[1535/4]¹

Procedure: continuation of parliament; king's delegation of parliamentary power to the lords of the articles

The quhilk day the kingis grace, with the avise and consent of his thre estatis in parliament, hes ordanit and ordanis this present parliament to stand under continuatioune in the samin forme, force and effecte as it is now, without ony uther particulare continuatioune, ay and quhil the samin be dissolvit be his grace, or at his command; and becaus thair is mony actis, statutis and constitutionis to be maid for gude reule, justice and police to be had within this realme and amang all oure soverane lordis liegis, bayth spirituale and temporall, quhilkis can nocht be haistely done, and it ware bayth tedious and sumptuouse to the haile estatis to byde and remane tharupoune, heirfore, oure said soverane lord, with the avise and consent of his thre estatis in plane parliament, hes gevin to the lordis of articulis fornamyt full power of parliament to devise and mak sic actis, statutis and constitutionis for gude reule, justice and police to be had within the realme, conforme to the articulis to be gevin be the kingis grace and as sall pleise ony utheris to geve and present to thame, and als upoune all uther materis that sall pleise the kingis grace to lay to thame concernyng his awin materis and effaris; and quhat ever thai ordane or statutis to have the samyn forme, strenthe² and effecte as the samin ware maid and statute be all the thre estatis beand personaly present, and to be pronuncit in presens of the kingis grace quhat day and place sall pleise his grace; and gif ony gretare matere occurris that pleise his grace to have the gretest of his prelatis and barounis counsale, he sall advertise thame therof be his speciall writtingis to convene sic day and place as he sall think maist expedient; and als that, nochtwithstanding this perpetuate continuatioune of sete of parliament, it salbe lesum to all jugis within this realme to hald thare courtis and minister justice to all oure soverane lordis liegis without ony speciale dispensatioune, and the kingis grace, with consent of his thre estatis presentlie in plane parliament, dispensis tharewith etc.