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†The kingis majestie, nobilitie and estaitis convenit unders[...] the lang troubles and dangerous civile weare quhairwith this [...] frome the birth and coronatioun of his majestie unto the moneth of [...] of God jM vC lxxij yeris, umquhile Johnne, erll of Mar, lord [...], his hienes, his realme and liegis, being laitlie deceissit at the [...] and estaitis than convenit, the nobill and michtie lord James, erll [...] of Dalkeyth, being nominat and electit be thame, acceptit upoun him the [...] soverane lord, his realme and liegis, quhilk electioun and nominatioun [...] of the said charge being dewlie ratifiit and confermit be his hienes and [...] in his majesteis parliament haldin at Edinburgh, the xxvj day of Januar, the yeir of God foirsaid, he, according thirto, enterit in the administratioun of the [...] realme in a maist perrellous tyme, the castell of Edinburgh than being [...], and detenit aganis his hienes be his rebellis and a greit nowmer of the principallis of the nobilitie than standing dissobedient to his hienes authoritie, quhilk castell [...] recoverit and the dissobedient subjectis and haill estate schortlie pacifiit be the [...] and diligent travellis of the said Erll of Mortoun, regent, with greit and sumptuous [...] he hes sensyne worthelie usit and execute the regiment of this realme quhill that now the end of the twelft yeir of oure soverane lordis aige approcheing, his majestie, with avise of the saidis nobilitie and estaitis, hes thocht meit that the governament of the realme salbe from this furth exerceit be him self. The said lord regent having lang wissit his majesteis awin habilitie for the charge, and craving na thing mair ernistlie than tobe disburdynnit thairof, with the honour and suirtie of his majesteis persoun and estate and the publict peace and tranquillitie of his realme and subjectis, hes frelie at his hienes desire dimittit and randerit unto his majestie the power and authoritie of the said regiment tobe usit and exerceit be him self. And his majestie, having gude pruif and experience of the faythfull and trew service done be the said lord regent to his hienes in his tendir aige, alsweill befoir the acceptatioun of the regiment of the realme as sensyne, for the defence and sauftie of his persoun and authoritie, cheiflie in the dangerous troubles than occurring, and being myndfull of the said gude and faythfull service in respect thairof, and that utheris of the nobilitie that may happin tobe employed in his hienes service may serve his majestie and his successouris with the greitar affectioun in tyme cuming, hes thairfoir, with avise of the saidis nobilitie and estaitis, found, declarit and decernit that the said lord regent hes dewlie, lauchfullie, justlie and diligentlie exerceit his said office of regiment and all effaris, causis and chargeis thairto appertening, and hes trewlie as accordit in all respectis administrat the same fra the tyme of the accepting thairof to the dait of thir presentis, and evir during the same space in all his procedingis in the governament of this realme kepit ane trew, aufauld and just part towardes our soverane lord, his realme and liegis in all the effairis thairof, without cryme, offence or falt. And thairfoir his majestie, with avise and counsale of the saidis nobilitie and estaitis, hes declarit and decernit that the said lord regent, his airis and successouris sall not be accusabill of ony maner of cryme of quhatsumevir greitnes or wecht without exceptioun that may be allegeit committit be him in tyme bipast, bot that he is and salbe in all tyme cuming frelie dischargeit and exonerit of all accusatioun or ony utherwayis proceding moving of pley or questioun aganis him or his successouris for ony caus, cryme or occasioun of cryme quhatsumevir that may be imput to him, how greit soevir the same be; and that his hienes foirsaid declaratioun be ane sufficient exoneratioun and acquittance to the said lord regent, his airis, successouris and assignayis of all crymes, questionis or offensis that can, or may be criminalie or civilie [...] to him be his majestie for ony falt or deid [...] be him, his ministeris and servandis in the said administratioun of the regiment d[...] the space and tyme thairof; and the said acquittance and discharge his hienes, with av[...] consent of the saidis nobilitie and estaitis, hes willit and grantit tobe als valiabil [...] of als greit strenth, force and effect in all respectis as gif the hieast cryme that can or may be imput to ony persoun wer specialie expressed thairin, dischargeing all his hienes jugeis and ministeris of his lawis that nane of thame attempt ony thing in the contrair thairof and of thair offices in that part. And als his majestie, with avise of the said nobilitie and estaitis, hes dischargeit, quitclamit and exonerit the said lord regent, his airis, executouris, assignayis and successouris, his ministeris, factouris and servandis of all sowmes of money, cunyeit and uncunyeit, all males, fermis, proffeitis, rentis, reven[..] and dewiteis bayth of the propir patrimony and casualitie of the realme and dominionis and of his majesteis cunye and proffeit thairof, the thridis of benefices, with all utheris gudis, geir and thingis quhatsumevir alsweill unnamyt as namyt, pertening or that mycht ony wayis have pertenit to his majestie sen the said lord regentis intromissioun with the said office of regiment, intromettit with be him, his ministeris, factouris or servandis in his name during the said space; and hes willed and grantit that the said exoneratioun and discharge be als valiabill and of als greit strenth, force and effect to exoner, quitclame and discharge the said lord regent, his airis, executouris, assignayis and successouris of ony thing quhatsumevir valew, greit or small, that may be askit, requirit or persewit be his majestie or his successouris aganis the said regent, his airis, executouris, assignayis or successouris as appertening to his majestie be ony rycht or titill during the said space of the regiment and administratioun abonewrittin, lyke as the same had bene specialie expremit in this present discharge and lyke as all the greitast and maist valiabill thingis with the quhilkis he may be chargeit had bene heirintill expremit, exceptit alwayis the jowellis and plenissingis of his hienes houses, clething, artaillierie and munitioun pertening to his majestie or his dearest moder intromettit with and recoverit be the said lord regent, quhilk his hienes willis not salbe comprehendit in his said discharge, bot the said lord regent to stand answerabill for the same to his majestie as he salbe requirit. And further his majestie, with avise of the saidis nobilitie and estaittis, hes promittit, in the fayth and w[...] of a prince, nevir to revoke the said discharge nor to cum in the contrair thairof in ony tyme heireftir, providing alwayis that this present discharge be not preiudiciall to oure soverane lord and his successouris in his majesteis revocatioun or reductioun of quhatsumevir infeftmentis gevin of his hienes propirtie during his minoritie, or of the rycht of quhatsumevir landis, lordschippis, offices or digniteis fallin or becum in his majesteis handis be ressoun of forfaltour, recognitioun, bastardry or utherwayis pertening to his hienes be privilege of his croun; quhilk exoneratioun, discharge and promeis the kingis majestie, with avise of the saidis nobilitie and estaittis now convenit, ordanis tobe dewlie ratifiit and approvit in his hienes nixt parliament tobe haldin betuix the dait heirof and the twenty day of Julii nixtocum; as alsua tobe ratifiit and approvit of new in his majesteis first parliament at his lauchfull and perfyte aige. And ordanis and commandis the chancellare to append his hienes greit seill to the said exoneratioun, discharge and promeis now subscrivit with his majesteis hand, notwithstanding that the same is not past his hienes signet and prevy seill, for the quhilk this present act and ordinance, subscrivit be the clerk of his hienes counsale, salbe to the said lord chancellare full and sufficient warrand.