After this, the Moderator proponed that they might fall upon the Act of the 13 of Agust, seeing there was noe more to doe anent the report of the Committy anent the Commissions proceedure.
The King’s Commissioner said, that in regard that act did nearly concern the King, he proponed that the Assembly might vote the approbation of all the rest of the procedure of the Commission, and leave that untill he should speak with some of the Members of the Commission in privat. This did breed much debate, for some would have had the King’s Commissioners desire, it being soe reasonable, granted; others objected that there was noe such preparative for the division of the approbation of the Commission Books, soe, after much debate, they did strick this midst in it, that presently the Lord Commissioner should goe apart and speak with some of the Members of the Assembly, and they in private agreed upon a sense that Act should have in all tymes coming, quhich the Assembly agreed unto; after quhich the Moderator proponed the voicing of the whole procedure of the Commission. The question was stated, Approve or not? Soe the whole Assembly voiced approbation of all and evry part of quhat the Commission had done, with the largest commendation that ever any Commission gote—except these 7 following, who votted, not approve, viz. Mrs Tho. Lundy, Jo. Dickson, Ro. Fergison, Ja. Nisbit, Alexʳ Smith, Alexʳ Bartrim, Alexʳ Gordon.
After this, the Moderator [Douglasse] took his chaire, and they read the causes of their fast. The main wer the insolent attempt done upon the Commission; 2ly, The defeat of our party. And then this Session ended.
The nixt morning they fell on the contraverted Commissions, and soe they concluded that the election of Commissioners for Glasgow and Stirling that remained should be susteaned, and the other election, who deserted, should be rejected.
A little after, the enimy marching towards St Johnstoun, by quhich way to have access to Dundee quhere the Assembly was conveened, the Assembly arose and dispersed themselves the best way they could for escaping the enimie and their own safty; yet some of them, notwithstanding, did fall into the enemies hands as Mr Rob. Douglass, Moderator, and some others.
This account was wrote by Mr Alex. Gordon, the only surviving member of this Assembly, and taken of his originall MSS. wrote during the Assembly, transcribed and collated Jan. 12, 1703, by
R. Wodrow.