[A1597/1/1/1]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
[A1597/1/1/2]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
†The which day, in presence of the king's majesty, his nobility and council presently convened, as also in presence of Alexander Home of North Berwick Mains, provost of Edinburgh, Roger MacNaught, George Todrig, Patrick Cochrane and Alexander Hunter, bailies thereof, and of the most part of the council of the same, being all personally present, this bill and offers underwritten subscribed by the said provost and bailies and by Master Alexander Guthrie, their common clerk, in name of the said bailies, council and deacons of crafts of the said burgh, and presented to his majesty by their commissioners, directed to his highness to the same effect, being read, heard and considered, and the said provost, bailies and council enquired by his majesty if they, by themselves and in name of the whole inhabitants of the said burgh, would stand and abide thereat and satisfy and fulfil whatsoever thing his majesty, his nobility and council would further prescribe and appoint to be done for the late offence committed against his highness, his trusty councillors and good subjects within the said burgh upon 17 December last, and for letting to liberty of Master James Balfour, after he was taken by them by his highness's direction, for certain crimes of treason in the highest degree committed by him, declared that they, for themselves and in name of the remaining inhabitants foresaid, would stand, abide and fulfil all and sundry the heads, points and articles specially and particularly expressed in the same bill and offers, and further underlie whatsoever his highness, his said nobility and council would prescribe and appoint to be done agreeable in substance to the tenor and effect of the said bill and offers foresaid; providing always that thereby they take not the said crime and offence upon them, neither that it be accounted and esteemed that the same was done by their foreknowledge, command, assistance nor with their sanction, but all utterly detested, likewise they detest and abhor the same from their very hearts to the utmost. And in sign thereof, they desired the foresaid bill and offers might be registered in the books of secret council, to have the strength of an act and decreet of his highness and the said lords and to remain therein for perpetual memory. Which desire they finding reasonable, have ordained and ordain the same bill and offers to be registered in the said books, of the which the tenor follows: Please your majesty, after humble commendation of our service, understanding by your majesty's sudden departure and proclamation that you are offended with us of this your majesty's burgh, we have thought it expedient to direct these our neighbours, John Arnott, Hugh Brown, George Heriot and John Watt, towards your majesty to attend upon your majesty's leisure in making our humble purgation at length, with attestation and offering of our sincere and dutiful obedience and service to your majesty; and so referring ourselves to their declaration and awaiting upon your majesty's good will and favour, which we have ever esteemed above any worldly thing. We commit your majesty to the protection of the Almighty, from Edinburgh, 19 December 1596. It is thus subscribed, your majesty's most humble and obedient subjects, the provost and bailies of your majesty's burgh of Edinburgh, Alexander Home, provost, Roger MacNaught, bailie, George Todrig, bailie, Patrick Cochrane, bailie, A. Hunter, bailie. Offers made to his majesty and lords of his highness's council by the provost, bailies, council and deacons of crafts representing the whole community of the burgh of Edinburgh for pacifying his highness's wrath conceived against his humble subjects, inhabitants of the said burgh, by occasion of the late tumult that happened within the same upon Friday 17 December, and likewise for satisfaction of the lords of his majesty's council who have found themselves interest thereby: It may please your majesty that the said provost, bailies, council and deacons of crafts, as they will answer to the great God of heaven and upon the fidelity and allegiance that they owe to your highness, they nor none of them had any manner of foreknowledge of that unworthy and unhappy tumult that suddenly fell out; and how soon the same came to their knowledge, they tried to the utmost of their power to quiet the same. And albeit there was a great indignity done to your majesty, yet God of his mercy provided that there followed no blood. For redress of this so lewd an enormity, we have done our utter diligence to try and apprehend such as were suspect to be the motioners. The inquisition taken is patent by certain witnesses examined, whose depositions are ready to be delivered to your majesty, in the which trial we shall not cease until we bring the matter to the utmost point so far as we can have in any way knowledge, and as it shall please your highness to give us any direction. And if it be thought by your majesty that this trial and research may be made more diligently by any other persons, inhabitants of our said burgh, if they were in the place which we occupy, to testify our goodwill to the furtherance of your majesty's service, we are content, if so be your majesty's pleasure, instantly to demit our offices to the intent your majesty may place such others therein as shall stand with your majesty's pleasure, whom we shall always to the utmost of our power fortify and assist in the said trial and others of your highness's service whatsoever. And forasmuch as your majesty has taken this high indignity to have proceeded from certain sermons made lately by the four ordinary ministers that lately kept the place and now are denounced your majesty's rebels, as also upon certain conventions of the people assembled by them, we promise to your majesty that none of the said four ministers shall be at any time hereafter received, admitted or allowed of us to use the function of the ministry within the freedom of this your highness's burgh of Edinburgh, unless the same proceeded upon your majesty's express condition, will and commandment. And to the effect that the same unworthy disorder does not arise in any time to come, to the disobedience of your majesty, we are and shall be content that there shall be no minister received nor allowed by us but such as your highness shall approve of and your majesty's advice had to his election, wherein we are assured your majesty will respect the celebrity and multitude of the auditor and therefore will foresee that such as shall be preferred to their places shall be such as may sufficiently discharge their duties to God and to your highness. And to give your majesty undoubted proof of our obedient hearts to your highness's service, the same which we offered regarding the ministers to be elected hereafter, even so we offer concerning the officers and magistrates of this your highness's burgh that the lists before the election shall be considered and viewed by your majesty and lords of your highness's session, who shall have liberty to allow or disallow of the said lists at your majesty's pleasure, with their advice, and to propose other lists of the said magistrates and officers such as your majesty with their advice shall find more convenient for the time. And for this cause we will be content, if your majesty and lords think it expedient, to alter the time of our election, which in times past was at Michaelmas [29 September], to some certain day after the session be convened in November, to the intent that the said lords may the better be present to give their advice in the said election.