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In the parliament held at Edinburgh, 17 November 1641, the which day James Cochrane, merchant burgess of Edinburgh and commissioner for the said burgh in this present session of parliament, protested in open and plain parliament, in audience of the king's majesty and estates of parliament, in name of the said burgh of Edinburgh and magistrates thereof, against the act made in this parliament of the date hereof in favour of the hatmakers within the said burgh, granting power, liberty and privilege to the said hatmakers of an overseer and quartermaster yearly of their own calling to be elected, nominated, chosen and given to them by the provost, bailies and council of the burgh of Edinburgh, as the said act purports; and that the same act should in no way be prejudicial to the rights, liberties and privileges granted to the provost, bailies and council of the burgh of Edinburgh, for making of laws and setting down of orders for governing of the said burgh, which is only competent to the magistrates thereof, and that no deacon nor quartermaster can be given to the said hatmakers, not being a craft, seeing the number of crafts of the said burgh and deacons of the same crafts are already limited by the decreet arbitral pronounced by his majesty's late dearest father of worthy memory between the merchants and crafts in Edinburgh; and hereupon the said James Cochrane, commissioner foresaid, in name and on behalf of the said magistrates of Edinburgh and in audience of the king's majesty and estates of parliament, asked instruments.