The said Mr Robert being callit again, and being absent, the brether ordaynit Mr Thomas M‘Kgill to warne him the morne.
Anent the age of persones that shall hereafter enter in the ministrie of the word: seeing that sundry hes been intrusit upon the Kirk, and presentit to benefices having cure, that be reasone of their young yeares and laick of experience and judgement, that cannot be able to discharge that high and sacred vocatione, qwherunto they are callit; The Kirk of ane mynd hes votit and concludit, that in tyme cuming, naine be admittit to the functione of the ministrie, nor collationat, nor admittit to any benefice of cure, without they be of the age of twenty-fyve yeares, except such that for singular and rare qualities into them, shall be judgit be the Generall Assembly meit and worthie thereof.
Sessio 8.
Anent the ordinance made yesternight concerning the summonding of Mr Robert Montgomrie, to compeir before the Assembly this day at ten houres: the said Mr Robert being callit and not compearand, but be William Montgomrie his alleadgit procurator, qwha producit ane appellatione qwhereof the tenor heirafter will appear.
Compearit Mr Robert M‘Kgill, and declareit, that at command of the Assembly, he warnit him yesternight to compear at this houre, before the haill Kirk, personallie, in presence of Mrs Walter Hay, John Cowper, and Andrew Ker, and that he promised to compeir personallie at the hour appoyntit, qwhilks the said brether and witnesses testified to be trew.
Hereafter was certaine speciall and innorme crymes producit and read, qwhairof he was alleadgit to be guiltie. 1. Negligence and corruptione in doctrine, also dissollutione in lyfe, for the qwhilk he was suspendit; contraveining of the suspensione in Glasgow, Strivelling, and in the King’s owne chappell; violating of his promise made to the Presbytrie of Striviling, that he sould remaine and wait upon his cure; horrible lies in the face of the Assemblie, denying, with protestatione before God, the intimatione of the suspension, and raiseing and executing the letters; procureing of letters be sinister informatione for overthrowing the discipline of the Kirk; usurping an uther man’s flock, accompanied with armed men since the suspensione; chairging of the haill Assemblie, under the payne of hornyng, to stay with all proceiding against him with excommunicatione; blasphemous railing against the brether and ministrie in pulpit, sen his suspensione, and of before; and, in summa, manifest contempt of the ordinance of the Kirk, and stirring up of ane fearfull schisme betwixt certain of the nobilitie and the Kirk: Qwhilk being tryit, pairtlie be his awne confessione, pairtly be the proces deducit be the Generall Assembly halden last in Edinburgh, and be the proces deducit before the Elderschip of Striveling, and partly be the testimonie of good and godlie brethren of the Assemblie, were found all to have falline in his persone, and him to be culpable and guiltie thereof: for the qwhilks haynous, fowll, and most unworthie crymes, the Assemblie of the brether votit and concludit the said Robert, not only unworthie to serve in the office of the ministrie, but to be depryvit thereof perpetuallie, in all tyme cuming; and the sentence of excommunication to strick upon him, without he prevent the same be repentance.
My Lord of Requests cravit of the Kirk, that the pronouncing of the said sentence sould be superseidit qwhill the King’s Majestie were advertised. The Kirk heirto continouit to giue answer qwhill thair meeting at afternoone.
Sessio 9.
The letter written to the King’s Majestie in name of the whole Kirk, being read, was thocht good to be delyverit to my Lord of Requests; whereof the tenor follows:—
Pleas your Majestie;