ITEM Anent the artickle proponit be the Erlis, Lordis, and vther Nobill men, quha tuik armis at Carbarrie hill, vpon the .xv. day of Junij last bypast. And anent thair conueningis of befoir, and of the cause of the apprehensioun of the Quene, Mother to our Souerane Lord. And quhidder the saidis Nobill mé, and vtheris quhilkis tuik armis of befoir hir said apprehensioun, and quhilkis ioynit with thame, and assistit thame at that tyme, or ony wayis sensyne, hes done the dewtie of Nobill men, gude, and trew subiectis of this Realme, and na wayis offendit, nor transgressit the Lawis in that effect, or ony thing depending thairupon, outher preceding, or following the samin. ¶ Our Souerane Lord, with auise of my Lord Regent, and thre Estatis, and haill body of this present Parliament, hes fundin, declairit, and concludit, and be this present act findis, declairis, and concludis, that the cause and occasioun of the conueutiounis, and messageis of the saidis Erlis, Lordis, Nobill men, Barronis, and vtheris faithfull and trew subiectis, and consequentlie, thair taking of armis, and cuming to the feildis with oppin and displayit banneris, and the cause and occasioun of the taking of the said Quenis person, vpon the said .xv. day of Junij last bypast, and halding, and detening of the samin within the housis and Fortalice of Lochleuin, continuallie, sensyne presentlie, and in all tyme cuming. And generallie all vther thingis inuentit, spokin, writtin, or done be thame, or ony of thame to that effect, sen the tent day of Februar last bypast, vpon the quhilk day, vmquhile Henry King, than the said Quenis lauchfull husband, and our Souerane Lord the Kingis derrest Father, was tressonablie, schamefullie, and horriblie murthourit, vnto the day and dait, of this present act, and in all tymes to cum, tuicheing the said Quene, and detening of hir person. That the cause and {folio xv. verso} all thingis dependand thairon, or that ony wayis may pertene thairto, the intromissioun, or disponing vpon hir propirtie, casualiteis, or quhatsumeuer thing pertening, or that ony wayis mycht pertene to hir, Wes in the said Quenis awin default, in sa far as be diuers hir preuie letteris writtin halelie with hir awin hand, and send be hir to James, sumtyme Erle of Bothwell, cheif executour of the said horribill murthour, asweill befoir the committing thairof, as thairefter. And be hir ungodlie, and dishonourabill proceding to ane pretédit mariage with him, suddandlie, and vnprouisitlie thairefter, it is maist certaine, that scho was preuie, airt, and pairt, of the actuall deuise, and deid of the foirnamit murthour, of the King hir lauchful husband, and Father to our Souerane Lord, committit be the said James, sumtyme Erle of Bothwell, his complices, and pertakeris. And thairfoir iustlie deseruis quhatsumever hes bene done to hir in ony tyme bygane, or that salbe vsit towardis hir, for the said cause in tyme cuming, quhilk salbe vsit be aduise of the Nobilitie, in respect, that our said Souerane Lordis Mother, with the said James, sumtyme Erle of Bothwell, zeid about be indirect and colourit menis, to colour, and hald bak the knawlege of the treuth of the committaris of the said cryme. Zit all men in thair hartis war fullelie perswadit, of the authouris and deuysaris of that mischeuous, and vnworthie fact, awaiting quhill God sould moue the hartis of sum to enter in the querrell, for reuengeing of the samin. And in the menetyme, ane greit pairt of the Nobilitie, vpon iust feir to be handlit, and demanit in semblabill maner, as the King had bene of befoir. Persauing alswa the Quene sa thrall; and swa blindlie affectionat to the priuate appetyte of that tyrane, and that baith he, and scho had conspyrit togidder sic horribill crueltie, being thairwith all garnissit with ane cumpanie of vngodlie, and vitious personis, reddy to accomplische all thair vnlauchfull commandementis, of quhome he had ane sufficient number, continuallie awaiting vpon him, for the samin effect, all Nobill and vertuous men abhorring thair tyrannie, and cumpanie, bot cheiflie suspecting, that thay, quha had sa tressonablie put downe, and distroyit the Father, sould mak the innocent Prince, his onlie Sone, and the principall, and almaist onlie confort, send be God to this afflictit natioun, to taist of the samin coup (as the mony inuentit purposis to pas quhair he was, and alswa quhair the Nobill men war in) be thair oppin confusioun gaif sufficient warning and