At Dingwall, 9th April 1650.
"Received a letter from the Moderator of the Commission of the General Assemblie advysing the continewation of Assint and Gerloch's process till the next quarterly meeting in May."
At Dingwall, 16th April 1650.
"The Brethren being informed of Ja: Grahms landing in Caithnes with forces and coming forward for furder supplie for carrieing on his former bloodie rebellious and perfidious courses, ... they doe therefore for preventing anie associations, considerations, or correspondence with the said excommunicated bloodie traytor or his forces, Ordayne all the brethren to make intimation out of their severall pulpits that anie who shall associat or correspond with the said Rebell or his forces shall be sentenced with excommunication summarlie."
At Dingwall, 28th May 1650.
"The Brethren report that they kepied the Thanksgiving for the Victorie at Carbisdell obtained against James Grahame and other enemies to ye cause and people of God, his adherents."
The minister of Gerloch ordained to send in a list of his "malignants," and to summon them to appear at next meeting.
III.—Minute shewing the Wide Scope of the Presbytery's Jurisdiction.
At Dingwall, 13th November 1655.
"Duncan Mc Murchie vic Cuile in the Parochin of Garloch regraiting his wife to have deserted him being referred to the Presbyterie from the Sessione of Garloch compeired befoire the bretheren, and being asked in the cause of ye desertion, declaired ... was repudiated by his wyf, and deserted him and went to hir parents."
"Agnes Kempt in Garloch being maried uppon the said Duncan, compeired professing her unwillingness from the beginning to marie the said Duncan, bot moved and threatned by the superior of the land, acknowledging hirselff to be free from any carnall dealing with the said Duncan, ever to this tyme. Ordaineing some of the brethren, such as Mr George Monro, Mr Donald Macrae, with certain other frends met with the foresaids at Logie, to see what they can work upon these maried persons, to agree them, and advyse them in thair christiane dutie towards each other." [On 8th January 1656 it was proved to the Presbytery that Agnes Kemp (who was no doubt a daughter of one of the Letterewe ironworkers) never consented to the marriage but was forced into it by her laird.]
IV.—Minutes relating to Sacrifices of Bulls and Restoring the Sick.
"At Appilcross, 5 Septemb 1656.
"Convened, Mr Jon Mc cra, Moderator; Mr Jon Monro, Mr Thomas Hogg, Mr Jon Mc Killican, Mr Donald Fraser, Mr Donald Mccra, Mr Rorie Mc Kenzie, Mr Alexr Mc Kenzie, and Mr Donald Ross.
"The name of God Incalled. Inter alia, The Minister being inquired be his brethren of the maine enormities of the parochin of Lochcarrone and Appilcross, declaires some of his parochiners to be superstitious, especiallie in sacrificeing at certaine tymes at the Loch of Mourie, especiallie the men of Auchnaseallach; quho hes beine summoned, cited, bot not compeiring, execution is lawfullie given be the ... kirk officer of Loch Carron, quhose names ar as followes:—Donald Mc conillchile—Murdo Mc Ferqre vic conill eire—Wm Mc conil eire, Gillipadrick Mc rorie—Duncan Mc conill uayne vic conill biy—Alexr Mc finlay vcconill diy—Donald Mc eaine roy vic choinnich—Johne Mc conill reach—Murdo Mc eaine roy—Murdo Mc eaine voire vc eaine ghlaiss—Finlay Mc Gilliphadricke—Ordaines the kirk officer to chairge these againe to compeire at Dingwall the third Wednesday of October nixt—recommend that thaire Minister compeire the said day at Dingwall, and that he preach at the vacand kirk of Urquhart, the ensuing Lord's day he is in the country.
