The assembly was not to be an independent national council
ranging at its will and settling things by its own authority. It was to
be a body advising Parliament on matters referred to it, and on these
alone, and its conclusions were to have no validity until they should be
reported to Parliament and confirmed there.

Forty members of the assembly were to constitute a quorum, and the
proceedings were not to be divulged without consent of Parliament. Four
shillings a day were to be allowed to each clerical member for his
expenses, with immunity for non-residence in his parish or any neglect
of his ordinary duties that might be entailed by his presence at
Westminster. William Twisse, D.D., of Newbury, was to be prolocutor, or
chairman, of the assembly; and he was to have two "assessors," to supply
his place in case of necessary absence. There were to be two "scribes,"
who should be divines, but not members of the assembly, to take minutes
of the proceedings.

Every member of the assembly, on his first entrance, was to make solemn
protestation that he would not maintain anything but what he believed to
be the truth; no resolution on any question was to be come to on the
same day on which it was first propounded; whatever any speaker
maintained to be necessary he was to prove out of the Scriptures; all
decisions of the major part of the assembly were to be reported to
Parliament as the decisions of the assembly; but the dissents of
individual members were to be duly registered, if they required it, and
also reported to Parliament. The Lords wanted to regulate also that no
long speeches should be permitted in the assembly, so that matters might
not be carried by "impertinent flourishes"; but the Commons, for reasons
that are not far to seek, did not agree to this regulation.

Notwithstanding a royal proclamation from Oxford, dated June 22d,
forbidding the assembly and threatening consequences, the first meeting
duly took place on the day appointed--Saturday, July 1, 1643; and from
that date till February 22, 1648-1649, or for more than five years and a
half, the Westminster Assembly is to be borne in mind as a power of
institution in the English realm, existing side by side with the Long
Parliament, and in constant conference and cooperation with it. The
number of its sittings during these five years and a half was one
thousand one hundred sixty-three in all; which is at the rate of about
four sittings every week for the wh