The Booke of the Universall Kirk of Scotland / Wherein the Headis and Conclusionis Devysit Be the Ministers and Commissionaris of the Particular Kirks Thereof, Are Specially Expressed and Contained.

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(8.) I shall omitt no diligence in that qwhilk can be requyrit at my hands, as I shall answer to God.

(9.) Distingue tempora et concordabis scripturas. The meaning of this the bearers will expone to yow.

(10) The complaints belongs not to their office: alwayes I have satisfied the bearers herein.—Sic subscribitur,

Ja. Rex.

Sessio 11. 13 May.

Anent the horrible superstitione used in Garioche and diverse parts of the countrie, in not labouring ane parcell of ground dedicat to the Devill, under the name of the Goodman’s Croft: The Kirk, for remedy thereof, hes found meit that ane article be formit to the Parliament, that ane act may proceed from the Estaites thairof, ordayning all persones, possessors of the saids lands, to cause labour the samen betwix and ane certaine day appoyntit theirto; wtherwayes, in caice of disobedience, the saids lands to fall in the King’s hands, to be disponit to such persones as pleases his Majestie, who will labour the same.

Sessio 12. 14 May.

Anent the supplication of the minister and parochiners of Bruntisland, desyrand the Assembly to allow the act of the Synodall Assembly of Fyfe concerning their new kirk, in allowing thereof to be the paroche kirk: The haill Kirk present being advysit with the said ordinance, understanding that the new kirk buildit be them is most commodious for the parochine, both in respect of the greatness of the congregatione, and ewistness of the place, and alwayes mair convenient nor the ald kirk, qwhilk is not able to receave the congregatione, and is farther distant from them: Therefore allows and approves the judgment of the provinciall Assemblie of Fyfe, and ordaynes the said new kirk to be the paroch kirk thereof in tyme coming.

Alexander Lord Hoome compearand in face of the Assemblie; and inquyrit be the Moderator, if he confest in heart before the Lord, and with his mouth, that he was justly casten out of the Kirk be a sentence of excommunication pronuncit against him be the Synodall Assemblie of Fyfe, and as he wald answer upon paine of his salvation and damnatione, simply to speak the truth,—protestit and acknowledged openly, that he was justly excommunicat, and confessit his fault therein: And being inquyrit why he soucht to be relaxit from the said sentence according to the direction of the presbytrie of Edinburgh, excusit him be ignorance of that part of the act. As also being accusit that he deteaned the stipends of sundrie of the ministrie, speciallie of Chirnsyde—answerit, he was ready to doe what he ought to doe of law. Being further demandit why he hes not keepit conditions, specially sett doune in the act of the presbytrie of Edinburgh—as, namely, touching ane minister in his awne house—touching the removing of Thomas Tyrie out of his house: yet, in that poynt, he is content to haue ane, as the Kirk shall appoint him; and as to Thomas Tyrie, grants he was in his service sen his subscryving, but understood not that he was obliged to remove him qwhill the Kirk had proceeded to excommunicatione againes him, qwhilk he believes they granted it: alwayes fra the said Thomas was excommunicat, he removed him out of his companie; and as to John Tyrie and Captaine Gray, they are not his servants. Being requyrit if there was any persone callit Cowie, with whom he spacke schortlie, or any sett on land with the bark that came last in? Denyes the samen. And inquyrit if M‘Qwhirrie was in his house shortly? Grants that, within these few dayes he was in his house, and came by his witting, having neither letter nor commissione to him, and past away within halfe an hour. And last of all, the said Lord confessit in presence of God and his holy angells, whom he took witnesses, and the Lord Jesus whom he tooke judge, when he shall come to judge the quick and the dead, that he profest from his heart the trew religion presently professt be this Kirk here present, whereof he hes already subscrivit the articles before the presbytrie of Edinburgh, and with his solemn oath confessit before them, and now confesses before the Assemblie, to be the only trew and infallible religion qwhilk leads to salvatione, qwherein he mynds to liue and die, and shall to the uttermost defend againes all the enemies thereof; and denyes, as he shall answer to the dreadfull God, the Romane Catholick religione, all the Antichristian religion directlie opponit to the truth of God and his trew service, qwhilk he testifies to the haill Assembly be upholding of his hand, and with solemne witnessing of God, that he hes no dispensation nor indulgence to subscryve or swear to the said articles. For farther satisfaction of the brethren, the Kirk ordaynes my Lord Provest of Edinburgh, Alexander Hoome, the Laird of Aytoune, Mrs John Davidsone, David Black, David Lyndsay, to deale further with my Lord afternoone, to try of his full resolution.

Sessio 13^a. 14 May.