Part 6

Ordaines that some of the brethren, in name of the haill Kirk, make supplication to the Lords of Secret Councill and Session of Justice, that no excommunicat person have proces before their honors, unto the tyme they be reconciled to the Kirk, chiefly when excommunication is notour and objected againes.

Anent the supplication presented to this Assembly be Robert Commendator of Haly-rude-house, showing in effect, how it was not unknowne to their wisdomes, That he had diverse godly learned men of his owne place of Halyrudehouse, sic as Alexander Forrester and Peter Blackwood, who are men of good conversation and literature, were admitted and receaved be the Kirk to the ministrie, and how he had diverse kirks pertaining to the Abbacie, as the kirks of Tranent and St Cuthbert’s, and alleadged that most decent and convenient it were, that his said kirks should be served be the servants of the said Abbay: Herefore, requested most earnestly that the Kirk presently assembled should transport Mr Thomas Cranstoune and William Harlaw, now ministers of his said kirks, and place them at some uther kirks, as should be thought good be the haill Assembly to appoint them, and to place his saids servants at his saids kirks as ministers, there to be served be them in tyme comeing; as in the said request at length was contained.

The Kirk haveing ryply considered the said supplication and advysed thereupon, caused call before them some of the elders of the said parochines, and diligently inquired if they had any fault to lay against their ministers, or if they would be content they should be transported from them? Answer was given, that they had no cryme nor fault to lay against their ministers, but was better content with them then they would be with any uther that would be presented to them; and attour, on no wayes would be content that any of them should be transported from them: Therefore, the Kirk presently assembled on no wayes condescended to the transportation of them, for the reasons foresaid; But brotherly requested the said Lord Commendator to provide for some godly ministers for uthers of his kirks whilks are destitute of preaching of the true word of God, the speciall food of their souls, which they doubt not but his Lordship will doe, for discharge of his own conscience.

Sess. 2^{a.} Junii 26, 1566.

The haill Assembly, in respect of the perills and dangers wherewith the Kirk of God is assaulted, and that be mighty enemies, considered a generall fast to be published throughout this realme in all kirks reformed.

Anent the supplication given in be Paull Methven, makand a long rehearsall of his miserable estate, the supplication presented in his name to the Generall Assembly holden in Edinburgh in December 1564, of the estate of the answers thereto frome the said Assembly, of his long and tedious journey out of England to Scotland, and impediments that chanced him in the way; finally requests for ane of thir two, That is, either to suspend excommunication of the Kirk for ane tyme, and receave him in the fellowship of the same as ane poor sheep, upon ane condition, wherever he chances to be, upon half ane year’s warning, he shall be bound to returne againe at command of the Kirk, and obey sic injunctions as they would command him to doe; or if the Kirk pleased not this petition, then to committ his answer to such as the Kirk should appoint, who’s judgement and determination (as his body might bear) he promised be God’s grace to obey; Finally, all counsell that have followed heretofore, and himself most humbly, he submitted to the judgement of the present Assembly; as in the said supplication at length was contained: Last of all, it was ordained that he present himself personally before the Assembly; and being entered, prostrate himself before the haill brethren with weeping and howling, and commanded to ryse, might not expresse farther his request, being, as appeared, so farr troubled with anguish of heart, was desyred to be of good comfort, and to depart to his lodgeing whill order were taken anent his request. And forsuameikle as in the said Assembly holden in Edinburgh in December 1564, it was concluded to receave him to repentance, now rested to conclude upon the manner thereof that he should doe when and where; and for that purpose was appointed the Superintendant of Fyfe, Mr John Dowglass, rector of St Andrews, David Forrest, Mr Hugh Hay, minister of Ruthven, Mr John Craig, minister of Edinburgh, John Row of St Johnstone, William Christisone of Dundie, and Adam Herriot of Aberdeene, ministers, that they, seven or sex of them, should conveene the morrow, at seven houres before noone, and take order in the premises; and whatsomever they doe hereanent, to signifie the same to the Superintendant of Lowthiane and Session of the Kirk of Edinburgh, deliver the said ordinance to the Scribe of the Generall Assembly, that he may insert the same among uther acts of Generall Assembly for ane remembrance to the posteritie.

QUESTIONS AND THEIR ANSWERS.

First, It is asked, If any may contract marriage with ane woman once married, and her husband departing from her to other countries, and being absent nine or ten years together, the woman, having no testimoniall of his death or not?

Answer: That the woman desyreing to marrie ought to seek, or cause seek, whether her first husband be dead or not, and to report ane sufficient testimoniall of his death or ever she may joyne herself to ane uther husband.

