Prayer is made be Mr Johne Willock, Superintendant of the West:
Superintendents and Ministers were tryed.
The same day Johne Knox, Minister of Edinburgh, having Commissioun
given to him and certaine Elders and Deacons of the Kirk of
Edinburgh, to take cognition of the Slander raisit agains Paul
Methven, late Minister at Jedbrugh, anent Adulterie committed be
the said Paul with ane {blank space} his servant,--The said Mr Knox
declared the haill cause quhat he had done in the foirsaid slander,
viz. the said Paul to have committed the said abhominable Cryme of
Adulterie, and therefoir, with advyse of the Kirk of Edinburgh,
Superintendant of Lowthiane, and Collegues above written, have
removed him frae all Ministrie, and also excommunicat him. And swa
having put his said Commissione to Executioune, rendered up the same
againe to the Generall Assemblie, fra quhom he received it.
Mr Johne Rutherfuird, Principall of Salvator’s Colledge, complained,
That Mr John Balfour usurpit the Ministrie at Cultis, being
unqualifiet to discharge the same; and seeing the Kirk pertainit to
him as Principall, he offerit himself to minister, according to the
talent given him be God. The Kirk, hearing his complaint and offer,
ordainit the said Mr Johne to accept the office, who, in presens of
the Assemblie, accepted the same.
The said day, David Fergusone, Minister of Dumfermling, declared in
the publict Assemblie, That he had spoken to Paul Methven, lately
excommunicat, quhom he fand verie sorrowful for his grievous offence
committed be him in maner above rehearsed, and also sick repentance
for the same, that he wald underly whatsoever punishment the Kirk
of God would lay upon him, even if it were to lose any member of
his bodie, to satisfie the same. After long reasoning of the whole
Assemblie of the said repentance and offer, reportit be the said
minister, the Kirk condescendit that the said Paul sould have a
comfortable answer, and attour that they in the mean tyme sould
speake the Lords of the Privie Counsell thereanent.
Sess. 2^{a.} holden 26th Junii 1563.
The whilk day the Kirk pronounced, That no Contract of Marriage
alledged to be made secretlie, carnall copulation following,
sall have faith in judgement in time coming, untill the tyme the
contractors suffer as breakers of good order and slanderers of the
Kirk; and thereafter that faith sall not be given to that promise,
untill sick tyme as famous and unsuspect witnesses affirme the same,
or ellse both the parties confesse it: And in case that Probation
or Confession follow not, that the saids offenders be punished as
Fornicators.
Concerning the order of appellations, it was statute and ordained,
That if anie person find himself hurt be any sentence given be any
Ministers, Elders, or Deacons of the Kirk, It sall be lesume to the
persone so hurt to appeall to the Superintendant of the Diocie and
his Synodall Convention, within ten dayes next after; and the said
Superintendant sall take cognition whether it was weill appealed or
not, and give sentence thereupon; and if the Partie yitt alleges
himself hurt be the Superintendent and his Convention, it salbe
lawfull to appeale to the Generall Assemblie of the whole Kirk,
immediatelie following thereafter, within ten dayes as of before;
and the said Assemblie to take cognitione of the said Appellation,
whether it was weill appealed or not, and thereafter to pronounce
sentence thereintill, frae the whilk it sall not be leisum to the
said Partie to appeale, but the former sentence to have Execution,
according to the tenor of the same.
_Item_, If the appellant justifies not his appellation before the
Superintendant and his Convention foresaid, that he sall impute an
Paine upon the said Appellant, as he sall think good, above the
Expensis to the Partie; whilk Paine salbe delyvered to the Deacons of
the Kirk where the first sentence was given, to be distribute to the
Poore.
And in like maner, the Generall Assemblie, finding it evill appealed
be the said Partie frae the foresaids Superintendant and Convention,
sall, as of before, impose ane paine arbitrall, to be distribute
as said is, together with the Expensis to the Partie, as is above
specified.
Ordained, That supplication be made to the Q. Majestie and Secret
Councill for Union of Kirks, that where two or three are within two
or three myles distant, the same to unite, and cause the inhabitants
to resort to ane of the saids Kirks to hear the word and receave the
sacraments. Because the scarceness of Ministers permitts not every
Kirk to have a severall Minister, and also the small number of sick
parochins requires not the same.
