Procedure: commission
Commissioun for the unioun

Forsamekle as it hes pleisit his maist excellent majestie, acknawledgeing the unspeikable favour quhairwith the divine providence of the most heich haith blissed him, by the oft wisched bot hardlie expected conjunctioun of twa sa ancient and lang discordent kingdomes, maist ernestlie to desyre ane establischit continuance of the samyn, that as by lauchfull successioun they ar ane in the heid, sua in the bodie and everie member thairof they may be sa inseparablie conjonit, as all eftir cumming ages suld find the sweitnes of the thrife, peace, wealth and felicitie quhilk by the perfyte accompleischment thairof may continew to the worldis end; and his maist excellent majestie, althocht absent in persone fra his maist ancient and native kingdome, yit present by his princelie power, fatherlie cair and prudent commandementis dayelie directit to his maist humble and obedient subjectis of this kingdome, haveing layit befoir thame the great blessing that a constant and freindlie coniunctioun with thair nichbour cuntrey of England, now united by alledgeance and loyall subjectioun in his majesteis maist royall persone, wald bring to thame and thair posteritie, and thairwith, out of his maist louffing and accustomat princelie regaird to thair inestimable joy and comforte, witchaffing to assure thame of his sinceir dispositioun and cleir meanyng naway by the foirsaid unioun to prejudge or hurte the fundamentall lawes, ancient privilegeis, offices and liberteis of this kingdome, quhairby nocht onlie the princelie authoritie of his maist royall discent haith bene thair mony aiges mantened, bot alsua his peoples securitie of thair landis and levingis, richtis, liberteis, officeis and digniteis preservit, quhilkis gif they suld be innovated sic confusioun suld ensew as it culd no moir be a frie monarchie; and his majesteis gracious intentioun in establesching the foirsaid unioun is onlie to alter and reforme sic indifferent and temporall statutis, particular customes or speciall ordinances quhairby the bygane rememberance may be extinguisched and the future grouth preventit of mony particular debaittis and unhappie accidentis, quhilk micht heireftir disturb that constant love and perfyte amitie betuix boith natiounes sa tenderlie wisched by his maist excellent majestie, and sic stedfast and a fauld groundis of uniforme societie surrogat in thair place that as the present age is ravisched in admiratioun with ane sa fortunat beginnyng, sua the posteritie may rejoise in the fruitioun of sic ane effectuall unioun of twa sa famous and ancient kingdomes, miracoulouslie accompleisched in the blude and persone of sa rare ane monarchie. Thairfoir, and for the mair perfyte accompleisching of the work foirsaid, the estaittis spirituall and temporall of this present parliament assembled be vertue of his majesteis commissioun under the great seall of Scotland, declairis, statutis and ordinis that the persounes following, thay ar to say: Johne, erle of Montrose, lord chancellar of Scotland, Francis, erle of Erroll, heich constable of Scotland, George, erle Marschell, great mairschell of Scotland, James, erle of Glencarne, Alexander, erle of Lynlythqw, Johne, archibischop of Glasgow, David, bischop of Ross, George, bischop of Caithnes, Walter, priour of Blantyre, Patrik, lord Glammes, Alexander, lord Elphingstoun, Alexander, lord Fyvie, president of the counsaill of Scotland, Robert, lord Roxburgh, James, lord Abercorne, James, lord Balmirrenoch, principall secretarie of Scotland, David, lord Scone, Schir James Scrymgeour of Dudop, knycht, Schir Johne Cokburne of Ormestoun, knycht, Schir Johne Home of Coldounknowes, knycht, Schir David Carnegie of Kynnard, knycht, Schir Robert Melvill, eldar, of Murdocarny, knycht, Schir Thomas Hammyltoun of Bynnie, knycht, Schir Johne Lermonth of Balcomie, knycht, Schir Alexander Stratoun of Laurestoun, knycht, Schir Johne Skene of Curryhill, knycht, Maister Johne Scharp of Houstoun, lawer, Maister Thomas Craig, lawer, Henrie Nesbit, George Bruce, Alexander Rutherfurde, Maister Alexander Wedderburne, merchandis, or ony tuentie of thame, sall by vertue of this present act have full power, commissioun, libertie and authoritie to assemble and convene thame selffis eftir the ending of this present sessioun of this parliament, and befoir the nixt sessioun thairof, at sic tyme and in sic place as it sall pleis his majestie to appoint, with certane selected commissioneris nominat and authorized by the parliament of England according to the tennour of thair commissioun in that behalf, to confer, treat and consult upoun a perfyte unioun of the realmes of Scotland and England, and concernyng sic uther materis, caussis and thingis quhatsumevir tending to his majesteis honour and contentment and to the weill and tranquillitie of boith the kingdomes during his majesteis lyfe (quhilk the evir living God lang continew) and during his royall posteritie in blissed tranquilitie to the worldis end, as upoun mature deliberatioun the greatest pairt of the saidis commissionaris assembled as is foirsaid, with the commissioneris authorizit by the parliament of England, sall in thair wisdomes think maist expedient and necessar, nocht dirogating onywayes ony fundamentall lawes, ancient privileges, offices, richtis, digniteis and liberteis of this kingdome as is afoirsaid; and that the commissioneris of baith the saidis realmes, according to the tennour of thair commissioun in that behalf, sett doun thair procedingis in thrie severall wryttingis, everie ane of thame to be subscryvit and seallit be thame, to the end that ane of thame may be in all humilitie presentit to his majestie, the secund to be presentit to the consideratioun of the nixt sessioun of parliament for the realme of Scotland, and the thrid to be offerrit to the consideratioun of the nixt sessioun of parliament for the realme of England, that thaireftir sic ordour may be tane thairin as baith the saidis parliamentis sall think expedient, for his majesteis satisfactioun and benefit of boith the saidis kingdomes.

  1. NAS, PA2/16, f.38v-39r. Back
  2. '1 V' written in margin beside heading. Back