Part 10
... pure at the sight of the remanent. And this to be ... Prestoun of that Ilk to my Lord Regent and Secret ... be him thairof, the ... ... secundo Decembris 1567. ... erunt. ... ... lquhane ... that ilk ... of Quhittinghame Provest of Aberdeene Maister Johne Preston, } Ja. Barron, } for Ed^r. Patrick Murray for Perth. Richard Blyth for Dundee. Maister Johne Spottiswod. Johne Knox. Maister David Lindesay--Juratus, &c. ... hay, Clerk of the Secreit Counsale, and reportit ans^r in ... v^m to the provist of edinbur^t ʒisterday tueching the ... ble of certane ma baronis, with certane ministeris, ... as suld happin to be proponit, &c. with commissioun, and ... and commissioners already convenit to begin and proceed and c ... lowis: Apud edinbur^t secundo die mensis decembris ... fforsamekle as my Lord Regent, with avyss ... Counsale, wrait to certane baronis and Commiss^{rs} ... in edinbur^t the xxij day of Nouember lastbipast past ... the materis to be concludit in the parliament approacheand proacheand ... the quhilk commiss^{rs} and baronis divers ar ʒet absent, Quhairthrow large tyme is spent and nothing as ʒit done: Thairfoir, my Lord regent, with avyss of the lords of secreit Counsale, ordanis samony of the baronis and commissaris as ar already convenit to begin and proceed in the materis proponit before thame, Or to be Inwentit and fund out be thame selffis. And that in the place of Walter Lundy of that Ilk thai resaue and admitt amanges thame, Maister Williame Lundy his sone and appearand air, likewyise thomas Scott of abbottishall, And that they elect and nominat twa or thre ma quhilkis are present in this toun maist godlie and of gretaist experience in politique effares quhilkis sal be commandit to adioyne with thame and assist thame. And that Maister Johne Spottiswod, Johne Knox, Maister Johne Craig, Maister Johne Row, and Maister David Lindesay, ministeris, or any foure or thre of thame, be alsua present, and adioynit to the saids Baronis and Commissioners of burrowes in debatting, and treating, and ressoning of the materis to be proponit concerning the estat of the Kirk. Sic subscribitur de mandato domini Regentis et dominorum Secreti Concilii, &c., Alexander Hay.
FOLLOWIS certane articlis proponit [be the saidis ministers[14]] concerning the effares of the Kirk, with the said Assemblie’s declarationis thairupon.
First, That the parliament haldin ... [declarit] be act of this present parliament ... parliament, and that all thingis thairin concludit co- ... may be of new ratifiit and confirmit, Alsweil, the Confessio- ... fayth then red reasonit, and be publict voit of that parliament ... As the act pronouncit agains the vsurpit Jurisdictioun of the Paip- ... the Mess, and the abolischement of the former wickit actis; The tennor quhair of followes:--
Apprevit (on margin.)
PETITION.
The ... for abolishing the pape.
(The Acts 1560 recited.)
And becaus that lawis quhilk ar not cleir are often tymes occasioun of discord, We maist humilie desire that, for avoyding all debait, dout, and question that eyther may aryiss for the validitie and strenth of that parliament, as for the interpretatioun of the saids ... present parliament pronounce and declare first,
First Article.
That the ministeris of the blessit evangill of Jesus Chryst, quh ... God of his mercy hes now rasit vp amangis ws, or heirefter sall ... aggreing with thame that now leif in doctrine and administratioun of the sacramentis, and that part of the people of this realme that professis Jesus Chryst, as now he is offerit in his evangell, and do commvnicat with his holie sacramentis (as in our reformit kirkis thai are publictlie ministrat) may be declarit the only trew Kirk of Jesus Chryst within this realme; And that all and sindrie quha outher gaynsay the word of the evangell, as it is now preachit, and of ws ressauit and approvit as the heids of the Confessioun of our Fayth mair particularlie do express, or that ʒit refuses the participatioun of the halie sacramentis as now thai are ministrat, Be decernit na memberis of the kirk, within this realme, sa lang as thai keip thame selfis so dividit from the societie of Chrystis body.
2. Farther, we craiff, that na personis reclaimyng to the religioun, or that do not profess it with ws in all pointis, be permittit to enioy benefice or proffitt quhatsumevir vnder the title of ecclesiastical functioun, Notwithstanding title, possession or intrusioun quhatsumeuer thai haue had or may claime to haue, be the paip, that remane antichrist.
Apprevit (on margin.)
