[A1571/9/24]* [print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Forsamekill as the troublit state of this realme being considderit, and the greit hurt that the commoune weill sustenis throw the fortificatioun and halding of the burgh and castell of Edinburgh aganis oure soverane lord and his authoritie be a few nowmer of declarit tratouris, rebellis and conspiratouris, throw quhais schamefull defectioun fra thair dew obedience, aganis thair fayth, promeis and allegeance, a dangerous civile weare is rasit within the bowellis of this realme, the cheif toun is occupiit be men of weare, the honest inhabitantis, sum benneist, sum impresonit and sum retenit in maist strait thraldome and slavery, the seitt of justice distroyit, the memberis thairof dispersit, and last, umquhile Mathow, erll of Levenax, lord Dernlie, oure sovarane lordis lauchfull tutour and regent to his majestie, his realme and liegis, is schamfullie murtherit and cuttit away eftir he had yeildit his body in thair tressonabill handis and had promeis of his lyff to be saif, and na thing left unattemptit that may bring the haill estait in extreme disordour and confusioun, quhairthrow nowther the kingis authoritie can be obeyit, justice ministrat nor the gude subjectis may leif quietlie upoun thair awin gif remeid be not providit. And considdering likwyis that seing the nobilitie, estaittis and gude subjectis of this realme hes, in all bypast aiges, preservit the same fra foreyn conqueist and vailyeantlie defendit the libertie to this tyme, it wer now to thair greit ignominy and aganis thair honouris gif a few nowmer of corruptit memberis, pollutit with haynous and odious crymes and worthelie cut of fra the societie of nobill men and honest men as now kend in thair awin cullouris, sould be permitted to continew in thair outraige, rebellioun and tressonabill attemptatis, to the subverssioun of the haill estaittis of oure realme. And thairfoir, aggreing with ane voce and consent of the nobilitie and estaittis of this realme, that the commoune weill in defalt of governament sall not dekay, Johnne, erll of Mar, lord Erskin is burdynnit with the office of regentrie to oure soverane lord, his realme and liegis; and he, with utheris of the nobilitie and estaittis of this realme, hes deliberat and concludit to set the said burgh of Edinburgh at libertie, and, for recovery thairof, to hazard thair lyvis and bestow thair gudis, quhair throw it is neidfull that oure soverane lordis subjectis be convenit be proclamatioun to this effect; and thairfoir ordanis lettres tobe direct to officiaris of armes, schireffis in that part, chargeing thame to pas to the marcat croces of the burrowis of Kincardin, Forfair, Perth, Cowpar in Fyff, Kinross, Clakmannan, Striveling, Linlythquow, Leyth, the Cannogait for Edinburgh, Hadingtoun, Duns, Lawder, Roxburgh, Selkirk, Peblis, Lanark, Drumfreis, Wigtoun, Kirkcudbrycht, Air, Irwin, Renfrew and Dunbartane, and thair, be oppin proclamatioun in oure soverane lordis name and authoritie, command and charge all and sindry erllis, lordis, baronis, landit men and frehaldaris dwelland within the boundis of the schirefdomes of Kincardin, Forfair, Perth, Fyff, Kinross, Clakmannan, Striveling, Linlythquow, Edinburgh principall and within the constabularie of Hadingtoun, Berwik, Roxburgh, Selkirk, Peblis, Lanark, Drumfreis, Wigtoun, Air, Renfrew and Dunbartane, stewartreis of Stratherne and Menteith, Kirkcudbrycht and Annanderdaill and bailliereis of Kyle, Carrik and Cunynghame, alsweill to burgh as to land, within regalitie as ryaltie, that thai and ilkane of thame in thair maist weirlyke and substantious maner, with fourty dayis victuales and provisioun efter thair cuming, and with palyeonis and cariage to ly on the feildis, addres thame to convene and meit my lord regentis grace at Leyth upoun the first day of October nixtocum, and to await and attend as thay salbe commandit for furthsetting of oure soverane lordis auctoritie and service, in asseging of the burgh of Edinburgh and restoring the same to the former libertie, and to remane for that effect during the space of fourty dayis efter thair cuming under the pane of tinsell of lyff, landis and guidis.†