[1609/4/49]¹

²Act in favour of Sir John Arnott [of Birswick], Archibald Johnstone, Andrew Logan of Coitfield and William Fairlie

Our sovereign lord and estates of this present parliament, understanding that his majesty's course has ever been from the beginning not to punish the innocent for the offenders' crime, and now carrying the same mind towards these his highness's faithful and obedient subjects who have acquired some rights and titles of lands and teinds from the late Robert Logan of Restalrig, both before and since his practicing in the horrible and detestable treason committed against his majesty's own person with the traitor [John Ruthven, earl of] Gowrie and [Master Alexander Ruthven], his brother, at Perth, 5 August 1600, for the which he and his posterity are in this present parliament most worthily forfeited and his memory and posterity declared to be extinct, and his whole lands since the committing of the said treason the time foresaid to pertain to his highness in property for ever; and seeing that it is clearly understood to our sovereign lord and estates foresaid that Sir John Arnott, provost of Edinburgh, Archibald Johnstone, merchant burgess of the said burgh, and Rachel Arnott, his spouse, Andrew Logan of Coitfield and William Fairlie, portioner of Restalrig, are and were altogether innocent and free of the said late laird of Restalrig's practices in that detestable crime, and his majesty being most willing that innocent men should in no way participate in the punishment of that his defection and treasonable deeds, therefore our said sovereign lord and estates of this present parliament declare, statute and ordain that the process and doom of forfeiture pronounced against the said late Robert of Logan of Restalrig and his posterity in this present parliament shall in no way be prejudicial nor make any derogation to the said Sir John Arnott, Archibald Johnstone, Rachel Arnott, his spouse, Andrew Logan and William Fairlie, nor none of them nor their heirs, regarding such rights of lands, tacks, teinds and possessions as they have acquired and purchased of the said late laird of Restalrig or from any other persons having right proceeding from the said late Robert Logan of Restalrig, either before or since the time foresaid of the committing of the said treason, to the effect that the said Sir John Arnott, Archibald Johnstone, his said spouse, Andrew Logan and William Fairlie and their heirs respectively, may peaceably hold and possess the same as if no such treasonable enterprise had been intended nor declared against the said laird of Restalrig.