Commission to the Council, 15 March 1692, Edinburgh

Act, 29 December 1692, Edinburgh

Att Edinburgh the Fyfteinth day off March Jaj vjc and Nyntie tuo years

A1692/3/211

Commission to the Council

Comission off privie Counsell

The following Commission under there Majestyes great seall nominateing the Lords and others of his Majestyes privie Counsell for this kingdome dated the third day of March current read and appointed to be recorded And the Lord High Chancellour And Remanent Counsellors present as in the above sederunt did swear and signe the oath of alleadgeance and did signe the Certificate and assureance appointed by act of parliament The Lord Fountainhall who by this present Comission is designed there Majestyes advocat Declared that he wes willing to swear the oath and signe the assureance as ane ordinary Councellour But not under the title of there Majestyes advocat And swear and signe accordingly And desyred this might be Insert in the Minutes of Councell. Followes the said Comission Gulielmus et Maria Dei gratia Magnae Brittaniae Franciae et Hyberniae Rex et Regina Fideique defensores Omnibus probis hominibus ad quos presentes literae nostrae pervenerint Salutem Noveritis Nos Considerantes necessarium esse pro Commodo tum servitii nostri tum antiqui hujus nostri Scotiae Regni Quod nova faciatur nominatio et Institutio Secreti nostri Concilii pro ejusdem Regni Gubernatione Cumque per plurima Habeamus testimonia fidelitatis et Eximiarum animi dotum personarum Infra scriptarum ad tam summae fiduciae munus obeundum Igitur Nominasse Et Constituisse Tenoreque presentium Nominare et Constituere Dilectissimum fratrem nostrum Georgium Haereditarium Daniae principem fidelissimum et Dilectissimum Nostrum Consanguineum Et Consiliarium Joannem Comitem de Tweeddale Summum Nostrum2 Cancellarium Fidelissimos et dilectissimos nostros Consanguineos et Conciliarios Gulielmum Ducem de Hamiltone Concilii nostri Presidem Georgium Comitem de Melvill Secreti Nostri Sigilli Custodem Gulielmum Ducem de Queensberry Jacobum Marchionem de Douglas, Jacobum Comitem de Drumlanrig Archibaldum Comitem de Argyll Joannem Comitem de Erroll Summum Constabularium Georgium Comitem de Southerland de Southerland Joannem Comitem de Cassills Georgium Comitem de Linlythgow Patricium Comitem de Strathmore Robertum Comitem de Lothian Justiciarium nostrum Generalem Davidem Comitem de Leven Archibaldum Comitem de Forfar Joannem Comitem de Kintoir Joannem Comitem de Broadalbaine Georgium vicecomitem de Tarbatt Jacobum vicecomitem de Stair Sessionis Nostri Presidem Et Fidelissimos et dilectissimos nostros Consiliarios Joannem Dominum de Strathnaver […] Dominum Montgomerie Alexandrum Dominum Raith Thesaurarium nostrum deputatum Henricum Dominum de Cardross Joannem Dominum Belhaven Joannem Dominum Carmichaell Patricium Dominum Polwarth, Joannem Magistrum de Stair Secretarium nostrum Status Gulielmum magistrum de Forbes Jacobum Johnstoune alterum nostrum Status Secretarium Dominum Joannem Lauder de Fountainhall advocatum nostrum Dominum Joannem Lauder de Hattoun et […] Enstruther de eodem Senatores nostrae Collegii Justitiae Et Fideles et Dilectos nostros Consiliarios Dominum Ludovicum Grant de eodem Dominum Archibaldum Murray de Blackbarronie Dominum Robert3 Sinclair de Steivenstoune Dominum Thomam Burnet de Leyes Dominum Joannem Maxwell de Pollock Dominum Georgium Monro de Culraine Locum tenentem Generalem Hugonem McKay Dominum Thomam Livingstoun Dominum Gulielmum Lockhart Sollicitatorem nostrum et Dominum Patricium Murray de Saltcoats Dominos Nostri Secreti Concilii dicti Regni nostri Scotiae Et Commisimus Tenoreque presentium Comittimus iis sive quibusvis eorum novem administrationem et Gubernationem ejusdem Regni in omnibus negotiis Commodum pacem et salutem dicti nostri Regni tangentibus et de Jure et praxi ejusdem ad Judicium Cognitionem et determinationem Secreti nostri Consilii Spectantibus Cum Potestate iis vel quibuscunque eorum novem Conveniendi et Congregandi in loco pro ordinaria residentia nostrae Secreti concilii in Civitate nostra de Edinburgh statuto vel quoque alio loco Magis Idoneo atque absente dicto Cancellario nostro vel preside presidem quemlibet de eorum numero pro tempore Eligendi et consulendi deliberandi Concludendi decernendi et determinandi omnia et singula Negotia actiones causas et proposita ac commodum et pacem dicti Nostri Regni attinentia Juxta Leges et Parliamenti acta hactenus stabilita et ibidem stabilienda, Ac audiendi decidendi et determinandi omnes et singulas causas et actiones inter subditos nostros in vicem movendas ac Judicio dominorum Secreti consilii propriae competentes Dum modo nullus eorum conventibus intersit preter conciliarios nominatos una cum clerico aut Clericis Nostris pro tempore