The Tennor of the King’s Majestie’s Petitions gine in be his heines Commissioners. Instructions to our trustie and well-belovit William Cunninghame of Capringtoune, direct be us with advyce of the Lords of our Secret Councill. To the Generall Assemblie of the Ministers of the Kirk convenit at Glasgow, the 20th of Aprile 1581. Ye shall delyver our letter unto them, and let them understand that sic of their number as travellit with us, having desyrit of us answer to their articles sent from the Assembly halden in Dundie, 3d July last, We causit sum of our counsell conferr with them severall tymes in October last, as also now of late, qwhilks all finds the matter towards the thirds of benefices mentionat in the first of the saids articles, as the same is there requyrit, not to be the readiest meine, either to make the ministers assured of their stipends and livings, or yet to make us to have any reasonable support thereby, for reliefe of the commone chairges of our estate, there being so great alteratione and diminutione of the rents, and so great confusione utherwayes enterit in that matter, dureing thir 20 yeares and mair now bypast; and that thereby their behoves ane forme and order be prescryvit unto, mair licklie to have continuance to the posteritie to come: To the removeing of all occasions of complaint for the furtherance thereof, there is be commandment and advyce of sic of our councill and the ministrie as conferrit in this purpose, some forme drawne, how Elderschips may be constitute of a certaine number of parochines, lyand together; small parochines to be united, and the greit dividit, for the better sustentation of the ministrie, and the more commodious resort of the common people to their kirks. There is also the forme of letter of ours to be written to some of the principall noble and gentle men, and certaine of the ministers within the bounds of every Elderschip, to conveine, advyse, and reporte unto us their advyce in all things requyred be us in our said Letter, betwixt and the 24 of Junii nixt. This we thocht convenient to communicat with yow to the Assemblie now to be convenit at Glasgow, requyring them in our name to consider thereof, and to send to us their judgement and opinione anent this intendit wark, and of any thing they wald wische aither to be added or dimminished in the forme of our Letter utherwayes, before the same shall be directed: qwhairanent, if care and diligence shall be taken be them, as our intention, God willing, is to doe, to the forderance thereof, as becomes ws, We have no doubt, but God shall send fruitfull success of our travells, to the removeing of the greit disorders and confusions now standing for want of reformatione.