[1594/4/18]¹

Anent eschaetis and lyfrentis of excommunicat personis

Forsamekle as thair is dyvers personis denuncit rebellis, quha being suspectit of papistrie of befoir and fearing the sentence of excommunicatioun to have followit aganis tham, hes procurit the giftes of their eschaetis and lyfrentis disponit be oure soverane lord to their barnis or utheris conjunct personis upoun horningis execute aganis thame for civile causes, and nevirtheles hes retenit the possessioun of thair haill guidis, geir, landis, possessionis as gif thai had remanit his hienes faithfull and obedient subjectis, quhilk hes gevin thame occasioun to continew in thair rebellioun, as alsua in thair superstitious opinioun of papistrie and remaning under the said sentence of excomunicatioun in manifest contempt of God, his trew religioun and lawes of this realme. For the repressing of quhilk contempt and remeid thairof, oure said soverane lord, with avise of the estaitis in this present perliament, decernis and declaris all and quhatsumevir giftes of escheate and liferentis grantit to the saidis barnis and conjunct personis of ony of the foirnamit personis, denuncit rebellis and put to the horne for quhatsumever caus, quha being suspectit of papistrie ofbefoir hes sufferit the sentence of excomunicatioun to pas aganis thame, and quhais guidis, geir, landis and possessionis may be verifiet to have remanit in thair awin possessionis as gif thai had remanit faithfull and obedient subjectis, to have bene fra the beginning and to be in all tyme cuming null and of nane availl with all that hes followit or may follow thairupoun, nochtwithstanding quhatsumevir decreittis or declaratouris gevin and past in favouris of the saidis rebellis, thair barnis or conjunct personis; and the richt of the said eschaet guidis, geir and liferentis to have pertenit and to pertene to oure said soverane lord and to be at his gift and dispositioun als frelie as gif the saidis pretendit giftes and dispositionis thairof had nevir bene grant nor disponit to thair saidis barnis and conjunct personis, and as declaratour had nocht past thairupoun.