by the Money borrowed thereafter. By which means, though there was none of the sums, for which I was engaged for my Father, applied to my use: Yet I was necessitate (to prevent the rigorous Diligence of Creditors) to take Sanctuary in the Abbay, ever since my Father's death. And seeing your Petitioner was most innocently inveigled by the Persuasions of his Father, out of the duty and respect which he owed to him, without making any enquiry into the condition of his Affairs, whereby I am a greater loser myself by far, than any of his Creditors: In respect any Fortune I had aliundi, by my Grandfather and Wife, (which was considerable, as is above mentioned) being swallowed up in that gulf of Debts due by my Father. And it being the custom of all Nations in the World, when Debtors become insolvent by misfortune, and without using any fraudulent or sinistrous Methods, to grant them personal Liberty, which were very hard to deny in a case so circumstantiat as mine: Especially I being willing instantly to dispone to my Father's Creditors, all Estate, Real and Personal belonging to myself, or that can accress to me any manner of way, through the decease of my Father, and to denude myself of the 〈◊〉, omni hab●●● modo, at the sight of any Committee, that shall be appointed by Your Grace, and Honourable Estates of Parliament. And likewise since my continuance under Restraint can never advance the interest of my Father's Creditors, neither can my personal Protection prejudge them; But on the contrary, if I were at liberty, I would concur with them, in making my Father's Fortune effectual for payment of his Debts. As also by the favour and assistance of Friends, I may be advanced to some Employment, whereby I may have a Livelihood for myself and Family.  
May it therefore please your Grace, and Lordships, to take my Case and Circumstances to your serious Consideration, and upon my signing of the foresaid Disposition; to grant me personal Protection during all the days of my Life time, for such Debts and Sums of Money, as I was resting at the time of my Father's decease. And to discharge Messengers, and other Officers, to put any Caption or Acts of Warding in execution against me, for the Causes foresaid. And your Grace and Lordship's Answer is humbly prayed for.