Act, 12 March 1705, Edinburgh

Att Holyrudehouse the tenth day of May J^aj vij^c and fyve years

A1705/5/13

A1705/5/13¹

Procedure

Exoneration To James Johnstoun Esquire late Lord Register and his deput and Servants

His Grace her Majesties high Commissioner and the Lords of her Majesties privie Councill haveing by ther ordinance of the date the 26th day of Apryll Last, Appoynted a Committie of ther own number to see the Records, Registers, warrands and other papers belonging to the office of Clerk Register, the keyes of the lower parliament house and other keyes wher the saids Registers and Records are keept, delyvered up to the Lord Philiphawgh now Register, By James Johnstoun Esquire late Register his deputs and Servants in the Said office wnder him in the said office wpon oath, And accordingly the said Committie haveing mett in the haigh parliament house upon the first day of May instant, and called befor them Alexander Gibsone of Durie one of the principall Clerks of Session, As haveing Commission from the Late Lord Register for keeping of the publict records, as also Thomas Gibsone his brother, And Alexander Baillie wryter in Edinburgh as being lykewayes intrusted by his lordship for keeping of the saids records and Registers, And having Solemnly Sworne, examined and Interrogat them and each of them in the termes of the forsaid remitt, They deponed wpon oath That neither they nor any to their knowledge have abstracted nor imbazled any of the records, warrands or papers belonging to the Registers office, which have been in ther custody, And that they as having Commission from or being intrusted by the late Lord Register, neither had nor have any other records, warrands, papers nor keyes then what they instantly delyver, And the Samen receaved by the present Register accordingly; As also the saids Lords having by ther forsaid Act and Remitt to the Said Committie Granted warrand and Commission to Mr Alexander Wedderburne Secretary deput to take the oath of the said James Johnstoun Esquire late Register In the termes of the forsaid remitt, And therby declaired that wpon delyverie of the Records, warrands and others as aforsaid, and report of the said James Johnstouns oath, They would grant a Sufficient exoneration of the Same to the Said late Clerk Register, and his saids deputs and Servants, And accordingly in obedience to the forsaid Commission, The said Alexander Wedderburne haveing reported to the saids Lords the said James Johnstouns oath dated at Whythall the fyfth day of May instant, wherby the said Alexander Wedderburne as having Commission forsaid, having sworne and examined the said James Johnstoun in the terms of the said Commission he deponed wpon oath That he hes not directly nor indirectly abstracted nor withdrawen, imbazled nor destroyed any of the Records; papers or warrands belonging to the said office of Register, And that he neither hes nor had any other records belonging to the said office, then what wer in the custody of his deputs and Servants, And are delyvered up² or to be delyvered up by them as her Majestie and the Councill Should order, Therfore his Grace and the Saids Lords By thir presents Exoners the said James Johnstoun Esquire, Alexander Gibsone of Durie his deput Thomas Gibsone and Alexander Baillie his Servants in intrusted by him as said is, off the saids Registers and warrands therof, And of the charge and trust he and they had in keeping therof, And declairs the said James Johnstoun and his saids deputs and Servants free of the Samen, And of all question theranent in tyme comeing.