[1593/4/24]¹

²Offers presented to the estates by [John Leslie], laird of Balquhain, in name of the earls [William Douglas, earl of] Angus, [George Gordon, earl of] Huntly, [Francis Hay, earl of] Erroll and others

The which day, in presence of the king's majesty and estates of this present parliament, compeared John Leslie of Balquhain and produced the offers underwritten for the part of William [Douglas], earl of Angus, George [Gordon], earl of Huntly, Francis [Hay], earl of Erroll, Sir Patrick Gordon of Auchindoun, knight, and Sir James Chisholm of Dundurn, knight, persons accused and suspected of the crimes of lese-majesty, of the which offers the tenor follows: In the first, forasmuch as the said persons are indicted and accused of lese-majesty for consulting and concluding for the inbringing of strangers and subversion of the religion at length contained in their summons of forfeiture, if it will please your majesty and estates to select and choose certain others of your majesty's council or parliament to entreat and commune either with the said persons themselves or their friends, they shall not only declare and make notified their innocence and show their goodwill and obedience to your majesty and country, but also they never meant nor attempted neither directly nor indirectly contrary to your majesty's person, state of the country nor religion publicly professed therein. Item, after the trial of their innocence, to take away all occasion of suspicion, the said persons offers for continuance of their dutiful service to your majesty in time coming that they shall never traffick nor hold intelligence with any foreign nation or prince, in hurt or prejudice of your majesty's person, estate, commonwealth and religion, but to follow your majesty in all time coming as your most obedient and humble subjects against whatsoever your majesty's enemies, and this security to be made in such sufficient form as shall be thought expedient. Item, your majesty being satisfied, for removing of all kind of slander and evil conceived opinion by the kirk against the said persons, they are content, after communing had with certain ministry to be depute by your majesty and kirk to that effect, in case they after reasoning may be thoroughly resolved not only to satisfy the kirk for any slander, but also concerning the whole heads and articles of religion; otherwise, if they cannot be thoroughly resolved, they are content to depart out of the country, there to remain during your majesty's pleasure, or until they satisfy the kirk in the premises; and to that effect, and in case foresaid, most humbly craves your majesty's licence. And in the meantime, for your majesty's and kirk's better satisfaction, the said persons shall remove out of their company all suspect persons of religion. Which being read, heard and considered by the said estates, and they therewith being advised, the foresaid estates, for their advice to his majesty relating thereto, finds it fit and expedient in case the said noblemen and others foresaid conform not themselves to his majesty and his laws presently established within this country regarding the religion professed within the same, that his highness grant them licence upon their humble suit to be made to that effect to pass out of the country upon such conditions and to such unsuspected places as his highness and his council shall prescribe and appoint. And in case they will neither conform themselves as said is to his highness and to the religion presently professed, neither yet will pass out of the country according to the directions to be given to them, that his majesty and his said council take order therewith as they think most fit for quieting of the country and estate of religion. And in the meantime, that they remain under the process and summons of forfeiture executed against them in this present parliament until further probation may be had and received of the crimes of treason and lese-majesty libelled against them therein.³