_Item_, Because that the incres of vertew, and suppressing of
idolatrie, crauis that the Prince and the peple be of ane perfyte
religioun, quhilk of Goddis mercie is now presentlie professit within
this realme; Thairfoir it is statute and ordainit, be our Souerane
Lord, my Lord Regent, and thre Estatis of this present Parliament,
that all Kingis, and Princes, or Magistratis quhatsumeuir, halding
thair place, quhilkis heirefter in ony tyme sall happen to regne, and
beir reule ouer this realme, at the tyme of thair coronatioun, and
ressait of thair princely authoritie, mak thair faithfull promise,
be aith, in presence of the Eternall God, That induring the haill
cours of their lyfe, thay sall serue the samin Eternall God, to the
vttermaist of thair power, according as he hes requyrit in his maist
haly word, reuelit, and contenit in the New and Auld Testamentis;
and according to the samin word sall mantene the trew religioun of
Jesus Christ, the preicheing of his haly word, and dew and richt
ministratioun of the sacramentis now ressaifit and preichit within
this realme. And sall abolische and gainstand all fals religioun
contrare to the samin: And sall reule the pepil committit to thair
charge, according to the will and command of God, reuelit in his
foirsaid word, and according to the louabill lawis and constitutionis
ressaifit in this realme, nawyse repugnant to the said word of the
Eternall God. And sall procure to the vttermaist of thair power,
to the Kirk of God, and haill Cristiane pepil, trew and perfyte
peice in all tyme cuming. The rychtis and rentis, with all the
iust priuilegeis, of the Crowne of Scotland to preserue and keip
inuiolatit, nouther sall thay transfer nor alienat the samin. Thay
sall forbid and repres in all estatis and degreis, reif oppressioun,
and all kynde of wrang. In all jugementis, they sall command and
procure that justice and equitie be keipit in all creatures, without
exceptioun, as the Lord and Father of all mercyis be mercifull to
thame. And out of their landis and empyre they salbe cairfull to
ruite out all heretykis and enemeis to the trew worschip of God, that
salbe conuict be the trew Kirk of God of the foirsaidis crymis. And
that they sall faithfullie affirme the thingis aboue writtin be their
solempnit aith.[15]
10. Anent thriddis of benefices grantit in the moneth of
December, the ʒeir of God 1561 ʒeiris, for sustening of the
Ministeris and vther effaires of the Prince.
_Item_, Because the ministeris hese bene lang defraudit of thair
stipendis, swa that thay ar becumin in greit pouertie and necessitie
And notwithstanding hes continewit in thair vocatioun without payment
of their stipendis, be ane greit space, Quhairthrow thay ar and salbe
constranit to leif thair vocatioun, without remeid be prouydit;
Thairfoir our Souerane Lord with auise of my Lord Regent and thre
Estatis of this present Parliament, hes statute and ordanit, that
the hail thriddis of the hail benefices of this realme, sall now
instantlie and in all tymes to cum, first be payit to the ministeris
of the euangell of Jesus Christ and thair successouris, and ordainis
the Lordis of the Sessioun, to grant and gif letteris, charging
all and sindrie intrometteris, or that beis addettit in payment of
the samin, to answer and obey to the saidis ministeris and their
collectouris to be nominat be the saids ministeris, with auise of
my Lord Regent, in forme as effeiris, notwithstanding ony discharge
geuen be our Souerane Lordis mother, to quhatsumeuer person or
personis, of the saidis thriddis, or ony pairt thairof, ay and quhill
the Kirk cum to the full possessioun of thair propir patrimonie,
quhilk is the teindis; Prouyding alwayis that the collectouris of
the saidis ministeris, mak ʒeirlie compt in the Chakker, of thair
intromissioun, swa that the ministeris may be first answerit of
thair stipendis appertening to euerie ane of thame. And the rest and
superplus to be applyit to our Souerane Lordis vse.