Parliament at Scone

A parliament was accordingly assembled at Scone in December, in which the whole clergy and laity renewed their engagements of obedience to the king, and promised to assist him faithfully, to the utmost of their power, in the preservation and defence of the rights and liberties of the kingdom, against all persons of whatever strength, power, and dignity, they may be; and any one who should attempt to violate this engagement and ordinance, was declared guilty of treason. It was next enacted, that, in the event of the king's death, without issue male, Robert Stewart, son of the Princess Marjory and of Walter, the Lord High Steward of Scotland, should succeed to the crown; and in the event of that succession taking place during the minority of Robert Stewart, or of other heir of the king's body, it was appointed, that the office of tutor to the heir of the kingdom should belong to Thomas Randolph earl of Moray, and failing him, to James lord Douglas; but it was expressly provided, that such appointment should cease, whenever it appeared to the majority of the community of the kingdom that the heir is of fit age to administer the government in person.

It was also declared, that since, in certain times past, some doubts had arisen regarding the succession of the kingdom of Scotland, the parliament thought proper to express their opinion, that this succession ought not to have been regulated, and henceforth should not be determined, by the rules of inferior fiefs and inheritances, but that the male heir nearest to the king, in the direct line of descent, should succeed to the crown; and failing him, the nearest female in the direct line; and failing the whole direct line, the nearest male heir in the collateral line respect being always had to the right of blood by which the last king reigned, which seemed agreeable to the imperial law.