Act, Sess. I. 27 July, 1642.
The Kings Letter to the Generall Assembly, presented by His Majesties Commissioner, the Earle of Dumfermling, July 27, 1642.
Charles R.
IN the midst of Our great and weighty affaires of Our other Kingdoms, which God Almighty, who is privie to Our Intentions, and in whom We trust, will in his own time bring to a wished and peaceable conclusion, We are not unmindfull of that duetie which we owe to that Our ancient and native Kingdome, and to the Kirks there, now met together by their Commissioners in a Nationall Assembly. God, whose Vicegerent We are, hath made Us a King over divers Kingdomes, and We have no other desire, nor designe, but to govern them by their own Lawes, and the Kirks in them by their own Canons and Constitutions. Where any thing is found to be amisse, We will endeavour a Reformation in a fair and orderly way; and where a Reformation is settled, We resolve, with that authoritie wherewith God hath vested Us, to maintain and defend it in peace and libertie, against all trouble that can come from without, and against all Heresies, Sects, and Schismes which may arise from within, Nor do We desire any thing more in that Kingdom (and when we shall hear of it, it shall be a delight and matter of gladnesse unto Us) then that the Gospel be faithfully preached throughout the whole Kingdom, to the outmost skirts and borders thereof. Knowing that to be the mean of honour to God, of happinesse to the people, and of true obedience to Us. And for this effect, that holy and able men be put in places of the Ministery, and that Schooles and Colledges may flourish in Learning and true Pietie. Some things for advancing of those ends, We did of Our own accord promise in Our Letters to the last Assembly, and We make your selves Judges, who were witnesses to Our Actions, while We were there in Person, whether we did not perform them both in the point of presentations which are in Our hands, and in the liberall provision of all the Universities and Colledges of the Kingdome, not only above that which any of Our Progenitors had done before Us, but also above your own hopes and expectation. We doe not make commemoration of this Our Beneficence, either to please Our selves, or to stop the influence of Our Royall goodnesse and bountie for afterward, but that by these reall demonstrations of Our unfained desires and delight to do good, you may be the more confident to expect from Us, whatsoever in Justice We can grant, or what may be expedient for you to obtaine. We have given expresse charge to Our Commissioner, to see that all things be done there orderly and peaceably, as if We were present in Our Own Person; not doubting but in thankfulnesse for your present estate and condition, you will abstaine from everything that may make any new disturbance, and that you will be more wise then to be the enemies of your own peace, which would but stumble others, and ruine yourselves. We have also commanded Our Commissioner to receive from you your just and reasonable desires, for what may further serve for the good of Religion, that taking them to Our considertion, We may omit nothing which may witnesse Us to be indeed a nursing Father of that Kirk wherein We were born and baptized, and that if ye be not happy, you may blame not Us, but yourselves. And now what doe We again require of you, but that which otherwise you owe to Us as your Soveraigne Lord and King, even that ye pray for Our prosperity and the peace of Our Kingdomes, that ye use the best meanes to keep Our People in obedience to Us and Our Lawes, which doth very much, in Our personall absence from that Our Kingdome, depend upon your preaching and your own examplary loyaltie and faithfulnesse, and that against all such jealousies, suspitions, and sinister rumors, as are too frequent in these times, and have been often falsified in time past, by the reality of the contrary events: Ye judge Us and Our professions by Our actions, which, we trust, through God in despite of malice, shall ever go on in a constant way for the good of Religion and the weal of Our People, which is the Chiefest of Our intentions and desires. And thus we bid you farewell. Given at our Court at Leicester, the 23 of July. 1642.
To Our trusty and wel beloved the Generall Assembly, in Our Kingdom of Scotland, conveened at S. Andrews.
Act, Sess. III. July 29, 1642.
Act for bringing in of the Synode Books yeerly to the Generall Assemblies.
THE Moderator calling to minde that which was forgotten in the preceeding Sessions, the examination of the Provinciall Books, caused call the Roll of the Provinciall Assemblies; and the Assembly finding very few Provinces to have sent their Books to this Assembly, notwithstanding of the ordinance of the former Assembly thereanent, for the more exact obedience of that ordinance hereafter, the Assembly, in one voyce, ordaines, That the Books of every Provinciall Assembly shall be brought and produced to every Generall Assembly: And that this may be performed, ordaines that every Clerk of the Provincialls either bring or send the said Books yearly to the Generall Assemblies, by the Commissioners sent to the Assemblies, from these Presbyteries where the Clerks reside. Which charge the Assembly also layes upon the said Commissioners, sent from the saids Presbyteries where the Clerks reside; ay, and while some meanes be provided, whereby the Clerks charges may be sustained for coming with the saids Books themselves: And that under the pain of deprivation of the Clerk in case of his neglect, and of such censure of the saids commissioners, in case of their neglect as the Assembly shall think convenient.
Act, Sess. V. Aug. 1, 1642.
Act anent the choosing of Kirk Sessions.
ANENT the question moved to the Assembly, concerning the election of Kirk Sessions, The Assembly ordaines the old Session to elect the new Session both in Burgh and Land. And that if any place shall vaik in the Session chosen, by death or otherwise, the present Session shall have the election of the person to fill the vacand roome.