Cumque Potestate iis aut eorum unicuique exoriente quo libet tumulto aut molestia in illis regni partibus ubi pro tempore residebunt Manendi et Imperandi personae seu personis ejusmodi tumultuum authoribus Pacem nostram observare Et ejusdem transgressoribus Mandandi personas suas carceri comittere in locis iis Atque intra tam breve spatium prout iis visum fuerit ac ibidem remanere donec per plenarium Concilii numerum Pronunciabitur de re illa in qua peccaverint Quibusquidem Licebit mulctam pecuniarium Immorigeris et mandatum spernentibus Juxta delinquentium qualitatem et naturam delicti Irrogare Quin etiam Ipsos apprehendere et Carceri comittere Dummodo dictus dominus aut Domini nostri Consilii Ita mandantes nobis reliquisque nostris Conciliariis aut eorum Completo Numero vulgo quorum pro hujusmodi mandato rationem reddant Cumque Potestate iis statuta pro dicti Regni Nostri Policia et Gubernatione et tumultuum suppressione sauciendi et prescribendi Atque Justiciario nostro Generali, et Justiciario Clerico Et Justiciariae nostrae Commissionariis potestatem Concedendi executionem post convictionem protelare, aut supplicium Legis mitigare In causis Criminalibus ubi crimina sunt Capitalia Et prout natura et qualitates Criminum postulabunt, Atque Comissiones Justiciariae aliasque comissiones in rebus commodum Hujus Regni Nostri tangentibus Concedendi ac etiam Justiciario nostro Generali, Justiciario Clerico Et Nostrae Justiciariae Commissionariis potestatem Concedendi mulctas pecuniarias in Crimina adulterii portationis tormentorum et sclopetorum aliorumque actorum Parliamenti transgressionum ubi supplicium de Jure personas seu bona sequitur vel arbitrio Judicis relinquitur Imponere atque etiam exemptiones ac exercitibus equitationibus Et assisis et licentiis e dicto regno migrare et desedere4 secundum conditiones in dicti parliamenti actis expressas Concedendi Nec Non Cum potestate iis si qua publica et professa oriatur rebellio qui absque vi restringi nequit Commissiones praefecturae vel Justiciariae unum seu plures pro ejusdem suppressione concedere atque mandata sua talibus partibus dicti nostri Regni dirigendi Prout iis pro Concursu adhibendo in debita executione dictae commissionis maxime expediens videtur Et mandata et directiones faciendi pro suppeditandis ejusmodi pecuniarum Summis quas expeditiones tales postulabunt Cumque Potestate iis interveniente necessitate sessionum prorogandi atque tempora et loca sessioni iterum prescribendi Et similiter omnia et singula Prestandi gerendi et exercendi Quae secretum nostrum concilium dicti Regni Scotiae quo libet tempore retro acta fecit ac de Jure facere potuerit Regnantibus Illustrissimis nostris predecessoribus Ac ulterius Cum potestate iis vel quibus libet eorum novem Novem Regulas et ordines pro eorum conventibus ac tempus et spacium earundem prout iis placuerit prescribendi integro numero omni modo presente ex premonitione a Domino Cancellario vel praeside pro tempore existento iis facienda gravibus magnique momenti negotiis eadem postulantibus Et casu eorum absentiae absque venia a nobis aut plenario numero Concilii Impetrata alia ve Justa causa licebit reliquis conciliariis eorum ve plenariae numero antedicto ipsis tanquam servitium nostrum Negligentes Condigna Censura prosequi firmumque et stabile habemus et habebimus , Quicquid praedicti Domini eorum ve plenarius Numerus antedictus in premissis legittime fecerint Dummodo eorum ve singuli nobis rationem reddant de fideli executione dicti officii et Comissionis Quaequidem durante bene placito nostro duntaxat durabit ac donec per nos revocetur omnesque priores concilii commissiones et mandata pro admissione Cujusvis ex Conciliariis diem datamque praesentium praecedant Nulla et Irrita declaramus Reservata etiam Nobis potestate Per Epistolam aut mandatum sub manu Nostra5 numero praedicto personas ejusmodi addendi prout de tempore in tempus nobis visum fuerit , Quaequidem personae ita nominandi eadem potestate et authoritate gaudebunt ac si in hac presenti Commissione nostra exprimerentur Reservata Denique Nobis plenaria potestate per quamcunque Epistolam Seu mandatum sub Regia manu quoscunque ex nostris conciliariis ab eorum locis in Concilio Removendi et Suspendendi In Cujus Rej Testimonium presentibus magnum sigillum nostrum appendi mandavimus Apud Aulam nostram de Kensingtoun tertio die Mensis Martii Anno Domini millesimo sexcentesimo nonogesimo secundo et Anno Regni nostri tertio Per signaturam S: D: N: Regis supra signatam . Written on the back thus . Written to the Greatt Seall and Registrat the Fyfteenth day of March Jaj vjc and Nyntie tuo years . Sic subscribitur Duncan Ronald Deput . Sealled at Edinburgh the Fyfteinth day of March Jaj vjc Nyntie tuo years Sic subscribitur Alexander Inglis.

