Anent the citatione of James Drummond, Oliver Young, James Adie, John Reid, Patrick Justice, William Hall, indwellers of Perth, at the instance of the brethren of the presbytrie there, for the sclanderous receipting of the apostats lords within their towne: the saids persones compeirand and inquyrit gif they receipt the saids lords, and acknowledged therein simplie ane offence done to God and his kirk, answerit, they receavit them, but against their will, and for obedience of the King’s charge; allwayes before the comeing of the charge, the greitest pairt of all the towne had condescendit to receave them; and being urged with the promise they made not to receive them, and violatione thereof, answerit, that promise of assistance was made to them and not keipit. After qwhilk answer being removed, and certain good brethren being direct to conferr with them, and re-entering, they for themselves, and in name of the haill towne, confesst to the glory of God and satisfactione of the Assembly, that they were over rasche and sudden in receiving such notorious enemies to God, desyreing most earnestly that no man be sclanderit or take evill example thereby; protesting before God, they enterit in the towne against their hearts, that are present here, promising be God’s grace never to give occasione in tyme comeing, and to assist and maintaine the Kirk of God and his trew religion, professit presently within this realme, and to resist the enemies and adversaries thereof to the uttermost of their power, and to obey and put in executione, so far as concerns their dewtie, the ordinances of the Kirk agreeing with the word of God: qwhilk professione they gave in in wreit, and subscrivit the samen with their hands, so many as could wreit, in presence of the haill Kirk; qwhairwith the brethren standing content, ordaynit the minister of the towne of Perth to publische the same in the pulpit, and to declare satisfaction of the Assembly thereanent, ordayning also the acts concernyng this offence, registrat in the books of the Presbytrie, and proces deducit therein against the towne, to be obliterat and put out of the register.
Sessio 4a. May 9.
Anent the sentence of excommunication, pronuncit be the brethrene of the Synodall Assembly of Fyfe, against the apostat lords:—The haill Assemblie, in ane voyce, ratifies and allowes the said sentence and proces of excommunication led against them, ordayning the haill pastores within this realme, to intimate solemnly at their kirk the said sentence, that nane pretend ignorance of the same, except Alexander Lord Hoome, who hes satisfiet the Kirk, and relapsit therfrae.
Forsuameikle as particular inquisitione hes been made of the presbytries, concerning their diligence for extirpation of Papistrie, and discipline usit against them, and receipters of excommunicat Jesuites and Seminarie Priests, qwherthrow the danger evident to the trew religione and Kirk of God may be rightly weyit, It was thought meet to take ane consideratione of his Majestie’s endeavoure, and of the haill Kirk’s farder in this matter; Qwherin, first, syndrie of his Majestie’s good etlings were layit down, specially at the read of Aberdeene, qwhere his Majestie, noblemen, and barrones, conveint, made ane band for the surety of religion, took the houses of the apostates, and putt them into them, callit such as were Papists, qwhilk were sent to Edinburgh to satisfie, and commissione given be his Majestie to the Earle Marischell of Livetennendrie for repressing of Papists and traffiquers: Suchlyke divers barrones callit in his Majestie to cognosce the same to be their handwreits be the blanks subscribed be the apostate lords, qwho verified the samen to be their handwreits. Item, After his returning from the read, ane act of counsell made, that nane should procure at his Majestie for any favour or grace to them, with ane charge to his ministers to take the oathes of his domestickes, that they should no wayes interceid for them at his hand; qwhilk was done.
And as concernyng the pairt of the Kirk in thir dangers, that it may appear they have not been idle or negligent in craving remedie, their trauells wes considerit in this, that they had proponed articles to the Parliament for the forfaultor of the apostates: They had direct their petitiones to Jedburgh, ffrom thence new articles to Linlithgow; of all of qwhilks small success has beene, and the danger nothing diminisched.
Followeth the tenor of the Bond and Act above specifeit.
