The brethren direct to the King’s Majestie with certaine articles, craving present resolutione, reportit his Majestie’s answer—that in the haill heids fand little difficultie except quhilk is notit with his Majestie’s hand. His Grace agried that thare be Generall Assemblies every year, once, and ofter pro re nata.[23]
Matteris to be intreatit in the Presbytries.
The power of Presbytries is to give diligent labours in the bounds committit to their chairge, that the Kirk be keepit in good order; to inquire diligently of naughty and ungodly persones, and travell to bring them in the way againe, be admonitione and threating of God’s judgements, or be correctione. 2. It appertaynes to them to take heed that the word of God be purely preachit within their bounds, the sacraments rightly ministrate, the discipline intertained, and the ecclesiasticall goods uncorruptly distribute. 3. It belongeth to them to cause the ordinances made be the Assemblies, provinciall and Generall, to be keepit and put in execution. 4. To make constitutiones whilk concerns το πρεπον in the Kirk, or decent order for the particular kirks qwhere they governe; provyding they alter no rules made by the provinciall or Generall Assemblies, and that they make the provincialls forsaids privy to the rewles that they shall make, and to abolische constitutiones tending to the hurt of the same. 5. It hes power to excommunicate the obstinate.
His Majestie agried unto this fifth article in this manner: It hes pouer to excommunicate the obstinate, formall proces being led, and dew intervalls of tymes. Faults to be censured in the Presbytrie—Heresie, Papistrie, Apostacie, Idolatrie, Witchcraft, Consulters with Witches, Contempt of the Word, Not Resorting to the Word, Continuance in Blasphemie against God and his Trewth, Perjurie, Incest, Adulterie, Fornication, Drunkenness. Thir things for the present, and further qwhill order be taken in the conferrence.
Anent particular kirks: If they be lawfullie rewlit be ministers and sessione, they haue power and jurisdictione of their owne congregatione, in matters ecclesiasticall to take order therewith, and things that they cannot decyde to bring them to the Presbytrie.
Farther, it was schawne to the said Assemblie be the brether direct to his Majestie, that his Grace declareit, That for tryall of any sclander in the lyfe, conversatione, and doctrine of Bischopes or Commissioners, the said Assemblie sould appoynt ane number of brethren in every province, haveing power from the said Assemblie to try them and take probatione, lead process therein betwixt and the next Assemblie, if occasion sall fall out; remitting the finall sentence and determination to the said Generall Assemblie.
The Generall Assemblie of the Kirk giues full power and commission to certaine breither of every province to summond before them respective, at such day and place as they shall think expedient, the Bischopes and Commissioners, if they find occasione of sclander to aryse be them in lyfe, doctrine, or conversatione, at any tyme betwixt and the nixt Generall Assembly; and to try and take probatione thereof, lead and deduce proces against them, to the sentence exclusive; remitting finall judgement therin to the said Generall Assemblie.
Anent Moderators of Presbytries: Qwhill farther order be taine, it is agreit that where the Bischops and Commissioners makes their residence, that in these Presbitries they shall be Moderators, except in Fyfe, qwhairr, be his Majestie’s advyce, Mr Robert Wilkie is continowit Moderator of the Presbytrie of St Androis until the nixt Generall Assemblie.
At the suite of the Assemblie, his Majestie’s Commissioners hes agreit that the priuiledge qwhilk the Kirk had in the sessione of two dayes in the week for calling their actiones shall be restorit, and John Lyndsay and Mr John Grahame to be ordinary waiters on.
Sicklyke agried, with advyce of the saids Commissioners, that James Mowat be Solicitor for the Kirk, if Mr George Mackisone and he be agreed.