The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2024), date accessed: 28 March 2024
[1581/10/57]1
Anent the establishing off the kingis majesteis counsale
Forsamekle as in oure soverane lordis parliament haldin and begun at Edinburgh, the xx day of October 1579, thair is ane act maid anent the establishing of the kingis majesties counsale and the forme thairof ordanit to indure ay and quhill further order suld be takin be his hines, with advise of his estatis in parliament; and now, his majestie having convenit his saidis estatis in this present parliament, be thair advise, for the support of his hines in the administratioun and governyng of the effairis of his croun, estait and commone weill of his realme, hes nomnat, electit and chosin and, be the tennour heiroff, nominatis, electis and chesis the erllis, lordis and utheris underwrittin to be of his hines preve counsale: they ar to say, James, erll of Arrane, lord Avane and Hammiltoun, David, erll of Craufurd, lord Lindsay, Jhone,2 erll of Montrois, lord Grahame, Andro, erll of Rothes, lord Leslie, James, erll of Glencarne, lord Kilmawris, Hew, erll of Eglingtoun, lord Montgomary, Johnne, erll of Mortoun, lord Maxwell, James, lord Ogilvy, Johnne, lord Herreis, James, lord Doun, Mark, commendatair of Newbottill, and Alexander, commendatair of Culross, by and attour his hines ordiner officiaris of the estait, to wit, the lord greit chalmerlane, the cancellair, the thesaurair, the secretair, comptroller, collectour generall, justice clerk, clerk of register, advocate and maister of requeistis; and that every ane of the saidis officiaris to use thair offices be thame selffis and thair deputis according to the formair actis, with thir alterationis and additionis: that of the haill number of counsalouris and the ordiner officiaris, thair salbe sevin present and sittand at leist quhen onie act is maid, decreit gevin or uther mater of importance intreatit, and that na personis remane in the counsalehous in tyme of counsale, saulffand the sittand counsalouris and officiaris and ane clerk, the maister remanyng outwith the counsalehous dure except quhen he salbe callit upoun and have occasioun enter and schaw the counsale the desire of onie parte thair attending; and that nane of the counsalouris nor officiaris, frome the tyme of thair entrie in the counsale quhill the rysing thairof, without speciall command and directioun, pas frome the counsale table to speik with ony persoun outwith the counsalehous, or yit pas up and doun the hous, neglecting the effairis that ar intreatit amangis the remanent that sittis; and twa of the counsale to subscrive, as the custume hes bene in tyme bigane, providing that sic young noblemen as enteris in the counsalehous with the kingis majestie and salbe allowit be his grace swa to do, may remane thairin and heir the ressonyng, salang as his majesties awin plesour salbe to abyde for the tyme, thei being sworne to keip secreit that quhilk thei sall heir; and that his hines, quhen he sall think expedient, may nominat uther thre noble men, or sic utheris as he sall pleis nominat to be of the number of his said prive counsale; and this forme and ordour to stand quhill farder order be tane be the kingis majestie, with advise of his estatis, in his nixt parliament; and in cais of onie inlaik of the saidis counsalouris, that the kingis majestie, with advise of the remanent of his counsale, elect and cheis utheris personis in thair rowmes alsoft as neid beis.
- NAS, PA2/12, f.76v.
- 'Jhone' replaces 'James', which was originally written in the register.