First, It is asked, If any may contract marriage with ane woman once
married, and her husband departing from her to other countries,
and being absent nine or ten years together, the woman, having no
testimoniall of his death or not?
Answer: That the woman desyreing to marrie ought to seek, or cause
seek, whether her first husband be dead or not, and to report ane
sufficient testimoniall of his death or ever she may joyne herself to
ane uther husband.
Whether that any persone seek ane donation or confirmation of
benefices at the Paip’s Kirks, may be appointed to minister in the
Kirk of God?
Answer: That sic a persone ought not to be admitted to the ministrie
as the question is conceaved.
The Commissioners appointed be the Generall Assembly for ordering of
Paull Methwen his repentance, In consideration of the said Paul’s
lamentable supplication to the kirk, humble submission of himselfe
to the same, and his absence out of this realme the space of two
yeares or more, Ordaines the minister of Edinburgh, that he, upon
ane Sonday after sermone, notifie unto the people the said Paull his
supplicatione, and how the Generall Assembly hes ordained to receive
him to repentance, with the conditions underwritten; and therefore
to admonishe all faithfull brethren that they, within the nixt eight
dayes, notifie the said minister of Edinburgh, if any of them hes any
knowledge, or are fully informed of the said Paull his conversation
and behaviour since his departure furth of this realme, whilk might
imped his receaving to repentance, whilk shall be on this manner,
viz. The said Paull, upon the said two preaching dayes, betwixt the
Sondayes, shall come to the kirk doore of Edinburgh, when the second
bell ringeth, clad in sackcloth, bareheaded and barefooted, and there
remaine whill he be brought into the sermone, and planted in the
publick spectacle above the people, in tyme of every sermone during
the said two dayes; and on the next Sonday thereafter, shall compear
in like manner, and in the end of the sermone, shall declare signes
of his inward repentance to the people, humbly requireing that kirk’s
forgiveness: quhilk done, he shall be clad in his own apparell, and
received in the societie of the kirk, as ane lyvely member thereof,
and this same order to be observed in Dundie and Jedburgh, allwayes
secluding him from any function of the ministrie in the kirk, and
also from participation of the table of the Lord, unto the 25th
of December next to come, when the Generall Assemblie of the Kirk
conveens, into the whilk they ordain the said Paull to resort,
bringand with him sufficient testimoniall from authentick persons,
of these places where he in the meanetyme shall chance to remaine,
reportand his conversatione and behaviour; at the whilk tyme the kirk
shall take further order what shall be done anent him.
[TWELFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY.]
The Generall Assembly of the Kirk, holden in Edinburgh, in the
Nether Councill-House thereof, upon the 25th day of December
1566: In the whilk were conveened the Superintendants,
Ministers, and Commissioners of Shyres, Towns, and Kirks: The
invocatione of God’s name made be Mr John Craig, Minister of
Edinburgh.
In the first, for order to be observed in reasoning, and that every
brother speak to his purpose, with sic measure as it becomes the
ministers of God’s word to doe, John Eskine of Dunn, Superintendant
of Angus and Mernes, was continued Moderator, whereof he was content.
Sess. 2^{a.} December 26, 1566.
Anent the Assignation of the pensione of money and victualls offered
be the Queen’s Majestie, and her most honourable Councill, for the
sustentation of ministers within this realme, the haill brethren
present, required the ministers being in the Sessione, to pass furth
of the Assembly, and with mature deliberation to consult and advyse,
whether they think good to accept the same for reliefe of the present
necessitie or not.
After long reasoning and mutual conference anent the said
Assignation, returning againe in, the Assembly thought it good, for
support of the ministers’ necessitie, to accept the said offer of
money and victuall, if they might be gotten hastilie; nottheless, in
consideratione of the law of God, Ordaines the persones who heares
the doctrine of salvatione at the mouthes of his ministers, and
thereby receaves speciall food to the nowrishment of their soules,
to communicat temporall sustentation on their preachers: Their
answer is, That having just title to crave the bodilie food at the
hands of the saids persons, and finding no uthers bound unto them,
they only require at their own flock, that they will sustain them
according to their bounden dutie, and what it shall please them to
give for their sustentation, if it were but bread and water, neither
will they refuse it, nor desist from the vocatione. But to take from
others contrare their will, whom they serve not, they judge it not
their dewtie, nor yet reasonable; alwayes they most heartily thank
the Lords that bestowed their labours and paines in purchasing the
foresaid assignatione, most heartily requesting their honours to
persevere, whill they bring it to some perfectione. Nevertheless,
the haill Assemblie solemnly protested that the acceptance of the
foresaid assignatione for the relief as said is, prejudges not the
libertie of the kirk to sute for that thing that justly pertaineth to
the patrimonie of the same, in tyme and place convenient, in any tyme
hereafter.
