Acts and Proceedings: 1564, June

A.D. M.D.LXIV.

The General Assemblie haldin at Edinburgh the 25 of Junij 1564, haldin and begun in the Neither Tolbuith at 4 houres afternoone; exhortatioun and prayer made be Mr Johne Knox, minister at Edinburgh. In the whilk were conveinit the Superintendents, Ministers, and Commissioners of provinces and of kirks.

Sess. 2^a, 26 Junij 1564.

The haill Assemblie continewit Mr Willock, moderator of this Assemblie.

[The Erle of Glencarne and the Superintendent of the West war inquired, what they had done in the visiting of the hospitall of Glasgow. The Superintendent of the West answered, He did nothing, for laike of conference with the Erle of Glencarne, but promised to visite betwixt and the nixt Assemblie, providing the Lords of the Privie Counsell give letters according to the ordinance of the Assemblie. C.]

The Assemblie requeistit Mr Robert Montgomerie, minister at Cowper, to support every other Sonday the kirk of Largo whill farther provisioun be made; and ordainit the superintendent of Fyfe to labour with the towne of Couper for licence to the said Mr Robert for the purpose forsaid, and to take ordour with the schoolemaster of Couper to reid and exhort in the kirk of Couper.

[The Laird of Lundie and the Superintendent of Lowthiane war appointed to request the Lords of Secreit Counsell to assist the Assemblie with their presence and counsell. C.]

Sess. 3^a, 27 Junij 1564.

[At the requeist of the Erle of Menteith, craving some minister understanding the Irish tongue for Menteith, Johne Ure, minister of Leuchars, was transplanted, and appointed minister there. C.]

Sess. 4^a, 28 Junij 1564.

The haill Assemblie made, constitute, and ordainit thir commissioners underwriten: For Fyffe, the Laird of Lundie and Thomas Scott of Abottishall; for Louthiane, the Lairds of Spot and Elphingstoun; for the West Land, the Lairds of Carnall, Carse, and Kelwood; for the Southland, the Lairds of Wedderburne and Andro Ker of Faudonsyde; for Galloway, the Laird of Gairles ȝounger and Mo …, with Mr George Gordoun; for Angus, the Provest of Dundie; and for the Northland, the Larid of Craig; that they sall altogether repaire towards the Lords of Secreit Counsell, and ther present the articles underwriten, perteinand to reformation of maners, punishment of certaine crymes, maintaining of justice, and others concerning the universall kirk of this realme; and to reason thereupon with the saids Lords, and report the ansuers theruntil to this present Assemblie.

Tenour of the Articles.

First, that it is thoght good, and als weill conforme to the Acts of Parliament, immediatelie befor the Queens Majesties arrivall, permittit as her Hienes awin ordinance, with consent of the nobilitie decreeit and appointit after her Graces arrivall, Chrysts religioun be de novo established, ratified and approved throughout the whole realme; and that all idolatrie, especiall the messe, be abolished over all wher, so that no uther face of religioun be permittit or thoild to be erected.

And for this effect, that the ministers be provydit decentlie with ane assurit appointment, where they sall receive ther livings asweill by gane as to come, and not to live as beggars as presentlie they doe.

And in lyke manner, to desyre, and with all humilitie to requyre, that the transgressours agains the ordinances, asweill from tymes past as from this tyme foorth, be punished according to the saids lawes and ordinances, and especially agains them contemnes and comitts inobedience agains the said lawes in Aberdeen and the Carse of Gowrie, in Seafield, and in sundrie uther places, as salbe specifiet.

After the soirsaids articles were notified and declared to my Lords the Erles of Murray, Argyle, Glencarne, and to my Lord Secretar, being present and send be the Queens Hienes to the Assemblie, to know what things was proponit therin, thoght the saids articles as they were conceivit not so convenient to be proponed as appertained; and therfor thoght it meit to collect twa heids therof, whilk they themselves wald propone to the Queens Majestie, whilk heads followes.