Whether that any persone seek ane donation or confirmation of benefices at the Paip’s Kirks, may be appointed to minister in the Kirk of God?

Answer: That sic a persone ought not to be admitted to the ministrie as the question is conceaved.

The Commissioners appointed be the Generall Assembly for ordering of Paull Methwen his repentance, In consideration of the said Paul’s lamentable supplication to the kirk, humble submission of himselfe to the same, and his absence out of this realme the space of two yeares or more, Ordaines the minister of Edinburgh, that he, upon ane Sonday after sermone, notifie unto the people the said Paull his supplicatione, and how the Generall Assembly hes ordained to receive him to repentance, with the conditions underwritten; and therefore to admonishe all faithfull brethren that they, within the nixt eight dayes, notifie the said minister of Edinburgh, if any of them hes any knowledge, or are fully informed of the said Paull his conversation and behaviour since his departure furth of this realme, whilk might imped his receaving to repentance, whilk shall be on this manner, viz. The said Paull, upon the said two preaching dayes, betwixt the Sondayes, shall come to the kirk doore of Edinburgh, when the second bell ringeth, clad in sackcloth, bareheaded and barefooted, and there remaine whill he be brought into the sermone, and planted in the publick spectacle above the people, in tyme of every sermone during the said two dayes; and on the next Sonday thereafter, shall compear in like manner, and in the end of the sermone, shall declare signes of his inward repentance to the people, humbly requireing that kirk’s forgiveness: quhilk done, he shall be clad in his own apparell, and received in the societie of the kirk, as ane lyvely member thereof, and this same order to be observed in Dundie and Jedburgh, allwayes secluding him from any function of the ministrie in the kirk, and also from participation of the table of the Lord, unto the 25th of December next to come, when the Generall Assemblie of the Kirk conveens, into the whilk they ordain the said Paull to resort, bringand with him sufficient testimoniall from authentick persons, of these places where he in the meanetyme shall chance to remaine, reportand his conversatione and behaviour; at the whilk tyme the kirk shall take further order what shall be done anent him.

[TWELFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY.]

The Generall Assembly of the Kirk, holden in Edinburgh, in the Nether Councill-House thereof, upon the 25th day of December 1566: In the whilk were conveened the Superintendants, Ministers, and Commissioners of Shyres, Towns, and Kirks: The invocatione of God’s name made be Mr John Craig, Minister of Edinburgh.

In the first, for order to be observed in reasoning, and that every brother speak to his purpose, with sic measure as it becomes the ministers of God’s word to doe, John Eskine of Dunn, Superintendant of Angus and Mernes, was continued Moderator, whereof he was content.

Sess. 2^{a.} December 26, 1566.

Anent the Assignation of the pensione of money and victualls offered be the Queen’s Majestie, and her most honourable Councill, for the sustentation of ministers within this realme, the haill brethren present, required the ministers being in the Sessione, to pass furth of the Assembly, and with mature deliberation to consult and advyse, whether they think good to accept the same for reliefe of the present necessitie or not.

After long reasoning and mutual conference anent the said Assignation, returning againe in, the Assembly thought it good, for support of the ministers’ necessitie, to accept the said offer of money and victuall, if they might be gotten hastilie; nottheless, in consideratione of the law of God, Ordaines the persones who heares the doctrine of salvatione at the mouthes of his ministers, and thereby receaves speciall food to the nowrishment of their soules, to communicat temporall sustentation on their preachers: Their answer is, That having just title to crave the bodilie food at the hands of the saids persons, and finding no uthers bound unto them, they only require at their own flock, that they will sustain them according to their bounden dutie, and what it shall please them to give for their sustentation, if it were but bread and water, neither will they refuse it, nor desist from the vocatione. But to take from others contrare their will, whom they serve not, they judge it not their dewtie, nor yet reasonable; alwayes they most heartily thank the Lords that bestowed their labours and paines in purchasing the foresaid assignatione, most heartily requesting their honours to persevere, whill they bring it to some perfectione. Nevertheless, the haill Assemblie solemnly protested that the acceptance of the foresaid assignatione for the relief as said is, prejudges not the libertie of the kirk to sute for that thing that justly pertaineth to the patrimonie of the same, in tyme and place convenient, in any tyme hereafter.

The same day were proponed thir questions underwritten, and answers thereto as follows:--Whether if the teyndes properly pertaines to the kirk, and should only be applyed to the ministers, sustentatione of the poor, maintainyng of schools, repairing of kirks, and uthers godly uses, at the discretion of the kirk?