The same day were proponed thir questions underwritten, and answers
thereto as follows:--Whether if the teyndes properly pertaines to
the kirk, and should only be applyed to the ministers, sustentatione
of the poor, maintainyng of schools, repairing of kirks, and uthers
godly uses, at the discretion of the kirk?
Answered affirmative, without contradiction.
Secondly, If the teynds pertains to the Kirk, and ought and should be
imployed to sic godly uses as said is, Whether, if the ministers, who
are the mouth of the Kirk, may, with safe conscience, keep silence,
seeing the patrimonie of the Kirk maist injustly taken up and wasted
in vain things, be sic persons as bears no office in the Kirk of God;
and, in the meantyme, the ministers ceisand for necessitie, the poor
perishing for hunger, the schools decayand, and kirks falland to the
ground?
Answered: They ought not to keep silence, but earnestly to admonische
every man of his deutie, and desyre all men to suit for that whilk
justly pertaines to the sustaining of the things forsaid.
Thirdly, Whether, if the Kirk may justly require of all possessors
the teynds to be paid to the Kirk only, and inhibite all uthers to
intromitt therewith; and, in case of disobedience, what order shall
be used be the Kirk against them?
Answered: After dew admonitione used, and no obedience found, rouse
the censures of the Kirk.
Sess. 3^a. December 27, 1566.
Anent Mr Knox’s request to passe to the realme of England to visit
his children, and do his other lawfull business; The haill Assembly
granted gladly licence, with letters testimonialls of his honest
conversation and godly doctrine within this Kingdome, with provision,
as is contained in saids letters, the tennor whereof follows:--
The Superintendants, Ministers, and Commissioners of Kirks
within this realme of Scotland, presently assembled, to whais
knawledge thir presents shall come, wisheth grace, mercy, and
peace, from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Witt your universities, That our loving brother, John Knox, bearer
of thir presents, hes been and is, ane trew and faithfull minister
of the Evangell of Christ Jesus, within this realme of Scotland,
continually thir eight yeares bygone, or thereabout; in doctrine
pure, and sincere in life and conversation, to our sights inculpable;
and hes so fruitfully used that talent granted to him be the
Eternall, to the advancement of the glory of his godly name, to the
propagation of the kingdome of Jesus Christ, and edifying of them
that heard his teaching, that, of dewtie, we most heartilie praise
his godly Majestie for that so great ane benefite granted unto him
for our utilitie and profit; and because he, for the naturall love
and affection whilk he bears to his children, now being within the
realme of England, and favour to uthers his brethren and allya there,
gentlie requested us to grant him licence for ane season to repaire
toward the said realme of England for the causes abovementioned; We,
after mutual conference in full Assembly, thought this petition just
and reasonable; and, therefore, all in ane voyce, grants licence to
our said brether, according to the Q. Majestie’s conduct, to pass
to the said realme, what tyme he shall think most commodious for
his journey; provideing alwayes, that he returne to this realme of
Scotland before the 25th of the moneth of June next ensuing, to
continue in his former vocatione, and no utherwayes; and this we make
it knowne to all and sundrie whom it effeirs be thir our letters
testimonialls, given at Edinburgh in our Generall Assembly, and
third Session thereof. Subscribed be the Clerk of the same the 27th
of December.
Attour, ordained ane Letter to be direct to the Bishops of England,
that they would be content gently to handle the brethren preachers,
touching the habits, supercloathes, and uthers abulziements, whilks
appearantly tends more to superstitione nor edificatione; and
requests Mr Knox to put the heads in write whilks he thinks necessare
to be written to the saids Bishops; the tenor whereof follows:--
The Superintendants, Ministers, and Commissioners of Kirks within
this Realme of Scotland, To their Brethren, the Bishops and
Pastors of Ingland, who hes renounced the Romane Antichrist,
and does professe with them the Lord Jesus in sincerity,
desyres the perpetual increase of the Holy Spirit.
By word and write, it hes come to our knowledge, Reverend Pastors,
that diverse of our dearest brethren, amongst whom are some of the
best learned within that realme, are depryved from ecclesiasticall
sunshine and forbidden to preach, and so by you are stayed to promove
the Kingdome of Christ, because their conscience will not suffer them
to take upon them, at commandment of the authoritie, sick garments as
idolaters in tyme of blindnesse have used in their idolatrie, whilk
bruit cannot be bot most dolorous to our hearts, mindfull of that
sentence of the Apostle, saying, If ye byte and devowre one another,
take heid lest ye be consumed one of another. We purpose not at this
present, to enter into the ground whilk we hear of aither partie,
to be agitate with greater vehemencie then well lyketh us, To witt,
whether sic apparell is to be counted amongst things simple and
indifferent or not. But, in the bowells of Christ Jesus, we crave
that Christian charity may so prevaill in you; in you, we say, the
Pasters and leaders of the flock in that realme, that ye doe not to
uthers that quhilk ye would not have uthers doe to you. Ye cannot
be ignorant how tender a thing the conscience of man is. All that
have knowledge are not alyke persuaded, yet conscience reclaims not
at the wearing of sic garments, but many thousands, both godly and
learned, are utherwayes persuaded, whose consciences are continually
stricken with thir sentences--What has Christ to do with Belial?
