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Prayers said.
Rolls called.
Minuts of the last sederunt read.
Then the parliament resumed the consideration of the debate anent the qualification of writers to the signet before they can be named ordinary lords of session, and, after some furder debate as to the tyme they are to serve as writers before they can be capable to be named lords, there were tuo states of a vote offered, the first in these terms: whither they shall serve tuenty years or none; and the second in these terms: whither they are to serve eight or ten years. And, after some reasoning which of the tuo should be the state of the vote, first or second,
The earle of Abercorn gave in a protest against the first state of the vote in these terms: I protest against the stateing the first vote, because which way soever it may be caryed, it in my humble opinion eleids one of the tuo votes past yesterday relateing to the additional clause, for if it should be caryed that a wryter to the signet may be admitted to be an ordinary lord of the session without limiting a reasonable tyme for qualifieing himself by experience as to the practicall part of the law, then that seems to be inconsistent with the vote requiring advocats undergoing a five years probation at the barr. On the other hand if the vote should be caryed for a wryters being tuenty years in that station before being capable to be named by the sovereign to be an ordinary lord of the session, that seems to be tantamount to an absolute exclusion of wryters from the said office. And thereupon he took instruments.
Then the vote was putt first or second, and it caryed second.
Thereafter the vote was putt eight or ten years, and it caryed ten years.
Then a motion was made for an additionall clause in relation to the qualification of wryters in these terms: with this provision, that no wryter to the signet be capable to be admitted a lord of the session unless he undergoe a private and publick tryall on the civill law before the faculty of advocats and be found by them qualified for the above said office tuo years before they shall be named to be a lord of the session. And, after reasoning thereon, the vote was stated add the clause or nott.
But before voteing it was moved that the qualifications made or to be made for capacitating persons to be named ordinary lords of session shall be alterable by the parliament of Great Brittain, and, after debate, it was putt to the vote alterable or not, and it caryed alterable.
Then the vote was putt add the clause in relation† to the qualification of wryters or not, and it caryed add.
Thereafter the second clause of the ninteenth article of union in relation to the courts of justiciary was read and aggreed to.
And the third clause in relation to the admirality was also read and aggreed to.
Thereafter the other clauses of the said nineteenth article in relation to the court of exchequer and other courts, and also the remainder of the article, was read and aggreed to.
Then the vote was putt approve of the ninteenth article as amended or not, and it caryed approve.
Then the lord chancellor, by order of her majesties high commissioner, adjourned the parliament till to morrow at ten of the clock.
Seafield, cancellar[ius], I.P.D. p[arliamenti]