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The Generall Assembly of the Kirk, holden in Edinburgh, within the Councill-house thereof, the 25th day of Junii 1566: In the whilk were present Earles, Lords, Barrons of the Privie Councill, viz. Earle Huntly, Chancellour, and Earle of Argyle, Alexander of Galloway, Adam of Orkney, ane of the Session, John Commendator of Lindores, James Balfour of Pittendeth, Knight, with the Superintendants, Ministers, and Commissioners for towns, particular kirks: The Invocatione of the name of God be Mr John Craig, minister of Edinburgh.

Sessio 1^ma.

First, for eschewing of confusione in reasoning, and to the effect that every brother speak with such modestie and measure as becometh the ministers of God’s word to doe, with consent of the haill Assembly, John Erskine of Dunn, Knight, Superintendant of Angus and Merns, was continued Moderator, who was content for the present to use the samen office.

Ordaines that some of the brethren, in name of the haill Kirk, make supplication to the Lords of Secret Councill and Session of Justice, that no excommunicat person have proces before their honors, unto the tyme they be reconciled to the Kirk, chiefly when excommunication is notour and objected againes.

Anent the supplication presented to this Assembly be Robert Commendator of Haly-rude-house, showing in effect, how it was not unknowne to their wisdomes, That he had diverse godly learned men of his owne place of Halyrudehouse, sic as Alexander Forrester and Peter Blackwood, who are men of good conversation and literature, were admitted and receaved be the Kirk to the ministrie, and how he had diverse kirks pertaining to the Abbacie, as the kirks of Tranent and St Cuthbert’s, and alleadged that most decent and convenient it were, that his said kirks should be served be the servants of the said Abbay: Herefore, requested most earnestly that the Kirk presently assembled should transport Mr Thomas Cranstoune and William Harlaw, now ministers of his said kirks, and place them at some uther kirks, as should be thought good be the haill Assembly to appoint them, and to place his saids servants at his saids kirks as ministers, there to be served be them in tyme comeing; as in the said request at length was contained.

The Kirk haveing ryply considered the said supplication and advysed thereupon, caused call before them some of the elders of the said parochines, and diligently inquired if they had any fault to lay against their ministers, or if they would be content they should be transported from them? Answer was given, that they had no cryme nor fault to lay against their ministers, but was better content with them then they would be with any uther that would be presented to them; and attour, on no wayes would be content that any of them should be transported from them: Therefore, the Kirk presently assembled on no wayes condescended to the transportation of them, for the reasons foresaid; But brotherly requested the said Lord Commendator to provide for some godly ministers for uthers of his kirks whilks are destitute of preaching of the true word of God, the speciall food of their souls, which they doubt not but his Lordship will doe, for discharge of his own conscience.

Sess. 2^a. Junii 26, 1566.

The haill Assembly, in respect of the perills and dangers wherewith the Kirk of God is assaulted, and that be mighty enemies, considered a generall fast to be published throughout this realme in all kirks reformed.

Anent the supplication given in be Paull Methven, makand a long rehearsall of his miserable estate, the supplication presented in his name to the Generall Assembly holden in Edinburgh in December 1564, of the estate of the answers thereto frome the said Assembly, of his long and tedious journey out of England to Scotland, and impediments that chanced him in the way; finally requests for ane of thir two, That is, either to suspend excommunication of the Kirk for ane tyme, and receave him in the fellowship of the same as ane poor sheep, upon ane condition, wherever he chances to be, upon half ane year’s warning, he shall be bound to returne againe at command of the Kirk, and obey sic injunctions as they would command him to doe; or if the Kirk pleased not this petition, then to committ his answer to such as the Kirk should appoint, who’s judgement and determination (as his body might bear) he promised be God’s grace to obey; Finally, all counsell that have followed heretofore, and himself most humbly, he submitted to the judgement of the present Assembly; as in the said supplication at length was contained: Last of all, it was ordained that he present himself personally before the Assembly; and being entered, prostrate himself before the haill brethren with weeping and howling, and commanded to ryse, might not expresse farther his request, being, as appeared, so farr troubled with anguish of heart, was desyred to be of good comfort, and to depart to his lodgeing whill order were taken anent his request. And forsuameikle as in the said Assembly holden in Edinburgh in December 1564, it was concluded to receave him to repentance, now rested to conclude upon the manner thereof that he should doe when and where; and for that purpose was appointed the Superintendant of Fyfe, Mr John Dowglass, rector of St Andrews, David Forrest, Mr Hugh Hay, minister of Ruthven, Mr John Craig, minister of Edinburgh, John Row of St Johnstone, William Christisone of Dundie, and Adam Herriot of Aberdeene, ministers, that they, seven or sex of them, should conveene the morrow, at seven houres before noone, and take order in the premises; and whatsomever they doe hereanent, to signifie the same to the Superintendant of Lowthiane and Session of the Kirk of Edinburgh, deliver the said ordinance to the Scribe of the Generall Assembly, that he may insert the same among uther acts of Generall Assembly for ane remembrance to the posteritie.

QUESTIONS AND THEIR ANSWERS.

First, It is asked, If any may contract marriage with ane woman once married, and her husband departing from her to other countries, and being absent nine or ten years together, the woman, having no testimoniall of his death or not?

Answer: That the woman desyreing to marrie ought to seek, or cause seek, whether her first husband be dead or not, and to report ane sufficient testimoniall of his death or ever she may joyne herself to ane uther husband.

Whether that any persone seek ane donation or confirmation of benefices at the Paip’s Kirks, may be appointed to minister in the Kirk of God?

Answer: That sic a persone ought not to be admitted to the ministrie as the question is conceaved.

The Commissioners appointed be the Generall Assembly for ordering of Paull Methwen his repentance, In consideration of the said Paul’s lamentable supplication to the kirk, humble submission of himselfe to the same, and his absence out of this realme the space of two yeares or more, Ordaines the minister of Edinburgh, that he, upon ane Sonday after sermone, notifie unto the people the said Paull his supplicatione, and how the Generall Assembly hes ordained to receive him to repentance, with the conditions underwritten; and therefore to admonishe all faithfull brethren that they, within the nixt eight dayes, notifie the said minister of Edinburgh, if any of them hes any knowledge, or are fully informed of the said Paull his conversation and behaviour since his departure furth of this realme, whilk might imped his receaving to repentance, whilk shall be on this manner, viz. The said Paull, upon the said two preaching dayes, betwixt the Sondayes, shall come to the kirk doore of Edinburgh, when the second bell ringeth, clad in sackcloth, bareheaded and barefooted, and there remaine whill he be brought into the sermone, and planted in the publick spectacle above the people, in tyme of every sermone during the said two dayes; and on the next Sonday thereafter, shall compear in like manner, and in the end of the sermone, shall declare signes of his inward repentance to the people, humbly requireing that kirk’s forgiveness: quhilk done, he shall be clad in his own apparell, and received in the societie of the kirk, as ane lyvely member thereof, and this same order to be observed in Dundie and Jedburgh, allwayes secluding him from any function of the ministrie in the kirk, and also from participation of the table of the Lord, unto the 25th of December next to come, when the Generall Assemblie of the Kirk conveens, into the whilk they ordain the said Paull to resort, bringand with him sufficient testimoniall from authentick persons, of these places where he in the meanetyme shall chance to remaine, reportand his conversatione and behaviour; at the whilk tyme the kirk shall take further order what shall be done anent him.