commissioner, the prelates and noblemen were instructed to retire, to choose the Lords of the Articles. The secretary intimated privately to the lords temporal the names of the prelates whom the king wished to be chosen. They "debaited the mater verie preciselie," having first dismissed the secretary, "and after many discourses of the necessitie of the mentenance of thair privilegis and libertie, be pluralitie of votes, changed so many of the roll of the prelates as they had men to make chainge of." The bishops, on the other hand, received "the roll of the noblemen whom his Maiestie recommended to be upon the Articles, whilk thay presentlie obeyed be thair electioun." When the prelates and noblemen met to choose the commissioners of barons and burgesses, both maintained their attitude, "and maid sum chainge, so far as the noblemen could." This method did not become fixed till 1633, but it represents more or less accurately the condition of matters between 1612 and 1638. The usurpation of all parliamentary power was, of course, bitterly resented. As early as 1524 we have evidence of opposition; but the dispute of that year was rather personal than political, and not in any sense constitutional. The first constitutional protest dates from the year 1633.[68] But even this is rather a remonstrance against the decisions of the Lords of the Articles than against their election and procedure, although there are references to these. Burton guardedly describes the incident as containing "distinct vestiges of a constitutional parliamentary opposition."[69] In 1640, Parliament, no longer under royal control, ordained that the Lords of the Articles should be "ane equall number of all Estates, and ... chosen by the haill bodie of the Estates promiscououslie and togidder, and not separatlie, by ilk ane of the thrie Estatis apairt." In 1663, by command of the king the older method was restored, and it continued in force till the Revolution. The parliament of 1690 abolished the Lords of the Articles, and declared that "the estates may appoint such Committees as they choose, there being an equal number of each estate." Such is the history of that important body.[70]