4. That the proclamatione lately made for the libertie of the Assemblies may be inlargit, and more plainly sett furth.
5. That your Lordships will giue the King’s Majestie to understand, how wicked instruments they were that persuadit his Grace to allow and take upon himselfe, all the mischiefs and ungodly proceedings, whereat the Kirk, his Grace and countrie, were brought to such miserie and danger.
6. That all acts of Councill made against Presbytries and Assemblies, chargeing them to desist from proceeding in discipline and ecclesiasticall censures against sclanderous persones, be annullit and delaitit out of the books: Lykewayes, that the act made against John Durie be delaitit.
7. That his Majestie and Lords will wey what great inconvenients and absurdities falls furth upon the act of Councill made concerning the absolute power; and for removeing thereof, to dilaite the samen, never to be remembrit hereafter.
8. That his Grace and Lords provyde and cairfullie foirsee, that be the wicked practice of dimissione or associatione of authoritie, the Kirk, King’s Majestie, and Countrie, be not hurt, and that the same be stayit in tyme.
9. That the stipend appoyntit for the minister of Strivilling, and now wickedly purchased be Mr Robert Montgomrie to his young sone, be restorit againe, for sustentatione of ane qualified man to teache that flock, qwhilk be his ungodlie dealing and apostacie hes been so long destitute.
10. That it will please your Majestie and Lords to haue pitie and compassion upon that noble and godly man, James Hamiltone, Earle of Arrane, sometyme a noble and comfortable instrument in reforming the Kirk of God, and now visite be the hand of God, and under pretence of law, bereft.
11. That Commissioners be deput in every part, for visitation of the Colledges, betwixt and the last of November. The Generall Assembly gives their full power and Commissione to Mrs George Hay, Andrew Myllne, James Balfoure, William Chrystesone, Patrick Gallaway, Andrew Melvill, David Fargysone, Thomas Buchanan, Patrick Gillespie, James Lawsone, David Lyndsay, Robert Pont, Andrew Hay, Thomas Smetowne, John Young, Andrew Pollwart, Andrew Clayhills, John Knox, Patrick Gates, and Peter Watsone, with the King’s Majestie’s Ministers, to pass unto the King’s Heines, his noble Counsell and Estates presently assemblit at Halyrudehouse, and to his Heines’ Parliament, when the samen shall hapin to be halden, to present the Grieves of the Kirk, crave answer, reasone, and report to the next Assemblie.
Sessio 17.
Anent the matter depending againes the King’s Majestie’s Advocat: His Lordship being present, advysit the Assemblie to consider wyslie if they allowit the forme of proceedings against him, being an officer to his master the King’s Majestie, callit his awne, upon the alleadgit forming of ane proclamatione gine out in the King’s name, under the title of a Declaration, and concludit be authoritie of his Councill—And as they shall finde be their wisdome, he wald not contemptuouslie refuse to answer to every point to lay to his charge: With the qwhilk desyre the breither being advysit, ffand, that in respect of the sclander castine be his persone, he may and sould be callit simplie to giue his declaratione for removing thereof; qwhairwith he being content, plainly and openly taking the name of God to be his witness, declareit, he neither inventit, pennit, nor formyt the said proclamatione, but at the desyre of the Duke’s Grace, translatit the last pairt thereof in Scotts concerning his declaration, qwhilk was in French; and farther, did nothing in the haill proclamatione. As to the remanent heids, they were answerit summarly, and the brethren appearandly satisfyit.