[Petition delayed; advocate appointed; draft act read and laid open]

Moved that the petition given in for [John Kerr], laird of Morriston might be read, and thereupon ordered that Sir James Cockburn [of that ilk] be cited by getting a full copy of the petition with the report to which it refers, to compear and be ready to answer the first sitting of parliament next week.

Sir David Dalrymple allowed upon the petition of Doctor George Oswald to plead for the doctor against granting protection to Mr John Buchan.

The draft of an act in favour of the burgh of Elgin toward the completing of their harbour at the mouth of the River Lossie read and ordered to lie on the table.

[Act read and further consideration ordered; act read and laid open; continuation]

The act for security of the kingdom read and considered.

The draft of an act for rescinding the second act of the third parliament of King Charles II read, and, after reasoning thereon, the vote was stated if the act should be marked a first reading or should lie on the table, and carried that it should lie on the table.

Then the consideration of the act for security was resumed, and, after reasoning on some clauses thereof, the further consideration of the act was continued to the next sitting of parliament.

The lord chancellor, by order of her majesty's high commissioner, adjourned the parliament until Friday next at 10 o'clock.

[James Ogilvy, earl of] Seafield, chancellor, in the presence of the lords of parliament²