And first, they wold declare to her the good mynds and obedience of them there assemblit.

And as tuiching the estate of religioun, seing it tuichit the saids Lords most speciallie being members of the said kirk, they wald labour at her Graces hands that the same might be observit according to the ordour established at her Hienes arrivell, and doubtit not to obtaine sick gentle ansuer and aggriement of her Majestie in that behalfe as might satisffie the said Assemblie.

The other heid tuiching the sustentation of the ministers, the saids Lords in lyke maner promised to labour at her Hienes hands that they might have appointment of the saids stipends, and hoped to adresse her Hienes so that they sould be reasonablie satisffiet of ther desyre in that point.

Thereafter the saids Lords declarit how they had proponit the saids heids to the Queens Majestie, and how they were not only accepted be her Hienes in good part, but als gentlie ansuerit and accordit to the persormance therof; and therfor the saids Lords promised in her Majesties name to the haill Assemblie the accomplishment of the saids desyres, of the whilk they were not in any wayes to doubt; for if they had been surely persuadit in their awin hearts that her Hienes had meant utherwayes nor they had declared, her Grace sould have found uther messingers than they to have shawin the same in her Hienes name. Whilk being be them declared, the haill number present first thanked God, and her Majestie, that ther reasonable desyres were so generallie answerit; and for recognosceing of ther awin duetie, desyreit the saids Lords reciprocallie to promise to her Majestie in ther behalfe all dutifull obedience, love and submission, whilk can be lookit for be any Christian Prince, of most faithful, humble and loving subjects; promiseing therwithall if any of ther number sould happin to forget the duetie of a good subject offending her Majesties lawes, that they all afaldlie wald concurre to the punition of the offendour according to the qualitie of the trespas, as they sould be comandit.

Anent the satisfieing of pure labourers of the ground against the unmerciful exactioun of ther teinds, John Maxwell Terregleis Knycht friely promiseit that what tyme the superintendent of the west sould resort toward the parts wher he has any teinds, and sould choose unto himself fax, sevin or aucht of the most wife and discreit persons within the saids bounds wher he hes the saids teynds, and whatsoever the said superintendent and honest persons sould advyse him to doe, alsweill tuiching the intromission as prices of teynds, he promises to fulfil the same, so that the poore labourers sould feile at his hands ease and support within his roumes.

In like manner my Lord of Murray was content, and for his teynds within Fyfe nameit the Laird of Lundie, that sall modifie either money or victualls.

Also Alexander Bishop of Galloway promised to doe how soone the take of his teynds comes in his awin hand and bees run out.

The Erle of Monteith, my Lords Lindesay and Ochiltrie, my Lord Secretarie, the Superintendent of Fyde, the gentillmen in the west, and among them, the Laird of Kars, and the goodman of Loathein, all of ther awin frie will promised to doe according as the said Maister of Maxwell had promised.

Tuiching the act of Parliament anent the gleib and mansses, the haill Assemblie request Mr James M'Gill Clerk Register to extract the samein and subscryve it, to the effect it may be produceit before the Lords of the Secreit Counsell the morne, or how soone guidlie he may doe the samein, that ordour may be tane theranent for the ludging of the Ministers.

[The Superintendent of Angus, the Abbot of Culros, Mr Johne Spence of Condie Advocat, Mr George Buchanan, and Mr Robert Pont, war appointed to goe apart, and consider whether it were more expedient that Mr Andrew Simson sould remain Minister at Dunning and Cargill, or be removed to Dunbar, according to his own promise made to Dunbar. It was decerned be them that he sould be removed. C.]

Sess. 5^ta, penult. Junij 1564.

