Whereupon the young man submitted himselfe to the Assembly.
The Moderatour craved that a lite might be given in for chooseing of a Clerk, and so a lite of four was given in: Mr Thomas Sandilands, sone to the clerk, Alexʳ Blair, John Nicoll, and Mr Archibald Johnstone; and it was requyred that these men that shall be elected shall be obliged to reside at Edinʳ.
The Moderatour asked the Comʳ which of these four his Grace would voit into?
The Comʳ answered—That he knew not any of them, neither would he voit to any of them, becaus he had not as yet seene a lawfull dimission of the present Clerk.
The Moderatour replyed—Then your Grace will be a non liquet.
The Comʳ answered—I desire that the voits of the Assessours nominat by his Majestie might be asked in a nomination of a Clerk.
The Moderatour said—Seeing your Graces assessours get no voit in chooseing a Moderatour, being a superiour office, it was not fitt to trouble them with asking their voit anent the election of a Clerk, being an inferiour office.
The Comʳ craved that the protestation made yesterday might be read over againe the day, anent the Kings power in appointing of assessours; which protestation being red,
The Comʳ craved that my Lord Argyle, Traquair, Southesk, Lauderdaill, might voit according to his Majesties command, given in severall letters; which Letters being sein and red,
Traquair craved that these assessours appoynted be his Majestie might have voit, as the custome was in King James, of worthie memorie, his tyme; and declaired, according to his Majesties command, he was readie to assist and give his voit.