The continuall residence and intertainment of the Ladie Huntly, ane knawne and profest Papist, of Margaret Wood, sister to the Laird of Bonytowne, and wthers knawne and profest Papists, in his Majestie’s court and company.
The educatione of their Majesties’ children in the company of profest and obstinate Papists, sic as the Ladie Livingstone.
The negligent education of the children of noblemen, and sending of them out of the country under the charge of pedagogues suspect in religione, or, at the leist, not weill grundit and confirmit therein, to be broucht up and instructed in places qwher Papistrie is profest.
The impunitie of skippers, mariners, and owners of ships, that under the name of passengers, transports from uther places, and brings Papists, with their coffers, Seminarie Priests, Jesuites, and uthers trafficquers within the countrey, and the impunitie of such as carreyes and sparpells their books through the countrie.
The decaye of schooles and educatione of the youth in the knawledge of good letters and godliness, especially to landwart, for lake of sufficient provision to intertaine a qualified schoolmaster in places needfull.
That men suspect in religione, and challengit therefor before their Presbytrie and pastors, hes access to court dureing the tyme of their proces.
That the late reconcilit Papists are not urgit to performe the conditiones agreed to be them at their reconciliation to the Kirk.
Remedies of the former Evills.
The Generall Assemblie, having enterit in the consideratione of the causes of the said great and fearfull defectione of all estates of persones of this land from the trew and sincere professione of the gospell, presently sounding within the same; and having found the principall causes of this fearfull change to be, no doubt, the just wrath of God kindlit against the haill land, for the unreverend estimatione of the gospell, and for the sinnes of all estates, and dishonouring of their professione, and making the name of God to be blasphemit be the profane world without remorse: qwhilks horrible judgments hes fallen in every estate, for the contemptuous hearing of the word of God, in so far as there is nane that hes worthilie esteemit the said precious word according to the dignitie thereof; therefore, and for removing of the former evills and caus of farther judgements, if they be not preventit be speedie repentance, the Assemblie hes concludit and ordainit ane generall humiliatione to be keepit solemnly throughout the haill land, with fasting and prayer, two severall Sabbath days in all congregationes, both in burgh and land, within this realme; and lykewise in burrow townes, the haill week betwixt the said two Sondays, and the cause of the said humiliatione to be only the sinnes of the land, be the qwhilks the profession of the gospell hes been dishonourit, and the wrath of God provockit; qwhilk generall humiliatione is ordaynit to be upon the last two Sabbaths of June nixt to come.