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†Forsamekle as be ane act of oure soverane lordis parliament haldin at Edinburgh, the xxij day of Maii the yeir of God jM vC lxxxiiij yeiris, anent the ratificatioun of the constitutioun of certane officeris of the estait, specialie of James, erle of Arrane,† lord Avane and Hammiltoun, to use and exerce the office of chancellarie induring his lyvetyme, conforme to his gift maid to him thairupoun, it is statute and declairit that nane of the saidis officiaris salbe removable fra thair offices in tyme cuming bot for just and worthie causis tryit be his hienes and his estaittis in parliament; and that in the parliament haldin at Lynlithgw in the moneth of November 1585, it is declairit that the said James, erle of Arrane, of befoir had depairtit and wes in his hienes danger for his majesties jowellis undeliverit, and thairfoir his majestie, with avise of his three estaittis, fand and declairit the said office of chancellarie to vaik and that the sam micht be servit thairefter be sic ane persoun and in sic maner as his hienes sould appoint. And now his majestie, throw lang and daylie experience having notable pruif and knawlege of the singulair qualities and dexteritie being in Schir Johne Maitland of Thirlstane, knicht, his hienes secretair, tending greatumlie to the releif, weilfair and quietnes of his realme and liegis quhairby his hienes understandis him maist apt, worthie and able to use, exerce, brouke and discharge the said office of chancellarie, thairfoir oure said soverane lord, with avise of the thre estaittis and haill bodie of this present parliament, has nominat, chosit and electit the said Schir Johnne Maitland of Thirlstane, knicht, his hienes secretair, to be chancellair of this realme, and to use and exerce the office thairof alsweill in parliamentis, privie counsall and utherwyse during his lyvetyme, gevand, grantand and disponand to the said Schir Johnne the said office of chancellarie, to be bruikit and josit be him for all the space of his lyvetyme alsfrelie and with all honouris, dignities, privilegeis, power and auctoritie, feis, deweties and casualities quhatsumever as ony persoun within this realme bruikit the said office of befoir; and the said Schir Johnne Maitland, being personalie present, at command and obedience of his majestie, acceptit the said office of chancellarie in and upoun him and maid fayth leilelie and trewlie to minister and instute thairintill as he sall anser to the eternall God and his hienes thairupoun; and to the effect the said Schir Johnne Maitland may be the mair encurageit diligentlie to pas fordwart in the said office, as experience hes declairit him to haif done in tymes bigane, and that he may the mair suirlie bruik the same for his lyftyme, his majestie, with consent of the saidis thre estaitis of this present parliament, retreittis, casis, rescindis and annullis the foirsaid act of parliament maid the xxij day of Maii lxxxiiij yeiris, insafar as the same extendis or may be extendit in favouris of the said Erle of Arran for bruiking and using of the said office of chancellarie induring his lyftyme and ratificatioun of the gift grantit to him thairupone of befoir, and decernis and declairis the said office of chancellarie to be alsfrelie and suirlie bruikit and usit be the said Schir Johnne Maitland for the space of his lyftyme siclike and in the same maner as gif the foirsaid act of parliament and gift of the said chancellarie had never bene maid and grantit to the said Erle of Arrane and in his favouris.