Be your lordship to command, with service in Christ Jesus, in name and at command of the rest of our brethren here assembled. Sic subscribitur, John Erskine of Dun, Mr John Spotswood, John Dowglass, John Knox, John Row, and John Craig.
The names of the persons to whom this Letter was directed are, the Earles Huntlie, Argyll, Cassills, Rothes, Crawford, Menteith, and Glencairne; Lords Boyd, Drummond, Hereis, Cathcart, Zester; Master of Grahame, Fleming, Livingstone, Forbes, Saltone, Glames, Ogilbie; Master of Sinclare, Grey, Oliphant, Methven, Innermaith; Master of Flowrievaill; Barrons Lochinvar, Garles, Shreff of Aire, Glenurchart, Sir James Hamiltone, Bonytoune; Commendators, Arbroth, Kilwinning, Dumfermling, St Colmes, Newbottle, Halyrudehouse. The Superintendants and quarters of countries were ordained to direct this letter to the forsaids persones severallie.
Tenor of the Commissiones given to every ane of the forsaids Commissioners within every one of their bounds respective, followes:—
Forsuameikle as Satane, this lang tyme, in his members, has so raged and perturbed the good success and proceedings of Christ’s religione within this realme be craftie meanes, and subtill conspiracies, that the same from tyme to tyme doeth decay, in hazard altogether to be subverted, unless God of his mercy finds hastie remeid; and that chiefly through the extreme povertie of the ministers who should preach the word of life to the people, who therethrough are compelled some to leave the vocatione alluterly, and some uther so abstracted be careful povertie that they may not insist so diligently in the exercise of the word as they would doe: And therefore the Kirk, presently conveened at Edinburgh in this Generall Assembly, hes thought it most necessare be thir presents to request and admonishe most brotherly, all sic persons as truely professe the Lord Jesus within this realme, of what estate or degree that ever they be, alswell the nobility, barons, and gentlemen, as all uthers trew professors, to conveen in Edinburgh the 20th day of July next in their personal presens, there to assist with the Councill and power for order to be taken, alswell towards the establishing of Christ’s religione universallie throughout this realme, and abolishing of the contrarie, whilk is Papistrie, as the sustentatione of ministers, not only for the present tyme and instant necessitie, but also for ane perfect order to be taken in all tyme comeing, toward the haill libertie of the patrimonie of the Kirk, and the dew restoring of the same to the just possessors thereof according to the word of God: With certification to all and sundrie, of what estate or degree whatsoever they be, that compears not, due advertisement being made to them, that they shall be repute hereafter as hinderers of this most godly purposs, and as dissimulate brethren, unworthie to be esteemed hereafter of Christ’s flocke; seeing God of his mercy at this present hes offered some better occasion nor in tyme bygone, and hes begune to tread downe Satan under foot, and for the due requisitione and admonitione, in name of the Eternall God, to the effect forsaid, of all and sundrie the brethren, alswell in burgh as to land, The Kirk presently conveened in this Generall Assembly be thir presents gives their full power and commission to their lovites (N. and N.) for the bounds of (N.) In verification hereof, thir presents are subscribed be the common clerk of the Kirk in the Generall Assembly, and second Session thereof, holden at Edinburgh the 26th of Junii 1567.
Sess. 3a. Junii 27, 1567.
QUESTIONES AND THEIR ANSWERS.
Ane man being accused of notorious fornication, promised faithfully to the minister for the tyme to abstaine in all tyme comeing from all society with that woman, and in case he chance to have any dealings with her hereafter he should marry her—thereafter he meddled with the same woman: Quæritur, whether this man may be compelled to keep the forsaid promise or not?
The Kirk ordaines all sic promises to be of none effect, and that none be compelled to marry upon sic promises; and ordaines this offender to be punished for his offence.
Whether if it be lawfull to marry her whom he before in his wife’s tyme had polluted with adulterie, his wife now being dead?
The Kirk will not grant this thing to be lawfull that God’s law damns; neither yet admitt any sic marriage for causes contained in the law.