Legislation: private acts

Act of approbatione and exoneration in favoures of Maister Archbald Johnstoun

The quhilke day the kingis majestie and estates of parliament, haveing takine to ther consideratione the desyre and petitione givine in to them be Maister Archbald Johnestoun, procurator for the kirke, makeand mentione of that imployment and trust put upoun him be the estates and parliament, wherby he was imployed be them not onlie in the effaires conserneing the publict, both of church and state, heir within the cuntrie, bot also in the treattie betuixt the kingis majestie and his subjectes of Scotland and betuixt the kingdomes of Scotland and England, first begune at Rippone and thereftir translated to Londone, and now happilie concludit and ratified by the parliamentes of both kingdomes, and therfore desyreing the kingis majestie and parliament to try and examene his cariage, fidelitie and diligence in the foirsaid imployment and trust committit to him, and accordinglie either to grant him exonoratione and approbatione of said chairge and cariage therintill, or utherwayes to sensure him for what shall be fund amiss in his behaviour in the foirsaid imployment, as they eftir examinatione and tryell shall find just, as the said petitione in itselfe more fullie proportes. And his majestie and estates of parliament, finding the foirsaid desyre most reasoneable, and haveing examinat the said Maister Archbald Johnestoune, his haill actiones and cariage in the foirsaid imployment and trust put upon him, and compaired the same with his commissione and instructions, togidder with the report of the committie of estates anent the compt and examinatione formerlie tane be theme of him at his returne frome Londoune, with the testimony of the kingis majestie and remanent commissioneris who ware in the commissione with him, doe find and declair that the said Maister Archbald Johnestoune heath faithfullie, diligentlie and cairfully beheaved himselfe in the foirsaid chairge, imployts and trust put upoun him in all the passages therof, as he justlie deserves ther trewe testimony of his approvine fidelitie and diligence; and therfor his majestie and estates of parliament doe not only liberat and exoner him of all questione or challenge that cane be laid to him for his cariage in the forsaid chairge and imployment, bot also, for the full demonstratione of ther acknowledgment of his fidelitie and diligence foirsaid, doe give him this weell deserved testimony and approbatione: that he heath in all fidelitie, caire and diligence behaved himselfe in the foirsaid imployment, charge and trust as ane loyall subject to the king and true patriot to his cuntrie.

[1641/8/76]¹

Act of exonoratione and approbatioun in favoures of Johne Smythe

The quhilk day the kingis majestie and estates of parliament, haveing takine to ther consideratione the desyre and petitione givine in to them be Johne Smyth of Grottell, burges of Edinburgh, makeand mentioune of the imployment and trust put upoun him be the estates and parliament, wherby he was imployit be them as ane of the three commissioneris for the burrowes with the rest of the commissionares in the treattie betuixt the kingis majestie and his subjectes of Scotland, and betuixt the kingdomes of England and Scotland first begune at Rippone and thaireftir transported to Londone, and now happilie concludit and ratified by the parliamentes of both kingdomes, and therfor desyreing the kingis majestie and parliament to try and examene his cariage, fidelitie and diligence in the foirsaid imployment and trust committit to him, and accordinglie either to grant him exonoratione and approbatione of his saids chairge and cariage therintill, or wtherwayes to censure him for what shall be fund amisse in his behaviour in the foirsaid imployment, as they eftir tryell and examinatione shall find just. And his majestie and estates of parliament findis the foirsaid desyre most reassonable, and haveing considerit the report of the committie appoynted be them for examinatione of the said Johne Smyth, his whole actiones and cariage in the foirsaid trust and imployment put upon him, and compaired the same with the commissione and instructiones granted to him and the remanent commissioneris, [togidder with the testimonie of the kingis majestie and remanent commissioneris]² who ware in the commissione and lyke trust with the said Sir Johne Smyth, doe find and declaire that the said Johne Smyth heath so faithfullie, diligentlie and cairfullie behaved himselfe in the foirsaid chairge, imployment and trust put upoun him in all the passages thairof as he justlie deserves ther true testimony of his approvine fidelitie and diligence; and therfor his majestie and estates of parliament doe not only liberat and exoner him of all questione or challenge that cane be laid to him for his cariage in the foirsaid chairge and imployt, bot also, for the full demonstratione of ther acknowledgment of his fidelitie and diligence foirsaid, doe give him this weell deserveing testimony and approbatione: that he heath in all fidelitie, cair and diligence behaved himselfe in the foirsaid imployment, chairge and trust as ane loyall subject to the king and trewe patriot to his cuntrie.