3. That to this oure kirk foirsaid be grantit, and be this present Parliament confirmit, sick fredome, priuiledge, jurisdictioun, and autoritie, as justly apertene to the trew kirk, and immaculat spous of Jesus Chryst. And that na vther face of a kirk nor vther face of religioun (than presentlie be Goddis fauor, we haue establissit within this realme) be permittit. And that na jurisdictioun ecclesiasticall be acknowlagit within this realme, vther than that quhilk as salbe within our kirk, or that flowis fra the same.
Apprevit.--[Bot desyris the jurisdictioun of the Kirk to be ... and certane of the previe counsale to be appointit be my Lord Regent to the limitatioun thairof.]
4. That the examinatioun and admissioun of ministeris within his realme be onlie in power of oure Kirk; the presentatioun resseruit to the just and aunceant patronis. The patrone presentand a qualifiit persone within thre monethis, or vtherwyiss the Kirk to haue power to dispone, alwayis to a qualifiit persone.
Apprevit.
5. That all benefices having charge of saulis given be the Quene or ony vtheris, sen the foirsaid Parliament, otherwyiss then be the ordoure of the Buke of Discipline is appointit, may be decernit to vaik. And that the patronis may haue priuilege to present _de novo_, personis qualifiit and hable, sua that the Kirk may be deliuerit frome vnproffitable pastors.
Apprevit.
APUD Edinbur^t, tertio Decembris 1567.
Sederunt.
Barones.
Johne Erskine of Dvn. Williame Lesslie of Balquhane. Craigmyllar. Quhittinghame, { Abbotishall, { George Stratoun of Lawrestoun. Jurati{ Robert Fairlie of Braid. { Robert Campbell of Kingʒeaclewch. Provist of Aberdene. Patrick Murray, for Perth. Mr Johne Prestoun, } for Ed^r. James Barroun, } Richard Blyth, for Dunde. Thomas Monypenny, for Perth. Dauid Mar, for Aberdene.
Maister Johne Spottiswod. Johne Knox. Ministers--Maister Johne Craig. Maister Dauid Lindsay.
FOLLOWIS vther Articlis concerning the Kirk.
6. That ordoure may be takin for all abbacyis, alsweill for the present as for tymes to cum, As als for benefices and kirkis annexat, and dissolutioun to be maid thairof, and ane act to be maid thereupon.
Findis, Separatioun to be maid To witt the teinds to pertene to the Kirk, and the temporale landis to be disponit be avyiss of the thre estaitis in Parliament.
7. That ordoure may be takin for sik as profess ... and haif the patrimony of the Kirk in thair hands, and ... thair dewtie to thair flok.
It is thocht expedient that sick as ar fund qualifiet be the jugement of the Kirk, sall exerce their avne office in thair awin kirk, and vtheris not qualifiit, sall pay the third of thair benefice for sustentatioun of the ministrie during thair tymes.
8. That ordoure may be takin w^t sick as haif pluralitie of benefices.
Ane persone beneficit, being qualifiit, shall preche him self at ane of his kirks, and sall sustene the ministeris of the remanent, at the sy^t of the generale kirk, And the unqualifiit, to pay his third of the hale, Admittand na pluralitie in tyme cuming.
9. That prouisioun may be maid for instructioun of the zouth, for sustentatioun of the pure, and for sum releif to the lauboraris of the ground, especiallie for the relief in leiding of thair teinds.
Answer to the first part of this article, That the lands of prebendaris of college kirkis in landwart be erectit for sustentatioun of bursaris, And referris the vther tua heids to the estaitis in Parliament.
10. That [ordoure may be takin that] nane enter in the functioun of ministrie, nether be retenit within the samyn, bot sik as salbe fund qualifiit, and of honest conversatioun.
Leif this. Referris this to the Generale Assemble of the Kirk.
11. That Superintendentis be appointit quhair need requiris, and that ordoure be prouidit how thai salbe obeyit in thair office, and how thai salbe hable to serue in the same.
Referris the nowmer of the Superintendentis to the roll maid thairupoun, And the office and jurisdictioun of the Superintendent to be authorizat be the estatis in parliament.
12. That ordoure may be takin, how that the pure ministeris, quha lang hes bene defraudit of thair just stipendis, may not onlie be prouidit heirefter for a sufficient leving, Bot also that thai may vnderstand how thai may lift vp the same be ourdour of law, and quhat redres thai sall haif for the bipast, and how thai salbe prouidit in the present. And, becaus all thir heids require deliberatioun, we offer owre selfis to communicat w^t. your L. as God sall communicat w^t. ws.
