The Booke of the Universall Kirk of Scotland / Wherein the Headis and Conclusionis Devysit Be the Ministers and Commissionaris of the Particular Kirks Thereof, Are Specially Expressed and Contained.

by Unknown

1561, Dec. 22.—Act of Convention of Estates.

Sederunt apud Edinburgh, xxij. Decembris Anno lxj^o.

The samyn day, forsamekle as the Quenis Majestie, be the advyse of the Lords of hir Secreit Counsale, foirseand the eminent truble quhilk appeirandlie wes to ryis amangis the lieges of hir realme for materis of religioun, to evaid the samyn, and to stay all inconuenientis that may follow thairupon, intercomonit with ane part of the clergie and stait ecclesiasticall, with quhome than ressoning being had, it was thot gude and expedient be hir hienes that ane generall conventioun suld be appointit the xv. day of December instant, quhairto the rest of that estate myt have repairit, and be the avise of the hale ane ressonable overture maid, and ordoure takin for staying of the apperand truble, and quieting of the hale countrey: Quhilk conuentioun being be her Maiestie appointit, and sindrie dayis of counsale keepit, and the said ecclesiasticall estait oftymes requirit that the said ordoure myt be takin, and overture maid, for staying of truble and quieting of the cuntrie: Last of all, in presence of the Quenis Maiestie and Lords of Counsale foirsaid, and vtheris of the nobilitie of this realme, comperit John, Archbischop of Sanct Androis, Robert, Bischop of Dunkeld, Patrick, Bischop of Murray, and Henry, Bischop of Ross, and, for thame selffs respectiue, offerit to the Quenis Grace to be content of thrie partis of the rentis of thair benefices, and the ferd part thairof to be employit as hir Grace thocht expedient. And becaus the certantie thairof was not knawin, nor zit quhat sowmes of money wald sufficientlie sustene the ministrie and ministeris of Goddis word within this realme, nor zit how mekle was necessar to support the Quenis Maiestie abone hir awin rent for the commoun effaris of the cuntrie: thairfoir it is concludit, decernit, and determit be the Quenis Grace, and Lords of Counsale foirsaids, and vtheris of the nobilitie present, that gif the ferd part of the fruits of the hale benefices ecclesiasticall within this realme may be sufficient to sustene the ministeris throw the hale realme, and support the Quenis Maiestie to interteny and sett fordwart the commone effaris of the cuntrie; ffelzeing thairof, the third part of the saids fruits or mair, quhill it be fund sufficient to the effect foirsaid, to be takin up zeirlie in tyme cuming, quhill ane generale ordoure be takin thairin, samekle thairof to be employit to the Quenis Majestie, for entertenying and setting fordwart of the commone effaris of the cuntre: And samekle thairof to the ministeris, and sustentatioun of the ministerie, as may ressonablie sustene the samyn, at the sy^t and discretioun of the Quenis Maiestie and Counsale foirsaid, and the excrescence and superplus to be assignit to the auld possessouris. And to that effect, that the rents and zeirlie avale of the hale benefices within this realme may be clearlie knawin to the Quenis Maiestie and Counsale foirsaids, it is STATUTE and ORDANIT that the hale rentalis of all benefices within this realme be producit befoir hir grace and lords foirsaid, at the tymes vnderwritten; that is to say, of the benefices on this syde of the month,[10] the xxiiij day of Januar nixtocum, and bezound the month, the x day of Februar next thairafter. And ordainis letters to be direct to officiaris of the Quenis shreffis in that part, to pass, charge, and require, all and sindrie archbischoppis, bischoppis, abbottis, commendatoris, and prioris of this realme, on this syde of the month, personale, gif thai can be apprehendit, and failzeing thairof, at the saids archbischoppis, bischoppis, abbottis, commendataris, and prioris duelling places, cathedrale kirkis, or abbayis, and all denis, archidenis, subdenis, chantoris, subchantoris, prouestis, personis, vicaris, ... beneficit men, thair chalmerlanis and factoris, personalie or at their duelling places, or at thair parroche kirkis, quhair they suld remane, to exhibit and produce befoir the Quenis Maiestie, and lords foirsaids, the said xxiiij day of Januar nixtocum, the just and trew rentale of the avale and rentis of thair benefices, to the effect foirsaid; and to charge the prelattis and vtheris beneficit men on the zond syde of the month, in maner respectiue foirsaid, to produce the just and trew rentale of their benefices befoir the Quenis Grace and lords foirsaids, the said x day of Februar nixtocum, to the effect above rehersit; w^t. certificatioun to thame that failzies, the Quenis Grace and Counsale will proceid heirin as accordis: And sicklyke to charge the hale superintendentis, ministeris, eldaris, and deaconis of the principale townis and schiris of this realme, to gif in befoir the Quenis Grace and Lordis of Counsale foirsaids, the said xxiiij day of Januar nixtocum, ane formale and sufficient roll and memoriall quhat may be sufficient and ressonable to sustene the ministrie and hale ministeris of the realme, that her Maiestie and Lords of Counsale foresaids may tak order thairintill as accords: And forder, that the Quen’s Maiestie and Lordis of Counsale foirsaids ryplie and digestlie wey and considder quhat necessar support is requirit to be takin zierlie of the frutis of the saids benefices, by her Grace’s avn zeirlie rent to interteny and sett fordwart the commone effairis of the cuntrie agane the said xxiiij day of Januar nixtocum, that than it may be procedit in the said mater, all parties be satisfeit, and the hale cuntrie and lieges thereof set in quietnes.[11]

VI.

