[1540/12/18]¹

Off electioune of notaris

Item, anentis scribis and notaris, baith to land and burgh, becaus it is understand to the kingis grace that the multitude of thame generis ane grett confusioune, mony falsettis ar committit, for the remeid hereof, it is statute and ordanit that every schireff, with sic personis as sall pleise the kingis grace to adjone to thame, sall call befor thame all notaris that ar lawit men within his schirefdome and boundis of his office and exame thame, and quha that ar haldin to be famous and abill men to execute the office, that thai be admittit be ane acte in jugement, and that the said schireff haif ane buk and gar thame that are admittit writt thare subscriptioune and signis manuale in the said buk, siclik as thai subscrive all instrumentis and as thai will use in tymes cuming, and to discharge all utheris excepte thame that ar writtaris, notaris and scribis in oure soverane lordis courtis of justice, baith civile and temporale, quha salbe admittit be the chanceler, president and lordis of counsale; and quha eftir the said discharge makis any instrument, the samin salbe of nane avale and haif na faith, it beand opponit be the party and nocht beand provin in the contrar that the said notar is admittit as said is; and that all ordineris cause siclik to be done upoune all notaris that ar spirituale men within thare diocy; and quha that happinis to be maid notaris in tymes tocum, that thai use nocht the said office of notary unto the tyme thai cum befor the schirref or ordiner and gett thare admissioune, subscrive and put thare signis in the saidis bukis as thai will use in times tocum, with certificatioune to thame and thai falye, thare instrumentis salbe of nane avale and mak na faith.