Page:The Laws and Acts of Parliament of Scotland.djvu/652

Si The third Sejfion of 'the frft Tarliament of choice of eight Bifhops, viz. The Archbifliops of S^n^i- Andrews and Glajgow , The Bifhops of Edin- burgh, Galloway, Dunkeld, Breichen,Caithnes, and Ifles; which being done, the Clergy and Nobility mett together in the Inner Exchequer houfe , and having fhewn their elections to others, the perfons elected, at leaft fo many of them as were prefent , flayed together in that roum , (whilft all others removed) and they jointly made choice of Eight Barons, and eight Commiflioners of Burrows , viz. Sir John Gi/mour of Craigmillar, Prefident of the Seflion , Sir James Lockhart o{ Lee, Sir James ¥ otitis of Collingtoun, Sit Archibald Stirling of Carden , SirP^r/F^^^r/zofGosfoord, Sir Thomas Hamilton of Prefton, Murray of Polmais, and William Scott of Ardrofs , Sir Robert Murray Proveft of Edinburgh, Mafter John Vaterfon of Perth , Alexander JVedderbumoi Dundie , Gilbert Gray of Aberdeen , Duncan Nairn of Stirling , Andrew Car ft airs of Sanct-Andrewes , Andrew Glen of Linlithgow , and William Cm- inghame of Air , Burgefles; And then reprefented the whole elections to his Majeftie's Commiflloner, who being fatisfyed therewith , did then with the Clergy and Nobility return to the Parliament-houfe , where the lift of the eight Bifhops, eight Noblemen , eight Barrons , and eight Burgefles being read , It was ap- proven , And his Majeftie's Commiflloner did add to the lift the Officers of Eftate , And appointed the Lord Chancellour to be Prefident, in the meetings of the Lords of the Articles; who are to proceed in difcharge of their truft, in preparing of Laws, Acts, overtures, and ordering all things remitted to them by the Parliament , and in doing every thing elfe which by the Law and Practick of the Kingdom , belonged , or were propper to be done by the Lords of Articles at any tyme bygone. I I ACT againfi fepamtion and difbbed'tence to Ecclefiaftical Authority. FOrafmuch as the Kings Majefty,confidering the prejudices which did enfue to the Church and Proteftant Religion,to die prerogative of the Crown, to the Authority of Parliament, to the Liberties of the Subject , and to the publick Lawes and Peace of the Kingdom , by the invafions made upon Epifcopal Government during the late troubles; And finding that Government,to be the Church Government, moft agreeable to the word of God,moft convenient & effectual for prefervation of Truth order &Unity,and moft futeable to Mon- archy and to the Peace and Quiet of the State; Hath therefore,with advice and confent of His Eftates of Parlia- ment, byfeveralActspaftin the fecondSeffion of this Parliament, re ftored the Church to it's ancient and right Government by Arch-bifhops and Bifhops, and hath redintigrated the eftate of Bifhops to the exercife of their Epifcopal Function, and to all the priviledges, Dignities, Jurifdictions , and Poffeflions due and formerly belonging thereunto. And in further order to the fettlement of the Church,and bringing the Minifters to a due acknowledgment of and complyance with the Government thereof thus eftablifhed by Law, His Majefty, with advice forefaid , hath alfo Statute and Ordained , That all thefe Minifters , who entered to the Cure ofanyParoch without Right or prefentations from the lawful Patrons, in and fince the year , one thoufand , fix hundred , and fourty nine , and ihould not , betwixt and the twentieth olSepember laft , Ob- tain Prefentations from their feveral Patrons , and Collation from the Bifhop of the Diocefs where they lived , ihould have no right to the uplifting the Rents of any Benefice or Stipend for the year , one thoufand , fix hun- dred and fixty two, but that their places , Benefices and Kirks mould be , ipfbjure , vacand : And that what- ever Minifters fliould, without a lawful excufe to be admitted by their Ordinary, abfent themfelves from the Diocefian Aflembly,or who fliould not concur in all the Acts of the Church-difcipline, as they fhould be there- unto required by the Arch-bifliop or Bifhop of the Diocefs, fliould be for the firft fault fufpended from their Office and Benefice till the next Diocefian Meeting; and if they amend not, fliould be deprived, and the Church and Benefice to be provided as in other cafes of vacancies. And the Kings Majefty having refolved to conferve and maintain the Church in the prefent State and Government thereof by Arch-bifhops and Bifh- ops, and others bearing office therein, and not to endure nor give way or connivance to any variation therein in the leaft, Doth therefore , with advice and confent of his Eftates conveened in this third SefTionof His Parliament, Ratifie and approve the afore-mentioned Acts, and all other Acts and LaWes made in the two for- mer Seffions of Parliament , in order to thefetling of Epifcopal Dignity , Jurifdiction and Authority within this Kingdom ; and Ordains them to ftand in full force as publick Lawes of the Kingdom , and to be put to further execution in all points, conforme to the tenor thereof. And in purfuance of His Majefties Royal refolution herein, His Majefty, with advice aforefaid, doth recommend to the Lords of His Majefties Privy Council, to take fpeedy and effectual courfe, thatthe^e Acts receive ready and due obedience from all His Majefties Subjects; And for that end, that they call before them all fuch Mil ifters , who having entered in or fince the year, one thoufand , fix hundred, and fourty nine , and have not as yet obtained prefentations and Collations, as aforefaid, yet dared to preach in contempt of the Law, and to punifh them as feditious perfons and contemners of the Royal Authority. As alfo, that they be careful , that fuch Minifters, who keep not the Diocefian Meetings, and concur not with the Biihops in the Acts of Church difcipline, being for the fame fufpended or deprived , as faid is , be accordingly , after deprivation , removed from their Bene- fices , Glebs and Manfes; and if any of them fhall notwithftanding offer to retain the poffeffion of their Bene- fices