The estates of parliament, having heard and considered the report of the committee of 18 formerly appointed by them for considering the dangers to religion, covenant, king and kingdoms, with the remedies and duties to be done thereupon anent the letters of the commissioners from the parliament of England concerning the placing of some watchmen in the town of Berwick, directed to [John Campbell, earl of Loudoun], lord chancellor, read in audience of the parliament and remitted by the parliament to the aforesaid committee, together with the opinion of the aforesaid committee concerning the same, the said estates of parliament, after full debate and voting, have condescended and do hereby condescend that there shall be a close and secret committee of six of every estate to be nominated and authorised by this present parliament, to the effect and with the power after-mentioned; and therefore they nominate, elect and choose [James Hamilton], duke of Hamilton, [Archibald Campbell], marquis of Argyll, the earls [John Lindsay, earl of] Crawford [Lindsay], [John Maitland, earl of] Lauderdale, [William Hamilton, earl of] Lanark and [James Livingstone, earl of] Callander for the noblemen; the lords [Sir Andrew Fletcher of] Innerpeffer, [Sir Archibald Johnston of] Wariston, [Sir Adam Hepburn of] Humbie, [Sir James Lockhart of] Lee and the lairds [Sir James Foulis of] Colinton and [Sir James Dundas of] Arniston for the barons; Archibald Sydserf, Sir Alexander Wedderburn [of Blackness], Patrick Leslie [of Iden], George Bell, James Robertson and Thomas MacBirnie for the burghs, to whom (or any 10 of them, there being 1 of every estate as the quorum) the said estates of parliament by this act give commission, warrant and power to the effect following only, namely: to do, act† or order anything requisite for preventing the dangers which may come to the kingdom by the garrisoning or possessing of Berwick or Carlisle by the malignants, sectaries or others, and ordain the said committee and quorum thereof to be answerable to the parliament for their proceedings in this commission and trust put upon them and to make report thereof to this session of parliament or sooner as they shall be required by the parliament. And the estates ordain John [Campbell], earl of Loudoun, lord high chancellor of Scotland and president of parliament, to be supernumerary in this commission. And the estates appoint the said committee to meet on Monday next or sooner as occasion shall offer.