[1594/4/26]¹

Regarding leasing makers and authors of slanders

Our sovereign lord, with advice of his estates in this present parliament, ratifies and approves and for his highness and his successors perpetually confirms the act made by his noble progenitors King James I of worthy memory against leasing makers, the act made by King James II entitled 'Against leasing makers and tellers of them', the act made by King James V entitled 'Of leasing makers', and the act made by his highness himself, with advice of his estates in parliament, upon 22 May the year of God 1584, entitled 'For punishment of the authors of slanders and untrue calumnies against the king's majesty, his council and proceedings, to the dishonour and prejudice of his highness, his parents, progenitors, crown and estate'; as likewise the act of his highness's parliament held at Linlithgow upon 10 December the year of God 1585 entitled 'Against the authors of slanderous speeches or writs'. And statutes and ordains all the said acts to be published of new and to be put into execution in time coming with this addition: that who ever hears the said leasings, calumnies or slanderous speeches or writs to be made, and apprehends not the authors thereof, if it lies in his power, or reveals not the same to his highness or to one of his privy council or to the sheriff, stewart or bailie of the shire, stewartry or bailiary in regality or royalty or to the provost or one of the bailies within burgh, by whom the same may come to the knowledge of his highness or his said privy council, through which the said leasing makers or authors of slanderous speeches may be called, tried and punished according to the said acts, the hearer and non-apprehender, and (if it lies in his power) concealer and non-revealer of the said leasing makers and authors of the said slanderous speeches or writs, shall incur the same pain and punishment as the principal offender.