Series 3 > Minutes of the justices of the peace for Lanarkshire, 1707-1723

xv i MINUTES OF JUSTICES FOR LANARKSHIRE
fit but only aims at the peace of the countrey and good of
His Majestie’s service.’1
Further trouble was occasioned to king and Council by
dissentient Justices who, at a later meeting, offended His
Majesty by their conduct. In August 1612 James wrote to
the Council that the Justices having ‘ expressed their satis¬
faction with the answers by the Privy Council, except in
one or two points, where, for their better contentment . . .
we did not only declare our pleasure to our Clerk Register,
requiring him to acquaint them, but also willed him to
convene and insist with them for directing two of the
Justices of Peace of their choice to inform us both of
their further regrets and of that which they would wish us
to do, either for redress thereof or for the better enabling
them to execute their charge. This being done, we are
credibly informed that some of them, more perversely dis¬
posed, did so oppone themselves at that meeting to that
good course of sending two of their number to us for in¬
forming us of their grieves and further desires as the con¬
clusion thereof was by their perverseness wholly crossed,
whereby as they have shown themselves altogether un-
worthie of our favour, so wald we, upon knowledge of their
names, for a manifest mark of their disgrace and our just
dislike of them, presentlie discharge and remove them from
that Imployment, as unworthie to possess any place in our
peace or service hereafter.’ 2 James further wished to
know how far the Clerk Register had gone in discharging
his directions. The Privy Council were to inform the
disowned Justices ‘ how much we marvell that any of their
number durst in any sort presume to be refractorie to the
advancement and obedience of our pleasure—so manifest
to all.’ 3
Having thus decided the fate of the two rebellious
1 A’. P. C. (2nd Series), viii. 329. 2 Ibid. viii. 330.
3 Ibid.