persons: which is also manifest by the
said _Master James_ his hand and subscription, written with his own hand
in the last leafe of the said books; as also acknowledged in the said
book, produced by _Master Thomas Sandilands_, wherein the said _Master
James Carmichell_ granteth the receipt of these, with some other books of
the Assemblies.

XI. The registers produced, are the registers of the Assembly, because in
_Anno_ 1586, the Assembly complaineth that their registers are mutilate:
which hath relation to _Richies_ third book, which is lacerat and mutilate
in divers places without any interveening of blank paper, or any mention
of _hic deese_.

XII. If these were not principall registers, the enemies of the puritie of
Gods worship, would never have laboured to destroy the same which
notwithstanding they have done; as appeareth by the affixing and battering
of a piece of paper upon the margine, anent a condition of the commission
not to exceed the established discipline of this Kirk; subscribed by the
Clerk, book 3, pag. 147, and the blotting out the certification of the
excommunication against Bishop _Adamson_, book 4, pag. 30, who in his
Recantation generally acknowledgeth the same: but which, without that
recantation, cannot be presupposed to have been done, but by corrupt men
of intention to corrupt the books, which were not necessary, if they were
not principall registers.

XIII. In the Assembly 1596, the Church complained upon the Chancelour his
retention of their registers, & desired they might be delivered to their
Clerk, which accordingly was done; as a memorandum before the beginning of
the first book, bearing the redeliverie of these foure books to _Master
James Richie_, clerk proporteth; which clearly evinceth that those foure
books are the registers of the Assembly.

XIV. The said fifth book and greatest Volume, is also marked on the
margine, with the hand-writ of the said _Master James Carmichell_; (which
is cognosced) who was appointed to peruse the books of the Assembly as
said is, and would not have margined the same by vertue of that command,
nor extracted the general acts out of it, if it were not an approbation
therof, as an authentick and famous book.

XV. The said fifth Volume doth agree with the other foure books; in all
which is extant in them, and marketh the blanks, which are lacerate and
riven out of the same; and compleateth all what is lacking in them.

XVI. In the book of Disciplin