place, and those accounted to be thirty years of age at the least. 4. That the spiritual jurisdiction should be exercised by the bishops in their dioceses. 5. That abbots, priors, and inferior prelates presented to benefices, should be tried as to their qualification and their aptness to give voice in parliament, by the bishop or superintendent of the bounds, and upon their collation, should be admitted to the benefice, but not otherwise. 6. That the elections of persons presented to bishoprics, should be made by the chapters of the cathedral churches; and because the chapters of divers churches were possessed by men provided before his majesty's coronation, who bore no office in the church, that a particular nomination of ministers should be made in every diocese to supply their rooms until the benefice shall fall void. 7. That all benefices, with cure, under prelacies, should be conferred on actual ministers, and on no others. 8. That ministers should receive ordination from the bishop of the diocese, and where no bishop was yet placed, from the superindendent of the bounds. 9. That the bishops and superintendents, at the ordination of ministers, should exact of them an oath for acknowledging his majesty's authority, and for obedience to their ordinary in all things.

1572, March 6.] XXII. The General Assembly appointed to be held this day at St. Andrews, was convened, and a committee appointed to report on the articles adopted by the Convention of Leith.

1572, August 6.] XXIII. A General Assembly held at Perth. In the third session, the brethren appointed presented to the Assembly a protestation, with their opinion, requiring the Assembly to adhere to the same, the tenor whereof followeth.

"For sameikle as in the Assemblie holden in Leith, upon Januar last, certain commissioners were appointed to travel with the nobility and their commissioners, to reason and conclude upon diverse articles and heads, then thought good to be conferred upon; according to which

commission, they proceeded at diverse diets and conventions, and finally agreed, for that time, upon the said heads and articles, as the same produced in this Assemblie proports; in which, being considered and read, are found certain names, such as archbishop, dean, archdeacon, chancellar, chapter, which names are thought slanderous and offensive to the ears of many of the brethren, appearing to sound to papistrie; therefore the whole Assemblie, in ane voice, as well those that were in commission at Leith as others, solemnlie protest, that they mean not, by using any such names, to ratifie or consent and agree to any kinde of papistrie or superstition, and wish rather the names to be changed into other names that are not scandalous and offensive, and in like manner protest that the said heads and articles agreed upon, be only received as an interim, till further and more perfect order may be obtained at the hands of the king's majestie's regent and nobilitie, for the which they will press as occasion shall serve;-unto the which protestation the whole assemblie convened, in ane voice adhered."

The constitution of the church being altered by the unauthorized resolutions of the Convention of Leith, and episcopacy established in place of that by presbyters and superintendents, under the control of the General Assemblies, it seems unnecessary to continue the proceedings of the episcopal church, or to advert to the acts of its Assemblies, which are not held authoritative by the presbyterian church. In 1592, however, presbyterianism was again restored. Episcopacy being abolished, church government was established, by kirk-sessions, presbyteries, synods, and general assemblies. The Acts of Assembly, therefore, from that time, shall be resumed till 1606, when episcopacy was re-introduced. It is not intended to encumber this work with details of proceedings by the church during the periods of its equivocal existence, or to embrace any of its statutes which are of an apocry

phal description, as regards their authority in the presbyterian church. The struggles and controversies which occurred betwixt the episcopalian and presbyterian partizans are properly the subjects for history, and not of a work of this description.

1593, April 24.] XXIV. A General Assembly was convened at Dundee Mr. David Lindsay, moderator. 1. The Assembly sent a deputation to the king, with articles, wherein they craved that jesuits and other popish priests, be declared culpable of treason, and lese majesty, and that the laws be enforced against them.

2. It also remonstrated against the erection of tithes into temporalities, to the prejudice of the kirk.

3. The act of parliament 1592, concerning the ratification of the presbyterian church government, was laid before the Assembly, by order of his majesty, with a message as to the appointment of General Assemblies, &c.

4. The Assembly answered that Assemblies should be called according to the tenor of the act of parliament, and ordained that no minister within this realm utter from the pulpit any rash or irreverent speeches against his majesty, or his counsel, or their proceedings, but that. all their public admonitions proceed upon just and necessary causes, and sufficient warrant, in all fear, love, and reverence, under pain of deposition. That the brethren to be chosen by his majesty be placed and admitted by the presbytery, &c.

