The Kingis Maiesteis Proclamatioun togidder with certane Actis of Parliament maid anent the aduersaris of Christis Euangell.
Forsamekill as it is humblie menit and schawin to vs be our weilbelouittis the Ministeris of Goddis word, & vtheris the professouris of Christis Euangel within our Realme. That quhair it is not vnknawin to vs and Lordis of our secreit counsall, quhat horribil Murtheris and crueltie hes bene execute thir diuers ȝeiris by gane in sindrie partis of Europe againis the professouris of the trew Religioun, following the executioun of the decreis of the bludie counsall of Trent. And not onelie is the Intentioun of the said crueltie and persecutioun contine wit and put in executioun at all occasiounis of aduantage, bot mony greit and subtill practisis proponit and laid out to foster and interteny diuisioun amangis the Princes, Estaitis, and pepill professing the trew and Christiane Religioun: To mak thame thairby the mair esie pray to thair coniurit Enemeis: As alswa to draw and alure the ȝouth of this our [Page]Realme, and specially sic as trauellis beȝond sey for the knawledge of gude letteris, fra the professioun of Goddis treuth to errour and papistrie. Thair is of lait (as wald appeir) in thair fauour erectit at Paris be the procurement of certane Papistis declairit tratouris and fugitiues of our Realme, a Collegecallit Seminarium, with offer of Interteniment & teiching of sic Scottis Scolleris as can be allurit to repair thither. And be thair vpbringing thair in fals and corruptit doctrine, It is Intendit that the cours of the trew Religioun in this our Realme salbe impugnit, resistit, and sa far as thair deuises may vtterly be subuertit and brocht in decay gif God of his mercy for his awin Namis saik Impeid it not. And gif we quha hes and aucht to haue the cair of the conseruatioun and purgatioun of the trew Religioun caus not the malice & practisis of our awin disobedient subiectis to be tryit, punischit, and repressit, as our awin louabill lawis, statutis and Actis of Parliament maid heiranent hes appointit. ¶ Our will is heirfoir and we charge ȝow straitly and commandis that incontinent thir our letteris seneȝe pas and in our Name and authoritie command and charge all and sindrie our Schireffis, Stewartis, Baileis, and thair deputis, Prouestis, Aldermen & Baileis of our Burrowis, Lordis of Regaliteis and thair deputis, and our Officiaris of Armes, Schireffis in that part: To pas, publische and proclame of new our Statutis, Lawis, and Actis of Parliament vnder writtin at the mercat Croses of the heid Burro wis of our Realme, and vtheris places neidful, [Page]that nane pretend Ignorance of the same, Specially the Actis anent the Messe abolischit, and punischeing of all that heiris or sayis the same. ¶ Anent the trew and haly Kirk, and of thame that ar declairit not to be of the same. ¶ Anent thame that suld beir publict Office heirefter. ¶ That the aduersaris of Christis Euangell sall not enioy the Patrimony of the Kirk. ¶ Anent the ȝouth & vtheris beȝond sey suspectit to haue declynit fra the trew Religioun. And for the better executioun of the saidis Actis, That ȝe charge all and sindrie Superintendentis, and Commissionaris of the Kirkis, that they be thame selfis thair ministeris and Reidaris seruing at the Kirkis within thair charges respectiue, with all diligence efter thay be chargit thairto: Note the the names of the persounis our subiectis, aswell men as wemen suspectit to be Papistis, or that hes not communicat with the Sacramentis, as thay ar now trewly ministrat in the reformit Kirkis of this our Realme, outher being within our realme or outwith the same. And with the like diligence lauchfully admonische thame according to the ordour of the Kirk, to recant thair Papisticall Errouris, giue ye confessioun of thair faith according to the forme approuit be our Parliament, be participant with ye Sacramentis, and submit thame selfis to the Discipline of the trew Kirk within certane ressonabill space, vnder the pane of Excommunicatioun, & gif thay fallȝe, to pronounce ye sentence of Excommunicatioun againis thame. And in case of continuance or non comperance of ony persounis swa admonischit nor compeirand [Page]gif thay refuse to obey the admonitioun, Or quha hes or sall returne to thair Errouris efter thair confessioun anis geuin. That euery lauchfull Superintendent or Commissionar present ane Roll & Catholog of the Names of the Disobedientis obstinat or relaps persounis to vs & Lordis of our secreit Counsal, quhair we sall happin to be for ye tyme, betuix & the xv. day of Iulii nixtocum, to the effect contenit in our Act of Parliament maid thairvpon, efter the former & tennour thairof, and vnder the panis contenit in the same, as ȝe will answer to vs thairuppon. The quhilk to do we commit to ȝow coniunctly and seuerally our full power. Be thir our letteris deliuering ye same be ȝow dewly execute and Indorsat agane to the beirar.
Geuin vnder our signet at our Castell of Striuiling the ix. day of April, and of our Reigne the xiii. geir. 1580. Ex deliberatione Dominorum Secreti Consilii.
Anent the Messe abolischit, and punischeing of all that heiris or sayis the same. CAP. V.
