The original papers and letters, relating to the Scots Company, trading to Africa and the Indies from the memorial given in against their taking subscriptions at Hamburgh, by Paul Ricaut, His Majesty's resident there, to their last address sent up to His Majesty in December, 1699 : faithfully extracted from the Companies books.

THE Company's Letter TO THE Right Honourable the Earl of Tullibardin, Secretary of State.

Edinburgh, Sept. 28. 1697.

May it please your Lordship,

IT is not unknown to Your Lordship in what Humour the Council General of our Com∣pany and most Part of the Nation were in, with Relation to the Memorial given in to the Senate of Hamburg, against our Company by the English Ministers there, upon which ensued the Council∣Generals late Address, transmitted to His Ma∣jesty by your Lordship. And your Lordship very well knows, that at your Request and Desire, only upon Premises of using your best Endea∣vours to procure a speedy and satisfactory Answer from his Majesty, the said Council-Gene∣ral was prevail'd upon to suspend representing that Matter further to the Government till the second Day of August last past. On which Day your Lordship did signifie his Majesty's Answer

to the said Address. Upon Receipt whereof the said Council General did resolve to supersede any further Proceeding therein, till His Majesty's ar∣rival in England, as not in the least doubting but His Majesty would have in the mean time, pursu∣ant to his Answer, given Orders to His Resident at Hamburg, with Relation to the Subject Mat∣ter of the said Memorial: But we are extream∣ly surprized to find by Letters of the 31st ultimo, from our Company's Agent in that City, that he had, according to our Order, been to wait on the English Resident there, and with all the Respect due to his Character, intimated to him the Con∣tents of the said Address and Answer. Upon which the Resident declared, That he was ready and willing to obey His Master's Orders, but that as yet, he had got none in that Matter. We cannot imagine what should be the Occasion of this new Disappointment, since we cannot suffer our selves to believe, but that His Majesty has, according to his Letter to your Lordship, given Orders as aforesaid, which makes us admire the more where the Neglect of that Matter doth now stand: Yet we must needs say, We are in some Measure afraid to acquaint the said Coun∣cil-General with it, lest they be more uneasie there∣upon, than we would wish, till first we have your Lordship's Answer: For which Cause we, the several under-subscribing Directors of the said Company (who are now in Town) have thought fit, in as quiet a Manner as possible, to give your Lordship an Account thereof, to the end you may in your Wisdom and Prudence, advise His Majesty with Relation thereunto; and doubt not but your Lordship will take such Care herein, as may pre∣vent our Calling another Council-General, with

Relation to the Premises, which we are bound un avoidably to do, if we have not your Lordship's timely Answer. We are,

May it please Your Lordship,

Your Lordships most Obedient, Humble Servants, Sic Subscribitur, Ad. Cockburn, Fran. Montgomery, Archb. Mure, Geo. Clark, Robert Blackwood, James Balfour, William Paterson.

To the Right Honourable the Earl of Tullibar∣din, Principal Secretary of State for the King∣dom of Scotland.

Memorandum.

The Duplicate hereof was like∣wise sent at the same time to the Right Honour∣rable Sir James Ogilvie, Knight, &c.