reasoun to stay them from their playes, even by your owne acts of parliament.' The King answered, 'Yee are not the interpreters of my lawes.' 'And farther, the warrant was intimated but to one or two,' said M^r. Robert, and, therefore, desired the King to retreate the sentence. The King would alter nothing. 'At the least, then,' said M^r. Robert, 'lett the paine strike upon us, and exeeme our people.' The King bade him make away. So, in departing, M^r. Robert turned, and said, 'Sir, please you, nixt the regard we ow to God, we had a reverent respect to your Maiestie's royall person, and person of your queene; for we heard that the comedians, in their playes, checked your royall person with secreit and indirect taunts and checkes; and there is not a man of honour in England would give such fellowes so much as their countenance'. So they departed.
They were charged, at two houres, by sound of trumpet, the day following, at the publict Croce, about ten houres, to conveene themselves, and rescind the acts, or ellis to passe to the horne immediatly after. The foure sessiouns conveene in the East Kirk. They asked the ministers' advice. The ministers willed them to advise with some advocats, seing the mater tuiched their estate so neere. M^r. William Oliphant and M^r. Johne Schairp, advocats, came to the foure sessiouns. The charge was read. The advocats gave their counsell to rescind the act, by reasoun the King's charge did not allow slanderous and undecent comedeis; and farther, shewed unto them, that the sessiouns could doe nothing without their ministers, seing they were charged as weill as the sessiouns, and the mater could not passe in voting, but the moderator and they being present. They were called in, and after reasouning they came to voting. M^r. Robert Bruce being first asked, answered 'His Majestie is not minded to allow anie slanderous or offensive comedeis; but so it is that their comedeis are slanderous and offensive; therefore, the king, in effect, ratifieth our act. The rest of the ministers voted after the same maner. The elders, partlie for feare of their estats, partlie upon informatioun of the advocats, voted to the rescinding of the act. It was voted nixt, whether the ministers sould intimat the rescinding of the act? The most part voted they sould. The ministers assured them they would not. Henrie Nisbit, Archibald Johnstoun, Alexander Lindsey, and some others, tooke upon them to purchasse an exemptioun to the ministers. They returned with this answere, that his Majestie was content the mater sould be passed over lightlie, but he would have some mentioun made of the annulling of the act. They refuse. Their commissioners went the second tyme to the king, and returned with this answere, 'Lett them nather speeke good nor evill in that mater, but leave it as dead.' The ministers conveened apart to consult. M^r. Robert Bruce said it behoved them ather to justifie the thing they had done, or ellis they could not goe to a pulpit. Some others said the like. Others said, Leave it to God, to doe as God would direct their hearts. So they dissolved. M^r. Robert, and others that were of his minde, justified it the day following, in some small measure, and yitt were not querrelled.