At Edinburgh 15 March 1692

A1692/3/211

Commission to the Council

Commission of privy council

The following commission under their majesties’ great seal nominating the lords and others of his majesty’s privy council for this kingdom dated the third day of March current, read and appointed to be recorded, and the lord high chancellor and other councillors present as in the above sederunt did swear and sign the oath of allegiance and did sign the certificate and assurance appointed by act of parliament. [Sir John Lauder] Lord Fountainhall who by this present commission is designed their majesties’ advocate, declared that he was willing to swear the oath and sign the assurance as an ordinary councillor but not under the title of their majesties’ advocate, and swear and sign accordingly, and desired this might be inserted into the minutes of council. Follows the said commission:
William and Mary by the grace of God king and queen of Great Britain, France and Ireland, and defenders of the faith, to all good men to whom our present letters will have come, greetings. Know that we, considering it to be necessary for the advantage as much of our service as of this our ancient kingdom of Scotland, that there should be made a new nomination and institution of our privy council for the governance of that kingdom, and since we have very many testimonies of the fidelity and distinguished qualities of character of the persons within written for discharging such a duty of the greatest trust, therefore to have nominated and constituted, and by the tenor of the presents nominate and constitute our most beloved brother George hereditary prince of Denmark, our most faithful and dearest kinsman and councillor John earl of Tweeddale our high chancellor, our most faithful and dearest kinsmen and councillors William duke of Hamilton, president of our council, George earl of Melville, keeper of our privy seal, William [Douglas] duke of Queensberry, James marquess of Douglas, James [Douglas] earl of Drumlanrig, Archibald [Campbell] earl of Argyll, John [Hay] earl of Erroll High Constable, George [Gordon] earl of Sutherland, John [Kennedy] earl of Cassillis, George [Livingston] earl of Linlithgow, Patrick [Lyon] earl of Strathmore, Robert [Kerr] earl of Lothian our justice general, David [Leslie] earl of Leven, Archibald [Douglas] earl of Forfar, John [Keith] earl of Kintore, John [Campbell] earl of Breadalbane, George [MacKenzie] viscount of Tarbat, James [Dalrymple] viscount of Stair, president of our session; and our most faithful and dearest councillors John [Gordon] Lord Strathnaver, [Alexander Montgomery] Lord Montgomery, Alexander [Melville] Lord Raith our treasurer depute, Henry [Erskine] Lord Cardross, John [Hamilton] Lord Belhaven, John Lord Carmichael, Patrick [Hume] Lord Polwarth, John [Dalrymple] master of Stair our secretary of state, William master of Forbes, James Johnstone our other secretary of state, Sir John Lauder of Fountainhall our advocate, Sir John Lauder of Hatton and [William] Anstruther of that ilk senators of our college of justice. And our faithful and dear councillors Sir Ludovick Grant of that ilk, Sir Archibald Murray of Blackbarony, Sir Robert Sinclair of Stevenston, Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys, Sir John Maxwell of Pollock, Sir George Munro of Coleraine, lieutenant general Hugh McKay, Sir Thomas Livingston, Sir William Lockhart our solicitor and Sir Patrick Murray of Saltcoats, lords of our privy council of our said kingdom of Scotland. And we have commissioned, and by the tenor of the present commission to them or any nine of them the administration and governance of that kingdom in all businesses touching the profit, peace and safety of our said kingdom and according to the law and practice of the same, pertaining to the justice, cognition and determination of our privy council. With power to them or whatever nine of them of convening and congregating in the place established for the ordinary residence of our privy council in our city of Edinburgh or some other place more suitable and, with our said chancellor or president being absent, of choosing whomsoever as president out of their number for the time, and of consulting, deliberating, concluding, deciding and determining all and single businesses, actions, causes and propositions attaining to the profit and peace of our said kingdom following the laws and acts of parliament as far as were established and need to be established therein. And of hearing, deciding and determining all and single causes and actions to be moved in turn between our subjects and entirely competent to the judgement of our lords of privy council, provided that none of them may be present at their meetings except nominated councillors, along with a clerk or our clerks for the time. And with power to those or any one of them with a tumult or uproar arising anywhere in those parts of the kingdom