The Lord High Commissioner represented Crown authority and sat on the
throne within the parliamentary chamber. The Commissioner gave
royal assent to all acts of parliament by touching the final copy of each act with the
sceptre.[1] They were the custodian of the Crown's legislative agenda and were effectively the
heads of government in Scotland during this period.[2]
^
abMann, Alastair (2018). "Officers of state and representation in the pre-modern Scottish Parliament". In Mann, Alastair (ed.). Political Representation: Communities, Ideas and Institutions in Europe (c. 1200 - c. 1690). Leiden: Brill. pp. 142–160.
^The only Scottish monarchs to preside in person at the Parliament of Scotland between 1603 and 1707 were James VI in May 1617;
Charles I in June 1633 and August to November 1641; and
Charles II in November 1650.