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The Generall Assembly being appointit in Strevilling, February 25, be reason of troubles falling out be the slaughter of my Lord Regent’s Grace, was continueit till the first of Marche, and begunne in Edinburgh the said day, 1569(70), in the Tolbuith thereof; where was present the Nobilitie, Superintendents, Commissioners to plant Kirks, Ministers, and Commissioners of Kirks and Townes. The Sermone and Prayers made be William Christisone, Minister of Dundee, last Moderator.

Ordour to proceed in the Assemblies.

First, That he who is moderator in the last Assemblie, shall make the prayer and exhortation in the Assembly thereafter following; whilk endit, the Kirk proceedit to the chuseing of a new moderator, quho shall continue make prayers and exhortations as said is, and so furth, from Assembly to Assembly.

Secondlie, The tryall of Superintendants and Commissioners for planting of Kirks, with the accusationes, if any beis, be Superintendants, Commissioners, or any uthers, against ministers.

Thirdlie, The penitent committit to the Superintendants or ministers at the last Assembly, to be receavit according to the ordour appointed be the last Assembly, and alse to give injunctions to uthers notorious criminall persones, that aither are fund be the Superintendant, Commissioner of the Kirk, or of their own freewill, moveit be hatreit of their cryme, presents themselffs in the Generall Assembly.

Fourthlie, To decerne upon sic things as aither was undecydit at the preceidand Assemblie and remittit to this, or else referrit hitherto, be the Lords of Sessione, Auditor of Chekker, or any uther wayes.

Sessio 2^a. March 2, 1569(70).

The haill brethrene convenit, in ane voyce, for eschewing confusione in reasoning, chuse Mr John Craige, ane of the ministers of Edinburgh, to be Moderator in this Assembly, and to make the prayer and supplicatione in the beginning of the next Assembly, according to the order appointit.

Anent the complaint gine in be Thomas Smith in Ochiltrie, againes Mr John Smyth, minister in Ochiltrie, for debarring the said Thomas from the Lord’s table, because he removeit ane shoe off ane horse upon ane Sonday afternoone in Ochiltrie, where neither preaching nor publick prayers was. After long reasoning, the said Thomas was ordainit to be receavit to the participatione of the Lord’s table, and uther benefites of the Kirk, hereafter, notwithstanding of the alleadgit fault abovementionat.

The Kirk ordaynes sic persones as are convict of incest or adulterie, and hes not stubbornly contemnit the admonitions of the Kirk, nor sufferit the sentence of excommunication for their offences, shall make publict repentance in sackcloath, at their owne kirks, bairheaded and barefooted, three severall dayes of preaching, and after the said third day, to be receavit in the societie of the Kirk, in their owne cloathes. The uthers that hes been excommunicat for their offences shall present themselves bareheaded and barefooted sax preaching dayes, and the last, after sermone, to be receavit in their owne cloathes, as said is.

Sessio 3^a. March 3, 1569(70).

Anent homicids, incestuous persones, and adulterers not fugitive from the lawes, but continuallie suteing to be receavit be the Kirk to publick repentance; after long reasoning, with mature deliberatione, the haill brethren presently assembleit, concludit, that all sic persones, humbly suiting, shall be receavit, to give the signes of their repentance in their awne kirks, according to the order appoyntit before, at qwhilk tyme the minister shall publickly notifie their crymes, that thereby the civill magistrates may know the crymes, and pretend no ignorance thereof.

Give they be excommunicat for their offences, they shall stand bareheaded at the kirk doore, every preaching day, betwixt the Assemblies, secluded from prayers before and after sermone, and then enter in the kirk, and sit in the publick place bareheaded, all the tyme of the sermons, and depart before the latter prayer.

The uthers that are not excommunicat shall be placeit in the publick place where they may be knawne from the rest of the people, bareheaded the tyme of the sermones, the minister remembering them in his prayer in the tyme after preaching; all the saids persons to bring their ministers’ testimonialls to the next Assembly of their behaviour in the meantyme, according to the act made thereupon be the Kirk in the 2d Sessione, halden July 7, 1569.

Anent the complaynt of the parochiners of the kirk of Kilmenie for wanting of ane minister to preach God’s word and minister the sacraments, the haill Kirk concludes, that in respect of the number of qualified and learnit men of the auld Colledge able to preach, and also the nearness of the said Colledge to the said kirk, That some of them shall either preache and minister the sacraments to the people, or else injoyne uthers to doe the same qwhill farder order be taine.

Sess. 7^a. March 3, 1569(70).

Anent Robert Lickprivick his supplicatioune for support of the Kirk in his office of printing: The Kirk haveing respect to his povertie, the great expenses he hes made in bying printing irones, and the great zeal and love he beirs to serve the Kirk at all tymes, hes assigned to him, ffyftie punds yearly, to be payeit to him out of the thrids of the Kirk, be the Collectors underwritten, viz. the Collector of Lowthiane 20 łb., the Collector of Fyfe 20 łb., the Collector of Angus 10 łb.; Quhilk soume the auditors of the compts for the Kirk shall thankfully allow to every ane of them.

Sessio 8^a. March 9, 1569(70).

It is statute and ordanit that no minister, provydit or heirafter that shall be provydit to benefices, sett in tack any manner of way, their gleib or manse, neither yet any part of the fruits or emoluments thereof, in diminutione of their rentalls, under the paine of depryving from the benefice for ever; decernyng also the tacks sett in manner forsaid, to be null and of none effect as done be him that hes no power.

Sessio 9^a. March 11, 1569(70).

Quhat shall be done to them that will not forbear the company of persones excommunicat, after dew admonitions? To be excommunicat except they forbear.

The children of the excommunicat persones to be receavit be ane faithfull member of the Kirk to baptisme.

Ane single woman committing adulterie with ane married man should be equally punished.

Quhair a man repudiats his wife and bairnes without ane cause, and no wayes will receave her againe, the minister should labour for reconciliatione, and the pairtie offendit complaine to the judge competent.

Ane promise of marriage made before the readers and elders in ane reformit kirk, the parties contractit compeirs before the Minister and Sessione, requires their bands to be proclaimit; quhilk beand done, the Kirk finds carnall copulatione to have followit, be confessione of baith parties: when the Kirk requires them to proceid to the solemnizatione, the woman refuses.

Admonische the refuisand to solemnize the marriage, or else to gett ane decreit from the judge competent, that they should not marrie, under the paine of excommunicatione.

Persones, after promise of marriage and proclamation of the bands, desyrand to be frie from the bands, no carnall copulatione following, should be free, si res est intergra, and their inconstancie punishit.

It is not lesum for ministers to leave their vocatione and use other offices and chairges within the commone weill, without consent of the Kirk; and in tymes cumeing, it is needfull that all them that serves in the ministrie be publickly inaugurat.