[1585/12/17]¹

Ane act for reformatioun of certane abuses in directioun of lettres

²Oure soverane lord and thrie estaitis of this present parliament, considering the greit harme and inconvenient quhilk diverse of his hienes guid subjectis hes incurrit and daylie sustenis throw chargeis purchast aganis thame be the inoportuitie and unressonable suit of previe personis to compeir befoir his hienes and his secreit counsale to anser de super inquirendis under the paine of rebellioun, and gif thai failyie, to put thame to the horne, or to do ony deid under the paine of tressoun or rebellioun, and gif thay failye, immediatlie to denunce thame to the horne, na cognitioun tane in the cause, or enter thame selffis in waird in sum of his hienes castellis or presonis in schort space under the panis of tressoun or horning, without ony calling or cagnitioun takin gif the caus for quhilk sic lettres ar direct be tressoun or of uther greit importance concerning the kingis majesties persoun or proper estait, bot rather oftintymes sic lettres ar purchast to satisfie sum pairtie of the malice of the pairtie, purchessar thairof, to the wrak and havie truble of thair pairtie or nichtbour for thair particular and civile causis that aucht to be decidit be the ordinar jugeis of this realme, abusand the ordour of justice and makand a cloik of his hienes name and auctoritie indirectlie and to collour thair privet rewenge, to the offence of God and greit contempt of his hienes gif tymous remeid be not providit; thairfoir, our soverane lord, with advise of his saidis thrie estaitis, statutis and ordanis that his hienes secretair or his deputis, keiparis of the signetis, pas na maner of sic lettres to charge ony personis to compeir super inquirendis, or to enter thair personis in waird, or to do ony deid under the panis of tressoun or rebellioun; and incaice of failyie, to denunce without calling or cognitioun tane of befoir, notwithstanding the subscriptioun of his hienes or ony twa or ma of his counsale, except the same lettres be speciallie subscrivit be the chief officiaris of the estait, at the leist be four of thame, quhairof the chancellar, thesaurair or secretair salbe allwayis ane, and sall perfytly understand and anser that sic lettres ar advisedlie directit for materis being in thame selffis tressoun in deid, or otherwayis of heichast importance concerning his hienes persoun and proper estait, that may suffer na delay; and that the secretair admonishe all his deputis and writtairis to the signet that nane of thame tak upon hand to writt or put in forme onie maner of signatour or lettre to be past his majesties hand that contenis novaltie or informalitie contrair the lovable and accustumat style and forme, notwithstanding the desir of ony pairtie under the pane of deprivatioun; and that everie writtair subscrive his name on the bak of the signatour or lettre as allowit be him that it is writtin according to the ordiner stile and forme; and that na signatour or lettre³ unallowit or subscrivit be the writtar, as said is, as they will anser thairupoun at thair heichest charge and parrell.