[1593/4/24]¹

²Offeris presentit to the estaitis be the Laird of Balquhane in name of the erllis of Angus, Huntlie and Erroll and utheris

The quhilk day, in presence of the kingis majestie and estaitis of this present perliament, comperit Johnne Leslie of Balquhane and producit the offeris undirwrittin for the pert of Williame, erll of Angus, George, erll of Huntlie, Francis, erll of Erroll, Schir Paterk Gordoun of Auchindoun, knycht, and Schir James Chisholme of Dundurne, knicht, personis dilatit and suspectit of the crymes of lesemajestie, off the quhilkis offeris the tennoure followis: In the first, forsamekle as the saidis personis ar indytit and accusit of lesemajestie for consulting and concluding for the inbringing of strangearis and subversioun of the religioun at lenth contenit in thair summondis of foirfaltrie, gif it will pleis youre majestie and estaitis to select and cheis certane ather of youre majesties counsaill or perliament to intreat and commoun ather with the saidis personis thame selffis or thair freindis, thay sall not onlie declair and mak notifiit thair innocence and schaw thair guid will and obedience to youre majestie and cuntrie, bot also thay nevir meanit nor attemptit nather directlie nor indirectlie contrair youre majesties persoun, stait of the cuntrie nor religioun publictlie proffessit thairintill. Item, efter the triall of thair innocence, to tak away all occasioun of suspitioun, the saidis personis offeris for continwance of thair dewtifull service unto youre majestie in tyme cuming that thay sall nevir traffique nor bene intelligence with ony forreyne natioun or prince, in hurt or prejudice of youre majesties persoun, estait, commoun weill and religioun, bot to follow youre majestie in all tyme cuming as youre maist obedient and humble subjectis aganis quhatsumevir youre majesties unfreindis, and this securitie to be maid in sic sufficient forme as salbe thocht expedient. Item, youre majestie being satisfiit, for removing of all kynd of sklander and evile consavit opinioun be the kirk aganis the saidis personis, thay ar content, efter commoning had with certane ministrie to be depute be youre majestie and kirk to that effect, incace thay efter ressoning may be throuchlie ressolvit not onlie to satisfie the kirk for ony sklander, bot also concerning the haill heidis and articles of religioun; utherwayis, gif thai can not be throuchlie resolvit, thay ar content to depert furth of the cuntrie, thair to remane during your majesties plesour, or ay and quhill thay satisfie the kirk in the premissis; and to that effect, and incais foirsaid, maist humbly cravis youre majesteis licence. And in the meantyme, for youre majestie and kirkis better satisfactioun, the saidis personis sall remove out of thair cumpany all suspect personis of religioun. Quhilkis being red, hard and considderit be the saidis estaitis, and thay thairwith being adwysit, the foirsaidis estaitis, for thair advise to his majestie thairanent, findis it meit and expedient incace the saidis noble men and utheris foirsaidis conforme not thame selffis unto his majestie and his lawis presentlie establischit within this cuntrie anent the religioun professit within the same, that his hienes grant thame licence upoun thair humble sute to be maid to that effect to pas furth of the cuntrie upoun sic conditionis and to sic unsuspect places as his hienes and his counsaill sall prescrive and appoint. And incais thai will nather conforme thame selffis as said is unto his hienes and to the religioun presentlie professit, nather yit will pas furth of the cuntrie conforme to the directionis to be gevin to thame, that his majestie and his said counsaill tak ordour thairwith as thay think maist meit for quieting of the cuntrie and estait of religioun. And in the meantyme, that thay remane under the proces and summondis of foirfaltour execut aganis thame in this present perliament quhill forder probatioun may be had and gottin of the crymes of tressone and lesemajestie libellit aganis thame thairintill.³