[1581/10/54]¹

Approbatioun of the Erle of Arranis proceidingis for tryell of the murther of the king, oure soverane lordis dearest father

Anent the supplicatioun presentit to oure soverane lord and his thre estatis in this present parliament be James Stewart, erle of Arrane, lord Avane and Hammiltoun, makand mentioun that quhair, for the singular favoure and gude will quhilk he hes ever borne and beiris, as alswa the eirnist cair quhilk he hes to the preservatioun of oure soverane lordis persoun and estait, the commonweill and quyetnes of this realme and punischment of sic as unnaturallie and traiterouslie had conspirit and execute the odious and tressonabill murthure of umquhile his majesteis dearest father, he was movit, according to his aith and bundin dewtie to his hines, to accuse, challence and delait, in presens of his majestie and lordis of secreit counsell for the tyme, upoun suir knawlege, umquhile James, sumtyme erle of Mortoun and Maister Archibald Douglas, sumtyme persone of Glasgw, to have bene airt and pairt and upoun the foirknawlege and conceiling of the said tressonabill murther; for the mair cleir tryell quhairof, he wes alswa movit not onlie to use menassing and boisting wordis, bot als sum hard and rigorous handling of sindrie personis, throw the quhilk at last the treuth wes manifestit and the said umqle erle wes found, tryit and declairit giltie of the said tressonabill cryme, and for the same justlie and worthelie execute to the deith; like as the said Maister Archibald, knawand him self giltie of the said tressonabill cryme and feiring the like punischment, fled furth of this realme and yit remanis fugitive; quhairfoir the kingis majestie and thre estatis of this present parliament, considering the circumstances of the said Erle of Arranis proceding in this cais, findis and declaris that the accusatioun, delaiting and following furth of the tryell of the saidis sumtyme Erle of Mortoun and Maister Archibald Douglas anent the said odious murthure, and all thingis followand thairupoun, he hes worthelie, dewlie and diligentlie usit and executit the commissiones gevin to him be his majestie in that behalf, as alswa hes done guid, trew, honorabill and acceptabill service to his hines and a commone benefite to the haill realme, meriting ane honest rewaird and recompence thairfoir, quhilk his majestie promittis in the word of a prince to gif and dispone to him, howsone his hines may oniewayis have the commoditie thairto. And als his majestie and estatis foirsaidis decernis and ordanis that, for the causis foirsaidis, the said Erle of Arrane, nor his airis, sall not be callit nor accusit, nor incur onie skaith, pane or danger thairthrow in their personis, landis or guidis, notwithstanding onie lawes, actis or statutis maid or to be maid in the contrair, exonerand thame of all pane and danger that they may incur thairthrow for ever.