Wee, Noblemen, Barrones, and wthers, undersubscryvand, being fully and certainly perswadit of the treasonable practises and conspiracies of syndrie his Heines’ unnaturall and unthankfull subjects against the estate of the trew Religione presently professit within this realme, his Majestie’s persone, Crowne, and libertie of this our native countrey, and finding his Majestie’s good dispositione to prevent and resist the samen, and to repress the chief authors thereof, his Majestie having our concurrence and assistance to the samen effect, Therefore, according to our bounden dewtie and zeall aucht to God’s glory, loue of our natiue countrey, and affection to his Majestie’s persone, Crowne, and estate, We haue promittit, and be thir presents promitts faithfully, Binds and obleisses us, and euery ane of us, to concurr and take ane aifald leill and trew part with his Majestie, and ilk ane of us with wthers, to the maintainance and defence of the libertie of the said trew Religione, Crown, and Country, ffrom thraldome of conscience, conqueiss and slaverie of strangers, and resisting, repressing, and persute of the chief authors of the saids treasonable conspiracies; as, in speciall, of George Earle of Huntlie, William Earle of Angus, Ffrances Earle of Arroll, Sir Patrick Gordowne of Auchindowane, Knight, Sir James Chisholme of Dundarne, Knight, Mr James Gordowne, William Ogelby, Robert Abercrumbie, and all wthers Jesuites, Seminarie Priests, trafficking Papists, and wthers, his Heines’ declairit traytours, rebellious and unnaturall subjects, treasonable practisers against the estate of the trew Religione, his Majestie’s persone and Crowne, and libertie of this our native countrey: And to that effect We, and every ane of us, sall putt our selves in armes, ryse, concurr and passe fordward with his Majestie, his Livetennands, or wthers having his Majestie’s power and commissione, at all tymes, as we shall be requyrit be proclamations, missive letters, or wther wayes, and shall never shrink nor absent ourselves for any particular cause or quarrell amongst our selues: We shall not ryde, assist, schaw favour, giue counsell, nor take part with the saids Earles, Jesuites, or wthers forsaids, nor yet with the persones denuncit or to be denuncit to the horne, or declairit fugitives fra his Majestie’s lawes, for the treasonable fyre-raising and burning of the place of Dianybrissle, and murder of umqll James Earle of Morray, neither receipt, supply, nor entertaine them, nor yet furnische them meatt, drink, house, nor harberie, nor wtherwayes have intelligence with them, privatly nor publickly, be letters, missives, nor no wther manner of way; the skaith and harme of wthers we shall not conceall, but disclose and impede the samen to our utter powers. The quarrell or persute of us or any of us we shall esteeme, likeas presently we doe esteem, equall to us all, and, be ourselves, our haill forces, likeas his Majestie, with his Heines’ force and authoritie, hes promittit, and promitts, to concurr and assist together, ilk ane in the defence of wthers to our owther powers; and, in caice any variance shall happen to fall out amongst any of us, for qwhatsumevir cause, We shall submitt, Likeas presently we submitt us, to the judgement and delyverance of any two or three of the principalls of us, subscryvers of this present bond, and fullfill whatsumevir shall be declareit be them, but reclamatione or contradictione. Attour, his Majestie, be qwhais directione and command, with advyce of his Counsell, there is certaine Barrones and wthers gentlemen direct to remaine in the South pairts of this realme, hes promittit, and be thir presents promitts, in the word of a prince, that the samen Barrones shall not be licentiat to returne hame againe to the saids north parts, nather shall any favour or pardon be granted to the saids Earles, Jesuites, or wthers abovementionat, nor no order taine now, dispensit with, without the speciall knowledge and advyce of the Livetennent and Commissioner for the tyme, and sax of the principall Barrones, at leist, inhabitants of the saids north parts, subscryvers of this present band; and this to do, We, the saids Noblemen, Barrones, and wthers forsaid, hes sworne and swears, be the great God our Creatour, Jesus Christ His Sonne our Redeemer, the Holy Ghost our Sanctifier, witnesses of the verity here agriet upon, and revenger of the brake thereof; and further obleisses us thereto under the paine of perjurie, infamie, and tinsell of credite perpetuallie, honour and estimatione in tyme comeing, besydes the ordinary paines of the lawes to be execute upon us, in signe and memorie of our unnaturall desertione from God and his Majestie. In witness qwharof, we have subscryvit thir presents with our hands, as follows, likeas his Majestie, in token of his allowance and approbatione of the premises, hes subscryvit the samen act att Aberdeene the {blank space} day of Marche 1592. Sic subscribitur, James Rex, Lennox, Athole, Marr, Marschell, James Lord Lyndsay, John Lord Inverness, John Maister of Fforbes.
Att Halyrudehouse, the 5th of Januar 1592.