Ordained, That the Instruction of Youth be committed to none within
this Realme, nather Universities nor without the same, bot to them
that professe Christ’s trew Religion, now publiclie preached; and
that sick as now occupie the places not professing as said is, be
removed frae the samen, and to remember that some ordour be made for
the sustentatioun of poore Scholars.
Sess. 3, 27th Junii 1563.
It is statute and ordained, That no work be sett forth in print,
nather yet published in writt, tuiching Religion or Doctrine, untill
sick tyme as it be presented to the Superintendent of the Diocie,
advised and approved be him, and be sick as he sall call of the most
learned within his bounds; and if they, or anie of them, doubt in
anie point, so that they cannot resolve clearlie in the same, they
sall produce the said worke to the Generall Assemblie of the Kirk,
whill order salbe taken touching the resolution of the said doubt.
Sess. 4, 27th of Julij 1563.
Ordains, That everie Superintendent within his awne jurisdiction
cause warne the shires, towns, and paroch kirks, to send their
Commissioners to the Assemblie in times cuming, declaring unto them
the day and place, and also that every Superintendent conveen the
forsaid day, appointed for the Assemblie, under the paine of fourtie
shillings, to be distribute to the poore, without remission thereof.
[SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY.]
The Generall Assembly, convened at Edinburgh the 25th day of
December 1563, in the New Tolbooth; the prayer and exhortation
made be John Willock: In the whilk were present James Duke of
Chalterault, Archibald Earle of Argyle, James Earle of Murray,
James Earle of Mortoune, Earle of Marshall, Alexander Earle of
Glencairne, William Maitland of Lethingtoune, Secratar, Sir
John Wishart of Pitarrow, Comptroller, Sir John Ballantine
of Auchnool, Justice-Clerk, Lords of Secret Counsall,
Superintendants, Ministers, and Commissioners of Kirks and
Provinces.
Session First, 25th of December 1563.
Anent the Question moveit be Johne Knox, Minister of Edinburgh, to
the haill Assemblie, whether he receivit charge of the haill Kirk,
convenit in Edinburgh, after the beginning of the Reformation, to
advertise the brethren to conveine at what tyme any member of the
Kirk sould chance to be troublit, and that for thair counsell to be
had?
To the quhilk the Lord Lindesay, the Lairds of Kolwood and
Abbotshall, Cunninghamehead, the Superintendents of Angus, Fyfe,
Louthiane, West, and Galloway, Mr Johne Row, Mr Christiesone, Mr
Robert Hamiltoun, Mr Christopher Goodman, ministers, with the maist
pairt of the haill Assemblie, made their declaration, That they
rememberit verie well that the said Johne Knox wald have had himself
exonoured of the foirsaid charge, and that the Kirk then present wald
naways suffer him to refuse the same, bot that he sould continue as
of befoir to advertise fra tyme to tyme, as occasion salbe given.
It was proponed be the haill Assemblie that ane Moderator should
be appointed, for avoiding confusion in reasoning, but that every
brother should speak in his own roome. The Lords of the Secret
Councill, with the haill brethren of the Assembly, appointed Mr Johne
Willock, Superintendent of the West, Moderator during this Assemblie.
Session Third, 28th December 1563.
The haill Assemblie here present has farther concluded and finally
consented, that for their own parts, the tennents and occupiers of
the ground shall have their own teynds upon composition.
Session Fourth, 29th December 1563.
It was thought needful for farther confirmation of the Booke of
Discipline, That the Erle Marshall, Lord Ruthven, Lord Secretare,
Commendatare of Kilwinning, the Bishop of Orknay, Clerk of Register,
Justice-Clerke, Mr Henrie Balnaves, David Foird, and Mr George
Buchanan, anie three or foure of them, advise the said booke
diligentlie, consider the contents thereof, noting their judgments in
writing, and to report the same to the nixt Assemblie Generall of the
Kirk; or if ane Parliament happen to be in the meane tyme, that they
report their saids judgments to the Lords of the Articles that shall
chance to be chosen before the said Parliament.
