[A1630/7/10]¹

Letter: king's letter to the estates

Follows his majesty's missive letter for warrant of the two acts above-written:

Charles Rex, right trusty and well-beloved cousins and councillors, we greet you well. Whereas humble complaint has been made to us in behalf of diverse of our free burghs who are not sheriffs within themselves, that they undergo great and unnecessary charges by travelling to parts far distant from their dwellings for giving up the inventories of their annualrents to the sheriffs of the shire, where the same might much more conveniently and as surely be done before their provosts and bailies, wherein we, inclining that some order be established for their good and ease, our pleasure is (if you find that we be not thereby prejudiced and that no inconvenience otherwise may arise by the same) that you signify our pleasure to our next convention of estates there, that they give way thereto by making such an act of convention as you and they shall best condescend upon to this purpose, to be ratified in the next parliament, whereby both the said magistrates and other subjects may from henceforth be authorised to proceed accordingly. And whereas we are informed that our late royal father, of his princely favour, pardoned diverse penal statutes, as by commissions for trying of what of them were fit to be executed what to be pardoned may appear, we being likewise willing for diverse good and weighty causes moving us at this time to give them such taste of our bounty and favour as may the better induce them not to transgress our laws hereafter, or expect any further impunity in case they should abuse our princely clemency herein, whereof we are willing that special notice be given them after what manner you shall think fit, our pleasure is that by an act of the said convention to be ratified in the ensuing parliament you cause discharge our subjects of all penal statutes whatsoever preceding the date hereof, which were formerly remitted in any parliament and of the fines of all penal statutes made in 1621. And for your so doing this letter shall be your warrant. So we bid you farewell. From our court at Whitehall, 28 June 1630.