ITEM our Souerane Lord, with auise of his derrest Regent, and thre Estaitis of this present Parliamēt, ratifeis and appreuis the Act vnder writtin, maid in the Parliament haldin at Edinburgh the xxiii. day of August, the ȝeir of God 1560. ȝeiris, and of new in this present Parliament statutis & ordanis the said Act to be as ane perpetual Law to all our Souerane Lordis liegis in all tymes cumming, of the quhilk the tennour followis. & The quhilk day forsamekill as Almichty God be his maist trew and blissit word hes declairit the reuerence and honour quhilk suld be geuin vnto him, and be his Sone Iesus Christ hes declairit the trew vse of the Sacramentis, willing the same to be vsit according to his will and word. Be quhilk it is notour and perfytely knawin, that the Sacramentis of Baptisme, and of the body and blude of Iesus Christ hes bene in all tymes by past corruptit be the Papisticall Kirk, and be thair vsurpit Ministeris. And presently notwithstanding the reformatioun alreddy maid according to Goddis word, ȝit thair is sum of the said Papis Kirk that stubburnely perseueiris in thair wickit idolatrie, sayand Messe, Baptisand conforme to the Papis [Page]Kirk, prophan and thairthrow the Sacramentis foirsaidis, in quyet and secreit places, thairthrow nouther regard and God nor his word.
¶ Thairfoir it is statute and ordanit in this present Parliament, that na maner of persoun or personnis in ony time cumming administrat ony of the said Sacramentis foirsaidis secretly, or buy other maner of way, bot thay that ar admittit, and hauand power to that effect. And that na maner of persoun or persounis say Messe, or ȝit heir Messe, nor be present thairat, vnder the pane of confiscatioun of al thair gudis mouabill & vnmouabill, punischeing of thair bodyis at the discretioun of the Magistrat, within quhais Iurisdictioun sic persounis happinis to be apprehendit for the first fault: banisching of the Realme for the secund fault: and Iustifiyng to the deith for the third fault. And ordanis all Schireffis, Stewartis, Bailleis, and thair deputis, Prouestis and Bailleis of Burrowis, and vtheris Iudges quhatsumeuer within this Realme, to tak diligent sute and inquisitioun within thair boundis quhair ony sic vsurpit Ministerie is vsit, Messe saying, or thay that beis present at the doing thairof, ratifyand and appreuand the samin, tak and apprehend thame, to the effect that the panis aboue writtin may be execute vpon thame. And thairfoir of new decernis and ordanis the conrrauenaris of the samin in ony time heirefter to be puneist, according to the paines of the foirsaid Act aboue reheirsit.
Anent the trew and haly Kirk, and of thame that ar declairit not to be of the samin. CAP. vi.
OVR Souerane Lord with auise & consent of his thre Estaitis, & haill body of this present Parliament, ratifeis and approuis al and quhatsumeuer Actis & statutis maid of befoir be his hienes, with auise of his Regentis in his awin Reigne, or his Predecessouris, anent the libertie and freedome of the trew Kirk of God & Religioun nowe presently professit within this Realme. And specially ratifeis and appreuis the sext Act of his hienes Parliament, hald in the firth ȝeir of his maiesteis Reigne, Intitulat anent the trew and haly Kirk, and of thame that ar declairit not to be of the samin. Ordaning the samin to be heir Insert of new (becaus of sum defectioun and Informalitie of wordis in default of the Prentar) in this forme. ¶ OVR Souerane Lord with auise of his thre Estaitis, and haill body of this prosent Parliament, hes declairit and declaitis the Ministers of the blissit Euangell of Iesus Christ, quhome God of his mercy hes now raisit vp amangis vs, or heirefter sall tais, aggroing with them that now leuis in doctrine and administratioun of the Sacramentis, and the pepill of the Realme that professis Christ as he is now offe [...]it in his Euangell, and dois communicat with the haly Sacramentis (as in the reformit Kirkis of this Realme ar publictly administrat) according to the confessioun of the faith, to be the trew and haly Kirk of Iesus Christ withut this Realme, & [Page]decernis & declairis that all & sindry quha outher gainsayis the word of the Euangell ressaiuit and appreuit, As the heidis of the confessioun of the faith professit in Parliament of befoir in the ȝeir of God 1560. ȝeiris, as alswa specifyit and registrat in the Actis of Parliament maid in the first ȝeir of his hienes Reigne mair particularly dois expres ratifyit alswa and appreuit in this present Parliament. Or that refusis the participatioun of the haly Sacramentis as they ar now ministrat, To be na mēberis of the said Kirk within this Realme, and trew Religioun now presently professit, sa lang as thay keip thame selfis sa denydit from the societie of Christis body.
Anent thame that suld beir publict office heirefter. CAP. ix.
ITEM, The Kingis grace with auise of my Lord Regent, and thre Estaitis of this present Parliament, statutis and ordanis that na maner of persoun nor persounis be ressauit in ony times heirefter to heir publict office remouadill of Iudgement within this Realme, bot sic as professis the puritie of Religioun, and doctrine now presently establischit. And that name be permitan to procure, nor admittit Notar; or creat ane meniber of Court in any time cumming without he in likewise profes the Euangel, and Religioun foresaid. ¶ Prouyding alwayis that this Act be on na wayis extendit to ony maner of persoun or persounis hauand thair Offices heritabilly or in [Page]liferent, bot that thay may vse the samin cōforme to thair Infeftmentis, and dispositiounis grantit to thame thairof.
