_Imprimis_, That the Papisticall and blasphemous masse, with all
Papistrie and idolatrie of Paip’s jurisdictione, be universallie
suppressed and abolished throughout the haill realme, not only in the
subjects, but also in the Q. Majestie’s awn persone, with punishment
against all persones that shall be deprehended to transgresse and
offend the same; and that the sincere word of God, and his true
religion, now presently receaved, might be established, approven
and ratified throughout the whole realme, alswell in the Queen’s
Majestie’s owne persone as in the subjects, without any impediment,
and that the people be astricted to resort upon the Sunday at
least to the prayers and preaching of God’s word, like as they
were astricted before to the idolatrous masse; and thir heads to
be provided be act of Parliament, with consent of the Estates and
ratification of the Queen’s Majestie.
Secondlie, That sure provisione be made for sustentation of
Ministers, as well for the tyme present as for the tyme to come, and
that such persons as are presently admitted to the ministrie may have
their livings assigned unto them in the roomes where they travell, or
at leist next adjacent thereto, and that they have na occasione to
crave the samen at the hands of any others, and that the benefices
now vaikand or that hes vaiked since the moneth of March 1558, or
yet hereafter shall happen to vaike, be dispensed to qualified
and learned persones, able to preach God’s word, and to discharge
the vocatione concerning the ministrie, be tryall and admissione
of the Superintendents, and that no Bishopric, Abbacie, Priorie,
Deanerie, Provestrie, or any other benefices, havand many Kirks
annexed thereto, be disponed altogether in any tyme comeing to any
one man. But at the least the Kirks thereof be severallie disponed
and to severall persones, so that every man having charge may serve
at his awne Kirk according to his vocatione; and to this effect that
the gleibs and manses be givene to the Ministers that they may make
residence at their kirks, wherethrough they may discharge their
consciences conforme to their vocatione, and also that the kirks may
be repaired accordinglie, and that ane law be made and established
herein be act of Parliament, as said is.
Thirdlie, That none be permitted to have charge of Schooles,
Colledges, or Universities, or yet privately or publickly to instruct
the youth, but such as shall be tryed be the Superintendents or
visitors of the Church, sound and able in doctrine, and admitted be
them to their charges.
Fourthlie, For sustentation of the poor, that all lands founded to
hospitalitie of old be restored agane to this same use, and that
all lands, annualrents, or any other emoluments pertaining any ways
to the friers of whatsumever ordour, or annualrents, altarages
pertaining to Priests, be applyed to the sustentatione of the poor,
and uphald of Schooles in the towns and uthers places where they ly.
Fifthly, That horrible crymes as now abounds in the realme without
any correction, to the great contempt of God and his holy word,
sic as idolatrie, blaspheming of God’s name, manifest breaking of
the Sabbath Day, witchcraft, sorcerie, and inchantment, adulterie,
incest, manifest whoredome, maintainance of Brodells, murther,
reiffe, slaughter and spulzie, with many uther detestable crymes,
may be severely punished, and judges appointed in every province or
diocie for the executione thereof, with power to doe the same, and
that be act of Parliament.
Last, That same order be devysed and established for the ease of the
poor laborers of the ground concerning the unreasonable payment of
their teynds, taken over their heads without their advyse and consent.
The same day the Lairds of Carnall, Sornebeg, and Dreghorne,
requesting humblie for support of a ministerie for their kirks of
Rickartoune and Dundonald in Kyle, promised of their awn free will
that they should provide stipends sufficient according as the Kirk
would appoint, and that they should not remove from their Kirks for
seeking payment of the samen; whilk request of theirs the haill Kirk
praised, and promised satisfaction to their godlie desyre.
Sess. 3, Junii 27, 1565.
Anent the question proponed, whether Children may contract Marriage,
and Marrie without consent of their Parents, and in speciall, whether
the promise made betwixt Robert Patersone and Jonet Little, without
the consent of the parents, may stand or not; it is found that the
said Robert and Jonet hes not orderly proceeded in the said promise
of marriage, in so far as they neither obtained the consent of the
parents, nor yet, be the late order, repared to the Kirk of God to
lament their cause, and seek the ordinary means thereat, be the
word of God appointed: and therefore the Commissioners appointed
be the Kirk for decision of Questions, determines that they have
not lawfully proceeded in making of the said promise of marriage,
and they should of dutie thus have proceeded: First, to require the
consent of the parents, whilk being refused, then to make the sute
unto the Kirk, to concurre with them in their lawfull proceedings,
according to the order observed in God’s word; and for the offence
and unlawfull proceeding bypast, to make satisfaction to the Kirk, as
they shall be appoynted thereto: and hereupon ane general order to be
set forth, as the Generall Assemblie shall think good to be observed,
in all particular Kirks in tyme comeing. This was subscryved be
the Commissioners underwritten:--Mr John Dowglass, Rector of the
Universitie of St Andrews, Christopher Goodman, George Buchanan, John
Craig, Minister, John Row, Robert Pont.
