And to the effect this act may take full perfectione, the Assembly present requyres maist humbly, my Lord Regent’s Grace and Secrett Councill, to interpone their authoritie thereto, that the assignations forsaids, generall and particular, as they shall be presentit to his Grace, may be specifit in forme of provisione ad vitam, under the Privy Seal, with ordinance thereupone, that Letters may be direct at every man’s instance, under all the four formes, as is grantit to the possessors of the twa part; and alse to the same end, that his Grace and his Counsell forsaid wald decerne the thrids of the benefices forsaids within this realme, to be separate and devydit reallie and with effect, from the twa part, so that the Kirk may intromitt with the thrid part, as the possessors does with the twa part, the superplus always to be comptable to the commone effaires, conforme to the act of Parliament.
After our maist hearty commendations; Seeing we are not able to be present at the Assembly now approachand, as our intentione was, We thocht it convenient, brieflie to give you significatioune of our meaning in wreit, of the quhilk we pray you to take good consideration, and, accordingly, to give your advertisement. Ye are not ignorant, as we suppose, what has beene the estate of the Kirk of God within this realme, baith before we acceptit the burding of regiment and sinsyne: How, first, the thirds of benefices war grantit to the ministrie, thereby partlie relievit and sustainit in sic sort, that nothing inlaikit that our travells could procure. The first order, indeed, was divers wayes interruptit and brokin in, but chiefly in that year when we were exyled in England, quhairthough that year the haill ministers war frustrate of their livings. Shortly, in the estate of Government altering at God’s pleasure, and the King our soveraigne being inaugurat with the crowne of this kingdome, the first thing we war careful of was, that the trew religion might be established, and the ministers of the Evangell made certain of their livings and sustentatione in tyme comeing: ye knaw, at the parliament we war maist willing that the Kirk sauld haue been put in full possessione of the proper patrimonie, and toward the thrids we expeded in our travel, and inlaikit only a consent to the dissolutione of the prelacies, whereunto, although we were earnestly bent, yet the estates delayit and wold not agree thereunto; and sen that tyme to this houre, We trust we will affirme, that we have pretermittit nothing that may advance the religione, and put the professors thereof in surtie, whereanent the haill and only inlaike hes been in the ciuill troubles that God hes suffered the countrie to be plagued with. Now, the matter being, after so great rage, brought to some stay and quietness, it was convenient that we returne where matters left and prease to reduce them to the estate they stand in. Ane thing we must call to remembrance, that at sic tyme as we travellit in the parliament to cause the estates to agrie, that the thrids should be decernit to pertaine to the ministrie, they plainly opponit them to us in respect of the first act, alleadgeand, that, with the sustentation of the ministrie, there was also regard to be had to the support of the puire, in sustaining of the public chairges, quhilks, if they had not some reliefe be that meine, the revenue of the crowne being so diminisched, and the ordinare charges cume to sic grytnes, on force they wold be burdenit with exactions; and so this dangerous argument compellit us to permitt to the estates, that we wold take upon us, the act being grantit to the Kirk, they should satisfie and agrie to ony thing sould be thocht reasonable, for supporting of the public charges of the prince. And, according to this, the Commissioner Deput for the affaires of the Kirk agriet to certaine assignations of the thrids for supporting of the King and us bearing authoritie; quhilk order had been sufficient for the haill, give the ciuil trouble had not occurrit; yet the disobedience growand so universallie, we are content to sustaine ane part of the inlaik and loss for the tyme past.