Mr John Row answered—That he had yett in his hands the booke of the Kirke Policie subscribed be Mr James Richie, Clerk, which will serve to dignosce the hand writt.
Mr Archbald Johnston said he had the principall Booke of Policie, written in lumbard paper, in his hand, which also would conduce to that end.
This being judged to be the fittest way for tryell of the Registers of the Kirk, and makeing them to be authentick,
The Moderatour desyred that the Commissioner would proceed to try the Members of the Assembly and the Commissions, that soe the Assembly might be fullie constitut.
The Commissioner answered—That he who yesterday presentit a written paper from the Lords of the Clergie, desires that his bill or paper might be first read for information giving, anent the Members of the Assembly to be constitut; and becaus the reading of it yesterday was denyit before a Moderatour was chosen; now ane Moderatour and Clerk also being chosen, I desire this paper to be read; seeing the objections qᶜʰ were proponed yesterday are now removed, and that Doctor Robert Hamilton may be called to produce the paper, written in name of the Lords of the Clergie and their adherents; who being called, compeired and presented his paper to the Commissioner, desiring he would give charge to read it.
The Moderatour said—Some parte of the Impediments of reading it in publict are removed, but not all; for the Assembly is not as yet constitut fullie. But, so soone as the Assembly is constitut, it shall be read before any other bill or paper qwhatsoever.
The Commissioner urged still the reading of it before the Members of the Assembly were agried upon and constitut, becaus the paper contained many thinges neidfull to be knowen before the Members of the Assembly be constitut.
My Lord Lowdoun answered—That the reasons proponed yesterday for not reading of it, are yet standing in force; and as it was inexpedient yesterday that it should not be read till a Moderatour was chosen, so it is yet inexpedient till all the Members of the Assembly be fullie constitut; for, (said he,) there is no Assembly constitut till the Commissions of the Commissioners to the Assembly be tryed.
The Commissioner replyed—It is a hard cause, that a man cited before the Assembly should not be heard to object against the Members of the Assembly who were to be there judges. Who ever heard that a man accused as guiltie of a fault, was refused to be heard to object against his judge?
My Lord Lowdoun answered—If the objection wer now against the whole Assembly, it could not be read before the Assembly wer constitut to be judges. But if the objections wer against any particular Member of the Assembly, it were only fitt tyme to object when that mans Commission were in reading.