where they will reside for the time, of staying and commanding to the person or persons authors of tumults of that kind to observe our peace. And of commanding to the transgressors of it to commit their persons to be imprisoned in these places and within so short an interval just as will seem fitting to them and to remain there until it will be pronounced by the full number of the council about that matter in which they sinned. For which offenders and those spurning the mandate, it will be allowed to exact a monetary penalty, according to the quality of the offenders and nature of the offence. Moreover, to apprehend and commit them to be imprisoned, provided that the said lord or lords of our council ordering in such a way, should return a reason for a mandate of this kind to us and our remaining councillors or the full number of them, commonly a quorum. And with power to them of cutting and prescribing statutes for the administration and governance of our said kingdom and the suppression of tumults. And of granting power to our justice general and justice clerk and commissioners of our justiciary to delay execution after conviction or to mitigate punishment of the law in criminal cases where the crimes are capital ones, and just as the nature and qualities of crimes will demand. And of granting commissions of justiciary and other commissions in matters touching the profit of this our kingdom and also of granting power to our justice general, justice clerk and the commissioners of our justiciary to impose monetary fines in crimes of adultery, of carrying artillery and firearms, and the transgression of other acts of parliament where a punishment follows persons or goods according to law, or is left to the arbitration of a judge, and also of granting exemptions from the cavalry and assises and licences to migrate and depart from the said kingdom according to the conditions expressed in the acts of the said parliament. And also with power to them, if any public and professed rebellion should arise which is unable to be restrained without force to grant commissions to the provost or justiciar, one or more, for its suppression and of directing their own mandates to such parts of our said kingdom just as it seems greatly expedient to them for handling the tumult in due execution of the said commission. And of making mandates and directions for supplying the sums of money of that kind which such expeditions will demand. And with power to them of proroguing the session as necessity intervenes and of prescribing the times and places of the session again. And likewise of providing, conducting and exercising all and single which our privy council of the said kingdom of Scotland did at whatever time past and could do according to law when our illustrious predecessors were ruling. And beyond this with power to them or which nine of them it pleases of prescribing rules and orders for their meetings and the times and intervals of them, just as it is will have pleased them, with the entire number only present from the forewarning by the lord chancellor or president existing for the time to be made by them for serious businesses and of great importance asking the same. And in the case of the absence without pardon sought from us or the full number of the council or other just cause it will be permitted to the remaining councillors or the foresaid full number of them to pursue those neglecting our service, as it were, with appropriate censure. And we hold and will hold firm and stable whatever the foresaid lords or the foresaid plenary number of them will have done legitimately in the foregoing, provided that they and each of them render to us the reason concerning the faithful execution of the said office and commission, which will last during our pleasure only and until it may be revoked by us. And all former commissions and mandates of the council for the admission of any from the councillors that may precede the day and date of the presents, we declare null and void. With power reserved to us also through the letter or mandate under our hand of adding to the foresaid number, persons of that kind just as from time to time it will have seemed fitting to us. Which persons to be nominated in such a way they will enjoy the same power and authority as if they were expressed in this present commission. Finally, with full power reserved to us, through whatever letter or mandate under the royal hand of removing and suspending whomsoever from our councillors from their places in the council. In testimony whereof, we command our great seal to be appended to the presents. At our court of Kensington on 3 March 1692 and in the third year of our reign. By the signature of our supreme Lord the King above written.

1. PC1/48, 100-3.

2. ‘Consel’ is scored out here.

3. ‘Steivenstoune’ is scored out here.

4. *Sic*., *recte* decedere.

5. ‘P’ is scored out here.

1. PC1/48, 100-3.