Here to insert the two letters quhilk is to be found afterward.*[56]
With the quhilk the Assemblie being ryplie advysit, hes thocht it maist expedient that the said Marquess compeir in presence of the whole Assemblie, there to testifie his conformitie in the poynts of religione, and resolutione to abyde thereat, and so to be absolvit from the sentence of excommunicatione pronuncit against him; and therefor ordaines the said John Gordoune of Buckie to advertise the said Lord Marques, that he compear before the Assemblie upon Wednesday nixt to come, the 21 of August instant, to the effect forsaid; and for the better furtherance heirof, the Assemblie hes desyrit the Lord Commissioner and Lord Archbishop Moderator, to write thir letters to the said Lord Marques for the causes forsaids.
Sess. August 16, 1616.
The quhilk day, the Lord Commissioner for his Majestie producit certain instructiones direct be his Majestie to the said Lord Commissioner to be preponit to this present Assemblie anent the provisione of the remedie for the defectione and falling away of many from the truth, quhereof the tenor followeth:
Instructions to the richt trusty and well-beloved Cowsing and Counsellor the Earle of Montrose.—Here to be insert.*[56]
Qwhilk being read in audience of the haill Assemblie, they most humbly thanked his Majestie for the great care and solicitude his Majestie alwayes tooke for the advancement of the glory of God and professione of the trew religione within this realme, and holding downe and suppressing of papistrie and superstitione within the same; and as to the said instructions, the brethren were ordaynit to advyse therewith qwhill the morne.
Sess. August 17, 1616.
Anent the said instructiones direct from his Majestie to this Assemblie, the said Assemblie being rypelie advysit therewith, hes statute and ordaynit as followeth:
In the first, concernying the cause and defectione of many from the trew religione in this kingdome, and the remedies thereof, the Assemblie hes set them down in the articles made before in this present conventione; and therefore most humbly desyres his Majestie to confirme and allow them, and make them receave executione.
Item, Because the laicke of competent maintenance to ministers is the chief cause of the evill qwhilk lyes upon this kirk, qwhilk for the maist pairt proceeds from the dilapidatione of benefices; to the effect therefore that the progress of that evill may be stayit, and some meines devysit to recover that qwhilk by iniquitie of tyme has been losit, the Assemblie remitts the tryall, cognitione, and whole dispositione of this matter to the Commissioners appoyntit from this Assemblie for the causes underwritten. And in the meintyme, inhibits and discharges all ministers who are beneficit persones, and uthers that are members of any chapter, to sett in tack and assedatione, any pairt of their benefices, either in long or schort tackes, to qwhatsoever persone or persones, or as members of chaptor to give their consentes to any tackes or assedationes sett be uthers, qwhill the saids Commissioners have conveinit and taken order anent dilapidatione of benefices and forme and manner of setting of tacks, under the paine of excommunicatione of the persons setters of the saids tacks and consenters thereto, and deprivatione of them from their benefices.