[1567/7/25/1]¹

Procedure: demission of the crown by Mary queen of Scots

Presenting of the quenis majesteis commissionie

²The quhilk day, in presens of the lordis of secreit counsall and utheris of the nobilitie, prelattis, baronis and commissaris of burrowis convenit within the tolbuyth of Edinburgh, comperit Patrik, lord Lindesay of the Byris, and presentit the commissioun underwrittin subscrivit be the quenis majestie, oure soverane ladie, under hir previe seill, desyrand the same to be opinlie red, of the quhilk the tennour followis:

Marie, be the grace of God quene of Scottis, to all and sindry our jugeis and ministeris of law, liegis and subdittis quhome it efferis quhais knawlege thir oure lettres sal to cum, greting. Forsamekill as sen our arryvall and returning within oure realme, we, willing the commoun commoditie, welth, proffeit and quietnes thairof, liegis and subjectis of the samyn, haif employit oure body, haill sences and forceis to governe the same in sic sort that oure royall and honorabill estait mycht stand, continew with us and our posteritie, and our loving and kynd liegis mycht enjoy the quietnes of trew subjectis; in travelling quhairin nocht onelie is oure body, spreit and sences sa vexit, brokin and unquietit that langar we ar nocht of habilitie be ony maner to induir sa greit and tollerabill panis and travellis quhairwith we ar altogidder weryit, bot als greit commotionis and troublis be sindry occasionis in the menetyme hes insewit thairin to oure greit greif. And seing it hes bene the plesour of the eternall God, of his kyndlie luf, mercie and gudnes, to grant unto us of our awin persoun ane sone, quha, in caise be the hand of God we be veseit, will, and rycht and of equitie man and aucht, to succeid to us and to the governament of oure realme; and knawing that all creaturis ar subject to that immutabill decreit of the eternall, and to randir and gif up this lyff temporall, the hour and tyme quhairof is maist uncertane; and in caise be deceis we be takin fra this lyff during the tyme of his minoritie, it may be doubtit greitlie that resistance and troubill may be maid to oure said sone, now native prince of this oure realme, in his tendir yeris, being swa destitute of us, to succeid to that rowme and kingdome quhilk maist justlie of all lawis appertenis to him; quhilk inconvenient, be Goddis help and gude providence, we meane to prevent in sic maner that it sall nocht ly in the power of ony unnaturall subjectis to resist Goddis ordinance in that behalf. And understanding that na thing erthlie is mair joyus and happie to us nor to se oure said derast sone in oure awin lyftyme peciabillie placeit in that rowme and honorabill estait quhairto he justlie aucht and man succeid to, we, of the moderlie affectioun we beir towart oure said onelie sone, have renunceit and dimittit, and be thir our lettres, frelie of oure awin motive, will, renunceis and dimittis the governament, gyding and governing of this our realme of Scotland, liegis and subdittis thairof, and all intromissioun and dispositioun of ony casualiteis, propirtie, benfices, offices and all thingis appertening, or heirtofoir is knawin or heireftir sal happin to appertene thairto, in favouris of oure said dearest sone, to that effect that he may be plantit, placeit and possessit thairin, use and exerce all thingis belanging thairto as native king and prince of the samyn, and siclike as we or ony of our predecessouris, kingis of Scotland, hes done in ony tyme bipast. Attour, that this our dimissioun may tak the mair solempne effect, and that nane pretend ignorance thairof, we have gevin, grantit and committit, and be thir oure lettres gevis, grantis and committis oure commissioun, full, fre and plane power, generall and speciall command, to oure traist cousingis Patrik, lord Lindesay of the Byris and Williame, lord Ruthven, and to ilk ane of thame, conjunctlie and severalie, to compeir befoir sa mony of the nobilitie, clergy, burgessis and uther peopill of oure realme as sal happin to be assemblit to that effect in our burgh of Striviling, or ony uther place or places quhair it salbe thocht maist convenient, at ony day or dayis, and thair publictlie, in thair presence, for us, in oure name and upoun oure behalf, dimit and renunce the governament, gyding and rewling of this oure realme, liegis and subjectis thairof, all intromissioun with the propirtie, casualitie or utheris thingis appertening to us thairby, and all rycht and titill that we had, hes or may have be ony maner of way thairto, in favouris of oure said sone, to that effect that he may be inaugurat, placeit and rowmit thairin, and the croun royall deliverit to him, and he obeyit in all thingis concerning the samyn, as we or oure predecessouris hes bene in tymes bipast; and likewyise, be thir presentis, gevis, grantis and committis full, fre and plane power to our rycht traist cousingis James, erll of Mortoun, lord of Dalkeyth, Johnne, erll of Atholl, etc., Johnne, erll of Mar, Alexander, erll of Glencarne, Williame, erll of Menteith, Johnne, maister of Grahame, Alexander, lord Hume, Adame, bischope of Orknay, the provestis of Dunde, Montroise or ony of thame, to ressave the said renunciatioun and dismissioun in favouris of oure said sone; and, eftir the ressaving thairof, to plant, place and inaugurat him in the kingdome, and, with all ceremoneis requisit, to put the croun royall upoun his heid in signe and takin of the establissing of him thairin; and in his name to mak and gif to the saidis nobilitie, clergy, burgessis and utheris oure liegis, his princelie and kinglie ayth, detfullie and lauchfullie as efferis, and to ressave thair aythis for dew and lauchfull homage and obedience to be maid be thame to him in all tymes cuming as becummis subjectis to thair native king and prince; and generallie all and sindry uther thingis to do, exerce and use that for suir performance and accomplisement heirof may or can be done, ferme and stabill haldand and for to hald all and quhatsumevir thingis in our name in the premissis ledis to be done in the word and faythfull promeis of ane prince; and ordanis thir our lettres, gif neid beis, to be publeist at all places neidfull. Subscrivit with oure hand, and gevin under oure previe seill, at Lochlevin, the xxiiij day of July, and of oure regnne the twenty fyve yeir, 1567.