Warrant: for the summons of the Earl of Montrose and others
Act and warrant to [Sir Thomas Hope of Craighall], advocate, Sir Thomas Nicolson [of Carnock] and to the procurators for the estate for raising summons against [James Graham, earl of] Montrose, [Archibald Napier, lord] Napier, [Sir George Stirling of] Keir and [Sir Archibald Stewart of] Blackhall

The estates of parliament, having considered the articles produced and given in against the Earl of Montrose, have found and find the same to be a sufficient ground of citation of the same earl and of any other person before the parliament whom the same articles may concern, and to whose charge the said articles or any of them might be laid, and in particular of the Lord Napier, the laird of Keir, the Laird of Blackhall, Lieutenant Colonel Walter Stewart, and thereafter ordain summons to be raised thereupon and the said persons to be cited; and for doing hereof they find and declare it to be incumbent to Sir Thomas Hope of Craighall, knight, his majesty's advocate, to concur, plead and insist to the final division of these pursuits as concerning the public, and therefore the said estates of parliament command him to do the same in these pursuits and in all other pursuits to be intended before the parliament or committees from parliament which may concern the public. Likewise they find it fit to require and command and hereby the said estates enjoin, require and command Sir Thomas Nicolson of Carnock, knight, to concur with the said Sir Thomas Hope, Masters Roger Mowat, Alexander Pearson, James Baird and Thomas Nicolson, procurators formerly appointed by the committee for the estate, to draw up the said summons and to insist in consulting and pleading in the said process and whole proceedings thereof to the final end of the same and in any other process of the nature above-written to be intended and followed before the parliament or committee from parliament. And likewise command the said Masters Alexander Pearson, Roger Mowat, James Baird and Thomas Nicolson, with concourse and assistance foresaid, to draw up the said summons and to insist in the said process and whole proceedings thereof to the final end of the same. And also ordain the said summons and all other summons to be raised before the parliament or committees from the parliament to be raised at the instance of the said Sir Thomas Hope as his majesty's advocate and at the instance of the said Sir Thomas Nicolson, Masters Roger Mowat, Alexander Pearson, James Baird and Thomas Nicolson as procurators for the estate, and ordain the summons to be stamped by the keeper of the signet, and also ordain that a precept of the same tenor with the summons be directed in name of [Robert Balfour, lord Balfour of Burleigh], president of the parliament, and be subscribed by the president; for doing whereof, these shall be a warrant.

  1. NAS, PA2/22, f.75v-76r.