Ye shall delyver our letter unto them, and let them understand that sic of their number as travellit with us, having desyrit of us answer to their articles sent from the Assembly halden in Dundie, 3d July last, We causit sum of our counsell conferr with them severall tymes in October last, as also now of late, qwhilks all finds the matter towards the thirds of benefices mentionat in the first of the saids articles, as the same is there requyrit, not to be the readiest meine, either to make the ministers assured of their stipends and livings, or yet to make us to have any reasonable support thereby, for reliefe of the commone chairges of our estate, there being so great alteratione and diminutione of the rents, and so great confusione utherwayes enterit in that matter, dureing thir 20 yeares and mair now bypast; and that thereby their behoves ane forme and order be prescryvit unto, mair licklie to have continuance to the posteritie to come: To the removeing of all occasions of complaint for the furtherance thereof, there is be commandment and advyce of sic of our councill and the ministrie as conferrit in this purpose, some forme drawne, how Elderschips may be constitute of a certaine number of parochines, lyand together; small parochines to be united, and the greit dividit, for the better sustentation of the ministrie, and the more commodious resort of the common people to their kirks. There is also the forme of letter of ours to be written to some of the principall noble and gentle men, and certaine of the ministers within the bounds of every Elderschip, to conveine, advyse, and reporte unto us their advyce in all things requyred be us in our said Letter, betwixt and the 24 of Junii nixt. This we thocht convenient to communicat with yow to the Assemblie now to be convenit at Glasgow, requyring them in our name to consider thereof, and to send to us their judgement and opinione anent this intendit wark, and of any thing they wald wische aither to be added or dimminished in the forme of our Letter utherwayes, before the same shall be directed: qwhairanent, if care and diligence shall be taken be them, as our intention, God willing, is to doe, to the forderance thereof, as becomes ws, We have no doubt, but God shall send fruitfull success of our travells, to the removeing of the greit disorders and confusions now standing for want of reformatione.
These grounds advysit weill and agreit upon appearandlie, it shall not only really, with reasonable tyme, make the ministers to be surelie provydit of their livings, but it shall bring the ecclesiasticall discipline to be farre better exercisit and execute over all this realme nor it is presentlie; it beand declarit first, what every Presbyterie may cognosce upone; nixt, what shall be in every Synodall Assemblie; and last, what causes shall be devolvit to the Generall Assemblie, and what persones shall orderlie neid to repair thereto, and to have vote therein. The reporte of thir our Letters returning againe the sooner, it may be provydit with diligent travells, in the good order now intendit, may take beginning at the first day of November nixt without delay, and if our Parliament upon any necessar occasione shall be conveinit. In the meane tyme, the said ordour, or sa meikle thereof as shall be in readiness, may be past and approvit in forme of law.
The second article was answerit in sic sort as we trust they were satisfied therewith.
To answer the third article, the desire thereof must be more speciall before it receave ane speciall answer: they have to consider in qwhais default and negligence the persons complaint upon in their forsaid article, remaynes unpunisched. Our answer to the first article is sufficient, qwhill upon farder advyse it may be made more speciall.
We doubt not also but our answer to the saxt article shall be found reasonable upon speciall conferrence had thereanent, and that their desyre, if it were grantit in the forme requyrit, could not but induce inconvenients.
There is order taken anent the desyre of the sevent article.
There is same order alreadie begune for the farther help of the Earle of Arrane, qwhilk shall be followit as occasione shall serve.
We have causit and yet will cause, the conferrence to be keepit, for furthsetting of all things requisite, that may set fordwart the Policie qwhill the same may be establischit be law.
Our former answers are reasonable, and no insisting has been in the contrare in the matter sensyne.
Mairover, ye shall lat the Assemblie understand, that in the particular conferrence bygane, syndrie matters hes beine agriet upon in generall termes as they were talkit and put in memorie, but yet are not put in sic forme and termes as war meit to put them in Articles in Parliament, to be past and approvit as particular Lawis; and therefore let the Assemblie appoynt some of their number to extend and put thir articles in sic forme and order as they wald wische them to be past in Parliament, specially in thir heads, viz. That the Assemblie will cause inquyre and cause informe us of the speciall names of the persons culpable in the faults nottit in their last Assemblie halden at Dundie, viz. That the Bischopes and Commissioners may be admonisched to refuse Readers the titles of benefices vaikand since the first day of November last bypast, although presentatione have happinit or happine to be; that the Assemblie declare how many sufficient and weill qualifiet ministers there is presently in Scotland, and in what place they wische them ratherest to serve.