[A1593/10/1]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
[A1593/10/2]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Forasmuch as the king's majesty and his estates presently assembled, having heard and considered of the petitions and offers of William, earl of Angus, George, earl of Huntly, Francis, earl of Erroll and some others now being under process of his highness's laws for certain matters of lese-majesty laid to their charge as attempted and practised by them against the true religion professed and by law establishing within this realm, his majesty's person and estate and public quietness of the country; and, remembering how his highness, with advice of his estates, in his late parliament as not then fully resolved with the summons executed against the said earls and some others remitted the trial and ordering of the matters to his highness and his secret council, for the which his highness appointed this present convention; and yet now finding that matters of such consequence cannot conveniently and sufficiently be heard and determined in this present convention, his highness therefore, with advice of his estates presently assembled, has thought expedient to commit the hearing, determination and consideration of the said matters and others hereafter mentioned to the special persons of the said estates and of his highness's councillors and officers following, they are to say John [Maitland], lord Thirlestane, chancellor, George [Keith], earl Marischal, John [Erskine], earl of Mar, John [Graham], earl of Montrose, Andrew [Leslie], earl of Rothes, and Alexander [Livingston], lord Livingston, James Scott of Balwearie, John Murray of Tullibardine, Alexander Bruce of Airth, knights, Master George Lauder of the Bass, William Scott of Abbotshall and Master David Carnegie of Colluthie [and Kinnaird], Alexander Home of North Berwick, provost, and Clement Cor, commissioners of Edinburgh, with the commissioners [James Carmichael and Walter Hay for] Dundee, [Anthony Bruce for] Stirling, [Nicholas Cornwall of Bonhard for] Linlithgow and [David Weland for] Cupar, with the officers of state that shall happen to be present for the time; and in case any shall happen to be absent, with power to his majesty, with advice of such persons above-written as shall happen to be present, to nominate and choose others in their places, and that Masters David Lindsay, Robert Bruce, Patrick Galloway, James Carmichael, Robert Rollock and John Duncanson, ministers, or such of them as be present, have access and audience when they have any thing to propose or shall happen to be called upon for conference; giving, granting and committing to the said special persons of the estates, or any four of every estate and quality, with the officers of state that shall happen to be present for the time, full power, charge and authority to consider the said petitions and offers of the said earls and others suspected and accused of the said crimes and craving the said trial, to try the truth as well of their accusation as purgation and all other matters that shall be proposed to them concerning his highness's estate and affairs and the present troubles and disorders over all the realm; and relating thereto to treat, consult and deliberate and to conclude in whole or in part as they shall think convenient, specially touching the surety of the estate of the religion and professors thereof and surety to be taken of all persons suspected or accused to be adversaries of the same or troublers of the quietness of the realm; or in case of their disobedience or contempt, how they shall be pursued and repressed, admitting and declaring the proceedings and conclusions of the said elected persons of the estates to be as lawful, effectual and sufficient in all respects as if the same were done by his highness's full parliament or by his privy council, session or assizes before the justice general or his deputes, which his highness will cause be ratified and approved in his highness's next parliament.