faid brethren, to accufe the faid Mr Patrick of the tranfgreffions committed be him against the tenor of his fubmiffion, and to receive answer theranent; as alfo charge him to remove the corruptions of the ftate of a Bifchop in his perfon, particularly to be given in to him; and if he refuse, after admonitions, to be excommunicat be the perfons, who fhall be appointed be them to that effect. C.]

Anent the fubmiffioun of Mr James Boyd, Commiffioner of Kyle, Carreck &c., to the Generall Affemblie, conforme to the act made in the last Affemblie, and the reasoning had be him with the Moderator and brether appointit therto : The forfaid brether being prefent thoght beft he fould publifch his awin anfuer to the haill brether for fatiffactioun of them, quho gave in his anfuer in wryte as followeth.

First, I vnderstand the name, office, and modeft reverence borne to a Bifchop, to be lawful and allowable be the Scriptures of God; and beand electit be the Kirk and King to be Bifchop of Glasgow, I efteime my calling and office lawful. And as anent my executioun of that charge committit to me, I am content to endevore at my vttermoft abilitie to performe the fame and every point therof, and to abyde the honorabill judgements of the Kirk from time to time, of my offending by my dewtie; craveing alwayes a brotherlie defyre at thair hands, feeing the charge is weghtie, and in the laying [any thing] to be laid to my charge, to be examinat be the Canon left be the Apostle to Timothie, 1 epiftle and 3 cap., feing that place was appointit to me at my receipt, to vnderftand therfra the dueties of a Bischop.

As toward my living, and rents, and vthers things granted be the Prince to me, and my fucceffors, for the ferving of that charge: I reckon the fame lawful.

As to my dewtie to the Supreme Magiftrate: In aflifting his Grace in Counsell or Parliament, beand cravit therto, I efteime my fubjectioun compells me to obey the fame; and [that it is] no hurt but a weill to the Kirk, that fome of our number be at the making of good lawes and ordinances : In the doing quherof, I proteft befor God, I intend never to doe any thing but that I believe fall stand with the puritie of the Scripture, and a weill reformit countrey; as also a good part of the living I bruik hes been given for that cause.

Quhilk being red in oppin Affemblie and confiderit, after voting of the haill brether, was adjudgeit to be no anfuer to the Act, nor to fatiffie the

defyre therof; alwayes he was requyrit that he fould returne at afternoone with better advyce as the Kirk wifched at God he fould doe.

[Mr Hector Douglafs, to whom he had given collation of the benefice of Ankrum, being tryed be Mr John Craig and Mr Thomas Smeton at the command of the Affembly, they reported, He was yet rude in the principles of religion: He was ordained the morn at 7 hours, to give a proof of his gift in teaching before the faid brethren and fome others. C.]

[It was ordained as followeth: Forfameikle as there are divers perfons within the Ministrie, that being depofed from their functions of the Miniftrie be the Generall Affemblie of the Kirk, and ficklyke be the Commiffioners of the Countries for offences committed be them, bruiks ftill the benefices and ecclefiaftical livings wherupon others fhould be fuftained, that may travell in the Ministrie of the word: Therefore C.] The Af femblie hes vottit and concludit, That all fick perfons as are already, or heirafter falbe depofit for thair offences from the functioun of the Ministrie, falbe chargit be the Commiffioners of the Countreys to dimitt the said benefices and livings poffeffit be them, to the effect vthers may be provydit therto that may travell in the faid functioun, vnder the paine of excommunication to be execute agains them; quherin if they failzie, after admonitioun, to proceid to the fentence of excommunication agains them, vnder the pain of fufpenfion of them from the functioun of the Ministrie dureing the will of the Kirk and that this act be execute agains the Bifchop of Dunkeld, and the Minister of Saline, be the Commiffioners of the Countrey quher they dwell, betuixt and the nixt Affemblie, under the paine forfaid.

