[1604/4/20]¹

Procedure: commission

²Commission for the union

Forasmuch as it has pleased his most excellent majesty, acknowledging the unspeakable favour with which the divine providence of the most high has blessed him, by the often wished but hardly expected conjunction of two so ancient and long discordant kingdoms, most earnestly to desire an established continuance of the same, that as by lawful succession they are one in the head, so in the body and every member thereof they may be so inseparably conjoined, as all later ages should find the sweetness of the good fortune, peace, wealth and felicity which by the perfect accomplishment thereof may continue to the world's end; and his most excellent majesty, although absent in person from his most ancient and native kingdom, yet present by his princely power, fatherly care and prudent commandments daily directed to his most humble and obedient subjects of this kingdom, having laid before them the great blessing that a constant and friendly conjunction with their neighbour country of England, now united by allegiance and loyal subjection in his majesty's most royal person, would bring to them and their posterity, and therewith, out of his most loving and accustomed princely regard to their inestimable joy and comfort, vouchsafing to assure them of his sincere disposition and clear meaning in no way by the foresaid union to prejudice or hurt the fundamental laws, ancient privileges, offices and liberties of this kingdom, whereby not only the princely authority of his most royal descent has been these many ages maintained, but also his people's security of their lands and livings, rights, liberties, offices and dignities preserved, which if they should be innovated such confusion should ensue as it could no more be a free monarchy; and his majesty's gracious intention in establishing the foresaid union is only to alter and reform such indifferent and temporal statutes, particular customs or special ordinances whereby the bygone remembrance may be extinguished and the future growth prevented of many particular debates and unhappy accidents, which might hereafter disturb that constant love and perfect amity between both nations so tenderly wished by his most excellent majesty, and such steadfast and sincere grounds of uniform society put in their place that as the present age is ravished in admiration with a so fortunate beginning, so the posterity may rejoice in the fruition of such an effectual union of two so famous and ancient kingdoms, miraculously accomplished in the blood and person of so rare a monarchy. Therefore, and for the more perfect accomplishing of the work foresaid, the estates spiritual and temporal of this present parliament assembled by virtue of his majesty's commission under the great seal of Scotland, declare, statute and ordain that the persons following, they are to say: John [Graham], earl of Montrose, lord chancellor of Scotland, Francis [Hay], earl of Erroll, high constable of Scotland, George [Keith], earl Marischal, great marischal of Scotland, James [Cunningham], earl of Glencairn, Alexander [Livingston], earl of Linlithgow, John [Spottiswood], archbishop of Glasgow, David [Lindsay], bishop of Ross, George [Gledstanes], bishop of Caithness, Walter [Stewart], prior of Blantyre, Patrick [Lyon], lord Glamis, Alexander [Elphinstone], lord Elphinstone, Alexander [Seton], lord Fyvie, president of the council of Scotland, Robert [Ker], lord Roxburghe, James [Hamilton], lord Abercorn, James [Elphinstone], lord Balmerino, principal secretary of Scotland, David [Murray], lord Scone, Sir James Scrimgeour of Dudhope, knight, Sir John Cockburn of Ormiston, knight, Sir John Home of Cowdenknowes, knight, Sir David Carnegie of Kinnaird, knight, Sir Robert Melville, elder, of Murdocairnie, knight, Sir Thomas Hamilton of Binnie, knight, Sir John Learmonth of Balcomie, knight, Sir Alexander Straiton of Lauriston, knight, Sir John Skene of Curriehill, knight, Master John Sharp of Houston, lawyer, Master Thomas Craig, lawyer, Henry Nisbet, George Bruce, Alexander Rutherford, Master Alexander Wedderburn, merchants, or any 20 of them, shall by virtue of this present act have full power, commission, liberty and authority to assemble and convene themselves after the ending of this present session of this parliament, and before the next session thereof, at such time and in such place as it shall please his majesty to appoint, with certain selected commissioners nominated and authorised by the parliament of England according to the tenor of their commission in that behalf, to confer, treat and consult upon a perfect union of the realms of Scotland and England, and concerning such other matters, causes and things whatsoever tending to his majesty's honour and contentment and to the well and tranquillity of both the kingdoms during his majesty's life (which the ever living God long continue) and during his royal posterity in blessed tranquillity to the world's end, as upon mature deliberation the greatest part of the said commissioners assembled as is foresaid, with the commissioners authorised by the parliament of England, shall in their wisdom think most expedient and necessary, not derogating in any way any fundamental laws, ancient privileges, offices, rights, dignities and liberties of this kingdom as is aforesaid; and that the commissioners of both the said realms, according to the tenor of their commission in that behalf, set down their proceedings in three several writings, every one of them to be subscribed and sealed by them, to the end that one of them may be in all humility presented to his majesty, the second to be presented to the consideration of the next session of parliament for the realm of Scotland, and the third to be offered to the consideration of the next session of parliament for the realm of England, that thereafter such order may be taken therein as both the said parliaments shall think expedient, for his majesty's satisfaction and benefit of both the said kingdoms.