[THIRTY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY.]
The Generall Assembly, conveinit att Edinburgh, in the Counsell House, the first of October[16]1577, qwhair war present the Bischopes of Glasgow and Dumblaine, Superintendants, Commissioners of Countries, Kirkes, and Universities, Ministers, and uthers: Mr Alexander Arbuthnet, Principal of the Colledge of Aberdeen, Moderator.
The Generall Assembly, conveinit att Edinburgh, in the Counsell House, the first of October[16]1577, qwhair war present the Bischopes of Glasgow and Dumblaine, Superintendants, Commissioners of Countries, Kirkes, and Universities, Ministers, and uthers: Mr Alexander Arbuthnet, Principal of the Colledge of Aberdeen, Moderator.
Sessio 1.
Because the said Mr Alexander, Moderator, was absent from the last Assemblie, in that respect not foirseen of the things done therein, at his desyre, the Kirk appoyntit the Laird of Dun, Mrs James Lawsone, Robert Pont, David Lyndsay, Andrew Hay, John Craig, Andrew Melvill, to conveine the morne with him at sevine houres in the morneing, and advyse upon sic matters as sall be thocht good to be handlit in this Assemblie. The principall argument to be intreatit in this Assemblie is this, The Policie of the Kirk. The brethren deput to the conceiving and forming of the heids thereof, being callit to give ane account of their diligence, presentit the same as they had made partitione thereof at their Assemblie at Streviling.
The heids pennit be Mrs James Lawsone and John Row were read, and nothing again said, except ane of the said Mr Johnes articles referrit to further disputatione; all men being requirit, that had gude reasone or argument to propone in the contrarie, to alleadgethe same; or, if he wald not publicklie reasone upon the said heid, to resort to the saids Commissioners, where travell sould be taken to satisfie them, leivand to them to make argument as they think guide against the same.
The Laird of Dunn thocht the heid gine to him obscure. The Kirk desyrit him to conferr with the remanent Commissioners the morne at seven houres, that he may be resolvit of the meining thereof. The remnant heids beand prolixt, were thocht good to be contracted in short propositiones to be presentit to publick reiding.
Sessio 2.
The heid committit to Mr Andrew Hay read in face of the Assembly. Nothing was opponit against the same, except the article anent the suspensione of Ministers, referrit to farther reasoning.
David Fargusone his part read: The 18th article was referrit, and nothing spoken against the rest.
The pairts committit to Mr Andrew Hay, Robert Pont, David Lindsay: nothing alleadgit in the contrare.
The heids remittit to Mr Johne Craige: some things were desyrit to be contractit, and uthers referrit to farther reasoning.
The haill labours of the brethren tane upon the matter and argument of the policie beand haillelie read in publick audience of the Kirk, It was thocht expedient that their haill travells and wark in this matter, being now dispersit, sould be revysit and pervysit be some brethren, digestit and disposit in convenient order, to be thereafter presentit to the Assemblie; and for that effect, the Kirk appoynts their brethren Mrs James Lawsone, Andrew Melvill, Johne Craig, and George Hay, to convene together, appoint the houres and place thereto, and to remaine thereat whill the matter be brought to an end; and in the meane tyme, if it please any man to reasone with them in the matter, to have access thereto.
Sessio 4.
Anent the accusation laid against Mr Patrick Adamsone, callit Bischope of St Androis, that he had enterit in the said Bishoprick againes the Acts of the Generall Assembly, and usurpit the office of Visitatione within the bounds of Fyfe, unauthorised be the Commissione, or power of the Kirk, and left his ordinar office of ministrie, The Generall Kirk, in respect of his absence to answer hereto, Gives their full power and Commissione to Mr Robert Pont, JamesLawsone, David Fargusone, and Superintendant of Lawthiane, conjunctlie; and, in caise of the said Superintendant’s inabilitie, to Mr David Lyndsay, or John Brand, to direct out summonds against the said Mr Patrick, summonding him before them at sic day or dayes as they shall thinke good, within the towne of Edinburgh, to try and examine his entrie, and proceeding to the said Bishoprick, usurpation of the said office of Visitation, and deserting his said office of ministrie qwhilk he had of before; with power to them to summond the Chaptor of St Androis, or so many of them as shall seem to them expedient, if need require, and the ordinarers or inaugurers of the said Mr Patrick, as they shall think good, for the better tryall of the premisses: And what herein they finde be proces of excommunication, to report againe to the next Generall Assembly; and, in the mean tyme, in the name of the Kirk, to discharge him of farther visitation of the saids bounds qwhill he be admittit be the Kirk.
Sessio 5.
The Kirk fand, that James Blackwood, because he brookit twa benefices, the personage of Sanquhair and viccarage of Saline, should demitt the ane of the saids benefices.
Sessio 6.
It was thocht expedient be the Kirk, that certaine of the brether be direct to the Regent’s Grace to informe him that the Kirk is travelling in the matter and agreement of the policie, and what beis farther proceidit theirin, his Grace shall receive advertisement, before the end of the Assemblie. In this meane tyme, sundrie inconvenients may fall out before the same be perfytit, qwhilks it wald please his Grace to consider ane remeid; and for this effect was dispatchit from this Assembly, Mrs David Lyndsay, and John Duncansone, who returnit and reportit, his Grace lyked well of their travells and laboures tane in that matter, requireing expeditione and hastie outtred thereof: As for the particulars they informe wald be occurred, let them be gine, they shall have good answer.
Sessio 8.
