Procedure, 20 March 1705, Edinburgh

Act, 12 March 1705, Edinburgh

Att Edinburgh the Twentieth of March Jaj vijc and fyve years

A1705/3/181

Procedure

Commissio Jacobi Comitis de Seafeild de officio Summi Cancellarii Scotiae

Commission under the great seall of this kingdome In favours of James Earle of Seafeild To be Lord high Chancellor being presented by Sir Robert Forbes one of the Clerks of Counsell, The Samen was read and ordered to be recorded, And thereafter delyvered to the Marques of Annandale by the said Sir Robert, and who delyvered the same to the Earle of Loudoun In name and in absence of the said Earle of Seafeild, and who received the Samen upon his knee as use is, wherof the tenor follows.
Anna dei Gratia Magnae Brittanniae, Franciae et Hyberniae Regina fideique defensor, Omnibus probis hominibus ad quos presentes Litterae nostrae pervenerint, Quandoquidem nos intelligentes quantum Ministerii nostri Commodo Intersit, Summae illud fiduciae Munus et officium Cancellarii nostri antiqui regni Scotiae unico cuidam fidelitate intaminata Integritate et eximiis animi dotibus Imbuto , Committere ; Cumque plurima habemus testimonia de fidelitate preclaris animi dotibus et Integritate fidelissimi et dilectissimi nostri Consanguinei et Conciliarii Jacobi Commitis2 de Seafeild tam in ejusdem Summi muneris priori sua functione quam aliorum magnae fiduciae munerum et officiorum in praedicto regno; Noveritis igitur nos nominasse, fecisse, constituisse, et ordinasse, Tenoreque praesentium Nominamus , facimus , constituimus et ordinamus eundem fidelissimum et dilectissimum nostrum Consanguineum et Consiliarium Jacobum Comitem de Seafeild (durante nostro beneplacito solummodo) Supremum dicti nostri antiqui regni Cancellarium et Solem et principalem Magni nostri Sigilli ejusdem regni Custodem, Damus pariter Concedimus et disponimus illi, durante Spatio antedicto, Idem munus et officium cum Universis honoribus dignitatibus, praecedentiis, privilegiis, feodis et pensione per quem libet ex ejus in dicto officio antecessoribus po[t]itis et gavisis, Sive quae de lege et consuetudine eo Juste Spectare dignoscentur; Et praesertim cum plenaria potestate et privilegio presidendi in omnibus Parliamentis, ordinum Conventibus , Curiis , aliisque omnibus Conventibus per nos Statutis vel Statuendis, quibus dictus noster supremus3 Cancellarius Intererit (Excepto omni modo Scaccario nostro presente Thesaurario nostro principali) omnibus pariter Subditis nostris Mandamus et Imperamus ut memoratum Jacobum Comitem de Seafeild tanquam Supremum nostrum antedicti regni Cancellarium omni quo par est honore et respectu Summo illi officio et muneri debito agnoscant prosequentur et reverentur , Secretioris etiam nostri Concilii dicti regni dominos requirimus , iisque au[c]toritatem tribuimus ut Juramentum ejus de fideli administratione in dicto munere et officio exigant, Utque itidem Juramenta fidelitatis et Securitatis aliaque Juramenta per leges Statuta ipsum dicere et Sc[r]ibere efficiant . In cujus rei Testimonium Praesentibus magnum Sigillum nostrum Appendi Mandavimus Apud Aulam nostram de St James’s Nono die mensis Martii Anno domini Millesimo , Septingentesimo quinto , et Anno regni nostro4 tertio, Per Signaturam manu S . D . N . Reginae Supra Scriptam, Wrytten to the great Seall and registrat the 14. day of March 1705 . Sic Subscribitur Charles Kerr ,Sealled at Edinburgh the fourteinth day of March 1705. Sic subscribitur John Dicksone

At Edinburgh 20 March 1705

A1705/3/181

Procedure

Commission of James, earl of Seafield concerning the office of high chancellor of Scotland

Commission under the great seal of this kingdom in favours of James [Ogilvie] earl of Seafield to be lord high chancellor being presented by Sir Robert Forbes, one of the clerks of council, the same was read and ordered to be recorded, and thereafter delivered to [William Johnston] marquis of Annandale by the said Sir Robert, and who delivered the same to [Hugh Campbell] earl of Loudoun in name and in absence of the said earl of Seafield, and who received the same upon his knee as use is, whereof the tenor follows:
Anne by the grace of God queen of Great Britain, France, and Ireland and defender of the faith, to all good men to whom our present letters will have come [greetings]. Since we understanding how much it concerns the profit of our service to commit that duty and office of the greatest trust of chancellor of our ancient kingdom of Scotland to some individual with unblemished loyalty, integrity, and imbued with exceptional qualities of character, and since we have very many testimonies about the fidelity, distinguished character traits and integrity of our most faithful and loved kinsman and councillor James, earl of Seafield, as much by his prior function of that great office as of other duties and offices of great trust in the foresaid kingdom; know therefore that we have nominated, made, constituted, and ordained, and by the tenor of the presents we nominate, make, constitute, and ordain our same most faithful and dearest kinsman and councillor James, earl of Seafield (during our pleasure only) high chancellor of our said ancient kingdom and sole and principal keeper of our great seal of that kingdom. Equally, we give, grant and assign to him, during the aforesaid interval, the same duty and office with all honours, dignities, precedents, privileges, fees and pension gained and enjoyed by anyone of his predecessors in the said office, or which will be known to pertain justly to it according to law and custom, and especially with full power and privilege of presiding in all parliaments, conventions of estates, courts and all other conventions established by us or to be established, for which our said high chancellor will be present (the exception entirely for our exchequer with our principal treasurer being present). Equally, we order and command to all our subjects that they should recognise, attend, and revere the mentioned James, earl of Seafield as our high chancellor of the foresaid kingdom in all which he is equal to the honour and respect owed to that greatest office and duty. We also ask the lords of our privy council of the said kingdom and we bestow authority to them that they demand his oath of faithful administration in the said duty and office, and that likewise they make him say and subscribe the oaths of fidelity and security and the other oaths established by the laws. In testimony whereof, we have ordered our great seal to be appended to the presents. At our court of St James’s on 9 March 1705, and in the third year of our reign. By the sign manual of our supreme lady the queen above written. Written to the great seal and registers 14 March 1705. Sic Subscribitur Charles Kerr, sealed at Edinburgh 14 March 1705. Sic subscribitur John Dickson.

1. NRS, PC1/53, 374-5.

2. Sic.

3. ‘supremus’ is an insertion.

4. Sic. Recte ‘nostri’.

1. NRS, PC1/53, 374-5.