Sessio 11. 13 May.
Anent the horrible superstitione used in Garioche and diverse parts
of the countrie, in not labouring ane parcell of ground dedicat to
the Devill, under the name of the Goodman’s Croft: The Kirk, for
remedy thereof, hes found meit that ane article be formit to the
Parliament, that ane act may proceed from the Estaites thairof,
ordayning all persones, possessors of the saids lands, to cause
labour the samen betwix and ane certaine day appoyntit theirto;
wtherwayes, in caice of disobedience, the saids lands to fall in
the King’s hands, to be disponit to such persones as pleases his
Majestie, who will labour the same.
Sessio 12. 14 May.
Anent the supplication of the minister and parochiners of
Bruntisland, desyrand the Assembly to allow the act of the Synodall
Assembly of Fyfe concerning their new kirk, in allowing thereof to
be the paroche kirk: The haill Kirk present being advysit with the
said ordinance, understanding that the new kirk buildit be them is
most commodious for the parochine, both in respect of the greatness
of the congregatione, and ewistness of the place, and alwayes mair
convenient nor the ald kirk, qwhilk is not able to receave the
congregatione, and is farther distant from them: Therefore allows
and approves the judgment of the provinciall Assemblie of Fyfe, and
ordaynes the said new kirk to be the paroch kirk thereof in tyme
coming.
Alexander Lord Hoome compearand in face of the Assemblie; and
inquyrit be the Moderator, if he confest in heart before the Lord,
and with his mouth, that he was justly casten out of the Kirk
be a sentence of excommunication pronuncit against him be the
Synodall Assemblie of Fyfe, and as he wald answer upon paine of his
salvation and damnatione, simply to speak the truth,--protestit and
acknowledged openly, that he was justly excommunicat, and confessit
his fault therein: And being inquyrit why he soucht to be relaxit
from the said sentence according to the direction of the presbytrie
of Edinburgh, excusit him be ignorance of that part of the act.
As also being accusit that he deteaned the stipends of sundrie of
the ministrie, speciallie of Chirnsyde--answerit, he was ready to
doe what he ought to doe of law. Being further demandit why he
hes not keepit conditions, specially sett doune in the act of the
presbytrie of Edinburgh--as, namely, touching ane minister in his
awne house--touching the removing of Thomas Tyrie out of his house:
yet, in that poynt, he is content to haue ane, as the Kirk shall
appoint him; and as to Thomas Tyrie, grants he was in his service sen
his subscryving, but understood not that he was obliged to remove
him qwhill the Kirk had proceeded to excommunicatione againes him,
qwhilk he believes they granted it: alwayes fra the said Thomas was
excommunicat, he removed him out of his companie; and as to John
Tyrie and Captaine Gray, they are not his servants. Being requyrit if
there was any persone callit Cowie, with whom he spacke schortlie,
or any sett on land with the bark that came last in? Denyes the
samen. And inquyrit if M‘Qwhirrie was in his house shortly? Grants
that, within these few dayes he was in his house, and came by his
witting, having neither letter nor commissione to him, and past away
within halfe an hour. And last of all, the said Lord confessit in
presence of God and his holy angells, whom he took witnesses, and
the Lord Jesus whom he tooke judge, when he shall come to judge the
quick and the dead, that he profest from his heart the trew religion
presently professt be this Kirk here present, whereof he hes already
subscrivit the articles before the presbytrie of Edinburgh, and with
his solemn oath confessit before them, and now confesses before the
Assemblie, to be the only trew and infallible religion qwhilk leads
to salvatione, qwherein he mynds to liue and die, and shall to the
uttermost defend againes all the enemies thereof; and denyes, as he
shall answer to the dreadfull God, the Romane Catholick religione,
all the Antichristian religion directlie opponit to the truth of God
and his trew service, qwhilk he testifies to the haill Assembly be
upholding of his hand, and with solemne witnessing of God, that he
hes no dispensation nor indulgence to subscryve or swear to the said
articles. For farther satisfaction of the brethren, the Kirk ordaynes
my Lord Provest of Edinburgh, Alexander Hoome, the Laird of Aytoune,
Mrs John Davidsone, David Black, David Lyndsay, to deale further with
my Lord afternoone, to try of his full resolution.
Sessio 13^a. 14 May.
Anent the offence conceavit be his Majestie againes a brother
callit John Ross: The Assemblie of the Kirk thought it expedient
that certaine of the Godlie, best learnit and discreetest of the
Assemblie, should be chosen out, before qwhom that matter sould be
first broken up and preceisly handlit, and thereafter brought in
publick before the haill number; and to that effect were chosen
Mrs Andrew Melvill, James Nicolsone, Robert Rollock, Robert Bruce,
John Davidsone, John Craige, David Lyndsay, Patrick Galloway, James
Melvill, Walter Balcanquall, Alexander Forbes, James Robertsone,
David Fargysone: Qwhilk number are ordaynit to conveine immediately
after their rysing in this house, and so many of the brethren of the
Synodall of Striveling as are present, warnit to be readie as they
shall be callit for.
Sessio 14^a. 15 of May.