Answered affirmative, without contradiction.

Secondly, If the teynds pertains to the Kirk, and ought and should be imployed to sic godly uses as said is, Whether, if the ministers, who are the mouth of the Kirk, may, with safe conscience, keep silence, seeing the patrimonie of the Kirk maist injustly taken up and wasted in vain things, be sic persons as bears no office in the Kirk of God; and, in the meantyme, the ministers ceisand for necessitie, the poor perishing for hunger, the schools decayand, and kirks falland to the ground?

Answered: They ought not to keep silence, but earnestly to admonische every man of his deutie, and desyre all men to suit for that whilk justly pertaines to the sustaining of the things forsaid.

Thirdly, Whether, if the Kirk may justly require of all possessors the teynds to be paid to the Kirk only, and inhibite all uthers to intromitt therewith; and, in case of disobedience, what order shall be used be the Kirk against them?

Answered: After dew admonitione used, and no obedience found, rouse the censures of the Kirk.

Sess. 3^a. December 27, 1566.

Anent Mr Knox’s request to passe to the realme of England to visit his children, and do his other lawfull business; The haill Assembly granted gladly licence, with letters testimonialls of his honest conversation and godly doctrine within this Kingdome, with provision, as is contained in saids letters, the tennor whereof follows:--

The Superintendants, Ministers, and Commissioners of Kirks within this realme of Scotland, presently assembled, to whais knawledge thir presents shall come, wisheth grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Witt your universities, That our loving brother, John Knox, bearer of thir presents, hes been and is, ane trew and faithfull minister of the Evangell of Christ Jesus, within this realme of Scotland, continually thir eight yeares bygone, or thereabout; in doctrine pure, and sincere in life and conversation, to our sights inculpable; and hes so fruitfully used that talent granted to him be the Eternall, to the advancement of the glory of his godly name, to the propagation of the kingdome of Jesus Christ, and edifying of them that heard his teaching, that, of dewtie, we most heartilie praise his godly Majestie for that so great ane benefite granted unto him for our utilitie and profit; and because he, for the naturall love and affection whilk he bears to his children, now being within the realme of England, and favour to uthers his brethren and allya there, gentlie requested us to grant him licence for ane season to repaire toward the said realme of England for the causes abovementioned; We, after mutual conference in full Assembly, thought this petition just and reasonable; and, therefore, all in ane voyce, grants licence to our said brether, according to the Q. Majestie’s conduct, to pass to the said realme, what tyme he shall think most commodious for his journey; provideing alwayes, that he returne to this realme of Scotland before the 25th of the moneth of June next ensuing, to continue in his former vocatione, and no utherwayes; and this we make it knowne to all and sundrie whom it effeirs be thir our letters testimonialls, given at Edinburgh in our Generall Assembly, and third Session thereof. Subscribed be the Clerk of the same the 27th of December.

Attour, ordained ane Letter to be direct to the Bishops of England, that they would be content gently to handle the brethren preachers, touching the habits, supercloathes, and uthers abulziements, whilks appearantly tends more to superstitione nor edificatione; and requests Mr Knox to put the heads in write whilks he thinks necessare to be written to the saids Bishops; the tenor whereof follows:--

The Superintendants, Ministers, and Commissioners of Kirks within this Realme of Scotland, To their Brethren, the Bishops and Pastors of Ingland, who hes renounced the Romane Antichrist, and does professe with them the Lord Jesus in sincerity, desyres the perpetual increase of the Holy Spirit.

