Anent his Majestie’s sute concerning his ministers, it is agreit that his Majestie shall have choyce of the most grave, learnit, and godly brethren of the ministrie, with advyce of the Commissioners following, to be direct to his Majestie, viz. Mrs Robert Bruce, Andrew Melvill, James Melvill, David Lyndsay, David Fargusone, James Balfour, Thomas Buchanan, James Nicolsone, Andrew Lambe, George Gladstanes, or any sax of the said brethren, qwha are appoyntit to meit the 22d of July nixt.
Sess. 9.
After humiliation of Sir James Chisholme upon his knees, and acknowledgeing of his offence to the satisfaction of the brethrene, be the voyce of the Moderatour, the sentence of absolution was pronuncit in his favours, and he relaxit from the proces of excommunicatione led against him.
Anent the act made in favours of the executors of ministers: The Assembly and breither present, for clearing thereof, declares, if the minister die after Michaelmas, quia fruges separatæ sunt a solo, that his executors shall fall that year’s rent, and the half of the next, and that the provision of this act be extendit to the relict of umquhill Mr James Hamyltone, and the Lords requestit to that effect.
Forsuameikle as there is great cause of humiliation of us before God, qwhais visible anger appears on the heads of this land, yet be the maist part little regardit: The Kirk hes ordaynit a generall fast and humiliatione universallie to be observit in all the kirks within this realme, upon the twa first Sundays of August next to come, the causes thereof to be laid out generallie be the pastors, according to the grounds they sie and prescrive.
Forsuameikle as there is ane abuse necessarlie to be remedeit, especiallie in Caithnes and some uther parts, qwhair they that possess the benefices, as the late bishops in Caithnes was, in speciall delapidat the haill rents thereof, except a very small quantitie in pensiones maist prodigallie to all that saucht the same, qwhairby he hes delapidat the haill patrimonie of the said bishoprick; ffor remeid qwhairof, the Assembly ordaynes Mrs David Lyndsay and James Balfour to admonische Mr Thomas Craige and the solistar of the Kirk, to persew the said pensioners for reduction of their pensiones, qwhilk cannot stand be the law, of the haill, or of the maist part of the fruits of any benefice, and to insist diligentlie therein.
Anent marriages: The Assemblie declares thir two sorts to be unlawfull; when ane persone marryeth ane uther qwham they have polluted by adulterie; nixt qwhen the innocent persone is content to remaine with the guiltie, and the guiltie will have ane wther, or taks ane wther.
As concerning marriages made be excommunicat priests or wthers that hes servit in the Kirk, and deposit from their office, or be private persones: The Assemblie declares such marriages to be null; ordayning the brethren of Edinburgh to travell with the Commissaries of Edinburgh, that they decyde according to the saids conclusions.
Anent the controversie betwixt the ministrie of St Androis and William Balfour, the brethren appoyntit to conferre thereanent reportit their judgment following: That the said William shall declare that he knew no wther but that Mr David Black, minister of the towne forsaid, had left the proces of the manss controvertit, and that he hes no wayes proceedit therein, in contempt of the Kirk, or any particular person within the same; and thir things he does protest in conscience, and confesses he hes done undutifullie: that is to say, overseen himself in his dutie towards the Kirk, in medling not, forwarning them with the title of the house qwhairin he dwells, in respect of the Kirk’s designation past thereof of before, for the qwhilk he is penitent before God and his Kirk: provyding alwayes, that the said confession be nowayes prejudiciall to the said William in the right and title of the said house, and that the samen be nowayes objectit against him, in judgement or out of judgement, and that the said William shall make the said confessione before the brethren of the conference of this Assembly, the brethren of the presbytrie that are here present: The qwhilk being done, that this present Generall Assemblie shall discharge the said presbytrie of St Androws from all proceeding of censures against the said William for that matter, and in lyke manner, the said Mr David from all publick invectione against the said William, in his sermones, for that cause; and that the said Mr David and William, in token of forgiveness of all mutuall offences bygone, and profession of Christian amitie in tyme to come, shall join hands together before the said brethren of the conference, and keep the samen amitie in tyme coming; remittand the controversie of their titles to the discretione of the judges ordinar: And this to be ordaynit be the Generall Assembly, to be declarit in the paroche kirk of St Androis, be Mr William Scot, minister of Kinnaquhy. The brethren appoyntit to conferre be the Generall Assemblie were these: Mrs Robert Bruce, Peter Blackburne, William Scott, Thomas Buchanan, Andrew Lamb, and Mr John Coldcleuch, qwhilk judgement of the said brethren, the Generall Assembly approved in all poynts.
Anent Grammar Schooles in Townes: Every presbytrie is ordaynit within their awne bounds to take order for visitation and reformation thereof, and to deall with the magistrates for augmentation of their stipends and provision of ministers; as also appoynting some persones most meit of their counsell to attend carefully on the schooles, and to assist the masters in discipline.