[1585/12/93]¹

[Anent commissionaris of the schyres to be send to the parliament]²

³Anent the article presentit to our soverane lord and thrie estaitis of this present parliament, makand mentioun how necessar it is that his hienes and thay be weill and trewlie informit of the neadis and causis pertening to his loving subjectis in all estaitis, specialie the commonis of the realme, and remembering of ane gude and lovable act maid be his hienes progenitour, King James the First of worthie memorie, being the hundreth and tuelf act maid in the tyme of his hienes riegnn, intitulat 'That small baronis and frehaldaris misteris not to cum to parliament', requiring that his majestie and his saidis estaittis wald ratifie and appreve the same, to have full effect and to be put in executioun in tyme cumyng; and of new statute and ordaine, for the mair full explanatioun of the same act and certane executioun thairof, that preceptis sould be direct furth of the chancellarie to a baroun of ilk schyre for the first to convene the friehaldaris within the samyn schire for chesing of the commissioneris as thay ar contenit in the said act, quhilkis commissioneris, being anys chosin and send to parliament, the preceptis of chancellarie for convening of friehaldaris to the effect foirsaid to be direct to the last commissionaris of ilk schire, quha sall cheis twa wise men, being the kingis friehaldaris, resident induellaris of the schire, of guid rent and weill estemit as commissioneris of the samyn, to have power and be authorizit, as the act proportis, under the commissioneris seill in place of the shereffis, and that all friehaldaris of the king under the degree of prelattis and lordis of parliament be wairnit be oppin proclamatioun to be present at the chesing of the saidis commissioneris, and nane to have voit in thair electioun bot sic as hes fourtie schilling land in frie tennandrie haldin of the king and hes thair actuall duelling and residence within that same schire, lyke as at mair lenth is contenit in the said article; the estaitis presentlie convenit in this present parliament remittis the said mater to the will and guid consideratioun of oure said soverane lord, to do and ordane thairin as his hienes sall think maist requisite and expedient betuix this and his hienes nixt parliament; at quhilk tyme his hienes, with avise of his estaitis, will, Godwilling, tak ordour for the finall setling and establishing of that gude forme and ordour quhilk salbe thocht meit and convenient to stand in perpetuitie in this behalf without prejudice of the rycht or interes of ony of his estaitis or utherwayis quhatsumevir; and Schir Johnne Maitland of Thirlstane, knycht, secretare to oure soverane lord, and William Douglas of Glenbervie, for thame selffis and in name and behalf of the rest of the barronis, tuke instrumentis of the foirsaid act and that the said mater wes referrit be the haill estaittis to the kingis majesteis self and that his hienes acceptit the same upoun him.