[1641/4/4]¹

Letter: king's letter to parliament and protests against

Instrumentes upon production of the kingis lettir and protestatione for the estates

The quhilke day compeired personally, in presence of the estates of parliament conveened in parliament, Sir Thomas Hope of Craighall, knycht, his majesties advocat, and delyvered to the said Robert, lord Burghlie, president chosine to this meeting of estates in parliament, ane lettir from his sacred majestie to the noblemen, barrones, commissionaris of shyris and burrowes of his majesties parliament in Scotland, quhilke the said lord president ressavit in all humilitie and caused to be publicklie red in presence of the estates now conveened, quherof the tennour falloueth: Charles R[ex]. Right trustie and weelbeloved cusignes and counsellouris, right trustie and weellbeloved cusingis, right trustie and weellbeloved counsellouris, right trustie and weellbeloved, trustie and trustie and weellbeloved counsellouris, wee greet yow weell. Quheras formerlie by our lettiris wee ware pleased to requyre yow to prorogat the parliament of that our kingdome wntill the therteene day of Apryle nixtocome, your reddie obedience in performance therof as we cannot bot take weell at your handis, so we give yow hartlie thankis for the same. And now, as then, sieing for verie considerable and interveeneing weightie occasionis, wee nather in our royall persone nor by our commissionar can convenientlie be present at the said day it is againe our pleasour that yee continowe and prorogue the parliament unto the tuentie fyfte of Maii nixtocome, with continuatioune of dayes, to the end wee may in the meanetyme the bettir dispose of such effaires heare as may most conduce to the good of our service and setling of a firme and constant peace betuixt both kingdomes, which seriouslie recommending to your caires, wee bid yow fairweell. From our court at Quhythall, the tuentie thrid of Merch 1641 stilo Scotico. Wpoun productione and reiding wherof, and inserting of the tennour of the samene lettir in maner abovewrittin, the kingis majesties advocat asked instrumentes.

And immediatlie thereftir the Erle of Mar, in name of the noble men, Sir Johne Hammiltoune of Prestoune, in name of the commissionaris of shyres, and Maister Alexander Jafray, commissioner for the burghe of Aberdeene, in name of the commissioneris of burrowes, protestit that the nameing of his majesties commissioner designit in the foirsaid lettir 'our commissioner' shall nowayes import acknowledgement wpoun the pairt of the estates that the Erle of Traquar, late commissionar, is anywayes wnderstood to be that commissionar whom his majestie termes by the name of 'our commissionar', be reasone he is indicted to the parliament as ane incendiarie or for certane wther crymes, and declaired that this protestatioun they make out of ane assured confidence of his majesties justice and goodnes that his majestie nameing of 'our commissioner' did not nor nowayes does point at the said Erle of Traquair as commissioner, and for escheweing ambiguitie in the word 'our commissioner' conteenit in the lettir, and that in all humility and without intentione of offence to his majestie, quhilke protestatioun the saidis estates hes admittit and admittis.