9. That no meeting nor conventione be among the pastores without his Majestie’s knowledge and consent, excepting alwayes their ordinary Sessiones, Presbytries, and Synods.
10. That in all the principall townes, ministers be not chosen without the consent of their own flock and of his Majestie, and that order to begin presently in the planting of Edinburgh.
11. That all matters concernyng the rest of his Majestie’s questiones be suspendit unmedled with, either in pulpit or any wther judicators, qwhill first all his Hienes questiones be fully decydit; And in speciall all matters importing sclander, come not in before them in the meantyme, qwharin his Majestie’s authoritie royall is highly prejudgit, but only in causes merely ecclesiastick.
12. That seven or aught of discreet wyse ministers be authorizit be commissione to reason upon the rest of the questions, as opportunity of tyme shall serve.
13. That they give commissione to the ministrie of the north to be at a poynt with Huntlie; and, in caice he satisfie them, to absolve him.
And for the better answering of the saids Articles, the Assemblie ordaynit certaine brethren to be chosen out of every schyre presentlie convenit, who should give their advyce and overture upon the saids Articles proponit be his Majestie, and thereafter reporte the same to the Assemblie:—they are, to say, Mrs John Monro, Alexander Dowglass, Peter Blackburne, John Strauchane, Alexander Buchanan, James Melvill, John Spottswood, Adame Colt, Thomas Storie, Andrew Clayhills, John Knox, James Brysone, Patrick Scharpe, Gavin Hamiltone, Alexander Scrymgeour, and David Barclay.
Sess. 5a. Martii 4o.
The brethren convenit being desyred be the King’s Commissioners sent from his Majestie to repare to the place where his Heines with the Estates were presently sittand, to conferre anent the forsaids articles, they, at his Majestie’s desyre, resortit to the Counsell-house, and there, before any farther reasoning, after his Majestie had discoursed upon such things as should be proponit, protestit in manner as after follows:
Sir,—Forsuameikle as we are come hither to testifie to your Majestie our obedience, and to hear what shall be proponit to us be your Heines, in all reverence we protest that this our meeting be not esteemit as though we made ourselves and the Assemblie with the Estates, or yet does submitt any matters ecclesiasticall, either concerning doctrine or discipline, to this judicator; but after we had conferrit and reasonit with your Majestie anent the articles proponit to us, we most returne to the ordinarie place of our Assemblie, there to reasone, vote, and resolve in all these poynts, according to the word of God and ane good conscience; and this our protestation we most humbly desyre may be admittit and insert in your Majestie’s Books of Counsell, for eschewing of inconvenientes that heirafter may ryse: