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 St. 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.