5. The names and number of presbyteries were given up as follows: One presbytery in Zetland, viz. Tingwall; in Orkney, Kirkwall; in Caithness, Thurso; in Sutherland, Dornoch; in Ross, two, Tain and Channonry; in Murray, four, Inverness, Forres, Elgin, and Ruthwin; in Aberdeen, five, Banff, Deer, Innerurie, Aberdeen, Kincardine; in Mearns, one, Cowie; in Angus, five, Brechin, Arbroath, Migel, Dundee.; in Dunkeldon,

one, viz. Dunkeldon; in Perth, two, St. Johnston and Dunblane; in Fife, four, St. Andrews, Couper, Dunfermline, Kirkaldie; in Stirling, one; in Linlithgow, one; in Lothian, four, Edinburgh, Dalkeith, Haddington, Dunbar; in Tweeddale, Peebles; in the Merse, two, Chirnside and Dunse; in Teviotdale, two, Jedburgh and Melrose; in Nithsdale, one, Dumfries; in Galloway, two, Kirkcudbright, Wigton; in the sheriffdom of Ayr, two, viz. Ayr and Irwine; in Ranthrow, Paisley; in Lennoxshire, Dumbarton; in Clydsdale, three, Glasgow, Hamilton, and Lanark.

6. The Assembly gave commission to certain brethren to visit, and try the doctrine, life, conversation, diligence, and fidelity of the pastors within the said presbyteries; to try if there be any non-residents who have dilapidated their benefices, &c.

7. For as much as in synodal assemblies the books of particular presbyteries are tried and visited, it is concluded that in time coming the books of the synodal assemblies be directed by the synods to the General Assembly, to be sighted and considered, for understanding the better of their proceedings, under the pain of the censures of the kirk.

8. The Assembly ordaineth that no disposition of rents and livings of colleges be taken, or other title be made, without the advice and consent of the General Assembly, under the pain of deposition of the persons doing in the

contrair.

9. It was ordained that where ministers, for lack of manses, are non-residents, or where the manses are ruinous, they repair and build the same, upon their own expenses, to be refunded to them or their heirs.

10. It is concluded that where any private controversy shall arise betwixt two of the brethren, they shall submit the same to others of the ministry.

11. The General Assembly dischargeth every christian within the kirk from repairing to any of the King of Spain's dominions, under the pain of incurring censures and excommunication.

1594, May 7.] XXV. A General Assembly held at Edinburgh-Andrew Melvill, moderator.

1. A sentence of excommunication pronounced by the synod of Fife against Huntly, and other apostate lords, was ratified by this Assembly; and it was ordained that the same be intimate at all the churches within the realm.

2. It was ordained that the act made in January 1592, and the band at Aberdeen be registered in the books of Assembly.

3. A deputation appointed to present a statement to the king, of the dangers arising from the impunity of papists, enemies of the crown and liberty of the country. The articles and answers engrossed.

4. Lord Home reconciled to the kirk. Touching the horrible superstition used in Garioch, and divers parts of the country, in not labouring a parcel of ground, dedicated to the devil, under the name of the " good man's croft,"-ordered that application be made for an act of parliament to cause labour the same.

1595, June 24.] XXVI. A General Assembly at Montrose James Nicholson, moderator.

1. Articles presented by the king's commissioners, that persons convicted of treasonable practices be excommunicated, &c., considered and answered.

2. Touching the acts of Assembly, the brethren ordained that the same be sighted, and the special acts concerning the practice of the kirk, be extracted and joined with the Book of Discipline, to be published either in writ or print, that none pretend ignorance. (Never carried into effect.)

3. Commission given to James Melvine and others to convene, the 5th day of January next to come, to try and consider the doctrine, life, and diligence of the masters of the colleges, the discipline and order used by them; to reform, so far as they are able-such things as they cannot take order with being remitted to the next Assembly; and to report to the next Assembly what they effectuate.

4. A commission given to some brethren, to inquire who, since the act 1578, have set their benefices, with diminu