[1600/11/10]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Oure soverane lord and estaittis of this realme, understanding the obstinat malice of treassonable rebellis takis sa deip rute in the heartis of thair perverst posteritie that the mercie, favour and clemencie of thair native princes gratiouslie extendit to thame can nocht expell thair naturall inclinatioun to treassonabill crueltie and ingratitude, bot be the contrair furnessis to thame convenient occasiones of disperat revanges aganis the prince for the lauchfull and condigne punischement of thair treassonable foirbearis according to thair demeritis, as the horribill treasoun laitlie attemptit aganis his hienes maist noble persone be umquhile Johne, erle of Gowrie and umquhile Maister Alexander Ruthven, his brother, following the fute steppis of Williame, erle of Gowrie, thair father, quhais manyfald tressones his majestie had pardonit and remittit to thame and his remanent posteritie and restorit thame to the integritie of thair same and estait manifestlie declarit; for remede quhairof, and to the effect that the severitie of punischement may terrefie and divert sic malicious and wickit persones as be favorable and clement meanis can nocht be restranit frome attempting of sua detestabill and treassonable interpryses, oure said soverane lord, with advyse and consent of the haill estaittis of this present parliament, statutis and ordinis that the apperant airis and successouris of the saidis umquhile Johne, erle of Gowrie and umquhile Maister Alexander Ruthven, his brother, and thair haill brether, ather lauchfull or naturall procreat of the said umquhile Williame, erle of Gowrie, and the haill remanent posteritie, airis and successouris of the saidis umquhile Johne, erle of Gowrie and Maister Alexander Ruthven, his brother, ar and in all tyme cumming sall be unhabill and incapable to injoy, bruik or posses ony honouris, digniteis, offices, benefices, landis, heretages, rowmes, possessionis, gudis, geir, successionis or utheris richtis or commoditeis quhatsumevir within this realme, and that oure said soverane lord and his successouris be the richt of his crowne sall have full and indoubtit richt to all and quhatsumevir landis, heretages, offices, benefices, takkis, stedingis, rowmes, possessionis, gudis, geir, successionis, hoip and apperance of successioun and utheris gudis, richtis or titillis quhatsumevir quhilkis outher appertenit or onywayes micht have belangit or heireftir may befall or appertene to the saidis umquhile Johne, erle of Gowrie and umquhile Maister Alexander Ruthven or to ony utheris thair brether, thair airis, posteritie or successouris foirsaidis throw the rebellioun and memorie of the saidis persones or inhabilitie of thair brether, posteritie or utheris respective foirsaidis, to the quhilkis persones abonewrittin and everie ane of thame oure soverane lord and his successouris foirsaidis sall now and in all tyme cumming succede and to all sic utheris his hienes liegis quhome they or ony of thame, thair brether or posteritie micht have succedit to in ony tyme bigane or to cum; and that the saidis bretherine of the saidis umquhile Johne, erle of Gowrie and Maister Alexander Ruthven and thair posteritie sall in all tyme cummyng be baneischit and expellit furth of this realme and haill boundis of his hienes dominionis under the panis of death, to be execute but delay upoun ony of thame that sall controvene the samyn. And to the effect that the examplar punischement of the foirsaid treassoun and constant observation and executioun of the premisses may be ane terrour to all posteriteis evir to attempt the lyk, oure said soverane lord and estaittis foirsaidis statutis and ordinis that quhatsumevir advocat, clerk, wrytar or utheris his hienes subjectis of quhatsumevir estait or degree geves counsaill, advise, help or assistance to forme, wrytt, devyse or propone ony pardoun, remissioun, rehabilitatioun or restitutioun of the posteritie of the saidis rebellis and tratouris or reductioun of the foirfaltour of the memorie of the saidis tratouris and thair posteritie or assistis thame thairanent directlie or indirectlie in judgement or outwith or sall presume to mak sute, request or supplicatioun to oure soverane lord or his successouris in thair favouris, being tryit and lauchfullie convict of ony of the said pointis, sall incur the panis of treassoun in thair bodeis, landis and gudis nochtwithstanding of quhatsumevir warrand to be purchest thairanent of the princes for the tyme, with consent of parliament or utherwayes, quhilk sall be na impediment to the saidis princes or thair successour to cause challenge, accuse, convict and punische the saidis persones or thair posteritie thairfoir, as for ane unpardonabill treassoun, nochtwithstanding of the warrandis foirsaidis, in granting quhairof the saidis princes for the tyme and thair successouris sall be repute minoris and have perpetuall privilege and libertie of revocatioun thairof and punischeing the purchessaris and useris of the samyn in maner foirsaid.