Quha returning, red the articles and thair anfuers, quhilk the Kirk approuit; ordaining the faids articles, anfuers therto, and act of Parliament to be registrat in the Register of the Kirk; quherof the tenour herin is fett down as followis :

The Articles proponit in his Majesties name to the Generall Affemblie, prefentlie conveinit at Dundie.

His Majestie declares, that in respect he cannot of honour fie the priveledge of his crowne hurt, therfor he will have regard to have the act of his last Parliament keipit concerning the conveining of Generall Affemblies be his Majesties appointment; willing them heirfor, befor thair skailing, to direct two or thrie of thair number vnto him, to defyre him to appoint the day and place of their nixt conveining.

Secondlie, His Majeftie defyres them to make ane Act of thair Affemblie, prohibiteing all and everie ane of the Ministrie, vnder the paine of deprivatioun, to declaime against his Majeftie or Counfells proceidings, in pulpitt, not only in refpect of his Majefties knawin good intentioun for the furth fetting of pietie and justice, bot lykeways because his Majeftie at all tymes gives readie acceffe and loving eare to fundrie of the Minifters, to informe, dilait or complaine, either in their awin name or in the name of any of the rest of the brether.

Thirdlie, His Majeftie defyres them to appoint and put on leit, fyve or fixe of the difcreitest of the Ministrie, that his Majeftie may make choise of twa of them to ferve in his houfe, in refpect of Mr Craig his decripit age.

Fourthlie, Seeing that the standing of the religioun and the weilfare of his Majefties perfon are so vnfeparablie joynit, as quhofoevir are enemies to the ane are comoun enemies to both; fo his Majestie defyres, that through all the Prefbitries of this countrey, ther falbe fome appointit to advertise and informe his Majestie heirafter, with diligence, for the more fpeidy remedie, not only of quhatsumevir practises they can learne, in any wayes, of Papifts and Spanisch factiouns, but also of the receipts and practises of Bothwell, quherof they can have any knowledge; whofe heale courses, as they are directly aganis his Majefties perfone, fo whollie they tend to the fubverfioun of the whole religioun: With directioun alfo to them to informe the haill Barrons, and honest men most tenderers of his Majesties

welfare, to give ever such faithfull intelligence of the faids practifes as they can learne from tyme to tyme.

Fyftlie, His Majestie defyres, that through all the countrey, quher ther is any ports or landing places, that ther be fome of the brether fpeciallie appointit to deale fo with the burghes, that they may take good and fufficient tryall, according to his Majesties law made theranent, of all these quho fall heirafter come in, or paffe furth of this countrey, quherfra they are come, or quherto they are bound; quhat is thair trafique and intentioun to doe and fwa after good and fufficient tryall, if ther be any thing of weght and importance, that they on na wayis faile to make his Majeftie acquaint therwithall, to the effect his Majestie may the more eafilie difcover quhatfumevir forraine or civill practifes is or falbe in heid aganis the present ftate of the religioun: And this he craves to be done fo faithfullie, as he hes good opinioun of gour earnest affectioun, no lefs in the prefervatioun of his Majefties awin perfon as in the defence of the comoun caufe; as alfo he promises to aide and aflist gow in all [and] quhatfumevir gour good refolutiouns, that may tend to the furtherance of peace and quyetnes; with the advancement and mainteinance of the religioun prefentlie profeft in this realme.

Humble anfuers of the Generall Affemblie to the Articles proponit be his Majefties Commiffioners to the fame, at Dundie the 27 day of Apryle.

First, The Article concerning the conveining of the faid Generall Affemblie is aggried vnto, according to the tenour of the act of Parliament prefentit with the faids Articles.

As twiching the fecond Article, It is ordainit be the haill Kirk, that no Minister within this realme vtter from pulpitt any rafch or vnreverent fpeaches aganis his Majeftie or Counfell, or thair proceidings; but that all thair [publick] admonitiouns proceid vpon juft and neceffar caufes and fufficient warrand, in all feare, love and reverence, vnder the paine of depofing fuch as dois in the contrair, from thair functioun and office in the Ministrie.

