Becaus Mr Alex. Jardin, minister of Inchture, Kilspindie, and Rait, was in the last Assemblie suspendit from all function of office within the kirk, for causes containit in the Second Session of the last Assemblie to this conventioun, quher he sould receive answer, whether he sould returne to his office or not; the haill Kirk, in consideratioun of his marriage and publick satisfactioun of the Kirk quher the offence was committit, ordainit to make humble requeist to my Lord of Murray, to be content that the said Mr Alexander sould be received againe to his ministrie in respect of the premisses; and thereafter, that the Superintendent of Fyfe sould restore him againe to his ministrie as of befor.
Anent the requeist of Mr Patrick Couston, minister of Syres, desyreing the licence to pass to France and other countreyis, for augmenting of his knowledge for a tyme; the haill Assemblie in ane voyce dissentit therefra, and ordainit that he sould not passe out of this countrey, nor yet leave his congregatioun quher he travels without speciale licence of the haill Kirk, if they sall heirafter think it expedient or necessarie.
Forasmeikle as it was complainit be the Commissioner of Murray, upon William Sutherland, parson and exhorter at the Kirk of Moy, that he had not only disobeyit his charge, commanding him to marie the woman with quhom he befor had committit fornicatioun, but also had in despyte of the said Commissioner, ryveing his letters of charge thereto, and had not obeyit his summonds chargeing him to compeir to this General Assemblie; In consideratioun of this despytefull ryveing of the Commissioner’s letters, and also not compeiring to this Assemblie, the Kirk depryves him fra all Ecclesiastical functioun, and also ordaines the censure of the Kirk to proceed aganes him for his contempt.
[EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY.]
The Generall Assemblie of the Kirke, gathered and convened at Edinburgh the 25th of December 1564, holden in the Over Tolbooth thereof; In the whilk were the Superintendents, Ministers, with the Commissioners of Shires and particular Kirkes,—the exhortation being made be Mr John Knox, Minister of Edinburgh.
First, for eschewing of confusione, and that everie brother should speak in his own roome with modestie, It wes thought good that ane Moderator should be appointed; and with full consent of all the brethren present was John Erskine of Dunn, Superintendent of Angus and Mearns, appointed to be Moderator for this Assemblie, who accepted it upon him.
Ordained, that no question be proponed be any brother unto the tyme the affaires of the Kirk and order thereof be first treated and ended, and thereafter, if any brother have a question worthy to be proponed, that the samen be proponed in write, and if the samen requyres hasty resolution, it shall be decyded in this present Assembly before the end thereof, otherwayes the decision of the samen shall be referred to every one of the Superintendents within whose bounds the question is proponed, and they and every one of them, with ane certaine number of the Ministers, as they shall think meet to appoynt, for assisting to hear the reasoning of the saids questions, and thereafter their reasons to be put in write, affirmative or negative, whilks every ane of them shall report to the next Assemblie.
The same day, the haill Assembly caused to present to the Lords of Secret Councill the heads and articles following, and required their honors to obtaine answer thereof at the Q. Grace, and to signifie unto them her Majestie’s good pleasure thereintill.