The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2024), date accessed: 28 March 2024
[1598/6/17]1
Act in favour of [James Beaton], archbishop of Glasgow
The which day our sovereign lord and three estates presently assembled, considering the great service done by James, archbishop of Glasgow not only to his majesty's late dearest mother of good memory but also to his majesty's self, and considering the great love and affection the said archbishop has borne and bears towards his majesty and native country and the great honours done to his majesty and country by the said archbishop in exercising and using the office of ambassador this long time bygone, and that his majesty has employed the said archbishop and is to employ him in the said office of ambassador for treating of great and weighty affairs with foreign kings and princes concerning his majesty and his successors' great honour, profit and commodity and advancement of the whole realm and eschewing of manifold apparent dangers and inconveniences which may ensue, which office the said archbishop is and has been most willing ever to accept upon him upon his great, large and exorbitant expenses; and seeing the said archbishop is through the death of our sovereign lord's dearest mother destitute of the greatest part of his means and rent whereby he sustained the office of ambassador and did the affairs of the country, not only to our sovereign lord's great honour and contentment but also to the great honour, advancement and support of the whole lieges resorting to these parts, preferring continually our said sovereign lord's affairs and intention, the estate of the commonwealth of Scotland, the advancement and support of the whole lieges resorting to the parts of France to his own particular commodity. In consideration whereof, our said sovereign lord cannot goodly of his honour employ the said archbishop unless he be duly and lawfully provided to a sufficient means for sustaining of the burden and rank of the said office of ambassador, which cannot be so easily done and perfected as now by restoring of the said archbishop to his honours, dignities and benefices. Therefore his majesty and three estates foresaid by this act restore the said archbishop to his heritages, honours, dignities, benefices, offices, lands, rooms, portions and actions which at any time ever pertained to him of before within the realm of Scotland, and that notwithstanding of whatsoever doom and sentence of forfeiture, decreet of barratry, horning, acts of parliament and council, excommunication, and declares the act and benefit of pacification made at Perth in the month of February in the year of God 1572 [1573], ratified in his highness's parliament in the month of April the year of God 1573, and the act of pacification and abolition made at Linlithgow in the month of December the year of God 1585, and the act made in the month of July the year of God 1587 in favour of those that were banished, troubled or exiled since the return of the king's majesty's late mother of good memory to Scotland, to be extended to the archbishop and he to enjoy and have the whole effect and commodity of the said acts as freely in all sorts and respects as if his name was expressly contained in the said acts and as any of our sovereign lord's lieges possesses and enjoys the same, notwithstanding whatsoever acts of parliament and council, statute, ordinance or law made or to be made in the contrary which may stay or impede the said archbishop to hold, enjoy and possess the benefit of the said acts. And specially dispensing with an act of parliament made in the month of June the year of God 1592, by the which it is declared that no persons shall be heard to seek the said benefit but such as have acknowledged his majesty's authority and religion presently professed within the realm; regarding which act and act of ipso facto made against beneficed persons and all other acts and statutes foresaid, our said sovereign lord and estates foresaid dispense, and declare that the said archbishop should enjoy his whole heritages, benefices, dignities, honours, rooms, actions and portions notwithstanding that he has never made confession of his faith and notwithstanding that he has never acknowledged the religion professed within this realm, regarding which his majesty and three estates by this act dispense, and that the said archbishop shall in no way be subject to the making of the confession of his faith nor to penalty nor penalties that may result upon the not making of the same during the whole time of his remaining out of the country and for one year after his returning. And for his better security, ordain letters in all the four terms to be granted and directed at his instance against whatsoever person or persons, holders and possessors of his heritages, benefices, lands, rooms, portions for possessing of him thereto, answering and obeying of him of the rents, profits and emoluments thereof of all years and terms hereafter as freely in all sorts and respects as they were and might have been at any time at the instance of whatsoever person or persons restored by the said acts of pacification and parliament above-specified, and that letters of publication be hereupon directed.
- NAS, PA8/1, f.9v.