[1585/12/30]¹

The king's majesty's revocation of his highness's property, [Andrew Keith], lord Dingwall, [Robert Stewart], earl of Orkney and William Murray excepted

²Our sovereign lord, having at sundry times heretofore commanded order to be taken [with]³ the estate of his house and toward his property whereupon the same should be sustained, as finding nothing effectually done thereupon as yet but in default of the same diverse abuses entered and still continuing in the said house and great diminution of his highness's rents, his majesty's debts in his own house always increasing, for remedy whereof, his majesty, by advice of the lords and of his estates also in parliament, has made and caused publish diverse revocations, which notwithstanding, has taken small effect to his highness's commodity because the things appointed to be recovered and brought again to the same revocations were always newly imprinted and purchased of his majesty by importunate and unreasonable suits, where his highness's own necessity ought first to be provided for; therefore, his highness, yet as of before, with advice of his three estates convened in this present parliament, revokes, abrogates and annuls all infeftments, tacks, pensions, gifts, assignations, reversions and exceptions whatsoever made of the rents of his property annexed and pertaining to his crown in the days of his dearest grandfather, King James V of worthy memory, or in any time past preceding the date hereof, being of their own nature or by custom or laws of this realm revocable, and declares the said infeftments, tacks, pensions, gifts, assignations, reversions and exceptions to have been and to be null and invalid for the crop and year of God 1585, Whitsunday [30 May] and Martinmas [11 November] terms of the same and in time coming, notwithstanding any ratifications or confirmations thereof by parliament or otherwise; and ordains the said rents to be charged for, intromitted with and brought in to his highness's proper use by [Andrew Wood of Largo], his majesty's comptroller, and his deputes to his highness's use. Moreover, his majesty avows in the word of a prince, promising inviolably to observe this act and to abstain from all new disposition of any of his said rents revoked as said is until his own necessities be first of all duly and sufficiently provided for, as also to allow of that good form in his house which the said lords of his secret council and officers of his estate appointed in this present parliament shall appoint, to begin on 1 January 1586, discharging his highness's comptroller of all answering or admitting of any precepts or fees, pensions or wages to any persons of the terms aforesaid, or in any time coming thereafter, until it be newly directed and specially appointed by his highness, with advice of the said lords of his privy council and officers of his estate sitting together in that number, which, by his present parliament, is appointed his highness's necessities, being first considered what pensions, fees and wages shall be allowed and paid in the office of comptroller of the year of God aforesaid and in time coming, to the effect it may [be]⁴ seen that the things commanded to be answered are reasonable and profitable to be done without his majesty's hurt and inconvenience, his own necessities being always first considered and provided for as said is, and consideration had also of the payment of his past debts so far as is possible; certifying the said comptroller if he do in the contrary, he shall have no allowance of his doing, notwithstanding any warrant passed before the date of this act. Excepting and reserving always the infeftment of the earldom of Orkney and lordship of Shetland to Robert, earl of Orkney, providing his majesty be satisfied as appertains; as also excepting and reserving the infeftment made to Andrew, lord of Dingwall, of the castle and living and lands of Dingwall, fishing of the water of Conan and others contained in his infeftment, and the liferent made and given by his majesty to William Murray, servant in his chamber, of the lands of Cornetoun according to the gift made to him under the privy seal thereupon, which his majesty wills not shall fall (with provision and condition aforesaid for Orkney) under this his highness's revocation; and ordains letters to be directed to make publication of the premises by open proclamation at the market crosses of the head burghs of the sheriffdoms of this realm and other places needful, that none pretend ignorance of the same.