Acts and Proceedings: 1566, June

Acts and Proceedings of the General Assemblies of the Kirk of Scotland, 1560-1618. Originally published by [s.n.], Edinburgh, 1839.

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'Acts and Proceedings: 1566, June', in Acts and Proceedings of the General Assemblies of the Kirk of Scotland, 1560-1618, (Edinburgh, 1839) pp. 77-81. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/church-scotland-records/acts-proceedings/1560-1618/pp77-81 [accessed 26 March 2024]

In this section

A. D. M.D.LXVI.

The General Assemblie of the kirk, haldin in Edinburgh, within the counsell house therof, the 25 day of Junij 1566. In the whilk were present Erles, Lords, Barons of the Privie Counsell, viz. Erle of Huntlie, chancellar, and Erle of Argyle, Alexander of Galloway, Adam of Orknay, ane of the sessioun, Johne, commendator of Lindoiris, Johne Balfour of Pettindreich, knycht, with the Superintendents, Ministers, and Commissioners for townes and particular kirks. The invocatioun of the name of God made be Mr John Craig, minister of Edinburgh.

First, for eschewing confusioun in reasoning, and to the effect that every brother speake with sick modestie and measure as becomes the ministers of Gods word to doe, with the assent of the whole Assemblie, Johne Erskine of Dun, knycht, Superintendent of Angus and Mernes, was continuat moderator, who was content for the present to use the office.

[In the tryall of superintendents, the Superintendent of Fife consessed his own inabilitie to discharge the office, and desired the Assemblie to denude him of it.

Mr Johne Douglas rector of the Universitie of Sanct Andrews, Mr George Hay minister of Ruthven, Mr George Buchanan, Mr Robert Pont and Mr Robert Hamiltoun, were appointed to sit apart at set times, to receave and decide questions, and to report the decisions to the Assemblie. C.]

Ordaines that some of the brethren, in name of the haill kirk, make supplicatioun to the Secreit Counsell and Sessioun of Justice, that no excommunicat person have any proces befor their honours unto the tyme they be reconcileit to the kirk, cheislie when it is notour and objectit agains.

Anent the supplicatioun presentit be this Assemblie, in name of Robert, comendator of Halierudehouse, shawand in effect how it was not unknawin to there wisdoms, that he had diverse godlie and learned men of his awin place of Halyrudehous, sick as Alexander Forrester and Peter Blackwood, who are men of good conversation and literature, were received and admittit be the kirk in the ministrie, and how he had diverse kirks pertaining to the said kirk, as the kirks of Tranent and St Cuthbert, and alledgit that most decent and convenient it were that his saids kirks sould be servit be the servants of the said abbay: Heirfor requeistit most earnestlie that the kirk presentlie assemblit sould transport Mr Thomas Cranstoun and William Harlaw, now ministers of his saids kirks, and place them at some uther kirk as sould be thoght good be the haill Assemblie to appoint them, and to place his saids servants at his saids kirks as ministers, there to be servit be them in tyme comeing, as in the said requeist at lenth was conteinit.

The kirk having rypelie considderit the said supplicatioun, and advyseit therupon, causit call befor them some of the elders of the saids parochines, and diligentlie inquyred if they had any fault to lay against there ministers, or if they wald be content that they sould be transportit fra them? Ansuer was givin, that they had no cryme nor fault to there ministers, but that they were better contentit with them then they wald be with any other who could be presentit to them, and attour on naway wald be content that any of them sould be transportit from them. Therfor the kirk presentlie assemblit, on naway could condiscend to the transportatioun of any of them, for the respects befor reshearsit; bot brotherlie requeistit the said Lord Comendator to provyde for some uther godlie ministers for some uthers of his kirks whilks are altogether destitute of the preaching of the true word of God, the speciall foode of ther soules, whilk they doubt not but his Lordship will doe for discharge of his awin conscience.

[It was ordained that a request be written, and sent to the noblemen in whose bounds some popish preists haunted and remained, and abused the sacraments, and celebrated marriages for lucre. C.]

Sess. 2da. 26 Junij 1566.

The haill Assemblie, in respect of the perrills and dangers wherwith the kirk of God is assaulted, and that be the mightie enemies, concludit a generall fast to be publishied throughout this realme in all the kirks reformeit.

[A publick fast was appointed to be holden on the two last Sabbaths of Julie nixt, and the communion to be ministred upon the saids Lords days, if it may be done convenientlie. C.]

