[THIRTY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY.]
The Generall Assembly of the Kirk, conveint att Edinburgh, in the Laigh Tolbooth thereof, the 25th of October 1577, where there was present the Commissioners of Countries, Provinces, Townes, and Universities, with the Ministers: Mr David Lyndsay, Moderator.
The Generall Assembly of the Kirk, conveint att Edinburgh, in the Laigh Tolbooth thereof, the 25th of October 1577, where there was present the Commissioners of Countries, Provinces, Townes, and Universities, with the Ministers: Mr David Lyndsay, Moderator.
Sessio.
Because of great confusione heirtofore in Assemblies qwhilk fellout be casting in of purposes unfoirseene afoire, and be the multitude of proponers thereof; It was thocht meet, dureing this Assembly, that certaine brethren sould conferr with the Moderator upon matters to be intreatit on at this conventione, viz. Mrs John Row, Alexander Arbuthnot, Andrew Melvill, William Christison, James Lawsone, Robert Pont, Andrew Hay, John Duncansone; and sic lyke it is thocht good that the acts made in the Assemblie be considerit be the saids brethren, joynit to the Moderator, and thereafter read in open Assemblie.
The Kirk thocht meet that my Lord Regent’s Grace should be desyrit to be in this Assemblie in proper persone, or be Commissioners; and to that effect war direct Mrs John Row and James Lawsone, qwha immediatlie returnit, with answer that his Grace had no leisure to talk with them for occupation.
The haill Assemblie ordaynit Mrs John Craig and John Brand to gang to his Grace for the same effect, and to report his answer the morn at nyne hours, qwhilk was, that he was so occupied in earnest effairs of the Councill, that he had no leasure to confer with them. The Kirk hes thocht it meet that the said brethrene pass againe to him, and require his personall presence in this Assemblie, or Commissioners authorized with his commissione.
Because the matter of the policie and jurisdictione of the Kirk committit to the recollecting, forming, and dispositione of certaine brethren being now present, be them was thocht expedient to be proponit and intreatit the morne; efter the reading of the generall heids thereof, the haill brether was requyrit to advyse with themselves gif they fand any uther heids necessary to be disputit then this, and to signifie the same to the Assemblie the morne.
Sessio 3.
Johne Brand returnit my Lord Regent’s answer, that in respect of sundry important businesses, and that he could not leave the Councill sa soone conveint, he could not satisfie the petitione of the Kirk, desyring that the brethren qwhilk war send down to him before, sould come downe and speik with his Grace; and because the Kirk is labourand in the policie, prayand them earnestly to gang fordwart and put the same to end, The Kirk wills Mrs James Lawsone and John Row to pass to his Grace the morne, according to his desyre.
Mr Patrick Adamsone, in my Lord Regent’s Grace name, exhibitsin the Assembly ane Letter direct from the Queen Majestie of England to his Grace, making informatione of a certain Councill to have been halden at Magdeburgh for establishing of the Augustane Confession, with ane Letter written from the Cassumire to her Majestie of that same argument, desyrand the Assemblie to advyse if they thocht meit that any of the learned ministers of this natione sould repaire thither, and whom they will name and find good to this effect: To the qwhilk desyre the Kirk continuit to giue answer to the 28. day of this instant.
Sessio 5.
The Assembly present in ane mynde resolvit and adjudgit it to be very necessarie, that some of the Kirk sould be direct to the Councill to be halden at Magdeburgh, and hes nominat any twa of the brethren following that shall be thocht most meet be my Lord Regent’s Grace, viz. Mr Andrew Melvill, Patrick Adamsone, David Cuninghame, George Hay, David Lyndsay, William Chrystisone, Alexander Arbuthnott, and Robert Pont; qwhais names the Kirk ordaynes to be presentit to his Grace be Mr Craig, and to report his answer againe.
Compeirit John Andersone in linnen cloathes, in presence of the haill Assemblie; and beand prostrate upon his knees, confessit he had offendit Mr Robert Boyde, minister, in drawing of his blood, whereof he repentit with his heart, and askit God and his Kirk forgiveness—promiseing, be the grace of God, not to fall in the lyke wickedness in tyme cuming.
Sessio 6.
This Session being hallilie imployit in reasoning the heids of the jurisdictione of the Kirk, the same argument was ordaynitt to be followit out the morne, so far as tyme may serve thereunto.
Sessio 7.
Concerning the number of the brethren gine in to his Grace, it lyked him well that the Kirk had gine him choise out of so reasonable ane number, and that, in his opinione, Mr Andrew Melvill, George Hay, and Alexander Arbuthnott, were meitest for the purpose; allwayes desyres the advyce and judgement of the Kirk heirto, that after, he may take resolutione with his Councill.
