VIII. That register produced by Master Thomas Sandilands, and prosecuted by Master Thomas Nicolson, proves the first part of that register to be true and famous; and that first part being, by ocular inspection, of the same hand-writ with Master Iames Richies registers, and subscribed in the margine with the same hand-writ, proveth Richies two books to be good records, and Richies registers doth approve Grays books by the act of Assembly before written; specially considering the same hath come by progresse and succession of Clerks, in the hands of Alexander Blair, now living, and here present. IX. The compts anent the thirds of benefices between the Regent for the time and the Assembly, in the second volume, pag. 147, are subscribed by the Lord Regents own hand, as appeareth; for it is a royall-like subscription, and there is no hand-writ in all the book like unto it, and beareth not _sic subscribitur_, which undoubtedly it would do, if it were a coppie. X. Master Iames Carmichell was commanded by the generall Assembly 1595, Sess. 9, in the book produced by Master Thomas Sandilands, to extract the generall acts forth of their books; and it is evident that these books are the same which he perused for that effect, because he hath marked therein the generall acts with a crosse, and hath designed the act by some short expression upon the margine, which is cognosced and known to be his hand writ, by famous and worthy persons; which is also manifest by the said Master Iames his band 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 Iames 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 deest_. 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 presupponed to have been done, but by corrupt men, of intension to corrupt the books, which were not necessary, if they were not principall registers.