OVR SOVERAINE LORD And his Estaites presently conveened, Considdering the gre [...] hurt his Majesties subjects sus [...]einis; and the innumerable falsettis daily invented, by forging of diver [...] private writtis: The same being keiped obscure, quhill the moyen of the tryal of the falset of them be t [...] ken away; Specially instruments of saisings, reversions, bandes for giving of reversions, assignations to r [...] versiones, intimations of the same, and discharges of reversiones. Quhilks writtis, being secretly keip [...] vp, gif they be trew, to the prejudice of parties; Or maliciously obscured, gif they be false, quhill pro­ces of time, decease of parties, witnesses and writters, take away all adminiclis of improbation; Na pu [...] lick recordes being established, quhairin all parties may finde resolution of the estait of ony Landes quhairwith they meane to contract. FOR REMEID Quhairof, It is statute and ordained, tha [...] in all time cumming, all instruments of saisings, reversions, bands for giving of reversions; discharges of reversions, assignations to reversions, and intimations of the same, quhilks sall not be registrat within the buikes of Counsell and Sessioun, within the space vnder written. And likewise, exceptand saisings of Burghs landes, halden in free burgage, given vpon resignation maid in the Baillies hands, conforme to the Act of Parliament, be insert and registrat in the Registers, presently appoynted to that effect, within fourty daies, nixt after the making and perfyting of the same; vtherwaies, to be nul and to mak na faith in judgement, nor out with. And the said nullitie to be received be way of exception. And the saids Registers, for the greater ease of the Lie­ges, to be established in the particular places following: That is to say, Ane in the towne of Kirkwall in Orknay, for the haill inhabitants and Lands, lyand within the Schireffedome of Orknay and Zetland. Ane in the Burgh of Innernes, for the Schireffedomes of Innernes and Cro­martie: Ane in the Burgh of Elgin, for the Schireffedomes of Elgin, Forres, and Narne: Ane in the Burgh of Abirdene, for the Schireffdoms of Abirdene, Banff, and Kincardin. Ane in the Burgh of Dundie, for the Schireffedome of Forfare: Ane in the Burgh of Perth, for the Schireffedome of Perth, and Stewartrie of Stratherne: Exceptand the Stewartrie of Menteith. Ane in the Burth of Striviling, for the Schi­riffedomes of Striviling and Clackmannan, and Stewartrie of Menteith: Ane in the Burgh of Cowper in Fyfe, for the Schireffedoms of Fyfe and Kinroschyre: Ane in the Burgh of Edinburgh, for the Schireffedome of Edinburgh principall, and Constabularie of Hadingtoun: Ane in the Burgh of Linlithgow, for the Schireffedomes of Linlithgow and Bathcat: Ane in the Burgh of Lauder, for the Schireffedomes of Berwik, Rox­burgh, Selkirk and Pebles, and Bailliarie of Lauderdaill: Ane in the towne of Hammiltoun, for the Schireffdome of Lanerke, Exceptand the Burgh and barronie of Glascow. Ane in the Cittie of Glascow, for the Barronie of Glascow, and the Schireffedome of Renfrew: Ane in the Burgh of Dumbartane, for the Schireffedomes of Dumbartane, Bute, Argyle, Arrane, and Tarbeit: Ane in the Burgh of Aire, for the Schireffedome of Aire, and Bailliaries of Kyle, Carrick, and Cunninghame: Ane in the Burgh of Wigtoun, for the Schireffedome of Wig­toun: Ane in the Burgh of Dumfreis, for the Schireffedome of Dumfreis, and Stewartries of Kirkcudbrycht and Annerdaile: Or onie other place or places mair convenient, as the keiper of the saidis Registers shall thinke expedient, dewe intimation being made to the Lieges of the same. And the saids evidents to be registrat in the particular buikes, appoynted for ilk Schireffedome, as said is. And to the effect the said office may presently, & in al time cumming, be the mair faithfully ministrat: STATVTES & ordaines, the same to be annext & in­corporat with the office of Secretarie. And the foresaids registers, to be called the Registers of the Secretarie, in al time cumming. And that the Secretar, present and to cum, haue the said office, as ane proper part, and pertinent of the saide Secretarie: Make, and constitute particular de­puties, ane or maa, in every ane of the places foresaids, of guid fame, literature▪ and qualification; for quhom he sall be answerable, and quha salbe resident within the said town and burgh, reddie at al times to receiue fra the parties their evidents, & regestrat the same within the space of twenty foure houres, nixt after the receipt thereof, and deliver to the presentar of the same, their Evidents marked be him, with the daye, Moneth, and zeir of the registratioun; and in quhat leafe of the buike the same is registrat: And sall take allanerlie for his paines, the summe of thretteene shillings four pennies. As for the price of ilk leafe of his Register, written on baith the sids: And according thereto, sal tak propor­tionally, for registring of every ane of the saids Evidents. Quhilk depute to be appoynted, as saide is, for keiping of ilk register foresaid. Sall twise ilk zeir, at the feast of Whitsunday and Martimes, make ane roll of all Evidents, presented and marked be him, the halfe zeir preceeding, and sall affix the same on some publick place of the towne quhair he remaines, that the same may come to al parties knawledge. And the saids registers to be filled be the saids deputes, to be marked be the Secretare or his deputes, to be appoynted be him to that effect, with ane note of the particular number of the leaues, that the same sall conteine. And the saidis registers, after the filling of the same, to be reported to the said Secretare, to remayne with him, and be patent to all our Soveraine Lords lieges, that fall haue a-doe with the same. The extract of the quhil [...] register, sall haue als great faith and strength, as gif the originall war schawen, except the parties havand entres to oppone against the said [...] writtes, offer to improoue the same, be way of action or exception. In the quhilk caise, the partie purchaser of the saids evidents, and vtheris havand entres to defend the same, salbe halden to produce the principalles and originalles; notwithstanding that they be registrat, as said [...] And that none of the saids Evidents, be of force, strength, or effect, to ony intentioun, bot to be null and of nane availe, except the same [...] registrat, as said is. And his Maiestie, and Estaites foresaidis, hes ordain [...]d, thir presents to be published▪ betuixt and the twentie daye [...] September nixt-to-cum, at the mercat-croces of the heid Burrowes of this Realme, and vthers places neidfull: And to haue effect and [...] at the elleuint day of November nixt-to-cum: In this instant zeir of God, 1599. zeires. And that thir presents be ratified in the nixte Pa [...]ment, and be authorized and allowed be the Lords of counsell and Session.