[1567/8/2]¹

Procedure: acceptance of the regency by the earl of Moray

Acceptation of the regentrie

The quhilk day, in presence of the lordis of secreit counsall, nobilitie, spiritualitie, commissaris of burrowis and baronis convenit within the tolbuyth of the burgh of Edinburgh, wes presentit ane commissioun, subscrivit be the quenis majestie, oure soverane lordis dearest moder, and under hir hienes previe seill, of the dait at Lochlevin, the xxiiij day of July last bipast, quhilk wes opinlie red, the tennour quhairof followis: Marie, be the grace of God, quene of Scottis, to all and sindrie oure jugeis and ministeris of oure lawis, liegis and subdittis quhome it efferis, to quhais knawlege thir our lettres sal cum, [greting]. Forsamekill as eftir lang, greit and intollerabill panis and laubouris takin be us sen oure arryvall, etc., as is expressit at lenth in the act abonewrittin, maid the xxv day of Julii last bipast.

Eftir the publict reding of the quhilk commissioun, and invocatioun of the name of God, the said nobill and mychty lord James, erll of Murray, etc., ressavit and acceptit upoun him the office of regentrie of oure soverane lord, his realme and liegis, and gaif his ayth for debtfull administratioun thairof, eftir the forme and tennour of the said commissioun in all points, of the quhilk ayth the tennour alswa followis:

I, James, erll of Murray, lord Abirnethie, etc., promeissis faythfullie, in the presens of the eternal, my God, that I, induring the haill cours of my lyff, sall serve the same eternall, my God, to the uttirmest of my power, according as he requirit in his maist halie word, revelit and contenit in the new and auld testament; and according to the same word sall manteine the trew religion of Jesus Chryst, the precheing of his holy word, and dew and rycht administratioun of his sacramentis, now ressavit and practizit within this realme; and sall abolische and ganestand all fals religioun contrair to the same; and sall rewle the people committit to my charge and regiment during the minoritie and les aige of the king my soverane, according to the will and command of God, revelit in his foirsaid word, and according to the lovabill lawis and constitutionis ressavit within this realme, na wayis repugnant to the said word of the eternal, my God; and sall procure to my uttirmest to the kirk of God and haill Cristiane people trew and perfyte peace in all tymes cuming; the richtis and rentis, with all just privilegis of the realme of Scotland, I sall preserve and keip unviolat, nather sall I transfer nor alienat the samyn; I sall forbid and repres in all estaittis, and all degreis, reiff, oppressioun and all kynd of wrang; in all jugementis, I sall command and procure that justice and equitie be kepit to all creaturis without exceptioun, as he be mercifull to me and you that is the Lord and fader of all merceis; and out of this realme of Scotland and impyre thairof I salbe cairfull to rute out all heretykis and ennemeis to the trew worschip of God, that salbe convict be the trew kirk of God of the foirsaidis crymes; and thir thingis abone writtin I faythfullie affirme be this my solempnit ayth.