Anent the complaint given in be the Presbytrie of Brechine against Mr Dougald Campbell, minister of Fernwell, for his obstinacie in refuseing to pronounce the sentence of excommunicatione against Patrick Butter at command of the said Presbytrie, he being Moderator thereof for the tyme, for the qwhilk they had suspendit him from preaching the word untill this present Assemblie: The Generall Assemblie ratifies and allowes the said suspensione.
Sessio 6. May 14.
The brethren of the Presbytries of Morray, Aberdeene, and Mearns, with the uther brethren joynit with them in commissione conjunctly, respective appoyntit be the last Generall Assemblie halden at Perth for tryall of the obedience of the Earles of Angus, Huntly, and Erroll, to the particular injunctiones sett downe be the said Assemblie, and injoynit to them for declaration of their repentance, being desyrit be the Generall Assemblie to report what resolutione they fand in the saids Lords touching such articles and conditiones as were sett downe in the said commissione, they being present before; The haill Assemblie testified and declared, that they fand them obedient and willing to satisfie in all humble manner, and persevering and continowing in their earnest sute for reconciliation with the Kirk; and as concerning the saids articles and conditiones, qwherupon the saids commissioners were ordaynit to have tryit and resolvit them, the saids commissioners, every ane of them for their awn pairts respective, producit the saids articles and conditiones, with full answers to every ane of them particularlie subsequent made be the saids Lords, offering to acquiesce to the saids conditiones, and to fulfill the same; and for mair declaratione of their consents, the saids articles and answers therto particularly following every ane of them were subscryvit severally be the saids Lords, in signe and token of their imbracing thereof—as followis:
Huntlie his Answers to the Articles.
1. The first is obeyit; for he compierit at Aberdeen the 22 of March appoyntit to him, and there abode awayting on doctrine and conferrence untill the commissioners were satisfied with his resolutione, and so the conferrence endit.
2. The brethren appoyntit to deall with him brought him, after long conferrence, to confess the verity of the haill grounds of religion affirmative, resolvit his doubts be the word of God, and movit him with knawledge to refuse and detest all heads of Papistrie contrair to the same.
3. He acknowledges the Reformit Kirk of Scotland to be the trew Kirk: he is ready to joyne himself efaldly therto, acknowledging himself ane member thereof, submitting himself to the same; will hear the word of God, and obey the same be the grace of God; participat the sacraments, and obey the haill discipline of the Kirk, as it is allowit be the King’s Majestie and Estates.
4. He is readie to swear and subscryve the Confessione of the Faith in presence of the haill commissioners so soon as they shall come back, with power to pronounce his absolutione.
5. In significatione of his obedience to this article, he hes declarit to the haill commissioners, that sen he enterit in dealing with the Kirk he never intercommunit be word nor wryte with any Jesuite, Priest, or excommunicat Papists, except so many as are under conferrence with the Kirk, and is content to abyde thereat in all tymes comeing: sicklyke he is content to giue his written band that he shall banishe out of his company and bounds all Jesuites and Seminarie Priests, and shall expell therefrom all excommunicat Papists, except such as shall have licence from the Kirk and King’s Majestie; and, finally, that nane shall haue receipt be his knowledge, in the places of his commandment, that are profest enemies to the religione.