First, It is humbly meanit to his Majestie, that to the great hazard of religion, and peace of the countrie, and grief of all good men, the forfalt rebells and enemies of his Majestie’s estate, injoyes their lands and livings as peaceablie, and to their greater advantage, then if they were at his Majestie’s peace within the countrie, and their confederats and friends, partakers and assisters with them and their treasonable attempts, are sufferit in so great ane libertie, never having ance so meikle as enterit their persones in ward, nor giving suretie and pledges for their good and dewtifull behaviour and obedience to his Majestie, in case it shall happen the saids rebelles, or any uther forraine enemies, to repare within the countrie for disquieting of the estate thereof, as if they had immunitie and exemptiones from all lawes, to confirme themselves for strengthening the hand of the enemies when they happen to arryve, as it appeares their intention is, by their preparatione, force, and armour, and leagues of friendship whilk they are daylie binding up. Diverse Jesuites and excommunicat priests are intertained within the countrey, deteining such as they have pervertit in their errors, and induceing wthers in the samen corruptione, and holding them in hope of the returning of the Papists Lords with assistance of strangers; as, namely, Mr Robert Abercrombie, Mr Alexander Macqwhirrie, Abbot of New Abbay, John Gordone of Newtoune, the young Laird of Bonytoune, Mr Alexander Leslie of Peill, Patrick Carr, Alexander Ramsay, and divers uthers.
That in many pairts of the countrie, for lake of provisione of sufficient stipends for provisione of pastors, the people lyes altogether ignorant of their salvation, and dewtie to God and the king, qwhairthrough the land is overflowit with atheisme and all kynde of vyce, there being above four hundreth pareche kirks destitute of the ministrie of the word, by and attour the kirks of Argyle and the Isles.
It is regraitit universallie, be his Majestie’s leiges, that through the delaying, perverting, and eluding of justice, murthers, oppressions, incests, adulteries, and all kynde of haynous crymes aboundes.
It is to be heauilie meinit, that the brether of the ministrie that hes gotten ane meine provisione or help be the assignation made anno 1595, are delayit and frustrat of justice, by the Lords of Session refusand to decyde their suspensiones according to the act of February 1588.
Articles to be proponit to his Majestie for remedying of the former Grieves.
For remeid of the former grieves, it is humbly to be craveit of his Majestie, that the Lairds of the forfaulted rebells be disponit to such as are knawne to be most meit, and of best affectione to resist the enemies of religione, and his Majestie’s Estate, both forraigne and intestine, and in the meantyme that their livings be taken up, and intromittit with be his Majestie’s officers, and imployit upon the intertainment of wagit men, and uther necessar uses, for the maintainance and advancement of the good cause; and that the ladies of Huntlie and Arroll be chargeit to come south, and make their residence in St Androis, that there be no more ane receipt and incouragement to the enemies, as they are presently, be their subtill forme of practice, qwhilk they have useit this year by past, to the confirming of their friends and confederates, and intyseing of uthers whom they might seduce to their purpose, and upon violence against such as refuse to yield to their course, and that the Ladie Huntlie, her eldest sonne, be brought south, to be trained up in the knawledge of good letters and religion, and that the Lairds of Clunie, Gicht, Aberzeldie, Cowbairdie, Craige, younger, Alexander Hay of Auchmathie, Buckie, James Knowes, Towie Barclay, Patricksone, and the rest of their principall friends and confederats that hes kythit with them in actione in their treasonable interpryses againes his Majestie, be chargit to come south, and enter their persones in some speciall ward, there to remayne ay and qwhill they have found sufficient cautione under great soumes, that they shall neither traffique, intercommune, supply, or intertain intelligence, nor give any kinde of assistance to his Majestie’s rebells, or any wther enemies of religione qwhatsumever, and give sufficient pledges of their sonnes and nearest friends to that effect.
That his Majestie give commissione to some of his speciall servants and wthers, knawne to be of good abilitie and affectione, to search, seik, apprehend, and present before his Majestie, Mr Robert Abercrombie, Mr Alexander Macqwhirrie the Abbot of New Abbay, Alexander Ramsay, Bonytowne, younger, Alexander Leckie of the Peill, John Gordoune of Newtowne, and wthers, Jesuites, and excommunicat Papists, as their names shall be given in a roll.
That his Majestie would prosecute his good purpose and intentione declareit before the Assemblie, anent the planting of the haill kirks within the countrie, with qualified pastores and sufficient provision of stipend for their intertainment; and for that effect, that he wold give commissione to the visitors nominat be the Generall Assemblie, to take inquisitione of the estate of all kirks within the bounds of their visitatione, and to deall with the tacksmen and possessors of the teinds, in his Majestie’s name, for sufficient provision to the ministers, out of the rent of every paroche, and to report the samen to his Majestie’s Commissioners appoyntit for the work of the platt, in the act of Parliament, and provyde some honest moyen for the intertainment of their charges in the journey.
That his Majestie take order substantiously be advyce of his Counsell and Estate, how the principall judgment seat and wther inferiour judges may be purgeit of unqualified and corrupt persones, and filled with wthers meit to discharge that calling faithfullie, for the comfort of his Majestie’s peaceable and well-disposed subjects.