and be na vther lawes, And seing the auld lawes of this realme befoir ye dayes of King James the first wer almaist perisheit and not extant, And sua Money of thame as wer extant wer writtin in paperis and wer altogidder vncorrect; Thairfoir the estaittis of Parliament at diuerse tymes committit thair full power to sindrie persones to advyse treat and comoun anent the Reductioun of the saidis lawes Callit Regiam maiestatem and all vtheris actis statutis and bookis to be put in ane volume, and to be authorizit as the saidis Actis at mair lenth proportis And seing Sir Johne Skene of Curryhill knyt Clerk of Register conforme to the saidis Actis and Ordinances at Command of oure said Souerane lord and estaittis of parliament hes be his great travellis painis and expenss visitit correckit mendit and reduceit in ane volum the saidis auld lawes of this Realm befoir the dayes of King James the first The qlk volum contenand Regiam Maiestatem and vtheris Lawes the said Clerk of Register hes presentit befoir the haill estaittis of this present parliament whilk they haue Considerit And hes Allowit thairof As memorable and worthie Actis to be prentit, wherewith and be the Actis of parliament maid sensyne, the haill legis of this Realme sall be Judgeit reulit and governit; Thairfoir the haill estaitis of this present parliament statutis and ordinis the foirsaid volum and book contenand the saidis auld lawes of this Realme now writtin correckit and put in forme be the said Clerk of Register to be prentit authentiklie for the weill of the haill Judges persones and Subiectis of this Realme And becaus yair will be great expensse warit in prenting thereof by and attour the great paine travellis and expensse maid thairvpoun alreadie be the said Clerk of Register, for defraying of the whilks expenss the saidis Estaittis of this present parliament hes allowit and grantit to the said Clerk of Register the Sowme of vsuale money of this Realme to be payit be the Sherreffis baillies Stewartis barones and vtheris Judges of this Realme alsweill of Royaltie as regalitie and be the prelattis erlis lordis and burrowes of this realme And to the effect that the foirsaid Sowme may be contribute amongis the foirsaidis personnes and the mair thankfullie payit to the said Clerk of Register for the greater Expeditioun of the prenting of the foirsaidis auld Lawes and Statutis Hes gevin and grantit full Power and Commissioun To Alexander Erle of Dunfermeling Chancellar of this Realm, Mark erle of Louthiane, Patrik erle of Kinghorne, James lord of Balmerinoch, secretar and president of the College of Justice, Mr. Alexander dowglas Bischop of Murray, Mr. Alexander forbes bischop of cathnes, Mr. Williame Melvill commendatar of Toungland, Johne lord halyrudhous, Sr James Scrymgeour of dudop, Sr Johne cokburne of ormestoun, and the lard of dunypace, george hereott goldsmyth burges of Edinburgh, george bruce burges of Culross, and Johne lockhart burges of air, or to ony fyve of thame To sett doun ane stent roll amongis the foirsaidis Persones wha suld pay the foirsaid Sowme To the said Clerk of Register in maner foirsaid And to divyd the samin Sowmes amongis thame As they sall think expedient And whateuir the saidis Persones or ony fyve of thame does in the Premisses The saidis estaittis now as than and than as now declars To be als Lauchfull and sufficient as gif the samein had bene concludit statute and ordanit in this present parliament And that lettres be direct vpone ane simple charge of sex dayes be delyuerance of the lordis of sessioun for payment of the foirsaidis sowmes And the foirsaidis Persones sall sett doun the samin be thair stent And that na Suspensioun be grantit in favoris of whatsumeuir persone or persones except be the Lordis chancellar president collectour and aduocatt or ony twa of thame.”
II. 1. Extractfrom the Preface to an Edition of theIrish Statutesprinted at London by R. Tottell, 1572; with the following Title:
“In this Volume are contained all the Statutes from the tenthe yere of King Henrie the Sixt, to the xiii. yere of our moste gracious and soueraygne lady Queene Elysabeth; made and established in her Hignes Realme of Ireland,”
The Preface begins with Reflections on the State of Ireland, and the Necessity of Laws to restrain Licentiousness and prevent Ignorance, &c.
“Which things the Right Honorable Sr Henry Sidney, Knight of the Honorable Order, Lord President of Wales & late Lord Deputie of the said Realm of Ireland, well perceiving & finding that the Remedying of this Mischief, which is the cause and worker of al the rest, would take away the Effect thereof, caused all the Justices of both the Benches with the Chief Baron of the Escheker & the Master of the Rolles of the said Launde to confer together for the Coppying out and examining of all such Statutes as then were of Record & not published, which at his comandement they did, and delivered the same perfectly written & examined with all their hands subscribed to every one of them: And then he (ever mindful to further the good state of the said Commonwelth) brought those Statutes over into England, and conferred with the Right Honorable Sr W. Cecill Knight of the Order of the Garter, Lorde Burligh, & Lorde Hyghe Treasorer of Englande for the imprinting of them, with whose advyse & assent they were committed to the printe & now for thy benefite [the Reader’s] finished & set forth.”
