Item, Ye shall schaw to them that is ane stay to this good worke, that be some of their preachings they wald make the people to understand that we and our Counsell wald stay the planting of the kirks, and take away the present livings possessit be ministers, albeit the contrair be of veritie, and that we and our counsell is most willing that the haill kirks be plantit, and the rents of the ministers to be augmentit so far as lawfully may be obtainit, with consent of our nobilitie and others tacksmen of teynds, qwhais rights, but order of law, we cannot impare; and therefore this forme of preaching discourages our good counsellors maist willing in this wark, and is ane heavie sclander to the ministers themselves, qwherin ye shall desyre order to be taine, that the lyke be not in tyme coming.
Item, Ye shall desyre these your instructions in our name, to be registrat in the Books of the Assemblie, as ane perpetual testimonie of our good will, and also that answers be given, in particular, be ane generall voteing of the haill Assemblie, and no wayes to be referrit to ane privie conferrence, and the answers so votit to every particular head to be registrat in lyke manner therewith, and the extract of all these articles and answers to be delyverit to yow, to report to us againe.—Sic subscribitur,
James Rex.
Sessio 12a. Penultimo Maii [Martii.]
Forsuameikle as the brethren of the ministrie conveint in the Generall Assemblie hes with ane solemne humiliatione acknowledgit their sinnes this day, and negligence in their conscience before God, and hes interit in ane new covenant in their charges, and seeing ane great part of the ministrie is not present at this actione; Therefore the Kirk commands their brethren of the Synodall Assemblies to make the lyke solemne humiliatione and protestatione as was observit be the Generall, at their next convening, and so many as beis not at their Synodall, to doe it at their presbytries.
Articles proponit be the Commissioners of the constant Platt to be advysit and passit in Acts be the Generall Assembly.
First, It is thought requisite be the saids Commissioners, and cravit, that the said Assembly would ordayne that the Moderators of ilk presbytrie within this countrie sould give presentations jure devoluto, of all benefices of cure, belonging to laick patrones within their bounds, that hes not presented qualifiet persones within sax monethes after the decease of the last possessor thereof; and sicklyke, the benefices qwhilks shall vaike hereafter in caice the saids patrones neglect to present within sax moneths, to ministers serving, or that shall serve the cure of the saids kirks, under the paine of deprivatione; and that the saids ministers accept their presentationes, and persew them: And in caice there be not actuall ministers presently at the saids kirks, in that caice, that the saids Moderators deall effectuallie with wthers qualified persones, to accept the saids presentatations, and to prosecute the samen be law.
That all beneficit persones that are here present in this Assemblie be movit presently to interdyte themselves from all setting and disponyng any part of their benefices to qwhatsomever persone or persones, without the speciall consent and allowance of the Generall Assemblie, and the interdictione to be subscryvit be such as are present, and wthers that are absent urgit be their presbytries to doe the lyke, immediately after the dissolving of the Assembly.
Because the kirks in diverse places of the countrey sustaines great hurt through the laike of unqualified persones in the ministrie instructed and trained up in the schooles of theologie; therefore it is cravit that ane act be made in this Assemblie, ordayning every provinciall Assemblie to furnische a sufficient entertainment for a bursse in the New Colledge of St Andrews, this 96th year, and so forth, yearly, in all tyme coming; and that every Provinciall Assemblie shall have the priviledge to present the said bursar so oft as the benefice or place shall vaike: and in caice there be any of the ministers’ sones within the province, of meit graces for the said place, that he be preferrit to all wthers to the ministrie; and after the expyreing of his course, in the study of theologie, that he be bound to imploy his travells within the province to the qwhilk his graces may be answerable—and that it be not leisum to the said bursar to imploy his travells in any wther place, except be the consent and advyce of the said province.
Seeing the necessitie of the common affaires of the Kirk craves, that there be a continuall travelling and attendance at court both for the farderance of the present work qwhilk is in hands, anent the planting of the Kirks, as lykewayes of the continuall diligence of the enemie, waiting at all occasiones, speciallie qwhen they finde any slackness upon the part of the Kirk, in the discoverie and resisting of the interprizes of the said enemie; Therefore it is cravit, that ane care and burden of the common cause be laid upon some brethrene be the Generall Assemblie, either of them that are residents here about court, or else of some others to be appoyntit of diverse partes of the countrie, because, wtherwayes, there is nane that finds themselves in conscience bound to haue any care heirof, or to make panes therein.