Session Fifth, 30th December 1563.
Forsamickle as Ministers, Exhorters, and Reiders, remaines not at the
Kirks quher their charge lyes, bot dwells in townes farre distant fra
the saids Kirks, quherthrow the peiple wants the continuall comfort
quhilk their daylie presence sould give, be mutual conference of
the ministers with the flocke. Heirfor, the Kirk ordanes Ministers,
Exhorters, and Reiders, haveing mansis to dwell in, that they make
residence at the same, visite the flock as they may; and quher the
parochin is great, that the Minister crave the supporte at the Eldars
and Deacons to help him in the said visitatioun.
Touching the burial of the poore in every parochin to landwart, it
is ordainit that a biere be made in every parochin to carry the dead
corpsis to buriall; and that village or house quher the dead lyes,
with the nixt adjacent house therto, or ane certaine number of every
house, sall convey the dead to the buriall, and eird it sax foote
under the eird; And that every Superintendent within his awin bounds
requyre the Lairds and Barrones within the same to make ane Act in
their Court touching this ordour, and cause their officers to warne
the narrest neighbours quher the dead lyes, to convey the samen to
buriall, as said is, according to their said act; and farder, that
the Superintendants take ordour heir as occasioun sall serve.
Session Sixth, the last of December 1563.
Anent the determinatioun of the Kirk tuiching Thomas Duncansone,
Schoolmaster and Reidar in Striveling, quho had committed
fornicatioun, and thereafter had made publick repentance, Whether he
sould be restorit to his office or not after his publick repentance:
It was ordainit that he sould abstaine frae the said office,
until sick tyme that the Kirk of Striveling made request to the
Superintendent for him; and that he present the said sute or requeist
to the nixt General Assemblie. Attour, if the woman was a maiden with
quhom he had committed the said fornicatioun, that he sall marie her
if she requyre the samen, in part of satisfactioun to the Kirk.
Tuiching the question proponit be the Superintendent of Fyfe, anent
Alexander Jarden, Minister of Kilspindie, Inchture, and Raitt, quha
had committit fornicatioun with a virgine, and thereafter had maried
her and had satisfiet the Kirk, Whether he sould be admittit agane
to the ministrie or not? The Kirk suspended the said Alexander frae
all functiouns of the ministrie within the Kirk quhill the nixt
Assemblie, and then to receave answer.
[SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY.]
The Generall Assemblie, holden at Edinburgh the 25th Junii
1564, holdin and begune in the Neither Tobuith att foure
houres Afternoone; Exhortatioun and prayer made be Mr Johne
Knox, Minister of Edinburgh: In the quhilk were convenit the
Superintendants, Ministers, and Commissioners of Provinces of
Kirks.
Sess. 2d, Junii 1564.
The Assemblie continowed Mr Willock Moderator of this Assemblie.
The Assemblie requestit Mr Robert Montgomerie, Minister at Couper,
to support every uther Sunday the Kirk of Largo, quhill farther
provisioun be made; and ordainit the Superintendent of Fyfe to labour
with the Towne of Coupar for License to the said Mr Robert for the
purpose foresaid; and to take ordour with the Schoolmaster of Couper
to reid and exhort in the Kirk.
Sess. 4, 28th Junii 1564.
The haill Assemblie made, constitute, and ordainit their
Commissioners under-written; for Fyfe, the Laird of Lundie and
Thomas Scott of Abbotishall; for Lowthiane, the Lairds of Spott and
Elphingstone; for the Westland, the Lairds of Carnall, Carse, and
Kelwod; for the South, the Lairds of Wodderburne, and Andro Kar of
Faudansyde; for Galloway, the Laird of Garlies, Zonger, and Mothine,
with Mr George Gordoune; for Angus, the Provost of Dundee; and for
the Northland, the Laird of Craig: They sall altogether repaire
towards the Lords of Secreit Counsell, and thene present the Articles
underwritten, pertinand to Reformatioun of Maners, punishment of
certain Crymes, maintaining of Justice, and others concerning the
universall Kirk of this Realme; and to reason thereupon with the said
Lords, and report the Answers thereintill to this present Assemblie.