1567, April 19.--Act concerning the Religion.
The quhilk day the Quenis Maiestie having considerit the estait of
hir Majestie’s realme that it stude at the tyme of hir arryvale furth
of France, and yet presentlie standis at, foirseing alssua the common
weill of hir cuntrie gretumlie to be incressit and establishit be
the keiping of the commone peax and quietnes amangis all her gud
subiectis. And like as hir Hienes sen hir foirsaid arryvall hes
attemptit na thing contrar the estait of religioune, quhilk hir
Maiestie fand publictlie and vniuersallie standing at hir arryvale
foirsaid, quhairby hir Maiestie is maist worthy to be seruit,
honourit, and obeyit; richtswa hir Hienes intendis to continew in
the samyne gudnes and gouernment in all tyme cuming, quhairby all
her gud subiectis, professouris of the religion foirsaide, sall haif
occasioune to praise God for her gud, happye and gratius gouernement,
and to crave of God from the boddum of thair harttis, that he wald
of his infinite gudnes to prosper and blis her Maiestie, and hir
posteritie, with lang lyf, gud and happye gouernment, to reull and
regnne ouer thame. And to the effect alssua that all hir Hienes gud
subiectis, professouris of the said religioune, may assure thame
selfis to be in full suretie thairof, and of thair landis, lyves,
benefices, offices, dignities, jurisdictionis, priuileges, gudis,
fame, and honouris in time cuming, and with the better will, jeopard
and hasard thair lyves and gudis in hir Hienes seruice aganis all
inymeis to hir Maiestie and to the commone weill of this realme
at all tymes neidful, as thair predecessouris hes maist frankly
done heirtofore, and that withowt feir of ony pane, punishment,
tynsell of landis, benefices and gudis, for professing, exerceing,
and vsing of the said religioune in tymes bygane, and to cum, to
be impute vnto thame or thair airis, nochtwithstanding ony lawis,
actis and constitutionis, and canone, ciuile or municipale, or
vther quhatsumeuir ordinance heirtofoir institute in the contrar.
And for thair greter suretie foirsaid, OUR SAID SOUERANE,
with the awyss of the haill thre Estait of Perliament, hes thocht
neidful and convenient to dispenss, cass, abrogat and annull, like
as hir Maiestie presentlie dispenssis, cassis, abrogattis and
annullis all and quhatsumeuir lawis, actis and constitutionis,
canone, ciuile or municipale, with all vther constitutionis and
practick penale introducit contrar to the foirsaid religioune and
professouris of the samyne; and ordains thame and thair posteritie
in all tymes to cum, to be fre and exemit from all pane corporall,
infame, reproche, depryving from benefices, dignitie or offices,
or vther cryme or pane quhatsumeuir that may be incurrit or impute
to thame be vertew of the saidis actis, lawis, ordinances, canone,
ciuil or municipale, and practik, for contravening of the samyne,
renunceand the samyne and strenth thairof in favouris of our saidis
subiectis to the effect foirsaid. And siclike the Quenis Maiestie of
her auctoritie royall granttit to hir be God, with the awyss of the
thre Estatis foirsaidis, takis to hir self and hir posteritie, all
hir gude subiectis, thair benefices, landis, offices, guidis, and
honouris, to be vnder hir sure salfgard, mantenance, protectioune,
and defence perpetuallie, aganis quhatsumeuir foirane auctoritie,
pouer, jurisdictioune, and persute, be it ecclesiasticall or
temporall. Exemand hir foirsaidis subiectis from all compeirance,
summonding, or obedience pretendit or to be pretendit, heirafter
agains thame for the caussis foirsaidis, be quhatsumeuir foirane
persoune or vther pretendand jurisdictioune or auctoritie throw
thame; willing hir subiectis to duell in perpetuall securitie and
quietness within this realme, be making of thair maist humbill and
faithfull obedience to hir Hienes and hir posteritie in all tymes
coming heirafter allenerlie. Like as also hir Maiestie, God willing,
heireafter in tyme convenient sall tak forther ordour, in all vther
poinctis, concerning the estait of religioune, as may best serue for
the glorie of God, commone weill of this realme, and continewing of
commone peax and quietnes vniversallie amangis all hir subiectes:
Commanding thame, and euerie ane of thame, in all tymes heirefter, to
keep mutuale, perfyte and maist hartlie kyndnes, luiff, friendschip,
and nychtboureheide, ilk ane to vtheris, vnder all hieast pane and
charge, that heirefter may follow, for breaking of this present act
of Parliament and her Maiestie’s lauchful commandment.[12]