[1662/5/3]¹

Procedure: commission

His majesty's commission to [John Middleton], earl of Middleton etc.

The which day the lord commissioner produced his majesty's commission granted to him under his majesty's great seal for holding of this parliament, whereof the tenor follows.

Charles, by the grace of God, king of Scotland, England, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, etc., to all his honest men to whom this commission shall have come, greetings. Know that in as much as we, for our former good reasons, in the month of December 1660 furnished our dearly beloved, loyal kinsman and councillor John, earl of Middleton, lord of Clairmont and Fettercairn, etc., and our commissioner, with our authority to hold a parliament in our kingdom of Scotland; and since the said earl has heretofore displayed no common example of his loyalty, proficiency, and obedience in carrying out the foresaid commission, and has asserted our royal prerogative,² and has maintained the peace of our kingdom, which was interrupted some time ago; we have therefore ratified and approved, and by the tenor of this commission do ratify and approve, his faithful execution of our said commission; and we make known by the foresaid that the earl has rendered outstanding service to us, to the church, and to our said kingdom of Scotland; and because we were going to declare the said parliament valid and continuous, we therefore declare that the commission previously awarded to the said earl of Middleton still continues in full force with respect to all matters specified therein; and not only do we ratify and renew the same, but also, coming to the conclusion that, after so many years during which there have been irregular disturbances and outbreaks of violence, the stable security of our royal authority, and the peace and good management of the church and of our kingdom at the present time demand greater care and a greater degree of boldness and a wider commission than in time of established peace, and having ascertained to our satisfaction the proficiency, diligence, and obedience of our said well-beloved kinsman and councillor, John, earl of Middleton, etc., and that he has been sufficiently equipped to carry out our commands, therefore without prejudice to the former commission we have once again given and granted, and by the tenor of this commission do give and grant, our full power and commission to the said earl of Middleton to represent our most sacred person and authority during the remaining sessions of our said parliament, and to carry out and exercise each and everything which may tend to the good and advantage of the church and its lawful, established governance by archbishops and bishops in all their rights and privileges, and to the public peace and government of the said kingdom, and to the increase of our service there in all the administrative functions of the same; and to carry out and be responsible for all other things concerning the law and custom of this kingdom pertaining to the office and mandate of our commissioner, as others who have exercised a similar office in the past either have done or have been able to do. Therefore we command all our officers of state, our councillors, judges, the administrators of our laws, and all our other subjects to offer due respect, to acknowledge, and to give obedience to the said earl as our commissioner, while he is representing our sacred person and exercising our authority, to the effect and in the manner specified in the said commission. We ordain that this commission continue in full force during the next session of our parliament without interruption until it be brought to an end specifically by us, in witness whereof we have ordered that our great seal be attached to this commission.

At our palace of Whitehall, 29 January, the year of our Lord 1662, and in the thirteenth year of our reign.

Signed by the hand manual of our supreme lord the king.