Mr George Lammer said—It is verie expedient that it be recorded and made ane Act in this Assemblie, that familie dueties be urged, especiallie catechising throughout all the Kingdome. To the which the whole Assemblie willinglie acquiesced.
Heir the Commissioners Grace returned to the Assemblie.
The Moderatour desired his Grace to bring foorth these good newes which the Assemblie hath bein long looking for.
The Commissioner answered—My Lords of Counsell with myselfe have receaved your Supplicatioun, desyreing that the Covenant, with the explanation of this Assemblie, may receave the force of ane Act of Counsell, to be subscryved by all the Subjects of this Kingdome; and we find your desire so fair and reasonable, that we conceave it our bounden duetie to grant the same, and thereupon have made an Act of Counsell to that effect. Now, there is a second Act to be expected in this Assemblie; and I am so fullie satisfied that I come now as his Majesties Commissioner to consent fullie unto it. I am willing that it be enacted here in this Assemblie, to oblidge all his Majesties Subjects to subscryve to the said Covenant with the said explanation: and becaus there is a third thing that was desired—in respect I am to subscryve with a declaration—that I should sett doune the same in write and show it to the Assemblie. As a Subject, I shall subscryve to the Declaration of the Assemblie as followes:—
“The Article of this Covenant which was at the first subscription referred to the determination of the Generall Assemblie, being now determined, and thereby the 5 Articles of Perth and governement of the Church and Bishops, the civill places and power of Churchmen, upon the reasons and grounds contained in the Acts of the Assemblie, declaired to be unlawfull, I subscrive according to the determination of the said free and lawfull Generall Assemblie.”
As his Majesties Commissioner, I shall subscrive to this Declaration:—
“Seeing this Assembly, according to the laudable forme and custome heretofore keeped in the like cases, doth in a humble and duetifull way supplicat to his Majesties Commissioner, and the Lords of his Majesties most honourable Privie Councell, that the Covenant, with the explanation of this Assemblie, might be subscryved; and, to that effect, that all the Subjects of the Kingdome, by Act of Counsell, be required to doe the same; and that therein, for vindicating themselves from all suspitions of disloyaltie, or derogating from the greatnes and auctoritie of our dread Soveraigne, have therewith added a clause, whereby this Covenant is declaired ane in substance with that which was subscryved by his Majesties father of blessed memorie 1580, 1581, 1583, and often since renewed: Therefore I, as his Majesties Commissioner, for the full satisfaction of the Subjects, and for settling a perfect peace in Church and Kingdome, doe, according to my first declaration and subscription, subscryve to the Act of this Assemblie of the dait the 17 of this instant, allow and consent to, that the Covenant be subscryved throughout all this Kingdome. And in witnes whereof I have subscrived thir premisses—Sic subscribitur,
“John Earle of Traquair. Commissioner.”
The Commissioners Grace his Declaration prefixed before his Subscription [of] the Act of this Assemblie the 17th of this Instant. Sess. 8.