[1584/5/47]¹

Ratification of the remission granted to Sir Thomas Kerr of Ferniehirst, knight

Our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the three estates of this present parliament, has ratified and approved and, by the tenor hereof, ratifies and approves the remission underwritten, made, given and granted to Sir Thomas Kerr of Ferniehirst, knight, and his servants contained therein under the great seal, and decrees and declares the same to have full strength, force and effect in all time coming, of the which remission the tenor follows:

James, by the grace of God, king of Scots, gives greeting to all good men of his whom these letters reach. Let it be known that, because we, with the advice of the lords of our privy council, understanding from the difference and dissension brought forth between the nobles of this realm of ours during our tender age, so that they divided into various factions and embarked upon civil war and prosecuted all manner of hostilities for various years, using foreign power against each other just as exists between foreign nations and enemies, in which times it unhappily came about that our late beloved uncle Matthew [Stewart], earl of Lennox, regent for the time, was slain in conflict at Stirling, where Thomas Kerr of Ferniehirst was in the party [of the killers], but, as it has been noted, neither counselled, foreknew or brought about the said murder, and that the same was committed against his will - now, recalling the good service done by Thomas and his predecessors before these tribulations, to us and to our most noble progenitors, both in defence of the realm against the invasion of foreign enemies, and in assistance to these most serene princes of this realm in the repression of the insolence of rebels and disobedient subjects, wishing the continuation rather than the end of the household and family of the said lord Thomas, and for other reasonable causes and considerations which move us in the direction of the universal obedience of our lieges, and tending towards the greater peace and advantage of the commonwealth, therefore, from our grace, mercy and special clemency, with advice of the said lords of our privy council, we have remitted, and do remit by the tenor of the present letters to Sir Thomas and Thomas Kerr of Cavers, Andrew Crichton, John Shaw of Tillicoultry, John Kerr of Kerchesters, William Ainslie of Fala, George Pyle of Mylnuich, Adam Trimble of Billerwell, Thomas Kirkton, John Pyle, John Hall, George Pyle of Lieraw, William Hall, William Wedell, Ralph Ainslie of Theakside and all other household servants, tenants, servants, dependants of the said Sir Thomas who were with him and participants with him in the said civil war, all rancour of spirit, royal suit and all action which we had, have or in any way might have for art and part in the slaughter of our late uncle and regent in the burgh of Stirling on 4 September 1571, and all other actions and crimes which could be imputed to them or any of them, and all other actions, crimes, acts of treason, transgressions and offences committed or perpetrated by the said Sir Thomas or by any of the people specifically or generally referred to, at any time before the date of the present letters (excepting treason against our own person, the detestable murder and slaughter of [Henry Stewart, lord Darnley], our late dearest father, and our late dearest regent James [Stewart], earl of Moray, sorcery and incest), and further no one is to presume to do evil, molestation, injury or hurt to the said Sir Thomas and the others, under our firm peace and protection, by reason of the said slaughter or any other action, crime, treason, transgression or offence, under threat of full forfeiture and loss of life and limb. In testimony of this, we have made these letters patent of ours of remission for the duration of all the life of the forementioned persons under our great seal at Holyroodhouse, 26 November 1583, the 17th year of our reign.