1567, April 19.—Act concerning the Religion.

The quhilk day the Quenis Maiestie having considerit the estait of hir Majestie’s realme that it stude at the tyme of hir arryvale furth of France, and yet presentlie standis at, foirseing alssua the common weill of hir cuntrie gretumlie to be incressit and establishit be the keiping of the commone peax and quietnes amangis all her gud subiectis. And like as hir Hienes sen hir foirsaid arryvall hes attemptit na thing contrar the estait of religioune, quhilk hir Maiestie fand publictlie and vniuersallie standing at hir arryvale foirsaid, quhairby hir Maiestie is maist worthy to be seruit, honourit, and obeyit; richtswa hir Hienes intendis to continew in the samyne gudnes and gouernment in all tyme cuming, quhairby all her gud subiectis, professouris of the religion foirsaide, sall haif occasioune to praise God for her gud, happye and gratius gouernement, and to crave of God from the boddum of thair harttis, that he wald of his infinite gudnes to prosper and blis her Maiestie, and hir posteritie, with lang lyf, gud and happye gouernment, to reull and regnne ouer thame. And to the effect alssua that all hir Hienes gud subiectis, professouris of the said religioune, may assure thame selfis to be in full suretie thairof, and of thair landis, lyves, benefices, offices, dignities, jurisdictionis, priuileges, gudis, fame, and honouris in time cuming, and with the better will, jeopard and hasard thair lyves and gudis in hir Hienes seruice aganis all inymeis to hir Maiestie and to the commone weill of this realme at all tymes neidful, as thair predecessouris hes maist frankly done heirtofore, and that withowt feir of ony pane, punishment, tynsell of landis, benefices and gudis, for professing, exerceing, and vsing of the said religioune in tymes bygane, and to cum, to be impute vnto thame or thair airis, nochtwithstanding ony lawis, actis and constitutionis, and canone, ciuile or municipale, or vther quhatsumeuir ordinance heirtofoir institute in the contrar. And for thair greter suretie foirsaid, OUR SAID SOUERANE, with the awyss of the haill thre Estait of Perliament, hes thocht neidful and convenient to dispenss, cass, abrogat and annull, like as hir Maiestie presentlie dispenssis, cassis, abrogattis and annullis all and quhatsumeuir lawis, actis and constitutionis, canone, ciuile or municipale, with all vther constitutionis and practick penale introducit contrar to the foirsaid religioune and professouris of the samyne; and ordains thame and thair posteritie in all tymes to cum, to be fre and exemit from all pane corporall, infame, reproche, depryving from benefices, dignitie or offices, or vther cryme or pane quhatsumeuir that may be incurrit or impute to thame be vertew of the saidis actis, lawis, ordinances, canone, ciuil or municipale, and practik, for contravening of the samyne, renunceand the samyne and strenth thairof in favouris of our saidis subiectis to the effect foirsaid. And siclike the Quenis Maiestie of her auctoritie royall granttit to hir be God, with the awyss of the thre Estatis foirsaidis, takis to hir self and hir posteritie, all hir gude subiectis, thair benefices, landis, offices, guidis, and honouris, to be vnder hir sure salfgard, mantenance, protectioune, and defence perpetuallie, aganis quhatsumeuir foirane auctoritie, pouer, jurisdictioune, and persute, be it ecclesiasticall or temporall. Exemand hir foirsaidis subiectis from all compeirance, summonding, or obedience pretendit or to be pretendit, heirafter agains thame for the caussis foirsaidis, be quhatsumeuir foirane persoune or vther pretendand jurisdictioune or auctoritie throw thame; willing hir subiectis to duell in perpetuall securitie and quietness within this realme, be making of thair maist humbill and faithfull obedience to hir Hienes and hir posteritie in all tymes coming heirafter allenerlie. Like as also hir Maiestie, God willing, heireafter in tyme convenient sall tak forther ordour, in all vther poinctis, concerning the estait of religioune, as may best serue for the glorie of God, commone weill of this realme, and continewing of commone peax and quietnes vniversallie amangis all hir subiectes: Commanding thame, and euerie ane of thame, in all tymes heirefter, to keep mutuale, perfyte and maist hartlie kyndnes, luiff, friendschip, and nychtboureheide, ilk ane to vtheris, vnder all hieast pane and charge, that heirefter may follow, for breaking of this present act of Parliament and her Maiestie’s lauchful commandment.[12]

VII.

Articles presentit in Parliament, treatit and proponit be certane Baronis, Commissaris of Burrowis, and Ministeres, at Edinburgh.—Decr. 1-6, 1567.[13]

In Parliamento, apud Edin. xv. die Decembris, A. D. M.D.LXVII.

Articlis to be presentit in Parliament.