Legislation
Act against non communicants

Forsamekle as be diverse and sindrie lovable actis of parliament maid be his hienes and his umquhile mother of gude memorie sen the reformatioun of the religioun, it is statute and ordanit that all his hienes subjectis suld imbrace the religioun presentlie profest, alsweill be heiring of the word as participatioun of the sacramentis. Notwithstanding quhairof, sindrie personis within this realme absteinis fra the ressaveing of the communioun and Lordis supper, pretending ane excuis of the rancour and malice thay haif in thair myndis aganis sum of thair nychtbouris, beiring thame at deidlie feid, alleging sua lang as the samyn rancour continewis with thame and thay nawyis conceillit with thair saidis nychtbouris, they can not worthelie ressave the said sacrament nor can not justlie be burdenit with the ministrie to do the same; quhilk pretendit excuise is nathing bot ane cullour and clok to cover thair papistrie, quhilk is the onlie caus of thair absteining to communicate. And in sua far as be actis of generall assemblie it is fundin that deidlie feid can be na lauchfull caus quhy ony persoun suld debar himself from the seillis and sacramentis of his comunioun with Chryst, thairfoir his hienes, with avyse of his estaitis presentlie convenit, hes statute and ordanit that all his hienes subjectis sall communicate anis everie yeir and sall nawyis pretend ony excuise of deidlie feid, rancour or malice to appeir towardis thair nychtbouris; and quhomever it salhappin to abstene or to debar himself fra participatioun of the said sacrament upoun the pretense of the said excuis or for ony uther caus quhatsumever, thay being first lauchfullie requyrit be thair pastouris or presbitries to do the samyn, that than they salbe astrictit and oblist to pay the particular penalties underwrittin injoynit to thame and that to his hienes thesaurare, that is to say everie erle sa oft as he sall contravene the premises ane thowsand pundis, everie lord ane thowsand merkis, everie barroun fyve hundreth pundis, everie friehalder thrie hundreth merkis, everie yeaman fourtie pundis and everie burges according to the modificatioun of the kingis majestie and lordis of secreit counsall; quhilkis panes the saidis estaitis hes ordanit oure soverane lord, his thesaurare, to exact with all extremitie aganis the contraveinaris heirof, and to uplift and intromet thairwith to his hienes use. And als his majestie and estaitis hes promeist to caus ratifie thir presentis in the nixt parliament to pas in ane publict law in all tyme heirefter.

  1. NAS, PA8/1, f.13r. Back
  2. NAS, PA8/1, f.13r-13v. Back
  3. NAS, PA8/1, f.13v-14r. Back
  4. NAS, PA8/1, f.14r-14v. Back
  5. 'iiij d.' is crossed out. Back
  6. APS reads 'to his...'. Back
Act against excommunicat papists

Forsamekle as in the parliament haldin at Edinburgh, the tuentie ane day of Julii the yeir of God jM vC fourescoir threttene yeiris, it is speciallie statute and ordanit that all ressettaris and intertenearis be the space of thrie nychtis togidder, or thrie nychtis at severall tymes, excommunicate Jesuitis or trafficquing papistis aganis the kingis majestie and religioun presentlie profest and establisched within this realme, the samyn being dewlie and lauchfullie tryit, sall infer the deid to haif bene of the knawledge and guidwill of the persoun or personis accusit thairfoir, quha being convict of the premises or ony of thame, thair escheit for the first fault sall fall and becum in his majesties handis and salbe intromettitwith to his hienes proper use; and being convict thairof the secund tyme, sall emit and tyne thair lyferent, quhatsumever thair landis, posesiounis, utheris guidis and geir; and being accusit and convict thairfoir the thrid tyme, sall incur the pane of treasoun, and the proces and dome of foirfaltour salbe ordourlie led, pronuncit and execute aganis thame with all rigour. Quhilk act hes bene litill or nathing feirit be ony of the leigis bot sum misregairding his hienes authoritie and takand na accompt of ony danger or inconvenient that mycht incur to thame be thair recept of the saidis Jesuitis and utheris abonewrittin, bot, be the contrare, seing the samyn act heirtofoir hes tane na executioun, hes assurit thame selffis of impunitie however they brek and transgres the samyn; and becaus thair ar sindrie of the saidis Jesuitis and trafficquing papistis that ar alreddie within this cuntrey or ar schortlie to repair within the samyn, thairfoir it is concludit be his majestie and estaitis of this present coventioun that publicatioun be maid at the heid burrowis of everie schyre within this realme inhibiting and dischargeing all and sindrie our soverane lordis leigis to recept or interteny ony of the saidis Jesuitis or excommunicate trafficquing papistis, and in speciall Maister Gilbert Brown, abbot of New Abbey, Maister Robert Abircrumbie, Maister Alexander McQuhirrie, als Gibsoun, Maister [...] Murdo, Maister George Ker and Thomas Tyre, assuring that thais that salbe fundin intertenearis and ressettaris of thame and contravenaris of the premises salbe criminallie persewit thairfoir and the panes contenit in the saidis act of parliament salbe exactit aganis thame and the samyn actis salbe put to executioun with all extremitie.

