[A1681/7/2]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Which day the parl[iament] mett, prayers said by the b[ishop] of Edinburgh; rolls called and absents marked; and protestations wer made for precedencie as followes:
Therefter the earles of Eglingtone, Ancram, Tarras, the viscount of Preston, lo[rds] Elibank and Newark, who wer not present the first day of parl[iament], tooke the oath of alledgance and of parl[iament] (the same being publictly read[)] and subscribed the declaration and tooke their place in parl[iament].
The act for ordering the house, that non presume to come in to the parl[iament] bot members therof, was revived.
The president of the parl[iament] had a short speech, and moved that his royall hynes speach might be prented, which was accorded unto.
A motione was made by the e[arl] of Hadingtone that the officers of state might not sitt so hie on the throne.
A motione made that the b[ishop] who sayes the prayers may stand below the throne, that the members of the house may better hear him.
The ansr to the king's letter was brought in, and the president moved that it might be read.
Sir John Cochran moved that it might be delayed untill the double and contraverted electiones wer determined and the house wer full. Bot the motione being seconded by no other member, it was ordored to be read, which accordingly was done; and read the 2nd tyme by Mr Alexander Gibsone.
Sir John Cuningham had a speach representing the great importance and weight of the matter concerned in the ansr to the king's letter, being concerning oure religione and royall successione; and moved for a delay till the members had more fully considered the king's letter and ansuear therto.
The d[uke] of Hamiltone, lo[rd] advocat, Lo[rd] Tarbet and Sir George Lockhart made ansrs to the forsaid speach and represented that ther was nothing in the ansr to the king's letter which might be thought in the leist to anticipat the parliament's deliberatione; and moved that the ansr might be read over again, which accordingly was done. The laird of Anstruther moved that it might goe to a vote and that the state of the vote might be approve or delay. The lo[rd] thesaurer deput moved that it might be approve or no; and the e[arl] of Tueddell moved that it might be delay or no. And the questione being† stated approve or no, it was voted and caried approve, nemine contradicente, only Sir John Cuningham and the laird of Anstruther voted approve so far as they understoode.
Lo[rd] advocat moved that the ansr to the king's letter might be presently dispatched with ane expresse, which was accorded unto.
Lo[rd] Pitmedden moved that the ansr to the king's letter might be presented with the first conveinencie.
Lo[rd] justice generall and justice clerk moved that, in respect ther was some dittayes tabled before the justice court which wer not brought to a close, therfor the justice court might be allowed to sitt in tyme of parl[iament].
D[uke of] Hamiltone ansueared that no judicatories could sitt in tyme of parl[iament] and craved the lawiers opinione theranent.
Lo[rd] advocat replyed that judicatories have bein in use to sitt in tyme of parl[iament] and the parl[iament] does not preclud them, and justice aught not to be delayed.
Lo[rd] president of sessione seconded lo[rd] advocat, and represented that albeit when the parl[iament] sitts all judicatories should be silent, even as when the greater light shines, the lesser ar darkness; yet upon just occasiones they may dispense with be the parl[iament] and have liberty to sitt.
Sir George Lockhart moved that the justice court may be allowed to sitt only for determining of causes already tabled befor them.
The articles ordained to sitt on Wednesday at 9 houres, and the parl[iament] adjourned to Frayday nixt at 9 houres.
The b[ishop] of Edinburgh prayed.