[1662/5/6]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
It is appointed that all members of parliament do precisely keep the diets of parliament, under the pains following, namely each nobleman and bishop for each diet's absence without leave, £12 Scots, each baron £6, and each burgess £3, and that they pay the just half of their penalties for each diet they come in late after the calling of the rolls of parliament.
That none be admitted to stay in parliament but the ordinary members of parliament, namely the archbishops and bishops, noblemen, officers of state, commissioners from shires and burghs, and the clerk of register, deputes and servants employed by him to serve in the house and, besides these, admittance is allowed to the eldest sons and apparent heirs male of noblemen, to the senators of the college of justice, to the knight marischal, to the ushers, to the lyon, to the justice deputes, to the king's agent, one servant allowed to the lord chancellor, two to the constable, two to the marischal and one to the advocate.
And it is ordered that none presume to sit upon the benches save the nobility and clergy; that the officers of state sit upon the steps of the throne; that the commissioners of shires and burghs sit in the benches appointed for them; that noblemen's eldest sons and heirs aforesaid sit on the lower benches of the throne; that the lords of the session sit at a table which is to stand between the throne and the commissioners from burghs, and that none presume to sit at the clerks' table save the clerk register and the deputes and servants to be employed by him in the service of the house, and that any other persons allowed access shall sit at the far end of the seats appointed for the commissioners from shires and burghs.
And it is appointed that the knight marischal and the macers be careful, as they will be answerable upon their peril, that these orders be obeyed and that they exact 20s sterling from every person who shall be found within the house and are not members nor admitted, as aforesaid, besides their removal, and imprisonment at the second fault, and these penalties with the former to be collected by the macer and deposited in the hands of [...]† to be disposed upon by order of the house.
That after the house is set none offer to stand or walk, or keep private discourses one with another, that none go forth except in cases of necessity, and that they forthwith return. Nor any persons suffered to stay at the articles save members of parliament.
That in all debates of the house no person offer to interrupt another, nor direct his discourse to any but to the lord chancellor or president.
That all reflections be forborne, and that no man offer at one diet and in one business to speak more often than twice at most, except in such cases where leave shall be first asked and given by his majesty or his commissioner.
That no member of parliament leave the house until the meeting is by his majesty or his commissioner dissolved.
[1662/5/7]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Forasmuch as the king's majesty, out of his affection to this his ancient kingdom, and for settling and securing the true interest, laws, liberties and peace of the same, has been pleased to call a meeting of his estates in parliament to be here at Edinburgh at this time, and it being most necessary for these ends, and for the advancement of his majesty's service, that all members of parliament should, according to their allegiance and duty, attend and keep the meetings of the parliament; therefore, the king's majesty, with advice and consent of his estates of parliament, has statute and appointed and accordingly does hereby require and command all archbishops, bishops, noblemen, commissioners of shires and burghs to come and attend his majesty or his commissioner in the meetings of this present parliament and in all succeeding parliaments, certifying all such as, without a lawful excuse timely represented and admitted by his majesty or his commissioner, shall, after 27 May instant be absent from this parliament, or who, in any succeeding parliaments, shall be absent at the diets to be appointed by his majesty, they shall be liable to and incur the pains and penalties following, namely, each archbishop, bishop and nobleman the sum of £1,200 Scots, each commissioner of shires the sum of £600 Scots and each commissioner of burghs the sum of £200 Scots, which penalties are presently to be raised and letters of horning and poinding are hereby ordained to be directed for payment of the same to his majesty's treasurer or depute treasurer. And it is hereby declared that these penalties are to be in addition to and without prejudice to what further censure the parliament shall think fit to inflict for so high contempt and neglect of his majesty and his authority, and ordains publication to be made hereof at the market cross of Edinburgh by heralds, with sound of trumpet, through which none pretend ignorance of the same.