ITEM, It is foundin declared, and decerned be our Soveraine Lord, with advise of the three Estaitis, and haill bodie of this present Parliament, that the nominatioun, constitutioun, and ordination of our said Soveraine Lords dearest Cousing, JAMES Erle of Murray, Lord Abernethie, in Regent to his Hienes, his Realme and Liegis thereof, during the time of his Majesties minoritie, and lesse age, specified and expressed in the Queenes Majesties Letters, under her subscriptioun and privie seale, of the date the 24. day of Julij last by-past, togidder alswa with the consent and approbation of the Erles, Lordes, Prelates, Commissioners of Burrowes, Barronnes, and utheris faithful subjects, convened and assembled to that effect. And the acceptation of the said office of Regentrie, be the saide JAMES Erle of Murray, upon the 22. day of August last by-past, was, is, and in all times cumming sall be halden, repute, and esteemed lawful, sufficient, and perfite. And all and whatsumever things, quhilks he hes done be vertew of his said office of Regentrie, sen his acceptation thereof, or quhilks he sall do hereafter, in our said Soveraine Lords name and authoritie, during the time of his hienesse Minoritie, specified in the said commissioun and procuratioun {334} produced, advised and considered, be the said three Estaites, to be as dewlie lawfullie, sufficiently, & righteously done, and to have als great avail, strength force & effect, in all respects and conditions, as ony things done be quhat-sumever Regents, Governours or Protectours of this Realme, in the minorities & lesse aiges of ony uthers native Princes of the same. And ratifies apprevis and confirmis, the same nominatioun and acceptatioun, for now & in time cumming.

MARIE Be the Grace of God Queene of Scots, to all and sindrie our Judges, & ministers of our Lawes, lieges & subjects, quhom it effeiris, to quhais knawledge thir our letters sall cum, greeting: Forsameikle, as after lang greate and intollerable paines, and labours taken bee us, sen our arrival within our Realme, for Government thereof, and keeping of the Liegis of the samin in quietnes, we have not onely beene vexed in our spirite, body, and senses thereby, bot als at length are altogidder sa wearyed thereof, that our habilitie, and strength of body, is not abil langer to indure the samin.

THEREFOIR, and because na thing earthlie can be mair comfortabill and happy to us in this Earth, nor in our life time to see our deare Sonne, the native Prince of this our Realme, placed in the Kingdome thereof, and the Crowne Royal set on his head, we of our awin free-will, and special motive, have dimitted and renounced the Government, guyding and governing of this our Realme of SCOTLAND, lieges and subjects thereof, in favours of our said Sonne, to that effect that in all times hereafter, he may peaceablie and quietlie enjoy the samin, without trouble, and bee obeyed as native King and Prince of the samin, be the Lieges thereof. And understanding, that be reason of his tender zouth, he is not of habilitie in his awin persoun, to administrate in his Kingly roome and governement, as equitie requyres, quhill that hereafter he come to the zeires of discretioun. And als knawing the proximitie of blude standand betwixt us, our saide Sonne, and our dearest brother JAMES Erle of Murray, Lord Abernethie, &c. And havand experience of the natural affectioun and tenderlie love, he hes in all tymes borne, and presentlie beares towardes us, honour and estaite of our saide Sonne. Of quhais love and favoure towardes him, wee can not bot assure our selfe. To quhome na greater honour, joye, nor felicitie in earth can come, nor to see our saide Sonne inaugurate in his Kingdome, feared, reverenced and obeyed be his lieges thereof. In respect quhairof, and of the certaintie, and notorietie of the honestie, habilitie, qualificatioun and sufficiencie {335} of our saide dearest Brother, to have the cure and regiment of our said Sonne, Realme and lieges foresaids, during our saide Sonnes Minoritie: Wee have made, named, appointed, constitute, and ordained, and be thir our Letters, names, appointes, makes, constitutes and ordainis our said dearest brother JAMES Earle of Murray, Regent to our saide dearest Sonne, Realme, and lieges foresaids, during his Minoritie and les age, and ay and quhill he be of the age of seventene zeirs compleit. And that our said brother be called during the said space, Regent to our said Sonne, his Realme and Liegis. Swa that our said Sonne, after the compleeting of the zeiris foresaidis, in his awin persoun, may tak upon him the said government, and use and exerce all & sindrie priviledges, honouris and utheris immunities, that appertainis to the office of a King, alsweil in governing his Realme and people, according to the Lawis, as in repressing the violence of sik as wald invaid, or injustlie resist him or them, or his Authoritie royal. With power to our said dearest brother JAMES Erle of Murray, in Name, Authoritie and behalfe, of our said maist deare Sonne, to receive resignatiounis of quhat-sumever Lands halden of him, or zit of Offices, Castellis, Towres, Fortalices, Mylnes, Fischings, Woods, Benefices, or pertinentis quhat-sumever: the samin againe in our said Sonnes Name, to gif and deliver signatouris thereupon, and upon the gifts of Wairdes, non-entressis, and relevis of Landis, and Marriages of Airis falland, or that sall happen to fall in our said Sonnes hands as superiour thereof. And als upon presentatioun of Lands, Benefices, Escheitis of guddis movabil and unmovabil, debtis and takkis, respittis, remissiounis, supersedereis, and upon the dispositioun of Offices vacand, or quhen they sall happen to vaik, to subscrive, and cause be past the seillis. The said office of Regentrie, to use and exerce in all thingis, priviledges, and commodities, sik-like als freely, and with als great libertie, as ony Regent or Governour to us, or our Predecessouris used in ony times by-gane, and sik-like as gif every head, priviledge and Artickle, concerning the said Office, were at length expressed and amplified in thir our Letteris. PROMISAND to hald firme and stabil, in the word and faith of ane Prince, quhat-sumever things our said dearest brother in the premissis happinnis to doe. Chargeing heirfore zou all and sindrie, our Judges and Ministers of Law, Liegis and subjectis foirsaidis, to answer and obey to our said dearest brother, in all and sindrie things, concerning the said office of Regentrie, as ze and ilk ane of zou, will declair zou loving subjectis, to our said maist deare Sonne, and under all paine, charge and offence, {336} that ze and ilk ane of zou may commit and inrinne, against his Majestie in that part. Subscrived with our hand, and given under our privie seill, at Lochlevin the 24. day of Julij, And of our Reigne, the twentie five zeir.