The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2024), date accessed: 29 March 2024
[1584/5/90]1
Procedure: commission
Commission to certain of every estate, with the king's majesty's officers, to proceed in discussing of the remaining summons of treason, and of the articles and supplications now presented
Forasmuch as there are diverse summons directed and executed against certain persons, our sovereign lord's subjects, to compear before his majesty and three estates in this present parliament on 20 August 1584, and at certain other days expressed in the said summons at more length is contained, and because his majesty may not conveniently be present in proper person in the same parliament place until the calling and decision of all the said summons and sundry other articles and supplications presented to his highness, therefore giving, granting and committing full power, commission and authority of parliament to his right trusty cousins and councillors and others of his estates underwritten: they are to say, George [Gordon], earl of Huntly, lord Gordon and Badenoch, David [Lindsay], earl of Crawford, lord Lindsay, Hugh [Montgomery], earl of Eglinton, lord Montgomery, Andrew [Leslie], earl of Rothes, lord Leslie, John [Maxwell], earl of Morton, lord Maxwell, James [Stewart], lord Doune, Patrick [Adamson], archbishop of St Andrews, David [Cunningham], bishop of Aberdeen, Alexander [Campbell], bishop of Brechin, William [Stewart], commendator of Pittenweem, Walter [Stewart], prior of Blantyre, Henry [Kinnear], commendator of Balmerino, and the commissioners of Edinburgh, Stirling, Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen and Ayr, or any one of every estate, with our sovereign lord's officers of the estate underwritten: they are to say, [James Stewart, earl of Arran], chancellor, [John Graham, earl of Montrose], treasurer, [John Maitland of Thirlestane], secretary, [Sir William Murray of Tullibardine], comptroller, [Sir Lewis Bellenden of Auchnoull], justice clerk, [Alexander Hay of Easter Kennet], clerk register, and [David MacGill of Nisbet and Cranstoun-Riddel], advocate, or so many of them that shall happen to be present for the time, to proceed and hold forth his highness's present parliament, call the said summons and persons contained therein to answer upon the said treasonable crimes specified in the same, to receive the verification of the executions thereof, and if any of the lords of articles last chosen on 22 May 1584 shall happen to be dead, sick or absent, or if it shall be found expedient that any of them shall be changed or added, to cause others be chosen and to discuss the said summons and put them to the votes of the said estates, and as the said persons suspected and dilated of the said treasonable crimes shall be found guilty or innocent, to administer justice upon them, according to the laws of this realm, and pronounce the doom of forfeiture against such persons as shall be tried culpable; and to sight and consider the said other letters and supplications presented to his highness; and to treat, consult, deliberate and conclude upon such laws, acts and answers as they shall think reasonable to pass thereupon for the policy and jurisdiction of the kirk; and that his said chancellor use his majesty's sceptre in ratification and approbation of all that shall be thought expedient and concluded hereupon; and generally all and sundry other things to do, exercise and use that to the execution of the premises is necessarily required likewise as if his highness were present in proper person, firm and stable, etc.
- NAS, PA2/13, ff.17r-v.