declaratioun, quhairthrow the saids Erlis, Lordis, Barronis, and vtheris faithfull, and trew subiectis taking armis, or vtherwyse quhatsumeuer ioyning, and assisting in the said actioun, and in the saidis conuentiounis, displaying baneris, and cuming to the feildis, taking and retening of the Quenis person, asweill in tymes bypast, as heirefter, and all vtheris that hes thairefter, or sall {folio xvi. recto} in ony tyme cuming adioyne to thame, and all thingis done be thame, or ony of thame, tuicheing that cause, and all vther thingis depending thairon, or that ony wayis may appertene thairto, the intromissioun, or disponing vpon hir propirtie, or casualiteis, or quhatsumeuer vther thingis pertening, or ony wayis mycht appertene to hir, was in default of hir self, and the said James, sumtyme Erle of Bothwell, and be the horribill, and cruell murther of our said Souerane Lordis vmquhile derrest Father, conspyrit, deuysit, committit, conseilit, and colourit be thame, and not condignelie puneist according to the Lawis. And that the saidis Erlis, Lordis, Barronis, and vtheris trew, and faithfull subiectis, conuening at ony conuentioun bygaine, and now presentlie, efter the said murthour, for furthering of the tryell thairof, and als thay, and all vtheris that war on the feildis, tuik armis, apprehendit, held, keipit, or detenit, or presentlie haldis, keipis, or detenis hir person, or sall thairefter, or that hes ionit, or assistit, or sall in ony tyme heirefter ioyne to thame in that querrell, tuicheing the premissis, ar, war, and salbe innocent, fre, and acquyte of the samin, and of all actioun, and cause criminall, and ciuill, that may be intentit, or persewit aganis thame, or ony of thame thairfoir, in ony tyme cuming. And that ane pairt of the thre Estatis foirsaidis, Prelatis, Bishopis, greit Barronis, and Burgessis, gaif thair Seillis thairupon, to be vsit as salbe thocht maist expedient be thame, for the honour of the Realme, and securitie of the nobill men, and vtheris hauand enteres in the said cause. And decernis, this declaratioun to be na wayis preiudiciall to the Issue of our Souerane Lordis Mother, lauchfullie cumin of hir body, to succeid to the Crowne of this Realme, nor thair airis.

ITEM Anent the article proponed by the Earls, Lords, and other Noblemen, who took arms at Carberry hill, upon the 15th day of June last bypast. And anent their convenings of before, and of the cause of the apprehension of the Queen, Mother to our Sovereign Lord. And whether the saids Noblemen, and others which took arms of before her said apprehension, and which joined with them, and assisted them at that time, or any ways since then, has done the duty of Noblemen, good, and true subjects of this Realm, and no ways offended, nor transgressed the Laws in that effect, or any thing depending thereupon, either preceding, or following the same. ¶ Our Sovereign Lord, with advice of my Lord Regent, and three Estates, and whole body of this present Parliament, has found, declared, and concluded, and by this present act finds, declares, and concludes, that the cause and occasion of the conventions, and messages of the saids Earls, Lords, Noblemen, Barons, and others faithful and true subjects, and consequently, their taking of arms, and coming to the fields with open and displayed banners, and the cause and occasion of the taking of the said Queen’s person, upon the said 15th day of June last bypast, and holding, and detaining of the same within the houses and Fortalice of Lochleven, continually, since then, presently, and in all time coming; And generally all other things invented [devised], spoken, written, or done be them, or any of them to that effect, since the tenth day of February last bypast, upon the which day, umwhile [late, deceased] Henry King, then the said Queen’s lawful husband, and our Sovereign Lord the King’s dearest Father, was treasonably, shamefully, and horribly murdered, unto the day and date, of this present act, and in all times to come, touching the said Queen, and detaining of her person: That the cause and {folio xv. verso} all things depending thereon, or that anyways may pertain thereto, the intromission, or disponing upon [disposing, ordering] her property, casualties, or whatsomever thing pertaining, or that any ways might pertain to her, Was in the said Queen’s own default [fault], insofar as by divers her privy letters written wholly with her own hand, and sent by her to