[1587/7/39]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
†Forsamekle as the kingis majestie and estaittis of parliament, considering the greit fraude usit be divers notaris in the office of notarie within this realme, the hurt and skaith cuming thairthrow to his hienes lieges, and that mony personis within thair few yeiris beand admittit to the office of notarie with ower slender tryall takin of thair knawlege and qualificatioun, and thai being for the maist part ignorant of the commoun course of the law, forme and practique quhilk ordourlie aucht to be observit in making of thair instrumentis, contractis and utheris writtis, titillis and securities, not knawing quhat may stand be law, ordour and practique observit within this realme and quhat not, hes generit and dalie generis mony pleyis, questionis and contraversies amangis his hienes lieges, bringing thame in greit truble charges and expensis; for remeid quhairof, it is statute and ordanit be his majestie, with avise of the thrie estaitis of this present parliament, that all admissioun of notaris in tyme cuming ceis and stay for the space of fyve yeiris nixt efter the dait of thir presentis and that nane be admittit noteris thairefter bot thai that hes ressounable understanding in the Latine toung and is at the leis congruus, that thas have servit and bene in cumpanie with ane of the lordis of sessioun, commissaris, writtaris to the signet or sum of the schiref, stewart or baillie clerkis of the schyre or commoun clerkis of the heid burrowis of this realme and haif servit thame trewlie the full space of sevin yeiris, and reporte thair testimoniall of thair treuth and qualificatioun to be schawin to the lordis of counsall in tyme of thair examinatioun, quhilkis sall tak cair in the same examinatioun, be thame selffis or sum of thair awin clerkis or sum of the clerkis of the signet quhome thai pleis call to thame for that effect; and specialie thai sall caus the partie desirous to be admittit noter gif a present and full pruif in thair presens of his writting and congruitie be forming of sum evident as charter of waird, blenche, fewferme, burgage, mortificatioun or apprising, or of ane precept past on ane retour or of clare constat, or of ane infeftment of resignatioun in favour or ad perpetuam remanentiam, or sum instrument of seising or of ane contract, a compromit a procutorie, a tak, a reversioun, acquittance, obligatioun or sum uther commoun forme of evident, and nane to be admittit bot be triall and pruif in maner foirsaid. And quhairas divers and sindrie notaris hes bene admittit in tyme bigane and cautioun fundin be thame, conforme to the actis maid thairupoun, and that the cautioneris quhilkis become cautioun for thame ar for the maist pairt deceissit, it is statuit and ordanit that the bandis and actis of the saidis cautioneris sall extend aganis thair airis, and that all noteris within this realme sall bring and present thair prothocoll buikis befoir the lordis of sessioun betuix this and the first day of Januar nixtocum, to be viseit and considerit be the saidis lordis that it may be knawin how mony of thair cautioneris ar onlyff and how mony deceissit; and quhair thai ar deceissit or salbe fund be the saidis lordis to be insufficient, that uthers new and sufficient cautioneris be fundin in place of the cautioneris deceissit to the contentment of the lordis of consall. And that sic notaris as salbe fundin altogidder ignorant and not worthie for using of that office salbe deprivit of all using thairof in tyme cuming. And ordanis the schiref of everie schyre, baillie of regalitie, their deputtis and utheris judges ordiner quhatsumever to send trew reporte and knawlege to the clerk of registri betuix this and the first day of November nixtocum of all personis using the office of notaris within thair boundis and jurisdictionis; and gif ony notaris failye in presenting of thair prothogoll buikis to the effect underwrittin, that not only sall thai be deprivit fra the said office and all thair instrumentis quhilkis thai sall gif furth thairefter declairit null and to mak na faith, bot alsua they salbe callit and persewit as transgressouris of his majesties lawis and actis of parliament and punishit as personis defamit and unworthie to bruik office or place of credite thairefter. And further ordanis that ilk cautioner to be fundin be notaris in tyme cuming for dew administratioun in thair offices becum oblist in speciall that thair prothocoll buikis within xv dayes nixt efter thair deceisis salbe brocht to Edinburgh and deliverit to the clerk of registri, or ane of his deputtis appointit be him to that effect, quha salbe haldin to satisfie the relict, bairnis or executouris of ilk notair for the samyn prothocoliis at the sicht and modificatioun of the lordis of sessioun, and thairefter the saidis noteris buikis to be retenit and kepit in oure soverane lordis register and the clerk of registri and his deputtis to be anserable thairfoir and to mak the samen patent and furth cumand to all oure soverane lordis lieges having entres thairto upoun their ressounable expensis.