Note 58 — I.—Origin, Membership, and Method
Reading edition
From 1467 to 1482 the numbers of the Lords of the Articles were from three to five representatives of each Estate. During the struggles which marked the end of the reign of James III, and before his son had succeeded in asserting the royal power, we find burgesses forming a very small proportion of the Committee of the Articles. The numbers are instructive:
Year Clergy Barons Burgesses
1483 6 6 4 (Acts, ii. 145.)
1485 6 6 3 (Acts, ii. 169.)
1488 9 14 5 (Acts, ii. 200.)
1489 8 10 4 (Acts, ii. 217.)
1491 10 10 3 (Acts, ii. 229.)
On the other hand in 1503, under the strong rule of James IV, six clergy, six barons, and seven burgesses were chosen (Acts, ii. 239).