  1. NAS, PA8/1, f.13r. Back
  2. NAS, PA8/1, f.13r-13v. Back
  3. NAS, PA8/1, f.13v-14r. Back
  4. NAS, PA8/1, f.14r-14v. Back
  5. 'iiij d.' is crossed out. Back
  6. APS reads 'to his...'. Back
Act against rebells

Forsamekle as in the lait conventioun haldin at Haliruidhous, the penult day of Junii last, Walter, pryor of Blantyre, thesaurare to oure soverane lord, wes appointit to tak cair and diligence in represing of the grit number of rebellis within this realme, and that be using of sic chargis ather aganis the rebellis thame selffis or aganis the schireffis in the dew executioun of thair offices as ar prescrivit and quhairof he hes warrand be diverse and sindrie actis of parliament maid be his hienes and his predicessoris of befoir. And now the said Walter, in presens of his majestie and estaitis, being inquyrit quhat ordour he had tane anent the directioun gevin to him as said is, he, for significatioun of the cair and diligence tane be him in his office, proponit the meane and overtour underwrittin to be sicht and considerit be his majestie and estaitis; and gif the samyn wer allowit, he than promist to prosequute the samyn with all expeditioun, off the quhilk overtour the tennour followis: Lettres to be formit chargeing the haill schireffis, stewartis and baillies of regaliteis, thair deputis and clerkis to present the autentick copy of thair schiref buikis conteining baith thair horningis and relaxatiounis registrat within the same sen the first day of August 1590 to the first day of August instant, to the thesaurare and his deputis betuix and the first day of Januar nixtocum, to the effect the haill horneris registrat thairin and remaneing unrelaxt may be extractit and chargit according to the ordour following. Nixt, to forme ane proclamatioun to be publist in everie schyre containing the haill names of the rebellis within the samyn, to be insert be the said thesaurare and his deputtis dischargeing thair resset, supplie and intercommoning etc. under the panis contenit in the actis of parliament, certifeing the saidis contravenaris the saidis panis salbe exactit of thame with all rigour. A charge lykwyis to the provest and baillies of the heid burgh within everie schyre to ressave the rebellis names within that schirefdome fra the officiar, executour of the lettres, caus thame be copyit and affixt upoun ane brod and the samyn brod hung up daylie fra the sone rysing to the dounseting at thair mercat croce, and at the seting of the sone tane doun be thame and hung up the nixt morneing agane, and sua continewing sua lang as thair remanis ane rebell unrelaxt within that schirefdome within xxiiij houris nixt efter the charge, under the pane of rebellioun; and failyeing, to denunce etc. A charge to the rebellis within everie schirefdome to rander thair houses within xlviij houris, and to enter thair personis in waird within thrie dayis nixt efter the charge, under the pane of treasoun. Incace thay disobey, a charge to the schiref in everie schyre to sease upoun thair persounis and upoun thair houses within thrie dayis, under the pane of rebellioun; or, being fugitive, to tak thair houses, at the leist inventar thair guidis and geir, send the said inventare to the thesaurare and keip thame in the meintyme fra hanting kirk or mercate or ony publict place or cumpany within thair schirefdome under the lyke pane; and failyeing, to denunce etc. A charge to the schirefis in cace they be denuncit for dissobedience to render thair awin houses and enter thair personis in waird within the foirsaid space, under the pane of treasoun. Lettres to arreist the fermes, teyndis and utheris guidis and geir perteining to the rebellis and to mak inventar thairof and to report the samyn to the thesaurare. A charge to the provest and baillies of the haill grit burrowis within this realme to tak and apprehend the haill registrat rebellis within thair burgh quhais names salbe presentit to thame be the officiar, sease upoun thair houses, inventar thair guidis, arreist the samyn and sie thame maid furthcumand to the thesaurare and thair personis put and detenit in sure waird ay and quhill thay obtene thame selfis ordourlie relaxt within xlviij houris nixt efter the charge, under the pane of horneing; and failyeing, to denunce. To forme ane summoundis, to heir and sie ane declaratour pas upoun the escheitis and lyferentis of the haill registrat horneris within this realme to be execute in everie quarter thairof with all diligence possibill. To forme ane uther summondis chargeing the schirefis to compeir and sie thame decernit to pay the saidis guidis perteining to the rebellis within thair schirefdome to his majestie and his thesaurare for thair neglect of executioun of the actis of parliament maid thairanent. To mak ane tabill of the haill horneris within the realme and affix thame in the tolbuith that thay may be repellit ab agendo, et defendendo. Quhilkis particular articles abonewrittin the kingis majestie, with the estaitis presentlie convenit, ratifeis, approves and confermis as agreable and conformable to his hienes lawis and actis of parliament, and ordanis the thesaurare to put the samyn to dew executioun in all pointis.