James, sometime Earl of Bothwell, chief executor of the said horrible murder, aswell before the committing thereof, as thereafter. And by her ungodly, and dishonourable proceeding to a pretended marriage with him, suddenly, and unprovisitly [unexpectedly] thereafter, it is most certain, that she was privy, art and part, of the actual device and deed of the forenamed murder, of the King her lawful husband, and Father to our Sovereign Lord, committed by the said James, sometime Earl of Bothwell, his accomplices, and partakers. And therefore justly deserves whatsomever has been done to her in any time bygone, or that shall be used towards her, for the said cause in time coming, which shall be used by advice of the Nobility, in respect, that our said Sovereign Lord’s Mother, with the said James, sometime Earl of Bothwell, went about by indirect and coloured means, to colour, and hold back the knowledge of the truth of the committers of the said crime. Yet all men in their hearts were fully persuaded, of the authors and devisers of that mischievous, and unworthy fact [act, deed], awaiting while [until] God should move the hearts of some to enter in the quarrel, for revenging of the same. And in the meantime, a great part of the Nobility, upon just fear to be handled, and demanit [treated] in semblable [similar] manner, as the King had been of before; Perceiving also the Queen so thrall; and so blindly affectionate to the private appetite of that tyrant, and that both he, and she had conspired together such horrible cruelty, being therewithal garnissed [furnished] with a company of ungodly, and vicious persons, ready to accomplish all their unlawful commandments, of whom he had a sufficient number, continually awaiting upon him, for the same effect, all Noble and virtuous men abhorring their tyranny, and company, but chiefly suspecting, that they, who had so treasonably put down, and destroyed the Father, should make the innocent Prince, his only Son, and the principal, and almost only confort [comfort, consolation], sent by God to this afflicted nation, to taste of the same cup (as the many invented purposes to pass where he was, and also where the Noblemen were in) by their open confusion gave sufficient warning and declaration, where-through the saids Earls, Lords, Barons, and others faithful, and true subjects taking arms, or otherwise whatsomever joining, and assisting in the said action, and in the saids conventions, displaying banners, and coming to the fields, taking and retaining of the Queen’s person, aswell in times bypast, as hereafter, and all others that has thereafter, or shall {folio xvi. recto} in any time coming adjoin to them, and all things done by them, or any of them, touching that cause, and all other things depending thereon, or that any ways may appertain thereto, the intromission, or disponing upon [disposing, ordering of] her property, or casualties, or whatsomever other things pertaining, or any ways might appertain to her, was in default [the fault] of herself, and the said James, sometime Earl of Bothwell, and by the horrible, and cruel murder of our said Sovereign Lord’s umwhile [late, deceased] dearest Father, conspired, devised, committed, concealed, and coloured by them, and not condignly punished according to the Laws. And that the saids Earls, Lords, Barons, and others true, and faithful subjects, convening at any convention bygone, and now presently, after the said murder, for furthering of the trial thereof, and as they, and all others that were on the fields, took arms, apprehended, held, kept, or detained, or presently holds, keeps, or detains her person, or shall thereafter, or that has jonit [joined, united], or assisted, or shall in any time hereafter join to them in that quarrel, touching the premises, are, were, and shall be innocent, free, and acquit of the same, and of all action, and cause criminal, and civil, that may be intended, or pursued against them, or any of them therefore, in any time coming. And that a part of the three Estates foresaids, Prelates, Bishops, great Barons, and Burgesses, give their Seals thereupon, to be used as shall be thought most expedient by them, for the honour of the Realm, and security of the noblemen, and others having interest in the said cause. And decerns this declaration to be no ways prejudicial to the Issue of our Sovereign Lord’s Mother, lawfully coming of her body, to succeed to the Crown of this Realm, nor their heirs.