The particulares of sic things as are desyret to be ordainit by my Lord Regent’s Grace before the wark of the policie cam out, being conceivit in a few articles, quhilk after shall appear, were delyvritto the Kirk be thair brether Mrs David Lyndsay, Andrew Polwart, and John Duncansone, to be proponit to his Grace to that effect, to await afternoone for his Grace answer; qwho returning, reportit his Grace answer to us, That if the articles might be resolvit be himselfe without the councill, they should receive his answer the morne, in the morning, wtherwayes the Councill should be convenit the morne afternoone, and thereafter answer should be gine to sik as the Kirk direct to receive the same; for the quhilk effect, the Kirk direct Mr John Craige and David Lyndsay.
The tenor of the Articles above specifeit.
1. First, that provisione may be had for the visitors of the countrie.
2. That order may be taken that persones depryvit be the Kirk for not doing their offices, may be depryvit of their benefices.
3. That his Grace will take order with such as receives benefices and thereafter cowps them.
4. That when benefices vaiks, they may be disponit rather to sic as hes servit at the Kirks thereof, than to uthers not so well qualified.
5. That the Acts of Parliament made against adulterers may be put to executione, namely, against William Cochrane, notorious adulterer.
6. That his Grace would discharge playes of Robine Hoode, King of May, and sic uthers, on the Sabbath day.
7. Because there is diverse readers not enterit in the Booke of Assignation, pairtly by inlaike of Commissioners, and pairtly be their negligence, that order may be provydit therefore.
The Proces persewit be the Laird of Tullyallane, against John Dykes, minister of Culross, was sichtit be some brether, and the heid of the bill was not found provine. The debait was finallie endit be the travells and persuasiones of the brether appoyntit thereto.
Sessio 9.
Anent the complaint made be David Fargusone, upon Mr James M‘Gill, Clark of Register, to the young Laird of Rossythe, that against the acts of the Kirk they causet burye the umquhill Laird of Rossythe in the Kirk of Dumfermling, albeit the said David made them foirseen of the said act; The Kirk ordaynit John Durieto warne the Clark Register to answer heirto, the first day of May next to come.
Ordayns the brethrene to wait on my Lord Regent’s Grace answer, to make sute for Mr John Davidson’s libertie to come in the countrie, for his favour, when he likes to come.
The brethrene appoyntit to collect the heids of Policie presentit of before, reportit the same collectit in order, and digestit in an body; and all men requyrit that had good reasone to argument, to propone, to offer them thereto.
Thrie heids were callit in doubt; anede Diaconatu, ane utherde Jure Patronatus, the thirdde Divortiis, wherein they were not resolvit nor satisfiet. As to the rest, nothing was thocht in the contrair, nor proponit.
Thir thrie heids standing in contraversie, and disputin utramque partem, yet farther disputation was reservit till the morne, to any man that likit to take the pairt of reasoning upon him against the saids heids.
The Commissioners appoyntit to await upon my Lord Regent’s Grace’s answer, report, because they had no commission in wreit, his Grace gave no answer to them.
The Clark Register beand present, declareit that the Proveist and Baillies of Dumfermling agriet to burie the said Laird of Rossythe in the Kirk; that he was not the causer thereof, submittand himselfe allwayes to the judgement of the Kirk, if any offence be found done by him.
The Generall Assemblie of the Kirk of this Realme, considering the grit abundance of iniquitie overflowing universallie the haill face of this commoneweill, now in so great licht and revelation of the trew and Christiane religione, justly provocking and steiring up the justice and equitie of God to take judgement and vengeance on this unworthie nation; Seeing also the many and perilous strifes and raiges of persecutione daily invading the Kirk and Spouse of Jesus Christ, the sound and extreame troubles of the trew and zealous members thereof in the parts of France and elsewhere, professing with them ane Saviour, Lord, and Messias, the wark also of establishing a perfyte order and policie in the Kirk being presently in hands, hes thocht it good, for the same reasones and good causes, that earnest and speedy recourse shall be had to God, with commone supplicationes and prayers; And to that effect ane generall fast be observed universallie, throughout all the kirks of the realme,with doctrine and instruction to the people, to begine the secund Sonday of July nixt to come, qwhilk is the ninth day thereof, and to continue to the nixt Sonday thereafter, wsing, in the meanetyme, exercise of doctrine according to the accustomit order; and to that effect, that intimation be made by the Commissioners of Countries to the ministers within their bounds, as appertaines. Gine in the Generall Assembly.
Because the matter of the policie of the Kirk collectit be the brethren, is not yet in sic perfect forme as is requisite, and syndrie things largely intreatit, qwhilk will be mair summarly handlit; uthers requireing further dilatioune for the re-collecting thereof, and putting the same in good order and forme, and for avoiding superfluitie and obscuritie, the substantialls beand keepit; The Kirk presently hes willit their belovit brethren, Mr Robert Pont and James Lawsone, to take travells and laboures in the premisses; and to the effect the wark may the better be compleitit and in readiness against the next Generall Assemblie, qwhilk is ordaynit to begin at Edinburgh the 25th of October nixt to come, the Kirk hes ordaynit their brethren, the Laird of Dunn, Mrs Alexander Arbuthnot, Andrew Melvell, John Craig, Andrew Hay, George Hay, John Row, David Lyndsay, John Duncansone, to conveine and assemble together, the nyneteine day of October nixt in Edinburgh, to revise and consider the travells of the said brether, that the samine may be the mair advysedly proponit publickly, as said is: In this meane tyme, sic as pleases to reason in the matter to have access to the saids brether; and lykewayes ordainit the Visitors of Countries to make intimatione to the Barrones, that the said wark is in hand, and to be treattit in the nixt Generall Assembly; desyrand their presence and concurrance thereto.