Volume II Part 23 (1/2)

[400] In edition 1621, ”Kirk” and ”kirkis,” are uniformly ”Church” and ”churches,” throughout a considerable portion of this book; but see note 2, page 201.

[401] That is, the Prayers that were usually printed with the Book of Common Order, and the Psalms in metre.

[402] In edit. 1621, ”to a farther degree;” Vautr. edit. is the same as the text.

[Sidenote: * ADDITIO.]

* For The Lordis thinkis, That nane be admitted to preche,[403] but thai that ar qualifiet thairfoir, but rather be reteaned readaris; and sick as ar prechearis alreaddy, not fundin qualifiet thairfoir be the Superintendent, be placed to be readaris.

[403] The edit. 1621, takes no notice of this sentence having been added; and thus connects it with the preceding words, ”honestie and further knowledge, that none be admitted to preach,” &c. Vautr. edit.

is nearly the same with the text.

THE FYFT HEID, CONCERNYING THE PROVISIOUN FOR THE MINISTERIS, AND FOR THE DISTRIBUTIOUN OF THE RENTIS AND POSSESSIONIS JUSTLIE APPERTENYNG TO THE KIRK.[404]

[404] In edit. 1722, Chap. V.

Seing that of our Maister Christ Jesus and his Apostle Paule, we have, ”That the warkman is worthy of his reward,” and that, ”The mouth of the lawboring oxe aucht nott to be muzilled,” of necessitie it is, that honest provisioun be maid for the Ministeris, quhilk we requyre to be suche, that thai haif neather occasioun of sollicitude, neather yit of insolencie and wantoness. And this provisioun must be maid not onlie for thair awin sustentatioun, during thair lyiffes, but also for thair wiffis and childrene efter thame. For we juge it a thing most contrariouse to rea.s.sone, G.o.dlines, and equitie, that the wedow and childrene of him, quho in[405] his lyiff did faithfullie serve[406]

the Kirk of G.o.d, and for that caus did not cairfullie mak provisioun for his familie, suld, efter his deith, be left confortles of all provisioun.

[405] Vautrollier's suppressed edition breaks off at the foot of page 560, with these words, ”the widow and the children of him who in.” See vol. i. pp. x.x.xii. x.x.xix.-xlii.

[406] In edit. 1621, ”serve in.”

[Sidenote: * ADDITIO.]

* Provisioun for the Wyffis of Ministeris efter thair deceise, to be remitt.i.t to the discretioun of the Kirk.[407]

[407] This addition is in the margin of the MS. It is taken into the text in edit. 1621, without notice, and reads as follows: ”be left comfortles of all provision; which provision for the wives,” &c., ”is to be,” &c.

Difficill it is to appoint a severall stipend to everie Minister, be rea.s.soun that the chargis and necessitie of all will not be licke; for some wilbe contenewaris in one place, some wilbe compellit to travell, and oft to change dwelling place, (gif thai sall have charge of diverse kirkis.) Amangis these, some wilbe burdened with wyiff and childrein, and one with mo then ane other; and some perchance wilbe single men: Gif equall stipendis suld be appointed to all those that in charge ar so inequall, eather suld the one suffer penurie, or ellis suld the uther have superfluitie and too muche.

[Sidenote: * ADDITIO.]

* We juge, thairfor, that everie Minister have sufficient quhairupoun to keip ane house, and be sustened honestlie in all thingis necessarie, alsweill for keiping of his house, as claithis, flesche, fische, buykis, [fewell,] and other thingis necessarie, [furth] of the rentis and thesaurie[408] of the kirk, [where he serveth,] at the discretioun of the congregatioun, conforme to the qualitie of the persone and necessitie of the tyme. Quhairin it is thocht [good] that everie Minister sall have at leist fourtie bollis meill, and twenty-six bollis malt, to find his house breid and drink; and mair, sa mekill[409] as the discretioun of the Kirk findis necessarie; besydes money for buying of uther provisioun to his house, and other necessaries, the modificatioun quhairof is referred to the jugement of the kirk, to be maid everie yeir at the chosing of the eldaris and deaconis of the kirk. Providing alwayis, that thair be advanced to everie minister sufficient provisioun for ane quarter of ane yeir befoir hand of all thingis.

[408] In MS. 1566, ”the same;” in edit. 1621, ”and treasurie.”

[409] In edit. 1621, ”and more so much.”

To him[410] that travelleth from place to place, quhom we call Superintendentis, quho remane as it war a moneth or less in one place, for the establis.h.i.+ng of the kirk, and for the same purpoise changeing to ane uther place, must farther[411] consideratioun be haid. And, thairfoir, to suche we think sax chalder beir, nyne chalder meill, thre chalder aittis for his horse, v^c markis[412] money, to be eikkit and pared at the discretioun of the Prince and Counsall of the Realme; to be payit to him yeirlie, in maner foirsaid.

[410] In edit. 1621, ”But to him.”

[411] In edit. 1621, the words ”place,” and ”farther,” are omitted.

[412] The edit. 1621, omits the words ”for his horse;” and makes it ”six hundreth merkes money.”

The children of the Ministeris must have the liberties of the citeis next adjacent, quhair thair fatheris lawbored, frelie granted. Thai must[413] have the privileges in sculis, and bursis[414] in collegis; that is, that thai salbe susteaned at learnyng, gif thai be found apt therto; and failing thairof that thai be put to some handycraft, or exercised in some verteouse industrie, quhairby thai may be profitable membres in a commoun wealth.

[413] In MS. 1566, ”must,” is usually written ”most.”