"The said day the presbyterie of Dingwall, according to the appoyntment of Synode for searcheing and censureing such principalls, and superstitious practices as should be discovered thaire—haveing mett at Appilcross, and findeing amongst uther abhominable and heathenishe practices that the people in that place were accustomed to sacrifice bulls at a certaine tyme uppon the 25 of August, which day is dedicate, as they conceive, to Sn Mourie as they call him; and that there were frequent approaches to some ruinous chappels and circulateing of them; and that future events in reference especiallie to lyfe and death, in takeing of Journeyis, was exspect to be manifested by a holl of a round stone quherein they tryed the entering of their heade, which (if they) could doe, to witt be able to put in thair heade, they exspect thair returning to that place, and failing they considered it ominous; and withall their adoring of wells, and uther superstitious monuments and stones, tedious to rehearse, Have appoynted as followes—That quhosoever sall be found to commit such abhominationes, especiallie Sacrifices of any kynd, or at any tyme, sall publickly appear and be rebuked ... six several Lord's dayis in six several churches, viz., Lochcarron, Appilcross, Contane, Fottertie, Dingwall, and last in Garloch paroch church; and that they may, uppon the delatatione of the Sessione and minister of the paroche, he sall cause summoned the guiltie persone to compeire before the pbrie, to be convinced, rebuked, and there to be injoyned his censure, And withall that the session sould be charged to doe thair dewties in suppressing of the foresaid wickedness, and the foresaid censure in reference to thair sacrificing to be made use of in case of convict, and appeiring, and evidences of remorse be found, and failing, that they be censured with excommunicatione. Ordaines the minister to exercise himself with his people in such manner as at his coming to Appilcross, once in the five or sax weekes at each Lord's day of his coming, he stay thrie dayes amongst his people in catechising a pairt of them each day, and that he labour to convince the people of their former error, by evidenceing the hand of God against such abhominations as hes beene practised formerlie. Appoynts Mr Allexr Mc Kenzie to informe the presbiterie of any strangers that resorts to thease feilds as formerlie they have to their heathenishe practices, that a course may be taken for their restraint."
"At Kenlochewe, 9 Sept{r} 1656.
"Inter alia, Ordaines Mr Allex Mc Kenzie, minister at Lochcarron, to cause summond Murdo Mc conill varchue vic conill vic Allister in Torriton, and Donald Smyth in Appilcross, for sacrificing at Appilcross—to compeire at Dingwall the third Wednesday of October, with the men of Auchnaseallach.
"The brethren taking to their consideratione the abhominationes within the parochin of Garloch in sacrificing of beasts upon the 25 August, as also in pouring of milk upon hills as oblationes quhose names ar not particularly signified as yit—referres to the diligence of the minister to mak search of thease persones and summond them as said is in the former ordinance and act at Appilcross 5 Sept: 1656, and withall that by his private diligence he have searchers and tryers in everie corner of the countrey, especiallie about the Lochmourie, of the most faithful honest men he can find; and that such as ar his elders be particularly poseit, concerning former practices in quhat they knowe of these poore ones quho are called Mourie his derilans[13] and ownes thease titles, quho receaves the sacrifices and offerings upon the accompt of Mourie his poore ones; and that at laist some of thease be summoned to compeire before the pbrie the forsaid day, until the rest be discovered; and such as heve boats about the loch to transport themselves or uthers to the Ile of Mourie, quherein ar monuments of Idolatrie, without warrand from the superiour and minister towards lawful ends; and if the minister knowes alreaddie any guiltie, that they be cited to the nixt pbrie day, and all contraveners thereafter, as occasione offers in all tyme comeing. The brethren heiring be report that Miurie hes his monuments and remembrances in severall paroches within the province, but more particularly in the paroches of Lochcarron, Lochalse, Kintaile, Contan, and Fottertie, and Lochbroome, It is appoynted that the brethren of the congregationes heve a Correspondence, in trying and curbing all such, within their severall congregationes. And for thease that comes from forren countreyis, that the ministers of Garloch and Lochcarron informe themselves of the names of thease, and the places of their residence, and informe the pbrie thereof, that notice may be given to those concerned."
"At Dingwall, 6 August 1678.
"Inter alia, That day Mr Roderick Mackenzie minister at Gerloch, by his letter to the prebrie, declared that he had summoned by his officer to this prebrie day Hector Mackenzie in Mellan in the parish of Gerloch, as also Johne Murdoch, and Duncan Mackenzies, sons to the said Hector—as also Kenneth Mc Kenzie his grandson, for sacrificing a bull in ane heathenish manner in the iland of St Ruffus, commonly called Ellan Moury in Lochew, for the recovering of the health of Cirstane Mackenzie, spouse to the said Hector Mackenzie, who was formerlie sicke and valetudinairie:—Who being all cited, and not compearing, are to be all summoned againe pro 20."