June 1654: An Ordinance for Distribution of the Elections in Scotland.

June, 1654

[27 June, 1654.]

Rules for distribution of elections in Scotland.

Whereas by the Government of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, publiquely Declared at Westminster, the sixteenth day of December 1653. It is declared that the Distribution of the Persons to be Chosen for Scotland, and the severall Counties, Cities and places within the same shall be according to such proportions and numbers as shall be agreed upon and declared by the Lord Protector, and the major part of the Council, before the sending forth Writs of Summons for the next Parlament. And whereas His Highness and the major part of the Council, before the sending forth of any Writs of Summons aforesaid, did Agree and Declare the distribution of the persons to be chosen for Scotland, according to the proportions hereafter mentioned; It is therefore Ordained, Declared and Agreed by His Highness the Lord Protector with the consent of the Council, That the persons to be chosen for Scotland, and the several Counties, Cities and places within the same, shall be according to the proportions and numbers hereafter expressed: That is to say, for the Shires of Orkney, Zethland, and Caithness, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be at Caithness; For the Shires of Sotherland, Ross, and Cromarty, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be Ross; For the shire of Inverness, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be in the same shire; For the shires of Elgin and Nearn, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be at Elgin; For the Shire of Bamph, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be in the same shire; For the shire of Aberdeen, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be in the same shire; For the shires of Kinkardine and Fortarr, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be at Forfarr; For the shires of Fife and Kinross, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be at Fife; For the shire of Perth, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be in the same shire; For the shires of Linlithgow, Sterling, Clackmannan, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be at Sterling; For the shires of Dunbarton, Argyle, and Bute, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be at Dunbarton; For the shires of Aire and Renfrew, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be in Aire-shire; For the shire of Lanerick, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be in the same shire; For the shire of Midlothian, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be in the same shire; For the shire of the Merce, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be in the same shire. For the shire of Roxburgh, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be in the same shire; For the shires of Selkirk and Peebles, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be at Peebles; For the shire of Dumfrieze, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be in the same shire; For the shire of Wigton, one and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be in the same shire; For the shire of East Lothian, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be in the same shire; And for the Boroughs of Dornoch, Taine, Inverness, Dingwell, Nearn, Elgin and Forras, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be at Inverness; For the Boroughs of Bamph, Cullen, and Aberdeen, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be at Aberdeen; For the Boroughs of Forfarr, Dundee, Arbroch, Montross and Brechin, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be at Dundee; For the Borough of Lithquo, Queensferry, Pearth, Colross, and Sterling, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be at Sterling; For the Boroughs of S^t. Andrews, Dycart, Kirkaldy, Cooper, Anstrucher-Easter, Pittenweamb, Creel, Dumferling, Kinghorn, Anstrucher-Wester, Innerkething, Kilrenny, and Brunt-Island, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be at Cooper, in Fife; For the Boroughs of Edinburgh, two, For the Boroughs of Lannericke, Glasquo, Rutherglen, Rothsay, Renfrew, Aire, Irwinn, and Dunbarton one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be at Glasquo; For the Boroughs of Dumfrieze, Sanclarr, Lochmaben, Annand, Wigton, Kirkoobright, Whithorn, and Galloway, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be at Dumfrieze; For the Boroughs of Peebles, Selkirk, Jeddart, Lauder, N. Berwick, Dunbar, and Haddington, one, and the place of meeting for the Election of such person shall be at Lauder.

Rules for Scotch elections.

And it is further Ordained by His said Highness the Lord Protector with the consent of the Council, That for the effectual and orderly Election of the persons aforesaid to be chosen to sit and serve in Parlament, as in the said Government is declared, several Writs under the Great Seal of England, shall issue and be directed, to the several and respective Sheriffs of the several and respective shires, wherein the respective Elections are to be made of the respective persons to serve in Parlament for the respective shires, and to the respective Sheriffs of the County where the Elections for the Boroughs are hereby appointed to be made according to the distribution aforesaid; and that the respective Sheriffs to whom such writs shall be directed, are hereby authorized and impowred to make or cause Proclamation to be made of such Writ in all the Counties, Boroughs, and places respectively for the making of such Election and Elections, and to issue his Warrant to the Chief Officer of the place, where such Election for Boroughs is to be made, notwithstanding the same be not within the shire whereof such person is Sheriff, and to cause the Elections to be made accordingly; Which Writs the Chancellour, Keeper, or Commissioners of the Great Seal of England, for the time being shall Seal, Issue, and send forth.