That the aduersaris of Christis Euangell sall not enioy the Patrimonie of the Kirk. CAP. iii.
ITEM, Forasmekill as the conseruatioun and purgatioun of the Religioun cheifly pertenis to the Christiane and godly Kingis, Princis, Rewlaris and Magistratis: and that it is maist requisite, that the Kirk within this Realme beseruit be godly persounis of sound Religioun, obedient to the Authoritie of the Kingis Maiestie our Souerane Lord. ¶ It is thairfoir concludit; statute, and ordanit be his Maiestie, with auise of his said Regent, thre Estaitis; and haill body of this present Parliament, That euery persoun quha sall pretend to be ane Minister of Goddis word and Sacramentis: or quha presently dois, or sall pretend to haue, or bruik ony Benefice, vse of frutes, stipend, pensioun, or portioun furth of Benefice, and ar not alreddy vnder the Discipline of the trew Kirk, and participatis not with the Sacramentis thairof, sall in the presence of the Archibischop, Superintendent, or Commissionar of the diocie or prouince quhair he hes, or sall haue the Ecclesiasticall leuing, giue his assent, and subsoriue the Articklis of Religioun, contenit in the Actis of our Soucrane Lordis Parliament, and giue his aith for acknawledging & recognoscing of our Souerane Lord and his Authoritie, and [Page]sall bring ane Testimoniall in wryting thairupon, and oppinly on sum Sonday in time of Sermon, or publict prayeris in the Kirk, quhair be ressoun of his Ecclesiasticall leuing he aucht to attend, or of the fruites quhair of he ressauis commoditie, reid baith the Testimonial and confessioun, and of new mak the said aith within the space of ane moneth efter the publicatioun of this present Act, and gif he be furth of the Realme within thre scoir dayis efter the publicatioun heirof. And in time cumming within ane moneth efter his admissioun, vnder the pane that euery persoun that sall not do as is aboue appointit, salbe, ipso facto, depryuit, and all his Ecclesiasticall promotiounis and leuing salbe vacand, as gif he war than naturally deid. And gif ony persoun Ecclesiasticall, or quhilk sall haue Ecclesiasticall leuing, sall wilfully mantene ony doctrine direct conttair or repugnant to ony of the saidis Articklis: and being conuenit & callit as followis, sall persist thairin, & not reuoke his errour, or efter his reuocatioun sall of new affirme sic vntrew doctrine, sic mantening, affirming and persisting salbe iust caus to depriue him of his Ecclesiastical leuing. And it sall be lauchfull to thame befoir quhome he is callit & conuenit to depryue him. Quhilk sentence of depriuatioun pronouncit, he salbe depryruit in deid, and his leuing vacand as gif he war naturally deid. And that all Archibischoppis, Bischoppis, Superintendentis, possessouris or tytularis of Prelacies be callit and conuenit for this effect befoir the generall Assemblie of the Kirk, and all inferiour persounis befoir the Archibischoppis, Bischoppis, [Page]Superintendentis, or Commissionaris of the Dioceis or Prouinces within the quhilkis thay dwell.
Anent the ȝouth and vtheris beȝond sey suspectit to haue declynit fra the trew Religioun: CAP. iiij.
ITEM, Becaus sindrie of the ȝouth in this Realme passing to the partis beȝond sey becummis corruptit in Religioun, quhairof greit inconuenient may followe. ¶ Thairfoir it is statute and ordanit, that all persounis the sonnis of Nobil [...]es, gentilmen, and otheris pretending [...]he caus of thair departure to be for attening to farther knawledge in lettenis, sall befoir thair said departure sute and obtene the Kingis Maiesties licence to that effect, contening ane prouisioun, that thay sall remaine constant in the professioun of the trew Religioun publictly preichit, and be Law establischit within this Realme, and do nor procure nathing to the preiudice thairof, or of his hienes and his Authoritie, vnder the pane of barratrie. As alswa the saidis persounis within the space of xx. dayis efter thair returning within this Realme, sall pas to the Bischop, Superintendent, or Commissionar of the Kirkis within the boundis quhair thay arryue, or happinnis to mak residence, and thair offer to mak & giue the confessioun of thair faith according to the trew and Christiane Religioun preichit, and be Law establischit within this Realme, or than within fourtie day thairefter deuoyde and remufe thame [Page]selfis, furth of this Realme, quhairin gif thay failȝe, that thay be admonischit and persewit as the aduersaris of the said trew Religioun. And for sic persounis as ar alreddy furth of this Realme, and hes declynit fta the trew Religioun, that the ordour appointit in the Lawis alreddy maid be vsit and execute aganis thame according to the directioun and tennour thairof in all pointis.
¶ Imprentit at Edinburgh be Iohne Ros.
ANNO DO. 1580.
Cum Pri [...]ilegio Regale.