As to the 3 Article, The Kirk aggries therto, and speciallie anent the provifioun of Minifters ane or mae to his Majeftie; that certaine be nominat be the Commiffioners direct to his Grace be his advyce, of quhom his

Majestie may make choife: and the brethren to be lykit of his Majeftie, to be placit and admittit be the Presbytrie quher his Grace falbe refident for the tyme.

As concerning the 4 and 5 Articles, The famein are condifcendit to and ordour takin, as his Majestie falbe particularlie informit be the faids Commillioners.

Follows the tenour of the Act of Parliament.

In the Parliament haldin at Edenburgh, the 5 day of Junij 1592 geirs, our Souerane Lord and Eftaittis of this prefent Parliament, following the lovable and gude example of thair prediceffouris, Hes ratifiet and apprevit, and be the tennour of this prefent act, ratifies and apprevis all liberties, priuileges, immvnities and fredomes quhatfumeuir, gevin and grantit be his Hienes, his Regentis in his name, or onie of his prediceffouris, to the trew and hally Kirk prefentlie establishit within this realme; and declairit in the first Act of his Hienes Parliament, the twentie day of October, the geir of God ane thousand, five hundreth, three-scoir ninetene gieris; and all and whatfumeuir actis of Parliament, and ftatutes maid of befoir, be his Hienes and his Regentis, anent the libertie and fredome of the faid Kirk: and speciallie the first act of the Parliament halden at Edinburgh, the twentie foure day of October, the geir of God ane thousand, five hundreth, and four fcoir ane gieres, with the haill particulare actis thairin mentionat, Quhilk fall be als fufficient as gif the famyn wer herin expreft; and all vther actis of Parliament maid fenfyne, in favouris of the trew Kirk; And fiklyk, ratifies and apprevis the Generall Affemblies appoynted be the faid Kirk; and declairis, that it falbe lauchfull to the Kirk and Ministrie everilk geir, at the leift, and ofter pro re nata, as occafioun and neceffitie fall require, to hald and keip Generall Affemblies: Providing that the Kingis Majeftie, or his Commiffioner with thame to be appoyntit be his Hienes, be present at ilk Generall Affemblie befor the diffolving thairof, nominat and appoint tyme and place, quhen and quhair the nixt Generall Affemblie falbe haldin : and in caise nather his Majeftie, nor his faid Commiffioner, beis prefent for the tyme in that toun, quhair the faid Generall Affemblie beis haldin, Than, and in that caife, it falbe lefum to the faid Generall Affemblie, be themfelffis, to nominat and appoynt tyme and place, quhair the nixt Generall Affemblie of the Kirk falbe keipit and haldin, as

they haif bene in vfe to do thir tymes bypaft. And als ratifies and apprevis the Sinodall and Provinciall Affemblies, to be haldin be the faid Kirk and Ministrie, twyis ilk geir, as they haif bene, and ar presentlie in vse to do, within euery Province of this realme; And ratifeis and apprevis the Pref byteries, and particulare Seffionis, appoyntit be the faid Kirk, with the haill iurifdictioun and difcipline of the fame Kirk, aggreit vpon be his Majestie, in conference had be his Hienes with certane of the miniftrie convenit to that effect of the quhilkis Articles the tennour followis.

Materis to be intreatit in Provinciall Affemblies: Thir Affemblies ar conftitute for wechtie materis, neceffar to be intreatit be mutuall confent and affistance of brethrene within the Province, as neid requyris. This Affemblie hes power to handle, ordour, and redreffe, all thingis omittit or done amiffe in the particulare Affemblies. It hes power to depose the office beraris of that Province, for gude and juft caufeis deferving deprivatioun And, generallie, thir Affemblies hes the haill power of the particulare Elderschippis, quhairof they ar collectit.

