[A1597/3/14]¹

Ane act and commissioun for convocating of his majesties subjectis declairit null etc.

The kingis majestie, with avise of his nobilitie, counsall and esteatis presentlie convenit, considdering how the constant brute and grite appeirance of imminent dangeiris of his hienes crowne, estate and trew religioun professit within this realme be the grite preparationis maid be the cruel Spanyeardis for invading of this realme, assisted thairintill be divers seditious papistis and uthiris his hienes unnaturall subjectis tressounablie disposit to fortifie the saidis Spanyeardis in thair interpriseis foirsaidis, movit his majestie and counsaill, for preventing of the saidis perrellis, to statute and ordane be act of counsaill that certane nobilmen, baronis and ministeris within the particulair provinceis and schirefdomis of this realme sould call befoir thame all personis suspect of papistrie to gif confessioun of thair faith; as lykwayes to convocat his hienes baronis, gentilmen and uthiris subjectis at all occasionis quhen thay saw ony appeirance of dangeir to the religioun and professouris thairof undir the pane of hoirning aganis the personis dissobeying to convene with thame, being requirit in forme prescryvit be the said act, as the samin off the date at [...] the [...] day of [...] the yeir of God j^M v^C lxxx[...] yeiris at mair lenth beiris. Quhilk act being onlie concludit, statute and ordanit for the respect of the present perrell then imminent to the estate, yit the generalitie thairof hes gevin sic absolute pouer to the saidis commissionaris to convocat his hienes liegis quhen thay thocht it expedient, that divers perrellous effectis hes alreddy ensewit and followit thairupoun, and may heireftir fall furth, to the unquieting of his hienes estate, sklander of religioun and harme of his hienes quiet and weill affectit subjectis. For remeid quhairoff, his majestie, his nobilitie, counsaill and esteatis presentlie convenit findis, statutis and declairis the said act to bene bene onlie maid for preventing of the dangeiris imminent at that tyme to his hienes estate, crowne and trew religioun professit within this realme allanarlie, and to have had strenth, effect and executioun for the eschewing and removing thairof at the tyme foirsaid. The caus quhairof being now at the plesure of God removeit, and the maist parte of the personis nominat commissionaris thairin nevir haveing aceptit the samin upoun thame, sua that the samin in effect is altogidder expyrit, his hienes, with avise foirsaid, declairis the same act tobe desert, null and utterlie expyrit, dischargeing all convocationis of his hienes liegis undir cullour and pretens of the said act in ony tyme heireftir. Certifeing thame that giff in onywayes thay convene and assemble thame selffis togidder be vertew of the said act, the same salbe na warrand to thame, bot thay salbe callit, persewit, punisheit and demanit with all rigour as contravenaris of his majesteis lawis, actis of parliament and secreit counsaill maid aganis convocatioun of his hienes liegis in example of uthiris. And ordanis lettrez of publicatioun to be direct heirupoun in forme as effeiris.