By word and write, it hes come to our knowledge, Reverend Pastors, that diverse of our dearest brethren, amongst whom are some of the best learned within that realme, are depryved from ecclesiasticall sunshine and forbidden to preach, and so by you are stayed to promove the Kingdome of Christ, because their conscience will not suffer them to take upon them, at commandment of the authoritie, sick garments as idolaters in tyme of blindnesse have used in their idolatrie, whilk bruit cannot be bot most dolorous to our hearts, mindfull of that sentence of the Apostle, saying, If ye byte and devowre one another, take heid lest ye be consumed one of another. We purpose not at this present, to enter into the ground whilk we hear of aither partie, to be agitate with greater vehemencie then well lyketh us, To witt, whether sic apparell is to be counted amongst things simple and indifferent or not. But, in the bowells of Christ Jesus, we crave that Christian charity may so prevaill in you; in you, we say, the Pasters and leaders of the flock in that realme, that ye doe not to uthers that quhilk ye would not have uthers doe to you. Ye cannot be ignorant how tender a thing the conscience of man is. All that have knowledge are not alyke persuaded, yet conscience reclaims not at the wearing of sic garments, but many thousands, both godly and learned, are utherwayes persuaded, whose consciences are continually stricken with thir sentences--What has Christ to do with Belial? What fellowshid is betwixt light and darkness? If surcloaths, cornet, cape, and tippet, hes been badges of idolators in the very act of their idolatrie, what hes the preacher of Christian libertie and the open rebuke of all superstitione to doe with the dreggs of that Romish beast? Yea, what is he that ought not to feare either to take in his hand or forehead the print and mark of that odious beast? Our brethren that of conscience refuses that unprofitable apparell does rather now molest you that use sick vain trifles: if ye shall doe the like to them, we doubt not but therein ye shall please God, and comfort the hearts of many whilks are wounded with the extreamitie that is used against these godly and our well-beloved brethren. Collour of Rhetoric or manly persuasion will we use none, but charitablie we desyre you to call that sentence of Peter to minde; Feed the flock of God whilk is commited to your charge, caring for it, not be restraint but willingly, not as though ye were lords over God’s heritage, but that ye may be ensamples to the flock. And, farder, alse we desire you to meditate on that sentence of the Apostle, saying, Give nane offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Grecians, nor to the Kirk of God. In what condition of tyme ye and we both travell in the promoving of Christ’s Kingdome, we suppose you not to be ignorant; and therefore we are more bold to exhort you to walk more circumspectly then that for sick vanities the godly should be troubled; ffor all things that may seeme lawful edifie not. Give the commandment of the authoritie urge the conscience of you and our brethren farther than they can bear, we unfainedly crave of you that ye remember ye are called the light of the world, and the salt of the earth. All civil authoritie hes not the light of God alwayes shyning before their eyes in their statutes and commandments; but their affections savour over meikle of the earth and of worldly wisdome, and, therefore, wee think you should boldly oppone yourselves to all that power that will or dare extoll itselfe not only against God, but also against all sic as dare burden the conscience of the faithfull farder then God hes burdened them be his own word. But herein we may confesse our offence in that we have entered farther in reasoning than we proposed and promised at the beginning; and, therefore, we shortly returne to our former humble supplication, whilk is, that our brethren, who amongst you refuse the Romish raggs, may finde of you the Prelats sic favour as our Head and Master commands every one of his members to show to one another, whilk we look to receave of your gentleness, not only for that ye feare to offend God’s majestie in troubling your brethren for sic vain trifles, but also because ye will not refuse the humble request of us, your brethren and fellow-preachers, in whom, albeit there appear not great worldly pomp; yet we suppose that ye will not so farr despyse us, but that ye will esteem us to be of the number of them that fight against that Roman Antichrist, and travell that the Kingdome of Christ may be universally advanced. The dayes are evill, iniquitie abounds, Christian charitie is waxin cold, and, therefore, we ought more diligently to watch, for the hour is uncertaine when the Lord Jesus shall appear, before whom ye, your brethren, and we, must give ane account of our administratione. And this, in conclusione, again we once crave favor to our brethren, whilk granted, ye in the Lord shall command us in things of double more importance. The Lord Jesus rule your hearts in true feare unto the end, and give unto you and us victorie over that conjured enemie of all true religione, to witt, over that Roman Antichrist, whose wounded head Satin preases by all means to cure again. But to destruction shall he and his maintainers goe, by the power of our Lord Jesus; to whose mighty protectione we heartily committ you. From Edinburgh, out of our Generall Assembly, and third Sessione thereof, the 27th of December 1566.

Your Loving Brethren and fellow-preachers in Christ Jesus.

Ordains ane humble supplication to be made to the Lords of Secret Councill anent the Commissione of Jurisdictione supponed granted to the Bishop of St Andrews, to the effect that their honors stay the same, in respect that these causes for the most part judged be his usurped authority, pertaines to the trew Kirk; and howbeit, for hope of other things, the Kirk oversaw the Queen’s Majestie’s Commissione given therintill to sic men who for the most part were our brethren, yet can the Kirk no wayes be content that the Bishop of St Andrews, ane common enemy to Christ, to use that Jurisdictione, and alse in respect of that colloured Commissione, he might againe usurp his old usurped authority, and the samen might be the meane to oppresse the whole Kirk be his usurped judgement.

The tenor of the supplication follows:--

The Generall Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland, conveened at Edinburgh the 25th of December 1566, To the Nobilitie of this Realme that professe the Lord Jesus with them, and hes renunced that Roman Antichrist, desyre constancie in faith, and the spirit of righteous judgement.