be proponit first in the nixt Affemblie, to be confultit quhat farder ordour falbe tane therin.

Anent benefices vakand in the kirks quher ther is qualified Ministers ferving: The Kirk hes determinat and ordained, That no Visitors of Countreyes give collation of the faids benefices to any vther perfon by the Minister of the kirk quherof the benefice vaikes, quhill the nixt Generall Affemblie of the Kirk, vnder the paine of deprivation from thair offices: and if they be vrgeit be the Princes letters therto, to fhew this ordinance for thair defence; and that this fame matter be proponit in the nixt Afsemblie, that ordour may be takin therin.

[Item to confult in the next Affembly, what order fhall be taken with Minifters, who fet fewes and takes of their benefices, or the Chaptours that consent thereto; ficklyke with them that send their children to Univerfities where papistrie is taught. C.]

Seffio 8a.

Forfameikle as the Generall Kirk hes thocht meitt that the travells tane be them vpon the Policie be prefentit to the Kings Majestie and his Hienes Counfell: It was found good, That befor the copies therof were delyverit, they fould be get revewit and overfein be Mrs Robert Pont, James Lowfone and David Lindefay; and beand wrytin over according to the originall, ane copie to be prefentit be them to his Hienes, with a fupplication pennit be them to that effect, with ane vther copie to the Counfell; the tyme to be at the difcretioun of the faid brether, so it be befor the generall Faft: And in cace conference and reafoning be craveit vpon the faids heids, the kirk hes nominat Mrs Johne Craig, Alexander Arbuthnot, the Laird of Dune, William Chryftefone, Johne Row, David Fergusone, Robert Pont, James Lowfone, David Lindefay, Johne Duncanfone, Andro Melvill, Andro Hay and James Greig, to concurre and conveine at fick tymes appointed be the King and Counfell, as advertisement fall be made to them be the faid thrie brether; and that the faids Commiffioners at the faid Conference reafon alfo on the heid of the ceremonies; and how farre Minifters may meddle with civill affaires, and if they may vote in Counfell or Parliament.

The Generall Affemblie of the Kirk finding the vniverfall corruption of the haill Estates of the body of this realme, the great caldnefs and flack

nes of religioun in the greatest part of the profeffours of the fame; with the daylie increase of all kynd of fearefull fins and enormities, as incest, adulterie, murder, and namelie, recentlie committed in Edenburgh and Striveling, curfed facriledge, vngodlie feditioun and divifioun within the bowells of the realme, with all manner of diffordourit and vngodlie living, quhilk juftlie hes [moved and] provockit our God, althogh long fuffering and patient, to stretch out his arme in his anger and to correct and visite the iniquitie of the land, and namely be the prefent feueritie of famine and hunger, joinit with the civill and domeftick feditiouns, quhervnto doubtles greater judgements muft fucceid, if these his correctiouns worke no reformatioun nor [true] amendement in mens hearts; feeing alfo the bloodie conclufiouns of the cruell counsells of that Romane beaft, tending to extermine and raze from the face of all Europe the true light of the bleffed word of falvatioun: For thefe caufes, and that God of his mercie wald bleffe the Kings Hienes and his regiment, and make him to have a happie and profperous government, as alfo to put in his Hienes heart, and in the hearts of his noble Estates in Parliament, not only to make and establisch good and politick lawes for the weill and good government of the realme; but alfo to fett and establish fick a policie and difcipline in the Kirk as is craveit in the word of God, and is conceivit and pennit already to be prefentit to his Hienes and Counfell; that in the ane and the vther, God may have his due praife, and the age to come ane example of vpright and godlie living and dealing: [The Generall Affembly therefore hath concluded, That an univerfall Faft fhall be keeped through all the Kirks of this realme, to beginne the first Sunday of June next to come, and to continue till the next Sunday thereafter inclufive, keeping the accustomed ufe of exercise according to the Book of Public Fafting; and that this act be intimat to the King his Majestie and Counsell, and his Grace and Counsell humbly required to discharge be proclamatioun, all kind of infolent playes, as Robin Hood, King of May, and fuch like, in all perfons, as well fcholers as others, under such paines as they shall think good. C. & B.]

Seffio 9a.