Ane uther question, whether ane learned man, having an benefice
given in papistie, or lately since the word has been preached in
this realme, may leave the parochine where he is persone, destitute
of preaching the word, and enter Minister to serve in ane uther
place for larger stipend? The foresaid Commissioners concluded as
follows: It is thought agreeable to the word of God that no faithfull
preacher of God’s word may enjoy any benefice or living pertaining
to the Kirk, except he remaine at the said Kirk to discharge his
office, for the whilk he receaved the said benefice; and that if
he be transported be the Kirk or Superintendant to any uther place
whereby he may not discharge his duty in both, That he be depryved of
the ane, and it to be bestowed upon ane uther; provyding always, the
foresaid persone be sufficiently answered of his stipend.
Ane uther question, whether if any man abusing his Cusings, his
father’s brother’s daughter, seven years, and begottin children, and
presently maried, marry her, and underly conviction, may marry or
not? The degrees are second of Consanguinitie.
Though this be not found contrary to the word of God, yet because
it has not been publickly revealed in this realme, and that diverse
inconvenients are perceaved to insue of this Liberty, thinks it
good that it be referred to the Civil Magistrates, or else to ane
Parliament, for order to be taken therein, and that in the meantime,
men take not libertie to their senses according to their filthie
affections, not the lesse that the persons in whose name this
question was proponed be joyned in marriage, after their publick
repentance for the offences bygone, without any hope that uthers
hold the like license, while farder order be taken be the Civill
Magistrate, as said is.
Anent the complaint given in be the Superintendant of Fyfe, touching
the wanting of a preacher at the Kirk of Kylmeny, pertains as
ane common Kirk to St Salvator’s College in St Andrewes; Mr John
Rutherfurd, Provest, and Mr William Ramsay, one of the Ministers,
was content that the Superintendants of Angus and Fyfe, Christopher
Goodman and Mr George Buchanan, should consider this Complaint, and
whatsoever they decyded therein, and ordained to be done therein,
they should fulfill the same in sic sort that nae complaint should be
heard hereafter.
Ane Complaint was given in be the Parochiners of Tunninghame who
payes the Teynds to the New College of St Andrews, and has no
preaching nor ministration of Sacraments. Mr John Dowglas, Rector of
the Universitie, and Master of the said College, promised to the Kirk
to satisfie the Complainers reasonably, that hereafter the Kirk shall
not be troubled with farther Complaint.
Sessio 4^{ta.} Junii 28, 1565.
Anent the Complaint given in be Mr Donald Munro against Mr John
Robisone, Thesaurer of Rosse, Minister of Urquhart, and John Watsone,
Minister of Awes, That where they both accepted the Ministrie on
them, and received their Stipends therefore, and now has left their
vocationes; requyred the Kirk to take order herein: The haill
Assemblie ordained the saids persones to repair towards their charges
in the Ministrie, and enter againe thereto incontinent, after
they be charged, under the paine of disobedience of the Kirk, and
dischargeing of their allowance and Stipends.
The haill Assemblie, with ane voyce and minde, choose John Knox,
Minister of Edinburgh, to receave the answers of the Articles sent
from the Assemblie be the Commissioners thereof to the Queen’s
Majestie, and to advertise the Superintendants of the same, and also
that he advertise the faithful of things necessar that shall happen
betwixt this and the next Assemblie. Thanks being given to God be
John Willock, Superintendant of the West, and the twenty fyve day of
December next to come appointed for the next Assemblie to conveen in
Edinburgh, this Assembly was dissolved.
[TENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY.]
The General Assembly of the Kirk, holden in Edinburgh, in the
Ouer Tolbooth thereof, the 25th of December 1565, in the whilk
were present the Superintendants, Ministers, Exhorters, and
Commissioners of Towns and Kirks. The invocatione of the name
of God was made be John Knox, Minister of Edinburgh.