The Kirk willed the said Mr Patrick Adamsone, with Mr JohneCraig and William Chrystisone, to travell with his Grace, to knaw further his Grace’s mynde in this behalfe, and sicklyke to desyre his Grace for to appoynt the modifiers to conveine to the ordering of the rolles of the ministers, and to report his Grace’s answer to the Assemblie.
Sessio 8.
The persones directit to his Grace reportit, that he lykit well Mr Androw Melvill and Mr George Hay to be direct to the said Councill, alwayes he wold knaw the advyse of the Councill therein, qwhairof he wold make them to be informed: And, concerning the rolls of ministers, had appoyntit the Abbot of Dumfermling, George Auchinleck, Mr Nicoll Elphingstoune, and Thomas Nicolsone, to take order therewith.
Sessio 9.
Thomas Mortoune, ffiar of Cambo, and Mr Thomas Ramsay, gave in ane bill of accusatione against Mr Thomas Kynneir, minister of Craill, contaynand sundrie heids of sclander against him, as, namely, suspicions of adulterie with Agnes Guidland, spouse to Sir John Barone, drunkenness, tulziesumness, selling of the sacraments. The said Mr Thomas being present, denyit the haill points thereof; and the said bill being referrit to the accusers’ probatione, for proveing thereof they produced David Fermor, David Monypennie, Mr James Hallyburtone, provest of Dundie, John Herries, and Mr Thomas Fermour, qwha being admittit, and nothing opponit against them, the said Mr Thomas was ordaynit to be examinat be William Chrystisone and John Durie, and their depositiones to be presentit againe to the Assembly, to be considerit what they import.
Sessio 10.
The depositiones of the witnesses examinat in the said cause being reportit at afternoone, the Assemblie continueit the pronouncing of the sentence in the matter till the morne, and warnit baith the pairties thereto.
Mr Andrew Polwartwas decerned to befrie and at libertie fra the kirk of Paslay, that he may serve uther where it pleased God to call him; because of the contempt of the discipline, their manifest vices, minacing and boasting of him in doeing his dewtie, his labours cannot be profitable to them, besydes some privat causesqwhilks were considerit be Mrs Alexander Hay, Alexander Arbuthnot, George Hay, and Andrew Melvill, and they reportit their judgement; qwhairupon decreit past.
Sessio 11.
Anent the grievous accusatione layd against Mr Thomas Kynneir be the Laird of Cambo, and Mr Thomas Ramsay, concernyng his sclanderous and ungodly life, the haill Assembly, after publick reiding of the witnesses and probatione deducit in the matter, and dew consideration thairof, and after taking aith of the accusers that they accusit naither of malice nor choler, but for conscience cause, knawand the accusatione qwherwith they accuse him to be trew, Decerns, all in ane voyce, the said Mr Thomas to be depryvit, lykeas they deprive him of the ministrie in all tyme cuming; debarring him also from the participatione of the holy supper of the Lord, ay and whill his repentance be testifyit to the Generall Assemblie be the visitor of the countrie where he remaynes, and humble supplicatione to be made be the said Mr Thomas to the haill Assemblie, to be admittit thereto, and their answer to that effect: That this sentence be intimat in the Kirk of Carraill in the pulpit thairof be the commissioner of the countrie.
Sessio 13.
The heads of the Policie and Jurisdictione of the Kirk beand halilie read in the audience of the haill Assemblie, and thocht good that the same sould be presentit to my Lord Regent’s Grace, as agried be reasoning amang the brethren, savand the headde Diaconatu, qwhilk is ordaynit to be gine in with a nott, that the same is agriet be the maist part of the Assembly, without prejudice of farther reasoning, to the effect the saids heids may be putin mundo, disposit, and set in good order, according to the mynd of the Assemblie; The Assembly hes willit Mrs James Lawsone, Robert Pont, David Lyndsay, and the Clerk of the Assemblie, to travell with diligence therein: And the same being putin mundo, that according to the originall, to be seen and revysit be John Duncansone, David Fargysone, the Laird of Dun if he be present, Mr James Carmichael, and John Brand, and being found be them according to the said originall, to be presentit be the saids Mrs James Lawsone, Robert Pont, and David Lyndsay, together with the supplicatione pennit and delyverit to them, be the Clerk, unto my LordRegent’s Grace; and in caise conferrence and reasonyng be socht be his Grace upon the saids heads presentit to his Grace, The Assembly hes appoyntit Mrs Patrick Adamsone, the Laird of Dun, John Craig, John Row, Alexander Arbuthnott, Andrew Melvill, James Lawsone, Robert Pont, David Lyndsay, Andrew Hay, George Hay, and Johne Duncansone, to concurr and await upon the said conference as they shall be advertised be his Grace.