The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2024), date accessed: 24 April 2024

[A1641/8/159]1

[Act regarding the prices of writs, seals and registers]

Act regarding the prices of writs, seals and registers, remitted to the council2

Our sovereign lord and estates of parliament, considering the great extortion whereby the lieges are abused by the keepers of the signet, privy seal, great seal, director of the chancellery and writers thereto and all others clerks and keepers of registers within this realm, notwithstanding that there are particular rates and prices set down for all keepers of seals, registers and clerks in the parliament held by his highness's dearest father of blessed memory in the year 1621, therefore statute and ordain that all writers, keepers of seals and registers and clerks within this kingdom shall conform themselves and be ruled by the prices specially set down in the said parliament held in the year 1621, and shall conform themselves to the prices set down by [John Maitland], earl of Lauderdale, [David Carnegie, earl of] Southesk and Sir Andrew Fletcher of Innerpeffer, knight, one of the senators of the college of justice, respectively in the year 1639 under all highest pains contained in the acts of parliament.

17 November 1641

Read in audience of his majesty and estates of parliament, who remit the same to the council, with power to them to do to this effect as the king and parliament might, so that the sentence and determination of the council shall have the authority, force and effect of an act of parliament for this purpose.

[John Elphinstone, lord] Balmerino, in presence of the lords of parliament

  1. NAS, PA6/6, 'November 17 1641'. Another copy of this act, labelled as a draft version, is also bound in this section. However, there appears to be no real difference between the two acts.
  2. This clause is written on the rear of the document.