First, for eschewing of confusion in reasoning, and that every
brother speak in his roome with modestie, as becomes the ministers of
God’s word to doe, with the haill consent of the brethren present,
was chosen John Eskine of Dunne, Knight, Superintendant of Mearns and
Angus, to be Moderator at this tyme, who accepted the office on him.
The Superintendant of Lothian complained upon Mr John Furd, Minister
of Dummaine, that where, in the last Generall Assemblie of the Kirk,
it was decerned that Robert Patersone and Jonet Little should have
satisfied the Kirk of Edinburgh for the offence committed be them in
contracting marriage without parents’ consent, yet nevertheless the
said Mr John had persuaded them to solemnize the said marriage, ther
bands not being proclaimed, and no satisfaction made to the Kirk of
Edinburgh, and also had caused Mr Patrick Craig, Minister at Ratho,
to solemnize the said band of marriage betwixt the saids persons, in
the Kirk of Dummaine, in great contemption of the decreet foresaid,
and all good order heretofore observed in the reformed Kirk, desyring
the Kirk presently assembled to take order herein, alsweill anent the
saids paroches as the saids two ministers. The Kirk ordained to call
both the saids parties and ministers to answer to the said complaint
betwixt this and the end of the Assembly.
In like manner, Mr John Winrhame complained upon the said Mr John
Furde, that be his counsell and persuasion the Ladie Kilconquher
and John Weymes had contracted the _verba de presenti_, &c.
notwithstanding that ane woman, called Elizabeth Pott, had claimed
the said John Weymes before the Superintendant, whilk clame was not
yet justified, and that Mr Andrew Kirkaldie had married the saids
persons, after the minister was departed out of the Kirk where they
were married. Ordained in like manner to answer to this complaint.
The haill Assembly appointed Mr John Row, minister at St Johnstoun,
to put in write, answers to the answers given be the Q. Majestie to
the articles presented to her hienes be the Commissioners of the last
Assemblie of the Kirk, because her heines answers not fully satisfied
the Kirk, as in the samen plainly appeareth, and the said Mr John to
present them the morrow, after the preaching, to the Assembly, to
advyse therewith, before their presenting to her Grace.
Follows the answers given be the Queen’s Majestie to the articles
presented to her Grace be the Commissioners of the Assembly
last holden, the 25th of Junii 1565, and also answers and
requests to their answers, now conceavened in this Assembly.
_The Queen’s Majestie’s Answers._
To the first, desyring the masse to be suppressed and abolished,
alsweill in the head as in the members, with ane punishment
against the contraveeners, as also the religion now professed to
be established be an Act of Parliament; it is answered, first,
for the part of her Majestie’s self, that her heiness is no wayes
yet persuaded in the said religion, nor yet that any impietie is
in the masse; and, therefore, believes that her loving subjects
will no wayes preisse her to receave any religion against her own
conscience, quhilk should bring her to perpetuall trouble be remorse
of conscience, and therewith ane perpetuall unquietness; and, to
deall plainly with her subjects, her Majestie neither may nor will
leave the religion wherein she has been nourished and upbrought,
and believes the samen to be well-grounded, knowing, besydes, the
grudge of conscience if she should receive any change in her owne
religione, that she should tyne the friendship of the King of France,
the ancient allya of this realme, and of other great Princes, her
friends and confederats, who would take the same in evil part, and
of whom she may lake for great support in all her necessities; and
having no consideration that may counterweigh the same, she will be
loath to put in hazard the loss of all her friends in ane instant;
praying all her loveing subjects, seeing they have had experience
of her goodness, that she neither has in tymes past, nor yet means
hereafter, to preasse the consciences of any man, but that they may
worship God in sic sort as they are persuaded to be best, that they
also will not preasse her to offend her own conscience.
As for establishing religion in the body of the realme, they
themselves know, as appears well be their Articles, that the same
cannot be done be only the consent of her Majestie, but reqyres
necessarly the consent of the three Estates of Parliament; and,
thereafter, so soon as the Parliament holds, that whilk the three
Estates agrees upon among themselves, her Majestie shall grant
the same to them, and alwayes make them sure that no man shall
be troubled for useing themselves in religion according to their
conscience, so that no man shall have cause to doubt that, for
religion’s sake, many lyves or heritages shall be in hazard.
To the second article it is answered, that her Majestie thinks it
no way reasonable that she should defraud herselfe of so great a
part of the patrimony of her crowne, as to put the patronages of
benefices furth of her own hands; for her own necessitie in bearing
of her great and common charges will require the retention of ane
good parte in her own hands. Nottheless, her Majestie is well pleased
that consideratione being had of her own necessitie, and what may
be sufficient for her, and for the reasonable sustentatione of the
ministers, ane speciall assignatione be made to them in places most
commodious to them, with the whilk her Majestie shall not intromitt,
but suffer the same come to them.
To the third article, her Majestie shall doe therein as shall be
agreed be the Estates in Parliament.
To the fourth article, her Majestie’s liberality towards the poor
shall be alse far extended as can be reasonably required at her hands.
To the fifth article, her Majestie will referr the taking order with
that and alse of the sixth article to the Parliament.