It is thocht neidfull that, quhill the Kirk be put in full possessioun of the hale patrimony, the hale thriddis be assignit to the ministrie, and thai to vptak the samyn be thame selfis and thair collectors, and all v ... to be dischargeit thairfra ... and Counsale ... find sum meane ... dettis ellis.
13. That the act of Parliament concerning the mansses and gleibis may be maid so sensible, that the iniust possessouris find na cauilatiounis to defraude the pure ministeris of thair ry^t. and of the peaceable possessioun of that quhilk justlie appertainis thairto.
It is fund that the best manss sall pertene to the minister with the hale gleib, Providing the said gleib exceed not vj aikiris of land; And, gif the samyn be mair, the minister sall be content onlie with vi aikiris thairof nixt adiacent to the manss; And, gif the samyn be within vi aikiris, he sall lykewise content him thairwith.
14. That the act for pvnishment of adulterie may be maid sa cleir, that the offendaris delude not the law be the ambiguitie thairof.
Desyris this act to be clerit be the thre Estaits in Parliament.
14. That na man beir publict office of jugement within this realme bot sik as professis the puritie of religioun with ws; that nane be permittit to procure to be admittit in notar, or creat in member of court, without he likewyis profes the Evangell w^t. ws.
Aggreit w^t.
15. It is thocht gude ffor stancheing of cumer and trouble within burrowis in tyme cumin, that nane of the inhabitantis thairof frathyne furth, mak convocatioun within the samyn, or put thameselfis in armes, without express command ayther of the autoritie, provest or baillies thairof, under sik panis as the thre Estaits in Parliament sall think gude.
Apprevit. And referris the pane to be modifiit be the Estaits in Parliament.
16. _Item_, That all scoles, alsweill to bur^t. as land, and colleges be reformit, and that nane be permittit nor admittit to haue charge thairof, or to instruct the ʒouth priualie or publicklie, bot sic as ar, or salbe tryit be the Superintendint and visitators of the Kirk, and admittit be thame to thair charges.
Apprevit.
17. _Item_, That the ordinances maid for keping of the Saboth day, the pvnishment of fornicatioun, adulterie, incest, swering and banyng, be ratifiit in this present parliament, and jugis appointit for executioun thairof, quhair nane is.
Apprevit.
18. _Item_, That the act of parliament, maid in King James the ... tyme, towart the ordouring of the pure within thair avne parochin be _de novo_ ratifiit, and thaireeftir be decernit to be put in executioun.
Apprevit.
19. _Item_, It is fund expedient that the act maid, tueching the reparatioun of kirkis be ratifiit and ordainit to be put to executioun ... is.
VIII.
ACTA. Decr. 20, 1567.
5. Anent the Messe abolischit and punisching of all that heiris or sayis the samin.
_Item_, Our Souerane Lord, with auise of his derrest Regent and thre Estatis of this present Parliament, ratifyis and appreuis the act vnderwrittin, maid in the Parliament haldin at Edinburgh, the xxiiij day of August, the ʒier of God ane thousand fyue hundreth thre scoir ʒieris. And of new, in this present Parliament, statutis and ordainis the said Act to be as ane perpetuall Law to all our Souerane Lordis lieges in all tymes to cum. Of the quhilk the tennour followis. [As already inserted at p. 76.]
6. Anent the trew and haly Kirk, and of thame that are declarit not to be of the samin.
_Item_, Forsamekle as the Ministeris of the blissit Euangell of Jesus Christ, quhome God of his mercie hes now rasit vp amangis vs, or heirefter sall rais aggreing with thame that now liues, in doctrine and administratioun of the Sacramentis, and the pepill of this realme that professis Christ as he now is offerit in his Euangell, and do communicat with the holy sacramentis, (as in the reformit Kirkis of this Realme ar publicklie administrat,) according to the Confessioun of the faith, Our Souerane Lord, with auise of my Lord Regent and thre Estatis of this present parliament, hes declarit and declaris the foirsaid Kirk to be the onlie trew and holy Kirk of Jesus Christ within this realme, and decernis and declaris that all and sindrie quha outher gainsayis the word of the Euangell ressauit and appreuit as the heides of the Confessioun professit in parliament of befoir, in the ʒeir of God 1560 ʒeirs, as alswa specifiet in the actis of this parliament mair particularlie dois expres, and now ratifyit and appreuit in this present parliament, or that refusis the participatioun of the holy sacramentis as thay ar now ministrat, to be na memberis of the said Kirk within this realme now presently professit, swa lang as thay keip thame selfis sa deuydit fra the societie of Christis body.
