[1581/10/58]¹

Ordoure how the kingis majestie salbe releifeit of importune and untymous suitters

Forsamekle as oure soverane lord, throu the misordorit behavour and dealing of sindrie his hines subjectis, is dayly faschit, seing that, without dew reverence had of his majestie or the acknawleging of thame selffis and the nature of thair suittes, and without all respect of the tyme, place and uthers circumstances requisite, they ceis not to present signatouris, lettres and preceptis unto his majestie self and importunlie to urge the granting and subscriving the same then instantlie or his hines solempne promis thairupoun, his majestie not beand certanlie informit nor advisit upoun the valour of the maters socht of his hines; for remeid of the quhilk abuse, it is statute and ordanit be his majestie, with advise of his saidis thre estaitis in this present parliament, that all personis, his hines subjectis, quhilk hes onie gift, grace, precept or uther lettre to crave of his majestie quhilk thei desire to have exped gratis, or the same being of sic nature as customablie is not subject to the pameter² of compositioun, sall seke the same of his hines be supplicatiounis in write, quhilkis his majestie, be him self or his maister of requeistis, will alwayes ressave fra the presentaris and grant thame favorable audience, keping thair saidis supplicatiounis quhill his hines be advisit thairwith; and that nane presume to urge his majestie then presentlie to subscrive thair signatouris or lettres, or to mak onie promes be word or write thairupoun, but attend upoun the answeris of thair supplicatiounis to be gevin in write; and to that effect, that the same supplicatiounis may ressave dew answeris sasone as convenientlie may be, to the ressonable satisfactioun of the suittaris, his majestie will caus place the saidis supplicatiounis in sum convenient rowme quhill at his first laser he may call unto him sic of his counsale and officiaris as he sall think metest for the consideratioun and ordering of his affaris, and then caus reid thame and note on the bak of everie thing his hines mynd tuiching the granting or refusall thairof; quhilk being deliverit agane to the pairteis, that they stand satisfeit thairwith without further importuning of his majestie thairanent as thei will answer at thair perrellis and under pane of incurring his hines repruif and indignatioun gif thei sall presume in the contrair.