Fabricated Abdication of Queen Mary

“Mary, by the grace of God, Queen of Scots, to all and sundry, our judges and ministers of our laws, lieges and all to whom it effeirs, to whose knowledge these our letters shall come, greeting:—Forasmuch as after long, great, and intolerable pains and labours taken by us since our arrival in the realm for the government thereof, and keeping of the lieges in quietness, we have not only been vexed in our spirit, body, and senses, but altogether so wearied thereof, that our ability and strength of body is not able longer to endure the same. Therefore and because nothing earthly can be more comfortable and happy to us, or in our lifetime to see our most dear son the native prince of this our realm, placed in the kingdom thereof, and the crown royal set on his head; we of our own free will and special motive have demitted and renounced the government, guiding, and governing of this our realm of Scotland, lieges, and subjects thereof, in favour of our said son; to the effect that in all time coming he may peaceably and quietly enjoy the same without trouble and be obeyed as native king and prince of the same by the lieges thereof. And understanding by reason of his youth he is not able in his own person to administer in his kingly government as equity requires until hereafter he come to the years of discretion; and also knowing the proximity of blood standing between our son and our dearest brother James, Earl of Bothwell, Lord Abernethy, etc., and having experience of the natural affection and kindly love he has in all times borne and presently bears towards us, honour and estate of our said son, of whose love and favour towards him we cannot but assure ourselves to whom no greater honour, joy, nor felicity on earth can come than to see him inaugurated in his kingdom, feared, reverenced, and obeyed by the lieges thereof. In respect whereof and of the certainty and notoriety of the honesty, ability, qualification, and sufficiency of our said dearest brother to have the care and control of our dearest son, realm, and lieges foresaid, during our son's minority, we have made, named, appointed, constituted, and ordained, and by these our letters, name, appoint, make, constitute, and ordain our said dearest brother James, Earl of Moray, regent to our said dearest son, realm, and lieges foresaid, during his minority and until he be of the age of seventeen years, and that our dearest brother be called during the said space regent to our son, realm, and lieges; so that our son after completing the years foresaid in his own person may take upon him the government, and use and exercise all and sundry privileges, honours, and other immunities that appertain to the office of a king, as well in governing his realm and people according to the laws, as in repressing the violence of such as would invade or unjustly resist him, or their or his royal authority; with power to our dearest brother James, Earl of Moray, in name, authority, and on behalf of our said most dearest son, to receive surrenders of whatever lands are holden of him, or of offices, castles, towers, fortalices, fishings, woods, benefices whatsoever; the same again in our son's name to give and deliver signatories thereupon, and upon the gifts of words, release of lands, marriages of heirs, falling, or shall happen to fall, into our son's hands as superior thereof; and also upon presentation of lands, benefices, escheat of goods movable and immovable, debts and tacks, reports and remissions; and upon the disposition of offices vacant or when they shall become vacant; to subscribe and cause to pass the Seals. The said office of regent to use and exercise in all things, privileges and commodities, as freely and with as great liberty as any regent or governor to us or our predecessors used in times bypast; and as if every privilege and article concerning the said office were at length expressed and amplified in these our letters; promising to hold firm and stable on the word and faith of a prince to whatever things our said dearest brother in the premises happens to do; charging therefor all and sundry our judges and ministers of law, lieges, and others foresaid, to answer and obey our said brother in all and sundry things concerning the said office of regent as you and each of you will declare your loving subjects to our dear son, and under all pains, charge, and offence that ye may commit against His Majesty in that part.

“Subscribed with our hand and given under our Privy Seal at Lochleven the 24th day of July 1567, and of our reign the 25th year.”

[This abdication was a forgery. The text of the document the Queen never saw.]

Procuratory Appointing a Commission to Make Arrangements in Moray's Absence and providing for the Contingency of his Refusing the Regency

“Mary, by the grace of God, Queen of Scots, to all and sundry our judges and ministers of law, lieges and others whom it effeirs, to whose knowledge these our letters shall come, greeting:—Forasmuch as by long, irksome, and tedious travel taken by us in the government of the realm and lieges thereof, we are so vexed and worried that our body, spirit, and senses are become unable longer to travel in that room; and therefore we have demitted and renounce the office of government of the realm in favour of our most only dear son, native prince of this realm; and because of his tender youth and inability to use the government in his own person during his minority, we have constituted our dearest brother James, Earl of Moray, regent to our said son, realm, and lieges foresaid; and in respect that our said dearest brother is actually furth of our realm and cannot instantly be present to accept the said office of regent, and use and exercise the same during our dearest son's minority. We, until his returning within our realm, or in case of his decease, have made, constituted, named, appointed, and ordained, and by these our letters make, constitute, name, appoint, and ordain, our trusty cousin and counsellor James, Duke of Chatelherault, Earl of Arran, Lord Hamilton; Mathew, Earl of Lennox, Lord Darnley, etc.; Archibald, Earl of Argyll; John, Earl of Atholl; James, Earl of Morton; Alexander, Earl of Glencairn; John, Earl of Mar,—regents to our dearest son, realm, and lieges; and in case our said brother James, Earl of Moray, come within our realm and refuse to accept the office of regent upon his own person, we make, constitute, name, appoint, and ordain our trusty cousins and counsellors foresaid, and our said brothers, regents of our dear son, giving, granting, and committing to them, or any five of them conjointly, full power for our son, and in his name to receive surrenders of lands, make disposition of wards, marriage of benefices, escheats, offices, and other casualties and privileges whatsoever concerning the said office, signatories thereupon to make, subscribe, and cause to be passed by Seals; and to use and exercise the office of regent in all things as freely and with as great liberty as any regent or governor to us or our predecessors used in times past; promising to hold firm and stable, on the word and faith of a prince, to whatever things our said dearest cousins do in the circumstances; charging all and sundry foresaid to answer and obey our said cousins and regents in all and sundry things concerning the office of regent during our son's minority and until he be of the age of seventeen years complete, as you and each of you will declare yourselves loving subjects to our said most dear son, your native prince, and under all pain, charge, and offence that you and each of you may commit against His Majesty in that part.

“Subscribed with our own hand and given under our Privy Seal at Lochleven, 24th July 1565, and of our reign the 25th year.”