Anent the supplicatioun givin in be Paul Methven, makeand ane lang rehearsall of his miserable estate, the supplicatioun presentit in his name to the Generall Assemblie haldin in Edinburgh in December 1564; of the estate of the ansuer therto from the said Assemblie; of his long and tedious journey out of Ingland to Scotland, and impediments that chanced him by the way. Finallie, requeists for ane of thir twa, that is, either to suspend excommunicating of the kirk for a tyme, and receive him in the fellowship of the same, as ane poore sheip, upon ane conditioun, wher evir he chances to be, upon halse a ȝeirs warning, he salbe bund to returne againe at command of the kirk, and obey sick injunctiouns as they wold command him to doe. Or if the kirk pleasit not this petitioun, then to committ his ansuer to sick as the kirk sould please appoint, whose judgement and determinatioun (as his bodie micht beir) he promised be Gods grace most humblie to obey. Finallie, all counsell that have followit heirtofoir, and himselfe he most humblie submittit to the judgement of the present Assemblie, as in the said supplicatioun at length was conteinit. Last of all, it was ordainit that he present himselfe personallie befor the Assemblie; and being entrit, prostrate himself befor the whole brethren, with weiping and houleing; and commandit to ryse, might not expresse farder his requeist, being as appearit so sore troublit with anguish of heart, was desyrit to be of good confort, and depart to his ludging, whill ordour were tane anent his requeist.

And forsameikle as in the said Assemblie, haldin in December 1564, it was concludit to receive him to repentance, now restit to conclude upon the maner therof what he sould doe, when and wher; and for that purpose was appointed the Superintendent of Fyffe, Mr Johne Dowglas rector of St Androes, David Forrest, Mr George Hay minister of Ruthven, Mr Johne Craig minister of Edinburgh, Johne Row of St Jonstoun, William Chrystesone of Dundie, and Adame Heriot of Aberdeine, ministers, that they sevin or sixe of them sould conveine the morne, at sevin houres befor noone, and appoint and take ordour in the premisses; and whatsumevir they doe heiranent, to signifie the same to the superintendent of Lauthiane and session of the kirk of Edinburgh; and ordaines them to put the commissioners ordinance to execution; and als ordaines that the said Paul Methven obey the same according to ther directiouns; and ordaines that the said superintendent and kirk of Edinburgh, delyver the said ordinance to the scribe of the Generall Assemblie, that he may insert the same among uthers acts of the Generall Assemblie, for ane remembrance to the posteritie.

Questions and ther Ansuers.

First, It is asked, if any man contract mariage with ane woman once maried, and her husband departing fra her to uther countreyes, and being absent ix or x ȝeirs together, the woman having no testimoniall of his death or not?

Answerit, The woman desyreing to marie, aught to seik, or cause to seik, whither her first husband be dead or not, and to report ane sufficient testimoniall of his death or ever scho may joyne herselfe to another husband.

Whidder, if any person seikand donatioun or confirmation of benefices at the Popes kirk, may be admittit to minister in the kirk of God?

Answerit, That sick a person aught not to be admittit to the ministrie, as the question is conceivit.

[Whether a minister may enjoy a benefice sufficient for his sustentation, where he travelleth not in the preaching of the word? It was answered, That he ought to travell in the word where he receaveth his sustentation, unles the kirk appoint otherwise. C.]

The commissioners appointit be the Generall Assemblie for ordouring of Paul Methven his repentance, [reported the same to Mr John Gray scribe of the Assemblie, in the tenour as followeth. C.] In consideratioun of the said Pauls lamentable supplicatioun to the kirk, humble submissioun of himselfe to the same, and his absence out of this realme the space of two ȝeirs or mair; Ordaines the ministrie of Edinburgh, that he upon ane Sonday after sermoun notisie unto the peiple the said Paul his supplicatioun, and how the General Assemblie hes ordainit to receive him to repentance with the conditions underwryten: And therfor to admonish all faithfull brethren that they, within the nixt aucht dayes, notifie to the said minister of Edinburgh, if any of them hes any knowledge, or are surelie informit of the said Paul his conversatioun and behaviour since his departure forth of this realme, whilk might imped his receiving to repentance; whilk salbe on this maner, viz. The said Paul, upon the said two preaching dayes betuixt the Sondayes, sall come to the kirk doore of Edinburgh, when the second bell rings, clad in sackcloath, baireheidit and bairefoottit, and there remaine whill he be brocht into the sermoun, and placeit in the publick spectakill above the peiple in tyme of every sermon dureing the said two dayes, and in the nixt Sonday therafter sall compeir in lykemaner, and in the end of the sermoun sall declare signes of his inward repentance to the peiple, humblie requyreing the kirks forgivenes; whilk done, he salbe cled in his awin apparrell, and receivit in the society of the kirk, as ane lyvelie member thereof; and this same ordour to be observit in Dundie and Jedbrucht, alwayes secluding him fra any functioun of the ministrie of the kirk, and also from participatioun of the table of the Lord Jesus, unto the 25 of December nixt to come, when the Generall Assemblie of the kirk conveines, unto the whilk they ordaine the said Paul to resort, bringand with him sufficient testimoniall from autentique persons, of these places where he in the meane tyme sall chance to remaine, reportand his conversatioun and behaviour; at the whilk tyme the kirk fall take farder ordour what sall be done anent him.

[Mr John Craig, minister of Edinburgh, desired that John Carnes, who had read prayers and exhorted four ȝeirs and more in Edinburgh, and had weill profited, so that he was now able to be admitted to the ministrie, might be joyned with him as collegue in the kirk of Edinburgh, in respect he was alone: The Assemblie ordained the kirk of Edinburgh, with the assistance of the superintendent of Louthian, to confider whether he were fit and sufficient for that place, or some other. C.]