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†The quhilk day, in presens of the kingis majestie, his nobilitie and counsall presentlie convenit, as alsua in presens of Alexander Hume of Northberuik Manis, provest of Edinburgh, Roger McNaucht, George Todrig, Patrik Cochrane and Alexander Huntar, baillies thairof, and of the maist parte of the counsall of the same, being all personalie present, this bill and offeris undirwrittin subscrivit be the saidis provest and baillies and be Maister Alexander Guthrie, thair commoun clark, in name of the saidis baillies, counsall and deaconis of craftis of the said burgh, and presentit to his majestie be thair commissionaris, direct to his hienes to the same effect, being red, hard and considderit, and the saidis provest, baillies and counsaill inquirit be his majestie giff thay, be thame selffis and in name of the haill inhabitantis of the said burgh, wald stand and abyde thairat and satisfie and fulfill quhatsumevir thing his majestie, his nobilitie and counsall wald forder prescrive and appoint tobe done for the lait offence committit aganis his hienes, his trusty counsallouris and gude subjectis within the said burgh upoun the xvij day of December lastbipast, and for latting to libertie of Maister James Balfour, eftir he wes takin be thame be his hienes directioun, for certane crymes of tressoun in hiest degree committit be him, declairit that thay, for thame selffis and in name of the remanent inhabitantis foirsaidis, wald stand, abyde and fulfill all and sindrie the heidis, pointis and articlis speciallie and particularlie expressit in the same bill and offeris, and forder undirly quhatsumevir his hienes, his saidis nobilitie and counsall wald prescrive and appoint tobe done aggreable in substance to the tennour and effect of the said bill and offeris foirsaidis; provyding alwayes that thairby thay tak not the said cryme and offens upoun thame, nather that it be comptit and estemit that the samin wes done be thair foirknaulege, command, assistance nor ratihabitioun, bot alluterlie detestit, lyke as thay deteist and abhorris the same frome thair verie hairtis to the uttermost. And in signne thairof, thay desirit the foirsaid bill and offeris micht be registrat in the buikis of secreit counsaill, to have the strenth of ane act and decreit of his hienes and the saidis lordis and to remane thairin ad perpetuam rei memoriam. Quhilk desire thay finding ressounable, hes ordanit and ordanis the same bill and offeris tobe registrat in the saidis buikis, off the quhilkis the tennour followis: Pleis youre majestie, eftir humble commendatioun of oure service, undirstanding be youre majesteis suddane departour and proclamatioun that ye ar offendit with us of this youre majesteis burgh, we have thocht it expedient to direct thir oure nichtbouris, Johnne Arnott, Hew Broun, George Hereot and Johnne Watt, towardis youre majestie to attend upoun youre majesteis lasur in making oure humble purgatioun at lenth, with attestatioun and offering of oure aufauld and dewtifull obediens and service to youre majestie; and sua referring oure selffis to thair declaratioun and awaiting upoun youre majesteis gude will and favour, quhilk we have evir estemit abone any wardlie thing. We committ youre majestie to the protectioun of the Almichtie, frome Edinburgh, the 19 of December 1596. Sic subscribitur, youre majesteis maist humble and obedient subjectis, the provest and baillies of youre majestie burgh of Edinburgh, Alexander Hume, provest, Roger McNaucht, baillie, George Todrig, baillie, Patrik Cochrane, baillie, A. Huntar, baillie. Offeris maid to his majestie and lordis of his hienes counsale be the provest, bailleis, counsale and deaconis of craftis representing the haill communitie of the burgh of Edinburgh for pacifeing his hienes wraith consavit aganis his humble subjectis, inhabitantis of the said burgh, be occasioun of the lait tumult that happynnit within the samin upoun Fryday the sevintene day of this instant December, and siclike for satisfactioun of the lordis of his majesties counsaill quha hes foundin thame selffis interest thairby: It may pleis youre majestie that the saidis provest, baillies, counsale and deaconis of craftis, as thay will answer to the grite God of heaven and upoun the fidelitie and allegeance that thay aucht to youre hienes, thay nor nane of thame had any maner of foirknaulege of that unworthie and unhappy tumult that suddanelie fell oute; and housone the same come to thair knaulege, thay travellit to the uttirmost of thair power to quiet the same. And albeit thair wes ane grite indignitie done to youre majestie, yit God of his mercy provydit that thair followit na blude. For redres of this sua lewde ane enormitie, we have done oure utter diligence to try and apprehend sic as wer suspect tobe the motionaris. The inquisitioun taken is patent be certane witneses examinat, quhais depositionis ar reddy tobe delyverit to youre majestie, in the quhilk tryale we sall not ceis till we bring the mater to the uttermost point safar as we can have onywayes knaulege, and as it sall pleis youre hienes to giff us any directioun. And giff it be thocht be youre majestie that this tryale and reserche may be maid mair diligentlie be any uther personis, inhabitantis of oure said burgh, giff thay wer in the place quhilk we occupy, to testifie oure gudewill tothe furtherance of youre majesteis service, we ar content, giff swa be youre majesteis plesure, instantlie to dimitt oure officeis to the intent youre majestie may place sic utheris thairin as sall stand with youre majesteis plesure, quhome we sall alwayes to the uttermost of oure power fortifie and assist in the said tryale and uther youre hienes service quhatsumevir. And forsamekle as youre majestie hes takin this heich indignitie to have procedit frome certane sermonis maid laitlie be the foure ordinair ministeris that laitlie keipit the place and now ar denunceit youre majesties rebellis, as als upoun certane conventionis of the people assemblit be thame, we promeis to youre majestie that nane of the saidis foure ministeris salbe at any tyme heireftir ressavit, admittit or allowit of us to use the functioun of the ministerie within the fredome of this youre hienes burgh of Edinburgh, except the same proceid upoun youre majesteis expres conditioun, will and commandiment. And to the effect that the lyke unworthie misordour arise not in any tyme to cum, to the dissobedience of youre majestie, we ar and salbe content that thair salbe na minister ressavit nor allowit be us bot sic as youre hienes sall lyke of and youre majesteis avise had to his electioun, quhairin we ar assurit youre majestie will respect the celebritie and multitude of the auditour and thairfoir will foirsee that sic as salbe preferrit to thay placeis salbe sic as may sufficientlie discharge thair dewiteis to God and to youre hienes. And to giff youre majestie undoubtit pruif of oure obedient hairtis to youre hienes service, the same quhilk we offerrit anent the ministeris tobe electit heireftir, evinsa we offer concerning the officiaris and magistratis of this youre hienes burgh that the lytis befoir the electioun salbe considderit and vewed be youre majestie and lordis of youre hienes sessioun, quha salhave libertie to allow or disallow of the saidis lytis at youre majesteis plesure, with thair avise, and to propone uther lytis of the saidis magisratis and officiaris sic as youre majestie with thair avise sall find mair convenient for the tyme. And for this caus we wilbe content, giff youre majestie and lordis think it expedient, to alter the tyme of oure electioun, quhilk in tymes past wes at Michaelmes, to sum certane day eftir the sessioun be convenit in November, to the intent that the saidis lordis may the bettir be present to giff thair avise in the said electioun.