  1. NAS, PA8/1, f.13r. Back
  2. NAS, PA8/1, f.13r-13v. Back
  3. NAS, PA8/1, f.13v-14r. Back
  4. NAS, PA8/1, f.14r-14v. Back
  5. 'iiij d.' is crossed out. Back
  6. APS reads 'to his...'. Back
Act anent the course of forrayne coyne

The kingis majestie, his nobilitie, counsall and estaitis presentlie convenit, considering the grit confusioun and inconvenient presentlie within this realme throw the multitude of diverse sortis of forayne gold and silver of variant wecht, prentis and pryces current without ony certane stand bot at the appetyte of the gevear out and ressavear, to the grit trouble, faschrie and hinder of his hienes subjectis of all estaitis and degries; for remeid quhairof, albeit thair hes bene diverse actis maid be his majestie, his nobilitie, counsall and estaitis heirtofoir dischargeing the course of all forayne gold and silver within his realme and upoun quhat pryces the samyn suld be imbrocht to serve as bulyeoun to his majesties cunyiehous, yit the samyn actis hes tane na effect nor executioun bot ar and hes bene planelie violate and contravenit be grit numberis of his hienes leigis, and the rysing and intertenying of the derth of forayn cunyie sua fosterit and avowit that the samyn is far abone the pryces of his majesties proper money, albeit in all utheris weill governit commoun wealthis and republickis all forayne cunyie licenced to haif course is ever upoun inferior pryces to thair awin proper cunyie. And now his majestie, his nobilitie, counsall and estaitis presentlie convenit, considering the present estait and conditioun of his hienes subjectis quha ar not able to underly the extremitie of the saidis actis, and his majestie, being alwyis cairfull to moderate the samyn for thair ease and releif and for the commoun weill and benefeit of the haill realme, his majestie thairfoir, with advyse foirsaid, hes concludit, statute and ordanit that the unce of forayne silver of the fynenes of ellevin denneir salhaif course heirefter within this realme for fourtie aucht schillingis allanerlie, and the unce of forayne gold of tuentie tua carret fyne for tuentie aucht pundis xvj schillingis, and that the particular spaces and peces of forayne gold and silver salhaif course and pas upoun the pryces following agreable alwyis to the particular pryces of the unce: that is to say the Inglis testane, weyand four denneiris and auchtene granis, at ix s. vj d., the fyftein sous pece, weyand sevin denneiris and xij granis, at fyftein schillingis, the Spanische ryell, weyand xxj denneiris and sex granis, at xliij s. iiij d., the croce dolour, weyand xxij denneiris and ten granis, at xlij s., and all his hienes awin money to haif course conforme to the former proclamatioun; the Spanische pistolet, weyand tua denneiris and xiiij granis, at iij lib. ij s., the crown of the sone, weyand tua denneiris and xiiij granis, at iij lib. iij s. iiij d., the Harie doucat of France, weyand fyve denneiris, tuelf granis, at vj lib. xviij s., the gun holl angell, weyand four denneiris, at v lib., the doubill doucat, weyand fyve denneiris, ten granis, at vij lib., the Ghentis nobill, weyand sex denneiris, vij lib. xiij s. iiij d., the Portingall doucate, weyand ane unce and four denneiris, at xxxv lib., the angell noble, weyand four denneiris, at v lib. iij s. iiij d., the Harie noble, weyand fyve denneiris, ten granis, at vij lib., and the auld roisnoble, weyand sex denneiris, at vij lib. xv s. And with thir his majesties thirsell noble to geve heirefter vij lib. xvj s., the hat pece iiij lib. ix s., the lyoun pece v lib., and the remanent of his majesties gold cunyie nawyis to be brokin down bot to haif course and pryce according to the rait of the unce of xxij carret fyne at xxx lib., as the act of parliament appointis. And ordanis lettres to be direct to mak publicatioun heirof be oppin proclamatioun at the mercat crocis of the heid burrowis of this realme, quhairthrow nane pretend ignorance of the samyn; and to command and charge all his hienes subjectis to conforme thame selfis to the premises and on nawyis tak upoun hand to ressave or outgeve in exchange ony of the particular spaces abonewrittin of gold and silver upoun hier pryces nor is particularlie abonexpremit under the pane of escheiting thair haill movable guidis and geir to be imbrocht and upliftit to majesties use, and ordanis lettres of publicatioun to be direct heirupoun.

  1. NAS, PA8/1, f.13r. Back
  2. NAS, PA8/1, f.13r-13v. Back
  3. NAS, PA8/1, f.13v-14r. Back
  4. NAS, PA8/1, f.14r-14v. Back
  5. 'iiij d.' is crossed out. Back
  6. APS reads 'to his...'. Back