COMMISSION For Examining Witnesses anent the Importation of Irish Victual.  
EDINBURGH, the 4th Day of February, 1696.  
THE LORDS of His Majesty's Privy Council Considering, That they by their former Commissions granted by them to David Crawfurd of Drumsuie, and to his Deputs and Servants, and others to be appointed by him, for whom (by the Tenor of the said's Commissions) he is to be answerable, they have given full Power, Authority and Commission to seize and apprehend all Irish Victual imported into this Kingdom, within the Bounds specified in the saids Commissions, and to Stave, Sink and Destroy the Victual, and to take the Boats, Barks and other Vessels wherein the same shall be Imported, and dispose thereupon at their Pleasure. And the said's Lords being informed, that the said David Crawfurd of Drumsuie, and his Deputs, Servants and others Employed by him, and for whom (conform to the Tenor of the Commissions) he is answerable as said is, have been remiss and negligent in exercising the Power committed to them by the saids Commissions, and that he or his said's Deputs and Servants, has (contrair to the Tenor of the said's Commissions, and Bonds given by him and his Cautioners at the granting thereof,) suffered and permitted divers and sundry persons to Import Irish Victual into this Kingdom, at least have connived at the Importation thereof; Therefore, and to the effect the truth of this Matter may the better appear and be known, They hereby give full Power and Commission to the persons afternamed, and ilk ane of them, for their respective Places and Bounds after-specified, Viz. To the Magistrates of Glasgow for the Town of Glasgow and Suburbs thereof. To the Magistrates of Renfrew for the Town and Paroch of Renfrew. To the Magistrates of Dumbartoun for the Town and Paroch of Dumbartoun. To the bailie of the Regality of Lenox, _____ Noble of Farm, and Claud Hamilton of Barns for the parochs of Cardross and Kirkpatrick. To Sir John campbel of Carick for the Isle of Rosneath. To John M●carter of Milntoun for the Paroch of Dinnoon. To the Sheriff-Deput of the Shire of Argile, and Magistrates of the Burgh of Inverrary for the Town of Inverrary and places adjacent thereto. To John campbel of Kildalin and the Bailies of Lochhead for the Town and adjacent Bounds of Kintyre. To Sir James Stuart Sheriff of B●te, _____ Bannatine of Kaims and the Magistrates of Rothesay for the Isle of Bute. To the Duke of Hamilton's bailie of Arran for the Isle of Arran. To the bailie of the Regality of Glasgow for the Town and Paroch of Govan. To the Laird of Houstoun younger and the Town of Glasgows bailie at Newport Glasgow for the Town of Newark and Paroch of Kilmacomb. To the Lairds of Greenock and Crawfurdsburn for the Paroch of Greenock. To the Laird of Blackhall, the Laird of Kellie younger, and William Cunninghame Brother to Gilbertfield for the Paroch of Innerkip. To the Lairds of Kelburn, Bishoptoun younger, Hunterstoun, Kellie elder, and Auchinnames for the parochs of Largs and Cumrayer. To the Lairds of Hunterstoun, Aslimyard, and John Park of Littledub for the Bounds from the Largs to Kilwinning. To the Magistrates of Irwine Sir William Cunninghame of Cunninghame-head, and the bailie of Cunninghame for the Towns and parochs of Irwine and Kilwinning. To the Lairds of Corsbie, Adamtoun younger, and William bailie of Muncktoun for the Bounds from Irwine to Air. To the Magistrates of Air William Cunnnghame of Brounhill, and William Mctaggart Merchants there for the Town and Paroch of Air. To James Ross of Garvan, and John Muir late Provost of Air, for the Bounds from Air to the Town of Girvan. To James Agnew younger of Lochnam and Mr. William Fullertoun from the Bounds from the Mule of Galloway to Ballantree. To the Magistrates of Strenrawer for the Town of Strenrawer; To call before them and examine, and take the Declarations of all such persons living within the respective Bounds foresaids, as they shall think fit, and to interrogat them upon the Interrogators following, viz. Primo, If it consists with their knowledge, that Drumsuie or his Deputs did grant any Licences for importing Victual from Ireland, and if they did, that they declare what Composition or good Deed he or his Deputs ●… take for the granting of the said's Licences. Secundo, If Drumsuie or his Deputs did connive at, and know of the importing of Victual from Ireland, and if th●● did not Transact and Agree with the Persons who did import the same. Tertio, If they did not exact Sums of Money from the Boat-men, and Owners of t●● Boats, in which the Irish Victual was imported, and did deliver back the saids Boats, and if they did not make Transactions of this Nature for the same Boat ●●…ner than once. Quarto, If Drumsuie and his Deputs, or any of them did know where the Victual imported was, and did not make Seizure thereof. Quinto, T●… they Declare in general what they know concerning the Exactions imposed by Drumsuie or his Deputs upon Merchants or others who did import the said Irish V●…ual. Sexto, That they be special as to the precise time, that is, That they condescend upon the Month and Year, Persons and Sums, and the Witnesses who will prove the matter of Fact condescended upon. And Lastly, upon such other Interrogators as the said's Commissioners, or any of them shall think fit, to propose to the persons who shall appear before them anent Drumsuie and his Deputs, Servants and others employed by him, their Malversation in suffering the Importation of Irish or other Foreign Victual into this Kingdom by Collusion, or otherways, and what Exactions of Money by way of Composition or otherways they have made upon any of His Majesty's Liedges, upon pretence of their having Right to the Boats, Barks or Vessels employed in importing the said Victual, or as Fines for the Causes foresaids, or Transactions upon that account: With POWER to the said's Commissioners to issue forth Precepts for citing of the persons foresaids within their respective Bounds above-set down, to appear before them upon such days as they shall appoint betwixt and the fifteenth day of March next to come; With Certification to the persons cited, that if they failyie to appear before the saids Commissioners, or compearing shall refuse to give Information, and declare what they know in the Matters foresaids, that they shall be called and convened before the Lords of His Majesty's Privy Council, and be punished as Controveeners of the Laws and Acts of Parliament made against the importing of Irish or other Foreign Victual; With Power to the Commissioners foresaids within their respective Bounds above-set-down, to put the Refusers under sufficient Caution to appear before the saids Lords of Privy Council, upon the first Tuesday of the Month of April next; With Power likeways to the said's Commissioners to Elect and Choi●e their own Clerk within their respective Bounds, for whom they shall be answerable: And Appoints the saids Commissioners their Clerk, to draw up the Examinations and Declarations of the persons foresaids, within their respective Bounds authentically in Write, and cause the Parties subscribe the same, and transmit the same Subscrived also by the Commissioners, and their Clerk in their respective Bounds to the said's Lords of Privy Council, betwixt and the first Tuesday of April next to come. And the said's Lords of privy Council do hereby Declare, that the Examinations or Declarations to be emitted by the persons foresaids, shall no ways militat, nor be made use of against the saids persons themselves at any time coming: And allows their Presents to be Printed, and Appoints His Majesty's Solicitor to send printed Copies thereof to the several Commissioners thereincontained.  
Extracted by me GILB. ELIOT. Cls. Sti. Concilii.  
God save the King.   

EDINBURGH, Printed by the Heirs and Successors of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His most Excellent Majesty, Anno DOM. 1696.