Sess. 5^a. July 9, 1568.
Ane Reader was proven and convict for meddling with ane certaine
woman, and afterward was verified that the same woman had ane husband
livand when the same reader medled with her, but alleadges he knew
not the same, and that he had not been in the uther man’s companie
ane certaine space before. Att command of the Kirk the reader put
away the said woman, who hes been from him the space of ane year or
thereabout. This reader desyres to be admittit to his office again,
in respect of his bypast conversatione be the said space of ane year,
and doe farther what the Kirk will injoyn him. Quæritur?
Answer: After publick repentance according to the order, receive him.
Ane minister convenit be contract with ane certaine vicar, and the
vicar sauld his viccarage of the Kirk whill the minister servit, in
favors of the minister, and the minister againe promised to pay him
ane certaine small sowme at times and dayes for the goodwill of the
viccarage, and that in manner of compositione, _nomine pensionis_;
and now ane uther minister accuses this former minister before the
Kirk, as ane man unworthie to bruik office, because of the said
contract, whilk he alleadges to be simoniall, and the uther protests
that he be convict in pena talonis in caise it be not fundine:
Quæritur, primum an predictus contractus sit simonis, et si sit, qua
pœna puniendus est ille primus minister; Secundo, Si accusator cadet
causa, qua pœna est ille puniendus qui illud scandalum suscitavit?
Answer: Publick repentance for the accusatione.
Sessio 6^a. July 10, 1568.
It is statute and ordained be the haill Assembly, that ministers,
exhorters, readers, or uthers persones hereafter trouble or molest
not the Generall Assembly with sic things as superintendants may and
aught decide in their synodall conventiones; and if any chances to
doe hereafter in the contrare, thir letters shall be receitit.
Touching the Bishop of Orkney’s suspensione from the ministry the
last Assembly, and his obedience and submission: The Kirk restores
him againe to his ministrie of the word, and alse ordaines him upon
some Sonday, when he best may for weakness of his body, to make ane
sermone in the kirk of Halyrudehouse, and in the end thereof to
confess his offence in marrying the Queene with the Earle Bothwell,
and desyre the Kirk there present for the tyme to forgive him his
offence and sclander gine be him in doing the forenamed act; the
whilk the Bishop promised to doe.
[SEVENTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY.]
The Generall Assembly of the Kirk, holdin at Edinburgh, in the
Nether Counsell-house, the 25th of December 1568: In the
whilk were assembled the Superintendants, Ministers, and
Commissioners of Townes and Kirks; Thanks being gine and
inuocatione for assistance of the Holy Spirit be Mr John Knox,
minister of Edinburgh. No mention of ane moderator.
Anent the letters receavit from my Lord Glencairne, daited att
Glasgow the 21st of December instant, bearing in effect the great
zeall his Lordship beares to the glory of God, to the maintaining
of an commone cause and instant necessitie of the ministers of
Christ’s Evangell, ffor support whereof his Lordship hes put the
Kirk in possession of the thirds of the Bishopric of Glasgow, mair
regairding the maintaining of the ministrie nor his Lordship’s own
profite and commoditie; shawing his Lordship’s great desyre to have
been at this present Assemblie if the urgent cause of the common
weall now in hands, and als the distance of the place now impedit;
promiseing whatsoever beis in this Assembly godlie concludit on,
his Lordship will sett fordward the same to the uttermost of his
power: Requesting also for the placeing of Mr John Porterfield, now
banisched from Dumbartone; as in lyke manner for ane godly learned
Inglishman, and for their reasonable stipends; off the quhilk his
Lordship’s godlie zeal and benefit bestowit on the Kirk, as also the
earnest carefullness for supporting the pastors of Chryst’s flocke,
the haill brethren assemblit praisit God unfainedly, and thanks his
Lordship maist heartilie, not doubting but the Spirite of the Lord
Jesus Christ will strengthen his Lordship vnto the end. As to the two
brethren requested for be his Lordship, the brethren assemblit hes
gine commission to Mr Androw Hay to place and appoint them according
to his conscience.