Fforsuameikle as albeit the dangerous effects of the coverit and busie travells of Jesuites, Seminarie Priests, borne subjects of this realme, and some uther strangers, thir late yeares hes beine oft espyit and fierit, and for that cause be syndrie loveable laws, acts, and proclamations, alswell their awne remayning as their receipt, prohibit under diverse great paynes; yet their collourit simplicitie hes so farr prevaillit as they have not only purchast unto themselves favoure and credite to be kiepit, buirdit, and intertained in syndrie pairtes of the realme, after many promises made that they should have departit furthe of the same, butt also have taine occasione and leisure to persuade syndrie of his Hienes subjects to apostatise from that Religione qwhairin they were well instructed and groundit, and hes confirmit uthers in their errors, and at last seducit them to cast off that dew obedience whilk they awe to his Majestie, and entir in a treasonable conspiracie for inbringing of strangers-Spanʒairds within this realme, the nixt spring or sooner, to the overthrowing of his Hienes and all professing the trew Religione with him, and to the ruine and conqueste of this antient kingdome and libertie qwhilke this natione hes injoyit so many ages, that it may be subject heirafter to the slaverie and tyrannie of that proud natione, whilk hes made such unlawfull and cruell conqueste in diverse pairtes of the world, alsweill upone the Christianes as Infidells, wherever the aide of Spaine hes beene socht—regarding in the end no better their inbringers nor them against qwhom they were inbrought, being ance victors and commanders—as easily may be proven be speciall examples, qwhilk the malicious and unnaturall subjects of this land wald repute but as generall and improbable discourses, published in hatred of that natione to whome they have alreadie sold themselves slaves, and are their friends and factors in this land as they speake and wryte, were not it hath pleasit the good pleasure of Almightie God to make the proofe heirof certaine and without all doubt, be erecting of the simple truth of the intention and finall cause of all the crafty practises of their pernicious and trafficking Papists, Jesuites, and Seminarie Priests againes God, trew Religione, his Majestie, and libertie of this countrie: namelie, Mr James Gordowne, father-brother to the Earle of Huntlie, Mr Robert Abercrombie, father-brother to the Laird of Murthlie, quhais letters, directiones, advyces, yea and the messengers carriers of their credite and certaine uthers chiefe instruments and furtherers of their trade, God hes casten in his Heines hands, qwhen the schip appoyntit for their transporting was in full readiness to make saill: Qwhereby his Majestie is now not only sufficiently foirwarnit of the imminent danger to the trew Religione, his awne estate and persone, his realme and faithfull subjects, but resolvit be God’s help, be quhais Providence he hes been wonderfully delyverit frome so many former perrills, to try the circumstance of this so highe a conspiracie and detestable treasone, to withstand it, to punische the same and all guiltie thereof, in example to the posteritie; and that nane of his subjects heretofore abused and deceived be the craftie illusions of thir pernitious and busie warkmen shall remaine any langer doubtfull of the truth of his Majestie’s minde and intentione,—Ordaynes letters to be direct to officers of armes, Shreffs in that part, to make publicatione of the premises be open proclamation at the mercatt cross of the hied burghs of this realme and wthers places needfull, for warning of them of their awne danger, giff they shall suffer themselves to be any langer led in error be such deceivable spirits, to the perrill of their saules, bodies, lands, and goods, and therefore to abstaine from further hearkening to their treasonable persuasions, and from all intertaining, receipt, supply, or intercommoning, or having intelligence with them, directly or indirectly, under qwhatsomevir pretext, or cullour, under the payne of treasone; commanding also all and sundrie his hynes’ faithfull and obedient subjects that loves and feares God, wald the standing and welfare of his Majestie their Sovereigne Lord and King, professing with him the trew and Christian religione, and desyres that their awne wyffes, bairnes, and posteritie sould now and hereafter injoy the commodities of this their native countrie, unconqueist and made slaves in sawles and bodies to merciless strangers,—that they implore the protection and mercy of Almighty God for their defence and safeguard, and put themselves in armes by all good meanes they can—remaining in full readiness to persew or defend as they shall be advertised be his Majestie or otherwayes finds the occasion urgent; in the meantyme diligently espying and getting intelligence of the treasonable courses and proceedings of the saids Jesuites, Seminarie Priests, their favourers, intertayners, and receipters, and make advertisement to his Majestie or any of his councill, and thereof, with all speed and celeritie, as they will answer to God and his Majestie thereupon. Sic subscribitur.
Ja. Rex.