Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him.—Rev. 1.7

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LAWS AND ACTS:
That is,
Excerpts from the
Laws, Acts, Constitutions, &
Public Declarations
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ONCE FAVOURED WITH THE LIGHT OF THE
GOSPEL OF
JESUS CHRIST,

King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven,
and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes
and commandments... But they and our fathers dealt proudly,
and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to
thy commandments
.—Nehemiah 9.13,16.

Nation:Scotland
Reign:James VI
Parliament:The First Parliament of King James the Sixth (1567-12-15 — 1567-12-29)
Session:Only Session of the First Parliament of James VI

20. ¶ The declaratioun of Parliament maid to the Laird of Lochleuin, anent the keiping of the Kingis Mother, in the hous and Fortalice of Lochleuin. Ca. xx.

(20)

20. ¶ The declaration of Parliament made to the Laird of Lochleven, anent the keeping of the King’s Mother, in the house and Fortalice of Lochleven. Ca. xx.

Anent the supplicatioun geuin in be Williame Dowglas of Lochleuin, beirand that the Erlis of Mortoun, Atholl, Mar, Glencarne, the Lordis Ruthuen, Holme, Lindesay, Sempill, and diueris vtheris honorabill Barronis, and gentilmen of this Realme, vpon the .xvj. day of Junij, last bypast, be thair letteris subscriuit with thair handis, gaif command to the said Williame Dowglas, vpon his dew obedience, and as he tenderis the commoun weill of this Realme, his natiue cuntrie, to ressaue our Souerane Lordis Mother in keping, within his fortalice, & place of Lochleuin, as being ane rowme maist conuenient thairto, and keip hir surelie thairintill, ay & quhill farther tryall be taine, anent the cruell murthour, and tressonabill slauchter of vmquhile Henry King, spous to the Quene, than our Souerane, and the said Williame sufficientlie exonerit, {folio xvi. verso} and dischargeit of hir said keping, as the letteris, and charge direct be the saidis Erlis, Lordis, and nobill men, schawin in presence of my Lord Regent, and thre Estatis of this Realme beiris. And thairfoir desyring our Souerane Lord, my Lord Regent, and thre Estatis of this presét Parliamét, to gif declaratour to the said Williame Dowglas of Lochleuin, that he hes done his detfull diligence, in ressauing, and keping of our said Souerane Lordis derrest Mother. And thairthrow that he, and his airis may be fre of all actioun, and cryme that may be imputit to thame thairthrow, and of ony vther thing done to hir, sen hir cuming to the said place, and fortalice, in respect of hir awin declaratioun schawin, and producit in presence of my said Lord Regent, and haill Estatis of this present Parliament, lyke as the said supplicatioun, wrytingis, and chargeis direct thairanent schawin, and producit as said is beiris. ¶ Our Souerane Lord, with auise of the said Lord Regent, and thre Estatis, and haill body of this present Parliament, declairis the saidis letteris, & chargeis, direct to the said Williame Dowglas of Lochleuin in maner abone written, to be dewlie, & ressonablie direct, and procedit vpon ane iust, trew, and sinceir ground, and thairfoir be censement of this present Parliament, authorisis, and declairis the samin to haue bene dewlie, weill, ordourlie, and iustly direct vpon gude causis, and consideratiounis, lyke as alswa our Souerane Lord, with auise of my Lord Regent, and thre Estatis of Parliament foirsaid, authorisis, and declaris the wrytingis, & declaratioun maid be our said Souerane Lordis derrest mother, vpon the .xxviij. day of Julij last bypast, declairand that scho on na wyse was treitit, nor cópellit be the said Williame Dowglas of Lochleuin, nor na vtheris of his causing, to do ony thing contrare hir plesour, sen hir cuming to the said place of Lochleuin. And thairfoir ordanis the saidis letteris, chargeis, and vtheris wryttingis abone writtin, to be insert and registrat in the buikis of Parliament, to remaine thairintill perpetuallie, for declaratioun of the said Williame Dowglas trew, and iust obedience in the said mater. And declairis, he hes done his detfull dewtie in obtempering, obeying, and fulfilling of the command, and charge abone writtin, and decernis him, his airis, successouris, and posteritie to be harmles and skaithles thairanent, for now and euer. And dischargeis all actioú and cause criminall, and ciuile, that may be intentit, or persewit aganis thame, or him for the samin, for now and euer be this present act.

Anent the supplication given in by William Douglas of Lochleven, bearing that the Earls of Morton, Atholl, Mar, Glencairn, the Lords Ruthven, Holme, Lindsey, Sempill, and divers others honorable Barons, and gentlemen of this Realm, upon the 16th day of June, last bypast, by their letters subscribed with their hands, gave command to the said William Douglas, upon his due obedience, and as he tenders the common weal of this Realm, his native country, to receive our Sovereign Lord’s Mother in keeping, within his fortalice, & place of Lochleven, as being a room most convenient thereto, and keep her surely therein, aye & while [ever and until] further trial be taken, anent the cruel murder, and treasonable slaughter of umwhile [late, deceased] Henry King, spouse to the Queen, then our Sovereign, and the said William sufficiently exonered, {folio xvi. verso} and discharged of her said keeping, as the letters, and charge direct by the saids Earls, Lords, and noblemen, shown in presence of my Lord Regent, and three Estates of this Realm bears. And therefore desiring our Sovereign Lord, my Lord Regent, and three Estates of this present Parliament, to give declaratour [judicial declaration] to the said William Douglas of Lochleven, that he has done his detful [proper, due] diligence, in receiving, and keeping of our said Sovereign Lord’s dearest Mother. And there-through that he, and his heirs may be free of all action, and crime that may be imputed to them there-through, and of any other thing done to her, since her coming to the said place, and fortalice, in respect of her own declaration shown, and produced in presence of my said Lord Regent, and whole Estates of this present Parliament, likeas the said supplication, writings, and charges direct thereanent shown, and produced as said is bears. ¶ Our Sovereign Lord, with advice of the said Lord Regent, and three Estates, and whole body of this present Parliament, declares the saids letters & charges, direct to the said William Douglas of Lochleven in manner above written, to be duly, & reasonably direct, and proceeded upon a just, true, and sincere ground, and therefore by censment [judgment] of this present Parliament, authorizes, and declares the same to have been duly, well, orderly, and justly direct upon good causes, and considerations, likeas also our Sovereign Lord, with advice of my Lord Regent, and three Estates of Parliament foresaid, authorizes, and declares the writings, & declaration made by our said Sovereign Lord’s dearest mother, upon the 28th day of July last bypast, declaring that she on no wise was treated, nor compelled by the said William Douglas of Lochleven, nor no others of his causing, to do anything contrary her pleasure, since her coming to the said place of Lochleven. And therefore ordains the saids letters, charges, and others writings above written, to be insert and registrate in the books of Parliament, to remain therein perpetually, for declaration of the said William Douglas’ true and just obedience in the said matter. And declares, he has done his detful [proper, due] duty in obtempering [complying with], obeying, and fulfilling of the command, and charge above written, and decerns him, his heirs, successours, and posterity to be harmless and skaithles [free of penalty or liability] thereanent, for now and ever. And discharges all action and cause criminal, and civil, that may be intended, or pursued against them, or him for the same, for now and ever by this present act.