What fellowshid is betwixt light and darkness? If surcloaths,
cornet, cape, and tippet, hes been badges of idolators in the very
act of their idolatrie, what hes the preacher of Christian libertie
and the open rebuke of all superstitione to doe with the dreggs of
that Romish beast? Yea, what is he that ought not to feare either
to take in his hand or forehead the print and mark of that odious
beast? Our brethren that of conscience refuses that unprofitable
apparell does rather now molest you that use sick vain trifles: if
ye shall doe the like to them, we doubt not but therein ye shall
please God, and comfort the hearts of many whilks are wounded with
the extreamitie that is used against these godly and our well-beloved
brethren. Collour of Rhetoric or manly persuasion will we use none,
but charitablie we desyre you to call that sentence of Peter to
minde; Feed the flock of God whilk is commited to your charge, caring
for it, not be restraint but willingly, not as though ye were lords
over God’s heritage, but that ye may be ensamples to the flock.
And, farder, alse we desire you to meditate on that sentence of the
Apostle, saying, Give nane offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the
Grecians, nor to the Kirk of God. In what condition of tyme ye and we
both travell in the promoving of Christ’s Kingdome, we suppose you
not to be ignorant; and therefore we are more bold to exhort you to
walk more circumspectly then that for sick vanities the godly should
be troubled; ffor all things that may seeme lawful edifie not. Give
the commandment of the authoritie urge the conscience of you and our
brethren farther than they can bear, we unfainedly crave of you that
ye remember ye are called the light of the world, and the salt of the
earth. All civil authoritie hes not the light of God alwayes shyning
before their eyes in their statutes and commandments; but their
affections savour over meikle of the earth and of worldly wisdome,
and, therefore, wee think you should boldly oppone yourselves to all
that power that will or dare extoll itselfe not only against God, but
also against all sic as dare burden the conscience of the faithfull
farder then God hes burdened them be his own word. But herein we may
confesse our offence in that we have entered farther in reasoning
than we proposed and promised at the beginning; and, therefore, we
shortly returne to our former humble supplication, whilk is, that
our brethren, who amongst you refuse the Romish raggs, may finde of
you the Prelats sic favour as our Head and Master commands every
one of his members to show to one another, whilk we look to receave
of your gentleness, not only for that ye feare to offend God’s
majestie in troubling your brethren for sic vain trifles, but also
because ye will not refuse the humble request of us, your brethren
and fellow-preachers, in whom, albeit there appear not great worldly
pomp; yet we suppose that ye will not so farr despyse us, but that
ye will esteem us to be of the number of them that fight against
that Roman Antichrist, and travell that the Kingdome of Christ may
be universally advanced. The dayes are evill, iniquitie abounds,
Christian charitie is waxin cold, and, therefore, we ought more
diligently to watch, for the hour is uncertaine when the Lord Jesus
shall appear, before whom ye, your brethren, and we, must give ane
account of our administratione. And this, in conclusione, again we
once crave favor to our brethren, whilk granted, ye in the Lord shall
command us in things of double more importance. The Lord Jesus rule
your hearts in true feare unto the end, and give unto you and us
victorie over that conjured enemie of all true religione, to witt,
over that Roman Antichrist, whose wounded head Satin preases by all
means to cure again. But to destruction shall he and his maintainers
goe, by the power of our Lord Jesus; to whose mighty protectione we
heartily committ you. From Edinburgh, out of our Generall Assembly,
and third Sessione thereof, the 27th of December 1566.
Your Loving Brethren and fellow-preachers
in Christ Jesus.
Ordains ane humble supplication to be made to the Lords of Secret
Councill anent the Commissione of Jurisdictione supponed granted to
the Bishop of St Andrews, to the effect that their honors stay the
same, in respect that these causes for the most part judged be his
usurped authority, pertaines to the trew Kirk; and howbeit, for hope
of other things, the Kirk oversaw the Queen’s Majestie’s Commissione
given therintill to sic men who for the most part were our brethren,
yet can the Kirk no wayes be content that the Bishop of St Andrews,
ane common enemy to Christ, to use that Jurisdictione, and alse in
respect of that colloured Commissione, he might againe usurp his old
usurped authority, and the samen might be the meane to oppresse the
whole Kirk be his usurped judgement.