[The brethren appointit to travell with the Lords of the Kings Majesties Counfell, which were nominat by the Generall Affembly of the Kirk, fufpect

in religion, reportit, That the Erle of Cathnes defyrit to fie the articles of religion which he was defired to fubfcrive, and he should give his answer. My Lord Ogilvie declarit, That he had fubfcryvit the Articles of religion, and receivit the Communioun befor he paft out of the countrey, and if any man doubted of his profeffion, he was content to fubfcrive the faids articles, and to participat the fupper of the Lord. As to As to my Lord Chancellour and the Erle of Montgomerie, they had not commoditie to meit with them, and now are both off the Toun. The Affembly ordained the Ministers and Seffion of Edinburgh, or the Minifter of the Caftle of Stirline, to admonish and require the faids Lords to subscryve the Articles of religion prefently profeffed within this realme, and to participat the holy Communion, in cafe they resort within their bounds: Otherways ordaines the Ministers and Seffiouns of these townes quher they fall happin to make repaire, to admonisch them in lyke manner; and if they find diffobedience, after due admonitiouns, to proceed against them with the cenfures of the Kirk. C. & B.]

Mr Thomas Smeitoun [Minifter of Pafley] was nominat among the brether, to anfuer the bills.

Seffio 10a.

[It was proponed,] What falbe the punishment of communicants that violats the generall Faft: Anfuer, They fall make repentance twa feverall Sondayis; and according to the contempt in the violatioun, the paine to be aggravat.

The Convention nixt appointit at Edenburgh the 7 day of Julij nixt to come, in cace the Parliament already proclaimit hald fordwart; vtherwayes, in cace that the fame hald any vther tyme betuixt and the twentie four day of October nixt to come, that the brether conveine in the place quher it falbe haldin for the tyme, four dayes befor the fame; and failgeand of baith, vpon the 24 day of October nixt to come, within the towne of Edenburgh,

A. D. M.D.LXXVIII.

THE Generall Affemblie conveinit at Striveling and begun the xj day of Junij 1578: Where ther was prefent the Commiffioners of Countreyes, Commiffioners from Synodall Affemblies, Townes, and Vniverfities.

Seffio 1a.

In refpect of the raritie of the Affemblie, Tbecause the indiction therof at the last Affembly depended upon the tyme of holding the Parliament, which was prorogued, and tranfferred, and the time was fo fhort, that the whole countrie could not be advertised,] the brethren that were conveinit, thoght best to meitt at two houres afternoone, and to fitt quhill fyve houres.

at noone.

Seffio 2a.

Exhortation beeand made be Mr Andro Melvill, Moderatour of the laft Affemblie, befor farther proceiding, queftion beand proponit, If this Affemblie be ane continuation of the last Affemblie, or ane new Affemblie : It was reafonit and concludit to be ane new Generall Affemblie. For electioun of ane Moderatour, Mrs Johne Row, David Fergusone and Johne Duncanfone was proponit in leits, and be pluralitie of votes Mr Johne Row, [Minister at Perth,] was chofen Moderatour.

[That matters might be advisedly proponed and more conveniently handled, the Affembly] directit Mrs Robert Pont, James Lowfone, Andro Melvill, Johne Craig and Andro Hay to give thair counfell and communicat with the Moderatour in fick matters as falbe thoght beft to be refolvit at this Conventioun. C.]

Forfameikle as it hes pleafed the goodnes of God to indue the Kings Majestie with zeale of his true religion, it was thoght very meit, That the Laird of Lundie, Mrs Johne Craig, James Lowfone, Robert Pont and Johne Row fould be directit to his Grace to crave that fome were directit be his Grace to aflift this Affemblie the morne, at aught houres in the morning, and to report his Hienes anfuer.

Seffio 3a.

Anent the Act made in the last Affemblie, the 28 of Aprile 1578, concerning the electioun of Bifchops, fufpendit quhill this prefent Affemblie, and the farther ordour refervit thereto : The General Affemblie, all in ane voyce, hes concludit, That the faid act falbe extendit for all tymes to come, ay and quhill the corruptioun of the Eftate of Bifchops be alluterlie tane away; and that all Bifchops already electit, be requyrit particularlie to fubmitt themfelves to the Generall Affembly [of the Kirk] concernin the reformation of thec orruption of that Eftate of Bifchops [in thair perfones ;] quhilk if they refufe, after admonitiouns, excommunication to proceid against them : quhilk fubmiffion the Bifchop of Dumblane willinglie offerit to the Affemblie.

Anent the Act made in the laft Affemblie, the 28 day of Apryle 1578, concerning the collation of benefices to vther perfons nor the Ministers of the kirks quherof the benefices vaikes, and the farther ordour to be tane in this Affemblie: The Kirk [and Commiffioners] prefent hes farther [refolved and] concludit, That neither Bifchops, Vifitors, nor vthers bearing commiflion of the Kirk, give collatioun of benefices, by and agains the tenour of the said act, vnder the paine therin conteinit, quhill the next Generall Affemblie of the Kirk; at the quhilk tyme this matter falbe proponed againe, that farder ordour may be tane therin

Anent the penaltie of Bifchops, Minifters, and vthers bearand functioun in the Ministrie, that fetts fewes and taks of thair benefices or ecclefiaftick