Because of the rairness of this Assembly, the 25th day of Februar
nixt was appointed to conveen on, and letters of advertisement was
ordained to be send to every superintendant, whais tennor follows:
The haill brethren presently assemblit, having consideration not only
to the bruit and sickness within this burgh, albeit (God be praised)
there is no occasione of feare thereof, but also of the great tempest
and storme of weather, thought to be universallie within this realme,
alswell in the north as in the south, that through feare of the ane
and impediment of the other, the Brethren, Superintendants of Angus,
Mearns, and Fife, Ministers, Commissioners, and uthers, alsewell
of these parts as of the west and south, might not compeir at this
Assembly according to the appointment thereof in the last Sessione of
the Assembly halden in July last, was thought meit to continow all
actions whatsoever unreasonit and undecydit whill the 25th day of
Februar nixt to come, and then to haue the haill brethren forsaids to
conveen in Edinburgh be themselves, or giue any thing chances in the
meanetyme, wherethrough justly they are impedit, thair commissioners
sufficiently authorised: give the said day and place please not,
the haill brethren or maist part thereof, to reason and conclude
all actiones pertayning to the ministrie, to condescend and appoynt
some other day and place, not only convenient for the ministers and
commissioners of townes and kirks, but also apt for resorting of the
nobilitie and privie councill, quhaise presence are very requisite
for setting fordward the affaires of the Kirk; and therefore exhorted
the saids brethren, ministers, and commissioners of townes and
kirks within their bounds respective, as was appointit in the last
Assemblie, to conveen in Edinburgh the said 25th day of February
nixt to come, as the brethren of the West and South shall be in lyke
manner warned thereto. Given in the Generall Assembly and first
Sessione thereof, subscribed be the Clerk of the same, day, year, and
place foirsaids.
[EIGHTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY.]
The Generall Assembly of the Kirk conveened in Edinburgh within
the Over Tolbooth thereof, the 25th day of February 1568(9), In
the quhilk were assemblit the Superintendants, Ministers, and
Commissioners of Townes, Kirks, and Universities.
As for eschewing of confusione in reasoning among the brethren
convenit, presently, with ane voyce was present chosen Mr David
Lindsay to be Moderator for this present Assembly.
Sess. 2^a. Februarii 26, 1568(9).
The haill brethren conveint and assembled thocht meit that ane
supplication be presentit to the Supreame Magistrate anent sic
persons as hes receavit their benefices in Papistrie, payand now
allanarlie their thrids, thinkand themselves therethrough dischargit
of all further cure in the Kirk; Requireing at his Grace what order
shall be tane anent sic persones. _Item_, Qwhidder it be lawfull to
ane minister of God’s word having benefice, to sett tacks thereof to
any particular persone within the parochine or without the same, and
if ane law shall be made, that no minister shall sett his benefice to
any particular persone.
_Item_, Ane supplicatione to be made be the Regent’s Grace for
reductione of all benefices gine to any persone contrare the act of
Parliament or Secret Councill, grantit in fauours of the kirk, or
ministers of the same.
The same day, Mr Andrew Blackhall, minister of Ormistoune, was
accusit be the Commissioners of the towne of Edinburgh for marrying
of ane callit James Hamilton, indwaller of the towne of Edinburgh,
with ane Janet Hunter in Ormistoune, without letters testimonialls
of their bands proclaiming: againes the qwhilk James, the Kirk of
Edinburgh had something to lay for offences committit. After all
defences made be the said Mr Andrew, the haill Kirk finds him to have
broken the act, That no ministers shall marry the parochiners of ane
uther parochine without ane sufficient testimoniall, and so guiltie
of the paines contanit therein; not the less the Commissioners and
ministers of the towne of Edinburgh made supplication to the haill
Assembly that the rigour of the act should not strike upon him, but
that some satisfaction should be made to the kirk of Edinburgh at the
discretioune of the haill kirk: Whilk supplication the haill brethren
acceptit, and ordained that the said Mr Andrew shall compeir before
the Sessione of the kirk of Edinburgh on Thursday next to come, and
there confess his awne offence, desyreing pardone thereof, with
promise of never to offend in sic sort heirafter, under the paines
containt in the said act, to be execute to the rigor thereof.