7. Anent the Admissioun of thame that salbe presentit to Benefices hauand cure of Ministrie.
_Item_, It is statute and ordained, by our Soveraine Lord, with advise of his dearest Regent, and three Estaitis of this present Parliament, that the examination and admission of Ministers, within this Realme, be only in the power of the Kirk, now openlie and publickly professed within the samin. The presentation of laick Patronages alwaies reserved to the Just and auncient Patrones. And that the Patroun present ane qualified persoun, within sex Monethes (after it may cum to his knawledge, of the decease of him quha bruiked the Benefice of before) to the Superintendent of thay partis, quhar the Benefice lyes, or uthers havand commission of the Kirk to that effect; utherwaies the Kirk to have power to dispone the samin to ane qualifyed person for that time.
Providing that in caice the Patron present ane person qualified to his understanding, and failzeing of ane, ane uther within the said six Moneths, and the said Superintendent or Commissioner of the Kirk, refusis to receive and admit the person presented be the Patron, as said is: It sall be lesum to the Patron to appeale to the Superintendent, and Ministers of that province quhair the Benefice lyis, and desire the person presented to be admitted, quhilk gif they refuse, to appeale to the General Assemblie of the haill realme, be quhome the cause beand decyded, sall take end, as they decerne and declair.
8. Anent the Kingis Aith to be giuen at his Coronatioun.
_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.
11. Anent thame that salbe teacheris of the ʒouth in sculis.
[By this act it is “Statute and ordanit that all sculis to burgh and land, and all vniversities and collegis be reformit; and that nane be permittit nor admittit to haue charge and cure thairof in tyme cuming, nor to instruct the ʒouth priuatlie or oppinlie, bot sic as salbe tryit be the Superintendentis or visitouris of the Kirk.”]
12. Anent the iurisdictioun of the Kirk.
_Item_, Anent the Artickle proponit and geuin in be the Kirk to my Lord Regent and the thre Estatis of this present Parliament, anent the iurisdictioun iustlie apperteining to the trew Kirk and immaculat spous of Jesus Christ, to be declarit and expressit as the artickle at mair lenth is consauit: The Kingis Grace, with auise of my Lord Regent and thre Estatis of this present Parliament, hes declarit and grantit iurisdictioun to the said Kirk: quhilk consistis and standis, in preiching of the trew word of Jesus Christ, correctioun of maneris, and administratioun of haly sacramentis. And declaris, that thair is na vther face of Kirk nor vther face of Religioun, than is presentlie be the fauor of God establischeit within this Realme, And that thair be na vther jurisdictioun ecclesiasticall acknawlegit within this Realme, vther than that quhilk is and salbe within the same Kirk, or that quhilk flowis thairfra concerning the premisses; and forther, our Souerane Lord, with auise of my Lord Regent and thre Estatis foirsaidis, lies geuein and geuis power and commissioun to Schir James Balfour of Pittindreich, Knycht; Priour of Pittinweeme; Mark, Commendatour of Newbottill, Johne Priour of Coldinghame; Lord Preuie Seal Maister James Mackgill of Rankillour Nether, Clerk of Register; William Maitland, ʒounger of Lethingtoun, secretar to our Souerane Lord; Schir Johne Bellenden of Auchinoull, Knycht, Justice Clerk; Johne Erskine of Dune; Maister Johne Spottiswod, Superintendent of Lowthiane; Johne Knox; Maister Johne Craig; and Maister Dauid Lindesay, Ministeris of the worde of God, To seirche furth mair speciallie, and to considder, quhat vther speciall pointis or clausis sould appertene to the iurisdictioun, priuilege, and authoritie of the said Kirk, and to declair thair myndis thairanentis to my Lord Regent and thre Estatis of this Realme at the nixt Parliament, Swa that thay may tak ordour thairintill, and authories the samin be act of Parliament, as salbe fund aggreabill to the word of God.
31. Anent priuilegeis grantit to Kirkmen.
_Item_, Our Souerane Lord, with auise and consent of my Lord Regent and thre Estatis of this present Parliament, hes ratifyit and ratifyis all ciuile priuilegis grantit and geuin be our Souerane Lordis predecessouris, to the spiritual estate of this Realme, in all pointis efter the forme and tennour thairof.
ASSIGNATIOUN FOR THE MINISTRIE AND ACTS OF PRIVY COUNCIL THAIREANENT.
IX.
_Provisioun for Sustentatioun of the Ministeris in Burrowis._
Apud Striviling decimo die mensis Januarii anno 1^m. v^c. lxvj.
Sederunt domini ut in die predict.