Item, The Assemblie thocht expedient to adjoyne and nominat wthers out of the number of the brethren to be adjoynit to these, qwhilks were nominat be the Commissioners of Provinces conveint at Halyrudehouse, the 15th of October 1560, out of the qwhilk number his Majestie should make choyce of such as he should present to the benefices vaikand. The names of them all are as follows: Mrs Robert Pont, Robert Howie, James Nicolsone, Alexr. Scrymgeour, John Forbes, Gavin Hamilton, George Munro, James Robertsone, John Howiesone, James Melvill, Andrew Knox, Patrick Galloway, Alexr. Douglass, Alexr. Lyndsay, Robert Wilkie, John Spotswood, William Malcolme, Alexr. Forbes, John Knox, Andrew Lambe, John Clappertone, George Grahame, Robert Bruce, John Carmichaell, Patrick Lyndsay.
Anent the request made be the moderator, in name of the haill Assemblie, to his Majestie, in favours of Mr Robert Bruce: his Majestie declarit that he wold doe in that matter be the advyce of the Commissioners of the Generall Assemblie, and Mr Robt. be his awne behaviour should give him occasione; and because Mr Rot. Bruce had be his missive direct to his Majestie before his departure off the countrie, as also by the ratificatione and farther examinatione and explanatione thereof, in write, at Perth, the 26th of July 1602, declareit his resolutione of his Majestie’s innocencie, and guiltiness of the Earl of Gowrie and his brother, and promised to direct the people so farr as in him lay, from their lewd opinions and uncharitable constructiones anent his Majestie’s actiones, namely, in this turne; Therefore, his Majestie desyrit the determinatione of the Assemblie, qwhither, if the said Mr Robert sould likewise make the same declaratione in pulpit, according as it is at lenth sett downe in the said missive and explanation thereof, at Perth, qwherof the tenor follows:
Please your Majestie: Hearing that your Majestie was nothing relentit of your wrath against me, and now being upon the poynt to schaw my obedience to your Majestie’s last charge, I could not omitt this as my last dewtie, to intreat your Hienes’ clemencie, and to mitigat the extremetie of this intendit wrath. I am not ignorant that the wrath of the Prince is the messenger of death; so that I crave that the Lord for Christ’s sake may add his blessing and work effectually in your Grace, as he shall see expedient for his own glory and your Majestie’s perpetuall preservatione. Then to be schort: To schaw my conformitie with the rest of my brether of the ministry, as at all tymes, so now especially, to schaw my reverence to your Majestie, and to clear my suspectit affections herein, I offer to give to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in him, and through him, most hearty thanks for all your Majestie’s deliveries, from your cradle to this present houre. But namely, for that deliverie qwhilk he delyverit to your Majestie, in St Johnstoune, on Tuesday the 5th of August, farr above all your Majestie’s deserts, and your Majestie’s expectation. I offer also to steir vp the people to that same dewtie, and attour to divert the people so farr as in me lyes, from their lewd opiniones, and uncharitable constructiones of your Majestie’s actions,—namely in this turne. Finallie, there is no dewtie that your Majestie can crave of men, without the manifest offence of God, and hurt of my own conscience, but I will doe it with alse good ane heart as ever I did thing in the earth: That if by any meanes I might testify my good affectione toward your Majestie my Sovereigne, and to enjoy my naturall air, and such wther comforts as the Lord hes given me under your Majestie’s reign, qwhilk I most humbly crave of your Majestie—beseekand the Lord to move your heart hereunto for Christ’s sake: So waiting of your Heines’ answer in all humility, I take my leave.—Sic subscribitur.
Mr Robt. Bruce.
And upon the back thereof, “At Perth, the 26th of June 1600. Farther, concerning the heids within containit, I am resolvit of his Majestie’s innocencie, and the guiltiness of the Earle of Gowrie and his brother, according as it is declareit be the act of Parliament, and therefore acknowledges the great mercy of God towards his Majestie’s haill Kirk and countrie; in his Majestie’s delyverance, for the qwhilk I thank God from my heart.—Sic subscribitur.
Mr Rot. Bruce.”
The qwhilk, the haill Assemblie, after voteing, thought not onlie reasonable, but also concludes that the said Mr Robert aucht to doe the same.
Anent the supplicatione given in be Mr Robert Pont, minister at St Cuthbert’s Kirk, desyrand, in respect of his great age, and long travells taken in the Kirk of God, and continwall seikness qwhilk followeth age, that he might be relieved from the ordinare burden of teaching, upon condition that he shall substitute ane in his place when as through infirmitie he sould not be able to teach himself: The Assemblie thinks his sute reasonable, and therefore condescendit unto the same.
Item, Because his Majestie declarit that he was informit that sundry of the ministrie neglectit that part of their duty towards his Majestie in not giving thanks to God for the wonderfull delivery of his Majestie from the treasonable attempt at St Johnstone of sometyme John Earle of Gowrie, and his brother, upon every fifth day of August: Therefore the Assemblie statutes and ordaines that in all burrow townes within this realme there be ordinar teaching and preaching every Tuesday, in remembrance of the delyverie of his Majestie that day of the week, and that every fyfth day of August there be preaching within every paroche kirk within this realme, to burgh and land, thankand God of his Majestie’s delyverance that day of the moneth; and because the people in landwart parochines cannot so easilie be conveint as in the burrow townes, therefore, and for better convening, it is ordainit that every minister at the landwart kirk shall, upon the Sunday preceding the 5 of August, make intimatione to his parochiners to convene the said day in the kirk with him, to give God thanks for his Majestie’s delyverance. And to the effect that all ryotousness, drunkenness, and wther filthie exercises, may be restrainit, his Majestie promised to cause all insolencie in behaviour to be dischargit and forbidden yearly, be open proclamatione, and magistrats to take order with the contraveiners thereof.
Item, The Assemblie ordaynes that no marriages be celebrate early in the morning or with candlelight, and finds lykewayes that it is leisum to celebrate the said band of marriage upon the Sabbath day, or any wther preaching day, as the pairties shall requyre and think expedient: and ordaynes the same to be indifferently done, and that no ryotousness be used at the same upon the Sabbath day.