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Our sovereign lord, calling to mind that his majesty's late great-grandfather, King James IV of blessed memory, in his fourth parliament and 61st chapter thereof, for maintaining of justice within the country of Caithness to all his majesty's lieges within the same, and in respect of the far distance between Caithness and Inverness, which were all under one sheriffdom at that time, called the sheriffdom of Inverness, and for the better ease to his majesty's lieges within the country of Caithness in all time coming, with advice of his majesty's estates of parliament, disjoined the country of Caithness from the sheriffdom of Inverness, and statute and ordained that there should be a sheriff made who should be called the sheriff of Caithness and to have full jurisdiction of sheriffship of all the diocese of Caithness, and that he should sit and have a place for administration of his office within the town of Wick, as the said act of parliament at more length purports. Likewise the late King James VI of blessed memory, his majesty's dearest father, by his letters of patent under the great seal of Scotland of the date 25 September 1589, erected the burgh of Wick in a burgh royal with the like privilege and liberties as any other royal burgh within this kingdom has, as the said letters patent of the date foresaid likewise bear, in regard whereof the said burgh of Wick is the head burgh of the sheriffdom of Caithness, and having a sufficient tolbooth and market cross within the same, and being situated in the middle place of the said sheriffdom of Caithness and is most commodious for his majesty's lieges within the said sheriffdom for holding of sheriff courts within the same burgh of Wick, and that all proclamations, denunciations, inhibitions and comprisings be used only at the market cross thereof in all time coming, as place most convenient for that effect, according to a testificate subscribed by the most part of the noblemen and barons within the said sheriffdom of Caithness, directed to our sovereign lord and estates of parliament for verification of the conveniency of the said burgh of Wick to be the head burgh of the said sheriffdom of Caithness and for holding of the sheriff courts thereof, and for using of all letters and proclamations at the market cross of Wick in all time coming, as the same testificate of the date 10 October 1641, produced in parliament in presence of his majesty and estates, likewise purports. In consideration of the whole premises, and for the better ease of our sovereign lord's lieges within the said sheriffdom of Caithness, and that the said burgh of Wick may increase and flourish in the liberties thereof in time coming, therefore our said sovereign lord, with advice of the estates of this present parliament, ratifies and approves the said act of parliament made by the late King James IV, with advice of his estates, regarding the erecting of the said sheriffdom of Caithness and ordaining the town of Wick to be the place where the sheriff of Caithness and his deputes and clerks shall hold their courts in all time coming, and also ratifies and approves the letters patent granted by the late King James VI in favour of the provost, bailies, council and burgesses of the town of Wick, erecting the same in a free burgh royal, with all privileges and liberties belonging to any other royal burgh, as the said act of parliament and letters patent of the dates foresaid bear, in the whole heads, articles, clauses and circumstances contained therein, after the form and tenor thereof in all points. Likewise his majesty, with advice foresaid, ordains the said burgh of Wick to be the head burgh of Caithness, and ordains the sheriff of Caithness and his deputes and clerks to sit and hold their whole courts in all causes, both civil and criminal, within the tolbooth of Wick and direct precepts to his majesty's lieges to compear there for all causes in all time coming, and also ordains all proclamations, denunciations, inhibitions, comprisings and other letters and citations to be used at the market cross of Wick in all time coming as place most convenient for that effect. Likewise his majesty, with advice of the said estates of parliament, declares that all services, decreets and others that shall not be done and pronounced by the said sheriff of Caithness and his deputes within the said burgh and tolbooth of Wick and all denunciations, proclamations, inhibitions, comprisings and other letters and citations whatsoever that shall not be used at the market cross of Wick in all time coming, shall be null and of no value, force nor effect, with all that may follow thereupon without any decreet or declarator to be given upon the same but only by way of exception, and also ordained the sheriff clerk of Caithness present and to come to have his actual dwelling in the burgh of Wick in time coming, otherwise to lose his office. And our said sovereign lord, with advice foresaid, discharges the provost, bailies and burgesses of the burgh of Wick of the sum of 10 merks yearly since the date of these letters patent of the erection thereof in a royal burgh as said is, appointed to have been paid by them for the duties of the said burgh, and discharges his majesty's treasurer and deputes from asking the same hereafter; concerning which, this ratification shall be to them a sufficient warrant and exoneration.