With the quhilk the Assemblie being ryplie advysit, hes thocht it
maist expedient that the said Marquess compeir in presence of the
whole Assemblie, there to testifie his conformitie in the poynts of
religione, and resolutione to abyde thereat, and so to be absolvit
from the sentence of excommunicatione pronuncit against him; and
therefor ordaines the said John Gordoune of Buckie to advertise
the said Lord Marques, that he compear before the Assemblie upon
Wednesday nixt to come, the 21 of August instant, to the effect
forsaid; and for the better furtherance heirof, the Assemblie hes
desyrit the Lord Commissioner and Lord Archbishop Moderator, to write
thir letters to the said Lord Marques for the causes forsaids.
Sess. August 16, 1616.
The quhilk day, the Lord Commissioner for his Majestie producit
certain instructiones direct be his Majestie to the said Lord
Commissioner to be preponit to this present Assemblie anent the
provisione of the remedie for the defectione and falling away of many
from the truth, quhereof the tenor followeth:
Instructions to the richt trusty and well-beloved Cowsing and
Counsellor the Earle of Montrose.--Here to be insert.*[56]
Qwhilk being read in audience of the haill Assemblie, they most
humbly thanked his Majestie for the great care and solicitude his
Majestie alwayes tooke for the advancement of the glory of God and
professione of the trew religione within this realme, and holding
downe and suppressing of papistrie and superstitione within the same;
and as to the said instructions, the brethren were ordaynit to advyse
therewith qwhill the morne.
Sess. August 17, 1616.
Anent the said instructiones direct from his Majestie to this
Assemblie, the said Assemblie being rypelie advysit therewith, hes
statute and ordaynit as followeth:
In the first, concernying the cause and defectione of many from
the trew religione in this kingdome, and the remedies thereof, the
Assemblie hes set them down in the articles made before in this
present conventione; and therefore most humbly desyres his Majestie
to confirme and allow them, and make them receave executione.
_Item_, Because the laicke of competent maintenance to ministers is
the chief cause of the evill qwhilk lyes upon this kirk, qwhilk for
the maist pairt proceeds from the dilapidatione of benefices; to the
effect therefore that the progress of that evill may be stayit, and
some meines devysit to recover that qwhilk by iniquitie of tyme has
been losit, the Assemblie remitts the tryall, cognitione, and whole
dispositione of this matter to the Commissioners appoyntit from this
Assemblie for the causes underwritten. And in the meintyme, inhibits
and discharges all ministers who are beneficit persones, and uthers
that are members of any chapter, to sett in tack and assedatione,
any pairt of their benefices, either in long or schort tackes,
to qwhatsoever persone or persones, or as members of chaptor to
give their consentes to any tackes or assedationes sett be uthers,
qwhill the saids Commissioners have conveinit and taken order anent
dilapidatione of benefices and forme and manner of setting of tacks,
under the paine of excommunicatione of the persons setters of the
saids tacks and consenters thereto, and deprivatione of them from
their benefices.
_Item_, Because the provisione of learnit, wyse, and peaceable men
to be ministers at chief Burrowtownes in vaickand places, such as
Edinburgh, Perth, Aberdeene, Bamff, and uther places vaickand, is
ane most effectuall meane to root out Poprie and perpetuat the
trew professione of religione; it is therefore ordaynit that the
burrowtowns be provydit with the most learnit, wyse, and peaceable
men that may be had; and because the commissioners of the towne of
Edinburgh hes no commission from the said toune anent the provisione
of ministers to the vaickand places within their said kirk, therefore
the care thereof is committit to the saids commissioners, to quhom
it shall be injoynit in their commission, that they sie the same
performit; and as to Perth, the Assemblie ordaynes my Lord Bischop
of Galloway to deall with the Commissioners of the towne of Perth
for provisione of that vaickand place; and sicklyke ordaynes the
Provost of Aberdeene to advyse with the counsell anent the planting
of the said kirk, to the effect sufficient and qualified men may be
nominat and provydit to the saids places before the dissolving of
this present Assemblie.
_Item_, Because ane speciall care should be had of the places of
noblemen their residence, chiefly of such as were thoucht to inclyne
to Poprie; therefore the Assemblie statutes and ordaynes, that the
Lords Archbischops and Bischops, with the advyce of their Synods,
take care that most learnit and discreet persones of the ministrie
be appoyntit to attend the saids places, and be transportit thereto,
sic as the kirks of Bellie, North Berwick, Cockburnespath, Paslay,
and wthers places quhere noblemen make residence, chiefly those quho
are thought to inclyne to Poprie, and that they have a care of their
maintainance and sufficient provisione; and if the same be small,
that these that are appoyntit to attend at the saids kirks carie
their livings and rents with them quhill farther order be taken.
_Item_, Forsuameikle as ane of the maist speciall means for staying
the increase of Poperie, and settleing of the trew religione in
the hearts of the people, is, that ane speciall care may be taken
in the tryell of young children, their education, and how they are
catechisit, qwhilk in the meantyme of the primitive church was most
carefully attendit, as one of the most effectuall meanes to cause
young children in their tender years drink in the trew knowledge of
God and his religione, but is now altogether neglected in respect
of the great abuse and errors quhilks creip in into the Popishe
church, upon the said good ground he bigging thereupone ane Sacrament
of confirmatione; therefore, to the intent that all errors and
superstitione quhilk hes been biggit upon the said ground may be
rescindit and taken away, that the matter itself being most necessar
for educatione of youth may be reducit to its owne integritie:
It is statute and ordaynit that the Archbishop and Bischops in the
visitatione of the kirks, either be themselves, or qwhene they cannot
overtake the bussiness, the minister of the paroche, make all young
children of such yeares of age be presentit before them, and to give
confession of the faith, that so it may appear in quhat religion
they have bein traynit up, and that they be commendit to God by
prayer at the tyme, for the increase of knowledge and continwance
of his grace with them after that tryall; that the minister of the
paroche, every two or three years, ance at the least, re-examine
them, that after sufficient growth in knowledge they may be admittit
to the holy communione; and it is desyrit that ane supplicatione be
direct to the King’s Majestie, humbly craving that it wold please his
Hienes to injoyne ane punischment upon such parties as either do not
present their children, or shall be found negligent in their right
instruction, and that they be callit and convenit therefore before
the High Commission.
_Item_, It is statute that the simple professione of the faith
underwritten be universally receavit throughout this whole kingdome,
to the qwhilk all hereafter shall be bound to swear and sett their
hands; and in speciall all persones that bear office in the Church,
at their acceptatione of any of the saids offices, and lykewayes
Students and Schollars; of the qwhilk Confessione the tenor follows:--