[A1573/1/9]¹

Approbation of the acts and proceedings done in name and by authority of our sovereign lord and of the invalidity of all things attempted in name or by colour of any other authority since his highness's coronation ²

Forasmuch as since the coronation of the king's majesty, our sovereign lord, diverse rebellious insurrections, treasonable conspiracies, open hostilities and disobediences have been raised against his highness, his authority and regents, tending to the subversion of Christ's³ religion, the deposing of his majesty from his royal crown and the confusion of the whole estate of the commonwealth of this realm; for resisting and repressing of the which treasonable, rebellious and dangerous enterprises and safety and preservation of our sovereign lord's innocent person, his regents, nobility and estates professing his obedience have been many times constrained to use the process, judgement and execution of his highness's laws; as also force and hostility against his highness's declared traitors, rebellious and disobedient subjects, their assisters and partakers. Therefore, it is statute and ordained by our sovereign lord, with advice of [James Douglas, earl of Morton], my lord regent's grace,⁴ the three estates and whole body of this present parliament, that all processes, judgements and executions of his highness's laws led, given and made in his majesty's name, criminally or civilly, since his highness's coronation aforesaid, either in parliaments, privy council, justice courts, session, and college of justice, exchequer or before the sheriffs, stewarts, bailies, provosts, aldermen and bailies of burghs and others, judges and ministers of laws whatsoever, and all deeds of hostility, in raising and conduction of men of war, battles, conflicts and otherwise, coining of money, taking and fortification of towns, castles, palaces, places, houses and policies, burning, destruction and demolishing thereof, intelligences, treaties and contracts made with whatsoever foreign princes or their lieutenants or ministers, bringing in of strangers in the towns and other parts of this realm, intromission with money, munitions and moveable goods, taking up of rents, taking and detaining of prisoners, ransoms, booty, raising of taxes, impositions and others whatsoever, done by our sovereign lord's regents, nobility and other subjects professing his obedience against the said declared traitors, rebels or disobedient subjects, their assisters and partakers whatsoever, at any time since our said sovereign lord's coronation, and before they obtained remissions for that; as also all intromission with any of their livings, goods, gear, plenishing or others being then within their houses or upon their lands or rooms, notwithstanding whatsoever assignation, title or interest that any other persons may claim or pretend thereto⁵; and declares that all that followed or shall happen to follow thereupon has been, is and in all time coming shall be reputed, held and esteemed as lawfully done and as good and profitable service for his majesty, tending to the preservation of the estate of Christian religion, the royal person and crown of our sovereign lord,⁶ resisting and repressing of his said rebellious and disobedient subjects and quieting of the country; and that the said regents and nobility and other subjects, their assisters and partakers, shall incur no hurt or danger thereupon in their persons, lands or goods, nor shall not be called nor accused for the same criminally nor civilly by any manner of way in time coming, discharging by this present act all and sundry his majesty's judges and ministers of his laws present and to come thereof, and of their offices in that part for ever. And this act to be amply extended and interpreted in the favour of all such as professed our sovereign lord's authority and obedience against those who were disobedient thereto, their assisters and partakers.⁷ And in like manner it is declared and decreed by our said sovereign lord, his dearest regent, the three estates and whole body of this present parliament, that all pretended processes, judgements and executions of laws, criminal or civil, either in pretended parliaments, council or before sheriffs, stewarts, bailies, provosts, aldermen, bailies of burghs or other judges or ministers of laws whatsoever, in name or by colour of any other authority since our sovereign lord's coronation aforesaid, have been, are and in all time coming shall be reputed, held and esteemed as unlawful, usurped, vain and of no force, strength nor effect, and to have no kind of execution for any time past or to come without any process of reduction.⁸⁹