[A1641/8/19]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Concerning the council and session of Scotland
Since the many and weighty affairs of the kingdom of England will take up the greater part of his majesty's time that he cannot make so long abode in Scotland as we do heartily wish and desire, we are the more confident that his majesty, from his natural love and royal care of that his ancient and native kingdom, will in his wisdom think upon such ways of government as may be with least trouble to his majesty and with greatest peace and comfort to his subjects. And since his majesty has been graciously pleased to declare that all matters civil shall there be determined by parliament and other inferior judicatories established by law, we do humbly remonstrate and desire that his majesty may be pleased to make choice of his councillors and officers of state by the advice of the estates convened in parliament. And if any office of estate shall happen to become vacant and must be provided in the interval of time between the sittings of the parliament, that it may be done by his majesty, with advice of the secret council. And that both councillors and statesmen be liable for the discharging of their duties to his majesty's and the parliament's trial and censure that so far as is possible all wages of ambition and corruption may be stopped. It is in like manner our humble desire that the senators of the college of justice who administer justice to all the subjects may be chosen by his majesty with advice of the parliament, and because these places cannot become vacant long without prejudice to the lieges, that the places which shall happen to be vacant between parliaments may be provided by his majesty with advice of the whole house. And lest they be removed when now they have acquired by experience the best abilities for acquitting themselves in their places, which require skilled men in the laws and practice of the country, that they be provided for life without offence. We do not delight to fill again his majesty's cares with the repetition and resentment of our pressing, but now past evils, which in a great part have issued from the corruption of the fountain of council and justice, but do only represent that as this is agreeable to the order and practice observed by his majesty's progenitors before the coming of King James into England, and that in the disposing of these places which so highly concern the whole kingdom, his majesty in his absence may have more sound and impartial advice from the whole body convened in parliament than from one or more particular members.