The qwhilk day compeirit Alexander Lord Home in Assembly, and with
all humilitie cravit that he might be absoluit from the sentence of
excommunicatione led against him, protesting before God he wald in
tyme comeing giue proof of obedience and service to God, and maintain
the truth of his religione presently profest be the Kirk here present
to his lyfe’s end; and although he was sometyme in ane different
religione from them, now avowes, he being better instructed in the
heid qwherin he sometymes differed from them, the present Confession
of Fayth and religion professit presently be the Assembly; and if
he shall hereafter declyne therefrae, submitts him in that case to
the Assemblie of the Kirk, hopeing be God’s grace, never to make
defectione therefrae.
The Assemblie, in respect this matter hes been past be word, hes
thought meet that certaine conditions shall be sett downe in write,
to be subscrivit be his Lordship; thereafter his sute of absolutione
to be considerit.
Sessio 15^a. Eodem die.
The Assembly ordaynes ane fast to be keepit within the Presbytrie of
Edinburgh, and such other parts where the samen may be convenientlie
had, upon Sunday the 26 of this instant, immediatly preceeding the
Parliament, and his Majestie to be remembrit that an exhortatione
may be had according to the custome qwhilk was keepit of before, the
first day of the Parliament, and ane thanksgiving at the conclusion
thereof be ane of the ministrie; and alse that his Majestie be put in
minde of the said fast appoyntit the forsaid day, to the effect his
Majestie and his house may keep the samen.
In lyke manner it is ordaynit, that a generall fast be universally
observit throughout the haill realme, the two last Sondayes of Junii
nixt to come, with exhortationes and prayers to be keepit betwixt the
two Sondayes on the week dayes; the causes of the qwhilk fast shall
be intimat and presentit the morne in wryte be Mrs Patrick Galloway,
James Melvill, and James Nicolsone.
The samen day, the conditions underwritten being proponit to
Alexander Lord Hoome be the Generall Assembly, to testifie his
unfained repentance, after reading of the saids Articles severally:
First, he ratifiet and approvit the subscriptione the 22 of December
last, and that with ane solemne oath, holding up his hand, and agreit
to the same articles, and every ane of them, in token of acceptatione
thereof, protesting he does the same sincerely, subscrivit the
same with his hand, humbly requyring, in respect of his obedience
and repentance, that the Kirk wald relax him from the sentence of
excommunicatione pronuncit against him.
The Assemblie, in respect of his repentance schawne, his aith and
declaration giuen yesterday, and obedience in subscryving the saids
conditions, being satisfied therewith, and hopeing that he shall
fully keep promise in tyme coming, Ordaynes him to be absolvit from
the said excommunication, and the sentence of absolution to be
pronuncit be the Moderator the morne at meeting.
Follows the Conditions.
1. The Assembly craves that the said Alexander Lord Hoome ratifie and
approve the subscriptione and oath given be him to the Confession of
Fayth, at Edinburgh the 22d of December last, or subscryve and swear
againe _de novo_ in face of the haill Assemblie, as shall be thought
expedient.
2. That he remove and hald forth of his companie, all Papists and
traffiquers against the trew Religione, and qwhatsoever persones
shall be delaitit to his Lordship to be suspect and corrupt in
Religione; That he receave and intertaine in his house Mr Archibald
Oswall as his ordinarie pastor, and, failzieing of him, some uther
discreit and godly minister, be advyce of the Presbytrie of Dumbar,
and that he make his family subject to the word and discipline.
3. That he resort to the publick hearing of the word, in all places
where it shall happen him to repaire and haue his residence, and that
he communicat.
4. That he make his haill tennents and servants subject to the
discipline of the Kirk where they remaine.
5. That he repare all the ruinous kirks within the Priorie of
Coldinghame, and provyde sufficient livings for the pastors, plantit
and to be plantit thereat, according to the act of Parliament; and
sicklyke of all kirks within his bounds, so far as law and reasone
may bind thereto.
6. That he make thankfull payment to the ministers of Chirnside,
Swyntoune, and Stitchall, of their stipends, conforme to their
assignationes and decreets past thereupon, in caice he be oblished
therto be law.
7. That he concurre, be his counsell, credite, and assistance, for
maintenance of the trew Religione publickly professit and taught
within this realme, with the maintainers thereof, against all and
qwhatsomever wald come in the contrair, within the countrie or
without.
8. That he neither receipt, maintaine, assist, intercommon, or
have intelligence with the excommunicat Papists, Lords, Jesuites,
Seminarie Priests, or traffiqueing Papists, nor solicit for them, nor
shaw them favour, directly nor indirectly, in judgement or out of
judgement.
9. That he niether reasone nor suffer any reasonyng to be against the
trew Religione, or any poynt thereof, in places where he may stop the
samen.
10. That he imploy himself cairfullie to apprehend and present to
justice, Mr Alexander M‘Qwhirrie, and all and qwhatsumever Jesuites,
Seminarie Priests, and trafficking Papists, that shall resorte
within his bounds, and that he doe nothing qwhilk may be found
be the minister appoyntit for the tryall of his behaviour, to be
prejudiciall to the trew Religione presently professit be the Gerall
Assembly heir presently conveint; and in caice he shall be found
to contraveen any of the forsaids poynts, that, in that caice, he
consent to be summarily excommunicat upon the notorietie of the fact.
And in testimony of his acceptatione of the saids conditiones, that
he subscryve thir presents with his hand. _Sic subscribitur._