Series 1 > Miscellany of the Scottish History Society (Second volume)

38
THE SCOTTISH KING’S HOUSEHOLD
govern and maintain the estate of Holy Church and of his realm accord¬
ing to the ancient laws and usages of the land in all points. And that
they (the prelates, earls and barons) shall make no purpresture on the
burghs and on the demesne lands in prejudice of his Crown, whereby
debate or dispute may arise between them by reason of their fault,
whereby he might have a claim against them to their disherison.
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Chancellor.—And after this speech and agreement between them, first
by the counsel and consent of them and of all the Baronage, there should
be appointed good and sufficient ministers to serve the King, both within
and without (the household) ; that is to say, first, the Chancellor, wise,
suitable and of good discretion, impartial to rich and to poor, as head
of his Council, and who ought to know the Chancery forms and know
the laws of the land, to stay by the King when it pleases him, or other¬
wise, at the King’s command, in a suitable place and for the convenience
of the people. And that the old fee for the seal to each writ shall be
taken and not more, on pain of losing the King’s service for ever, and
that no writ be issued out of the Chancery except the c writs of course,’
and pleadable without the special command of the King’s Privy Seal, which
shall be carried and kept by one of the wisest and most discreet of the
realm; for if this office be well governed, it is the key and the safety
of the Great Seal and the prevention of all the errors which can arise in
the Court between the King and the Baronage. And he (the Chancellor)
shall have under him as many clerks as are required in reason.
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Chamberlain.—Further, that the Chamberlain shall be chosen by the
great men aforenamed, such a one as knows how to guide and govern
the burghs, the demesne lands of the King, and his poor husbandmen in
demesne, and will deal with the wards, reliefs, marriages, and all manner
of the realm’s issues to the profit of the Crown (except with those which
are given or assigned by the King in chief); and he shall make the
purchases wholesale and regulate the King’s dwelling, by the assent of
the King himself, and the state of his household according to the season
of the year, so that the household may live by purveyance without
ravaging the country.
IV
Auditors.—And that the King’s Exchequer shall be ordered in some
certain place for the people’s convenience once a year, on a summons of
forty days, made by the King’s writ to all those who owe an account,
to render account of all the issues before the Auditors of the account.
And that such Auditors be people of substance and discretion enjoined
by commission with the Chancellor and the Chamberlain to take such
account and make reasonable deductions to the King’s profit.