eafter each Synod was to appoint three
commissioners to confer on the subject before the King along with all
the theological professors.

This conference was held, and was packed with the King's men. In many
cases the delegates were not the choice of those they represented. The
trick by which this was effected was in keeping with the rest of the
King's conduct in the business. In many of the presbyteries the
Invincibles were placed upon the leets from which the commissioners were
to be elected; they thus lost their votes, and those who remained to
make the choice chose the delegates desired by the King.

Melville attended the conference, and opposed the King at every point.
On the question of the duration of the office of the representatives,
there was a very lively piece of repartee between the two. Melville had
been contending that the King's proposal to appoint the representatives
for life would establish lordship over the brethren, 'tyme strynthning
opinioun and custome confirming conceat,' when the King broke in upon
his speech with the remark that 'there was na thing sa guid bot might be
bathe ill suspected and abbusit, and sa we suld be content with na
thing.' Melville retorted that they 'doubted of the guidness, and had
ower just cause to suspect the evill of it.' The King's next thrust
was: 'There was na fault bot we [the ministers] war all trew aneuche to
the craft,' which Melville turned with the remark, 'But God make us all
trew aneuche to Christ say we.'--'The ministers,' said the King, 'sould
ly in contempt and povertie [if their status was not raised as he
proposed].--'It was their Maister's case before them,' rejoined
Melville; 'it may serve them weill aneuche to be as he was, and better
povertie with sinceritie nor promotioun with corruptioun.'--'Uthers
would be promovit to that room in Parliament,' said the King [his
Majesty could not want his three estates], 'wha wald opres and wrak his
Kirk.'--Melville answered: 'Let Chryst the King and advenger of the
wrangs done to his Kirk and them deal togidder as he hes done before;
let see wha gettes the warst.'--Once more the King argued: 'Men wald be
that way [by a temporary appointment] disgraced, now sett upe and now
sett by and cast down and sa discouragit from doing guid,' when Melville
concluded: 'He that thinks it disgrace to be employed in what God's Kirk
thinks guid, hes lytle grace in him; for grace is given to the lowlie.'

Another point was the n