Forfameikle as the Bifchops are to be chargeit to remove the corruptiouns in that estate, the Kirk nominat the fpeciall corruptions quhilk they defyre fick as will fubmitt themselfe to the said Affemblie to correct, with promise,

that if the Generall Kirk heirafter fall find farther corruptions in the said estate nor heirto is expreft, that they be content to be reformit be the said Affemblie according to the word of God, quhen they falbe requyrit therto :

1. That they be content to be paftors and minifters of ane flock.

2. That they ufurp no criminal jurisdictioun.

3. That they vote not in Parliament in name of the Kirk, without commiflion from the Kirk.

4. That they take not up, for the manteinance of thair ambitioun and ryotoufnes, the emoluments of the Kirk quhilk may sustaine many pastors, the schooles, and the poore, but be content with reasonable living according to thair office.

5. That they claime not to themselves the titles of Lords temporall, neither vfurp temporall jurisdiction; quherby they are abstractit from thair office.

6. That they impyre not above the particular Elderfchips, but be subject to the fame.

7. That they vfurp not the power of the Prefbytries.

8. That they take no farder bounds of Vifitation nor the Kirk committeth to them.

The Affemblie [in respect that Mr Hector Dowglass was admitted be the Bifchop of Glasgow, who had no jurifdiction in these bounds, being otherwise also untryed be him; and therafter the trial of his doctrine being committed to certaine brethren having commiffion thereto in Stirline, and refused be him; and being after examined be certain of the brethren upon the rudiments of religion, and being found rude therein; as alfo in refpect of his continuance in not compearing this day, as was appointed be the Generall Affembly, to give specimen of his doctrine; hath depryvit, and] deprives Mr Hector Dowglafs from his office and functioun of the Ministry as voundit and vnabill therfor, and ordains him to be chargeit be the Commiffioner of the Countrey to dimitt his benefice; and if he refuses, after admonitions, to proceid to excommunicatioun agains him, vnder the paine of fufpenfioun of the faid Commiffioner fra his office of the Ministrie dureing the will of the Kirk.

Forfameikle as there is diverfe perfons within this realme that fends thair children beand within age, furth of the countrey over fea to places

quher fuperftitioun and papistrie is maintained, vnder pretence of feiking farther inftruction and learning; as alfo vthers beand of perfyte age, tranf ports themselves out of the realme vpon the fame pretence, quherthrow, for the most part, they become corrupt in religioun, as be evident experience is daylie fein: For remeid heirof, the Generall Affemblie has advyfit and concludit, That the parents of fick children as within thair minoritie fends them to the faids places, or heirafter fall send them quher the faid papistrie is teachit and mantainit, falbe chargit be thair awin Minifters refpectiué, to call back thair children from the faids places with all convenient expeditioun, vnder the paine of excommunicatioun; and if they diffobey, to proceid with the excommunicatioun agains them and that fick as are of perfyte age, that already are paft out of the countrey to the faids places, or, in tyme coming, fall pafs therto, fall in lyke manner be chargit to remove themselves therfra, vnder the femblable paine to be execute agains them; and if they diffobey, to be excommunicat be the Minister of the place quher they remainit befor thair departing out of the countrie.

A. D. M.D.LXXIX

Edinburgh, in the New
Quherein ther was present

THE General Affemblie conveinit at
Kirk, and begun the 7 of Julij 1579:
the Commiffioners of Countreys, Provinces, Townes and Vni-
verfities.

Seffio 1a.

Exhortatioun made be David Fergusone. Leits, Mrs Andro Hay, Thomas Smeitoun and Johne Duncanfone: be pluralitie of votes the faid Mr Thomas was chofin Moderatour hac vice, [who defired certain of the brethren to concurr, and give their advice to him in matters to be handled at this Convention,] at whofe defyre the Laird of Dunne, Mrs Johne Row, Andro Melvill, Androw Hay, James Lowfone, Robert Pont, David Fergusone, John Greig, [and the Minister of Dundie] were appointit Affeffours, [to conveen every day with him, at 7 hours in the morning, in Mr James Lowfons gallrie, and at two after noon, and to continue fo, till the end of the Affembly.]