Page 17 - Fenning_Scoland

1630 'By the king his warrand' letter from London to Edinburgh carried by the King's Mail messengers

This letter sent by the Treasurer Depute of Scotland in London to The Lord High Treasurer of Scotland in Edinburgh originally would have
contained a warrant from King Charles I and, almost certainly, would have been carried by the Royal Post from London to Edinburgh.

This letter, dated 17 h November 1630, was sent from Lord Naper [Napier] in London to the Earl of Morton in Edinburgh. It would, originally, have
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contained a warrant from King Charles I but the enclosure would have been retained by the Treasury after payment was made. Fortunately the
Register of Royal Letters records the exact wording of the King's warrant which he had authorised at the Palace of Whitehall on 16 h November, the
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day before Lord Napier forwarded it with his letter to Edinburgh. King Chartes's warrant read:
TO THE ERLE OF MORTON, THESAURER.
Our p/easur is, and we doe heirby will and requyre yow, for special/ and good consideratiouns moveing us, that yow caus pay with all diligence unto our right the Lo.
Naper, our deputle thesaurer, or to such as have his power, his whole feyis, pensions, or other things due from us unto him, by whatsoever maner of way resting
unpayed unto him at any tyme preceiding this terme of Mertimes, and that out of the first and readiest of our rents, dewteis, and casualiteis whatsoever in that our
kingdome; and for your soe doeing these presents, togidder with his or his forsaids acquittances therupoun, shal be a sufficient warrand and discharge unto yow. -
Whytha//, 16No'1630

The writer of the letter was Archibald Naper [Napier], 1st Lord Napier of Merchlston, Treasurer Depute of
Scotland and Member of the Scottish Privy Council.
Archibald Naper or Napier (c.1575 - 1645) was the eldest son of John Napier, the eminent mathematician, inventor
and astronomer who developed the concept of logarithms and Invented the decimal point.
Archibald Napier was a noted politician and courtier who was well-regarded by King Charles I. Although most of his
business was in Scotland, Napier spent long stays at court in London in order to protect his Interests.
It was during one of his stays in London, whilst resident in King Street, St James's which was conveniently close to the
Palace of Whitehall, that Napier wrote this letter.

The letter opens 'By the king his warrand concerning me .... ' referring to the enclosed warrant. It then continues with a
request for payment and gives instructions as to how the money was to be collected:

'I will therefore intreat yo' L[ordship] to gif order to pay such moneys as ar due to me, to my brother Mr Robert Naper, to whom I
have given power to gif discharges, which I hope yo' L[ordship} will do.' To the r/ honob'
My VBfY good Lorci
The earle of Mortoun
The recipient of the letter was William Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton, Lord High Treasurer of Scotland and Lorci high thesaurer of
Member of the Scottish Privy Council. Scotland
these
William Douglas, Earl of Morton (1582 - 1648) had been appointed Lord High Treasurer of Scotland earlier in the
year 1630.
17 111 November 1630. Letter sent by Lord
When he assumed the role he discovered that he had inherited 'an empty cupboard'. King Charles spent lavishly Naper [Napier] in King Street, St James's,
and was very heavily in debt. It appears from the wording of the King's warrant that Morton was to pay Napier 'out of London to the Earl of Morton in
the first and readiest of our rents, dewteis .. " i.e. as a priority, but in view of the poor financial state of the Treasury it is Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh.
open to doubt when or whether Lord Napier saw his money.
The Earl of Morton was in Edinburgh at this
time while the Scottish Privy Council was
Rl!lfarences: meeting in Holyroodhouse. He is recorded
1. 'Register of Royal Letters', the Earl of Stirling, vol. 2 1615- 1635 as being present in Council and attending
The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
meetings on 1 a•h and 23rd November 1630.