Edinburgh 16 of October 1690. Post Meridiem. Sess. 1.
I. The Meeting of the General Assembly, and the Recording of Their Majesties Commission, to John Lord Carmichael, for Representing Their Majesties therein.
This day, being a day of Solemn Fasting and Humiliation, the General Assembly of the Ministers and Elders of this Church; did after Sermons (in the Forenoon by Mr. Gabriel Cunningham Moderator of the last General Meeting, and in the Afternoon by Mr. [pg 500] Patrick Sympson Moderator of the preceding General Meeting) Conveen in the Assembly-House at Edinburgh, according to the Indiction of an Act of the current Parliament, dated the 7 day of June last, and Directions given by the late General Meeting of the Ministers and Elders of this Church: And after Prayer, there was produced to them, by an Noble Lord John Lord Carmichael, Their Majesties Commission, for his being Their Majesties High Commissioner and Representative to this General Assembly, Dated at Kensingtoun the 10 day of October 1690. Which was with all due Respect publickly read: And Mr. Gabriel Cuningham, Moderator for the time, did in the Assemblies Name, Represent to his Grace, how Great a Mercy it was, to this Church and Kingdom, that Their Majesties had Countenanced this Assembly, with Their Authority, and Honoured it with a Representative of Their Royal Persons: And the Assemblies great Satisfaction, with Their Majesties choice of a person so well Qualified, and so Acceptable to this Assembly, to Represent Their Majesties therein. To whom His Grace was pleased to give this return, That it was his firm Resolution, in the Capacity, wherein Their Majesties had now put him, to lay out himself for their Majesties Service, and the good of the Church. The Assembly appointed the said Commission to be Recorded in Their Books, Ad futuram res Memoriam: The Tenour whereof follows.
GULIELMUS & MARIA, Dei Gratia, Magnæ Britannia, Francia & Hibernia, Rex & Regina, Fideique Defensores, Omnibus probis Hominibus, ad quos præsentes Literæ; Nostræ pervenerint, Salutem. Quandoquidem per actum, in secundâ Sessione Currentis hujus nostri Parliamenti, Expeditum, De stabiliendo Ecclesiæ Regimine, in antiquiori hoc nostro Scotiæ Regno; Primum Ecclesiæíllius Generalem Conventum, Edinburghi, Tertio die Jovis, Mensis Octobris Instantis, teneri Ordinavimus: Nosautem (Rebus magni Momenti alio vocantíbus) In dicto Conventu interesse nequimus: Abunde vero Cupidi, ut Idem Generalis Conventus, ad Religionem veram Reformatam melius firmandam, Pietatem & Sanctitatem Propagandam, Pacem itaque & Unitatem, in dictâ Ecclesiâ, & hoc nostro antiquiore Regno acquirendam; methodo debitâ & Regulari, Observetur: Cumque Testimoniis perplurimis & probatis, nobis abunde satisfactum sit, de Præclaris animi dotibus, & fide eximiâ, fidelisslimi & dilectissimi nostri Consiliarii. Joannis Domini Carmichael, quibus ad summæ fiduciæ Munus infra expressum, debite & exacte obeundum & excercendum, usque quaque est adaptatus: Noverítis igítur nos Nominasse & Constituisse, sicuti per hasce nostras Patentes Literas, Nominamus & Constituimus Eundem Joannem Dominum Carmichael, Supremum nostrum Commissionarium, quoad effectum intra expressum: Damus pariter & concedimus illi, sacram Nostram Personam [pg 502] & Authoritatem Regiam Repræsentandi, ac pro nobis præsentiam faciendi, locumque nostrum in subsequenti Generali Conventu, Tanquam Commissionario nostro, in hunc effectum specialiter Constitute, tenendi: Omniaque alia ad Imperium & Munus Commissionarii, pro Generali Ecclesiæ conventu peragendi, tam plene, adeoque libere, in quovis Respectu, quam Quilibet alius ejusdem Muneris & Characteris, fecerat, seu quovis tempore retroacto facere potuerat, atque adeo sicuti Nosmet ipsi personaliter præsentes Possemus. Plenissimam & amplissimam Nostram Potestatem & Commissionem. Quæquidem omnia & singula, a dicto Joanne Domino Carmichael, In hac nostra Commissione prolequendâ, legitime facienda, Nos firmiter approbamus, Rata habemus, & habituri sùmus. Omnibus & singulis insuper antedicti Conventus, & Ecclesiæ Pastoribus & Presbyteris, ac Cæterii quibuscumque hujus Nostri Regni Subditis, cujuscunque ordinis seu conditionis, ut eundem Joannem Dominum Carmichael, tanquam Supremum Nostrum Commissionarium, quoad effectum & modum supra mentionatum, agnoscant, Colant, & dicto ipsius audientes se præbeant, stricte Mandamus & Imperamus. Et denique hanc Nostram Commissionem, a die quo Magnum hujus Regni Nostri Sigillum, Presentibus est appensum, ac durante Primâ dicti Generalis Conventus Sessione, aut usque donec hæc Nostra Commissio per nos Revocetur, Continuare Declaravimus, ac per Præsentes Declaramus. In cujus rei Testimonium, Præsentibus Magnum Sigillum Nostrum appendi Mandavimus, Apud aulam Nostram de Kensingtoun, decimo [pg 503] die mensis Octobris, Anno Domini 1690. Regnique nostri, Anno secundo.
Per signaturam manu S.D.N. Regis supra Signatam.
(locus figilli appensi)
IN DORSO:
Sealed at Edinburgh the 16th of October 1690. Alex. Inglis.
Written to the Great Seal, and Registr at the 16 day of October 1690. Dun. Ronald Dpt.