Anent the causes of the whole Kirk and jurisdiction therof, the Assemblie appointed thir persons underwriten; to wit, The Laird of Dun Superintendent of Angus and Mernes, Mr John Wynrhame Superintendent of Fyfe, Mr John Spotiswoode Superitendent of Lowthiane, and Mr John Willock Superintendent of the West, with the assistance of Mr John Row, George Hey, Robert Pont, Christopher Guidman, Thomas Drummond, Johne Knox, Johne Craig, Johne Rutherford, George Buchanan, Robert Hamiltoun, Clement Little, the Lairds of Lundie, Elphingstoun, Carnell, Kers, and Thomas Scott of Abottishall, and ordained thir foirnamed persons to conveine the morne after the sermoun, and to reason and conser anent the saids causses and jurisdictioun pertaining to the Kirk, and to report ther opinions againe to the nixt conventioun.

Anent the question moved, whither a minister anes lawfullie placed at a kirk, may leave his ministrie at the said kirk and passe to another at his awin pleasure; it was concludit be the haill Assemblie, that he may na wayes leave the congregation being anes placed, without knowledge of the floke, his superintendent or haill kirk, and that the cause why he wald leave that kirk be considderit be the Superintendent or haill kirk, whither it be lawfull or not.

The haill Assemblie in ane voyce choose James M'Kaitney to be Soliciter for the [actions of the Kirk to be pleaded before the Lords of Secreit Counsell or Session; to proceed with advice and counsell of Mr Thomas Makcalȝeane, David Borthwick, and Richard Strong, Advocates. C.]

Becaus Mr Alexander Jarden minister of Inchstuire, Kilspindie and Rait, was in the last Assemblie suspendit from all functioun of office within the Kirk, for causes conteinit in the Second Session of the last Assemblie, to this conventioun, when he sould receive ansuer, whither he sould returne to his office or not; the haill Kirk, in consideratioun of his marriage and publick satissafactioun wher the offence was committed, ordainit to make humble requeist to my Lord of Murray to be content that the said Mr Alexander sould be received againe to his ministrie in respect of the premisses, and therafter that the Superintendent of Fyffe sould restore him againe to his ministrie as of befor.

Anent the requeist of Mr Patrick Constance minister of Cyres, desyreing the licence to passe to France and uther countryes, for augmenting of his knowledge, for a tyme, the haill Assemblie in ane voyce dissentit therfra, and ordainit that he sould not passe out of this country, nor yet leave his congregation wher he travells, without special licence of the haill Kirk, if they sall heirafter think it expedient or necessarie.

[It was appointed that a Request sould be presented to the Queen, for obtaining the gift of the Friers Kirk of Kirkubright, to be holden herafter the Parish Kirk of Kirkubright. C.]

Sess. 6^a, ult. Junij 1564.

[Mr Donald Monro his Commission to plant kirks within Rosse was continued for a yeere. Commission was given to Mr Knox to visit the North, and to remaine there six or seven weeks, becaus the North Parts war destitute of Superintendents or Commissioners, for visiting of their kirks, and overseeing of ministers, exhorters and readers already placed.

Mr George Hay Minister to the Secreit Counsell was appointed to visite the kirks of Renfrew, and to remaine there twentie dayes. Mr Craig was ordained to visite the South parts for a moneth; and Mr Gudman Minister at Sanct Andrews to teache in his absence at Edinburgh. C.]

Forsameikle as it was complainit be the Commissioner of Murray upon William Sutherland, person and exhorter at the kirk of Moy, that he had not only disobeyit his charge commanding him to marie the woman with whom he befor had committit fornication, but also had, in despyte of the said commissioner, ryven his letters of charge therto, and had not obeyit his sumounds chargeing him to compeir to this Generall Assemblie: In consideratioun of this dispytefull ryveing of the Commissioners letters, and also not compeiring to this Assemblie, the Kirk depryves him fra all ecclesiastical functioun, and also ordaines the censure of the kirk to proceid agains him for his contempt.

[It was ordained that the Superintendent of Lowthiane sould proceid to censures against Mr Patrick Cockburne, minister at Haddingtoun, in case he resorted not to the General and Synodall Assemblies. C.]