Materis to be intreatit in the Presbiteries: The power of the Presbiteries is to give diligent laubouris in the boundis committed to their chairge, That the Kirkis be kepit in gude ordour; To enquire diligentlie of nauchtie and vngodlie perfonis, and to travell to bring thame in the way agane be admonitioun, or threatning of Goddis jugementis, or be correctioun. It appertenis to the Elderfchip, to tak heid that the Word of God be puirlie preachit within thair boundis, the Sacramentis richtlie miniftrat, the Dif cipline intertenyit, and the Ecclefiafticall guidis vncorruptlie diftributit. It belangis to this kynd of Affembleis, to caus the ordinances maid be the Affembleis, Provinciallis, Nationallis, and Generallis, to be kepit and put in executioun ; to mak conftitutionis, quhilkis concernis To реTOV in the Kirk, for decent ordour in the particulare kirk quhair they governe; Provyding that thay alter na rewlis maid be the Provinciall or Generall Affemblies: And that they mak the Provinciall Affemblies foirfaidis, privie of the rewlis that they fall mak, and to abolishe conftitutionis tending to the hurt of the fame. It hes power to excommunicat the obstinat, formale proces being led, and dew intervall of tymes obferuit.

το πρέπον

Anent Particulare Kirkis, Gif they be lauchfullie rewlit be fufficient minifteris and feffioun, they haif power and jurifdiétioun in their awin Congregatioun, in materis Ecclefiafticall. And decernis and declairis the said Affembleis, Presbiteries, and Seffiounes, Jurifdictioun and Discipline thairof

foirfaid, to be in all tymes cuming, maist iuft, gude, and godlie in the selff, Notwithstanding of quhatfumeuir Statutis, Actis, Cannon, Ciuile, or Municipall Lawes, maid in the contrair; To the quhilkis and every ane of thame, thir prefentis fall mak expres derogatioun :

And becaus thair ar diuers Actis of Parliament, maid in favour of the Papifticall Kirk, tending to the preiudice of the libertie of the trew Kirk of God, prefentlie profeffit within this realme, jurifdictioun, and difcipline thairof, quhilk ftands git in the buikis of the actis of Parliament, not abrogat nor annullit: Thairfoir his Heines and Eftaittis foirfaids hes abrogat, caffit, and annullit, and be the tennor heirof, abrogatis, caffis, and annullis all Actis of Parliament maid be ony of his Hienes Predeceffouris, for mantenance of fuperftitioun and idolatrie, with all and quhatfumeuir Actis, Lawes, and Statutes, maid at ony tyme, befoir the day and dait hereof, aganis the libertie of the trew Kirk, jurisdictioun, and difcipline thairof, as the famyn is vfit and exerceifit within this realm.

And in fpeciall, that pairt of the sevint act of Parliament halden at [Streviling, the fourt day of November, ane thoufand four hundredth, fourty three] geiris, commanding obedience to be gevin to Eugin the Pape for the tyme.

The j and xj act made be King James the thrid, in his Parliament haldin at Edinburgh the twenty fourth day of Februar, ane thousand, four hundreth, fourfcor thrie geirs; and all utheris actis quhairby the Paipis authoritie is establishit.

The 47 act of King James the third, in his Parliament haldin at Edinburgh, the [twenty day of November, ane thoufand, four hundredth, three fcor nine] geiris, anent the Satterday and uther vigillis to be hally dayes from Evin fang to Evin fang.

Item, That pairt of the 31 act maid be the Quene Regent, in the Parliament haldin at Edinburgh, the first of Februar ane thousand, five hundredth, fifty ane geiris, Geving fpeciall licence for haldin of Pashe and Jule.

Item, The Kingis Majestie and Eftaittis foirfaidis declairis, that the fecund Act of the Parliament haldin at Edinburgh, the xxij day of Maij, the geir of God ane thousand, five hundredth, four scoir, four geiris, fall naways be preiudiciall, nor derogat anything to the priuilege that God hes gevin to the fpirituall office beraris in the Kirk, concerning headis of religioun, materis of herefie, excommunicatioun, collatioun or deprivatioun of min