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and commons sitting together. Here the monarch or his representative actually not only attended but presided in person, although the business was conducted by his Chancellor or chief minister.
    "I declare this Convention of the Estates of Parliament, duly called and authorised, to be in valid session." John Leslie, seventh Earl, bull-like, short-necked, stout, may have been drunk as Hamilton had averred, and all but illiterate - he could not spell, certainly - but he gave no impression of not knowing what he was about, even if his words slurred a little. "The business is simple and, God aiding us, should not detain us long ..."
    Thus early, the Duke of Hamilton was on his feet. "My lord Chancellor," he intervened, "you err, I think. Let us have the matter aright. You said this Convention of the Estates. I came to attend a parliament, not a convention. Let us begin aright, I say."
    "No, my lord Duke - I didna err," Rothes returned, grinning. "I said convention and I mean convention!"
    There was immediate uproar in the hall. Undoubtedly almost all present had believed that they were attending a full session of parliament. A convention was altogether a lesser thing, a meeting limited in scope and usually called only for a single purpose; indeed it formerly was the term used for an assembly of the Estates at which the monarch himself was not present.
    "A device!" Bruce declared to his nephew. "This is an outrage! But why?"
    "Hamilton said Lauderdale was cooking something! This is it, then. Not a parliament, at all."
    When he could make himself heard, Hamilton, still on his feet, pointed an accusatory finger. "I protest!" he exclaimed. It was at Lauderdale that he pointed. "This is insufferable! I have not travelled all the way from London to attend a convention. The summons was to attend the Estates of Parliament. In the King 's royal name. I protest to . . . Your Grace!" That last sounded as though it hurt grievously to enunciate, In Scotland the honorific Grace was offered only to the monarch, not to dukes; but whilst acting as the King 's representative and sitting on the throne, Lauderdale was entitled to it.
    "I maun put you to rights, I fear, my lord Duke," Lauderdale replied, with relish. "I hae the summons here before me. It is to '... attend a Convention o' the Estates o' Parliament'. Just that!"
    "But .. . God save us! That is the words always used. For a parliament. A Convention of the Estates of Parliament. Meaning...
    ".
    "Meaning, Hamilton, a convention! . In this instance. I should ken, who sent it out. Under His Majesty 's signature, wi' His Majesty 's agreement."
    "Then this is a scandal! We are brought here under false pretences." Hamilton look round over the gathering, assessing support. "My lord Chancellor - I move that this assembly, being a full and lawful gathering of the Three Estates of Parliament, herewith constitutes itself a full parliament and no mere convention."
    "Seconded," Belhaven called.
    "I must rule you out of order, my lords." It was Lauderdale who answered, not Rothes. "This gathering isna competent so to vote. A convention it has been declared by the Chancellor. Therefore it can only vote as a convention. I has nae authority to turn itself into a parliament."
    "The Chancellor can be over-ruled."
    "Only by myself. And I dinna choose to do so, my lord Duke."
    Hamilton drew a deep breath. "The Privy Council can overrule the Chancellor," he said.
    The tension and stir in the hall was palpable.
    "Ooh, aye," the High Commissioner acceded. "Maybe and maybe no'. I could contest that, Hamilton. But I'll no'. Na, na-we'll hae a vote o' the Privy Council, then. Them only, mind. My lord President o' the Council - will ye call a vote?"
    Hamilton must have known it to be a despairing gesture from the first. The President of the Scots Privy Council was Archbishop Sharpe of St. Andrews - and there by Lauderdale's influence. So were most of the other privy councillors. When Hamilton's motion was called, it