[1587/7/16]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Oure soverane lord, with avise of his thrie estaitis in this present parliament, statuitis and ordanis that quhatsumevir persoun or personis salhappin heirefter to perturbe the ordour of the kirk in tyme of divine service, or to mak onie tumult, raise ony fray, ather in kirk or kirkyaird, quhairthrow the people than convenit salhappin to be disorderit, trublit or dispersit, the samin salbe ane point of dittay, and the personis to be convict thairof sall tyne all thair movable guidis, to be escheitit to oure soverane lord for thair offence, but prejudice of greittair punisement gif thair happin onie grittair offence (as slauchter, blude, mutilatioun, schuiting of hagbuttis and pistolettis) according to the lawis of this realme; and forsamekle as divers personis having committit sindrie offences for the quhilkis thai merite to be separat frome the societie of the kirk and yit seikis na reconciliatioun thairunto, bot for necessitie of baptisme to thair bairnis or mariage of thame selffis or of thair friendis sumtymes minassis and bostis the saidis ministeris and sumtymes, for seiking of thair levingis or sic uther querrellis, spairis not to put violent handis in thame; for remeid quhairof, it is statute and ordanit be oure said soverane lord, with avise of the estaitis foirsaidis, that quhatsumevir persoun or personis invaidis ony minister or putis ony violent handis in him for the causis abone expremit, or ony uther sic forgit querrell, salbe punissit thairfoir with all rigour and incure the pane of tinsall of all thair movable guidis for the said invasioun and violence allanerlie, albeit na slauchter nor mutilatioun follow thairupoun, the ane half of the saidis movable guidis to be applyit to oure soverane lordis use and the uther to the partie offendit, but prejudice of greittair punishement gif ony heicher cryme concur with the violence and invasioun foirsaidis. And for the better executioun heirof, it is statute and ordanit that all personis dilaitit of the saidis offences salbe callit and persewit thairfoir criminallie befoir the justice and his deputtis, ather in justice airis or at particular dyettis, and that lettres be direct to that effect in commoun forme at the instance of the minister or the kingis advocat or procuratour for the kirk or ony uther that will persew the saidis offences; and quhair ony excommunicat persoun enteris in the congregatioun the tyme of the ministratioun of the sacramentis or commoun prayeris, the minister being certifiet thairof, sall incontinent thaireftir charge the excommunicat persoun in the name of God and oure soverane lord to depairt, quhilk being refuised, he sall, efter the ministratioun of the sacramentis or commoun prayeris endit, require samonie of the maist wyse, discreit and substantious of the parroche as he pleisis, that thai, in oure soverane lordis name, sall tak and apprehend the said excommunicat persoun and present him to the judge ordiner within the boundis of the schyre quhair the parroche lyis, quhilk judge ordiner salbe haldin to ressave the same excommunicat persoun of thair handes and keip and retene him in prisone till he find cautioun under sic sowmes as salbe modifiit be the minister and samony of the eldaris of that kirk as ar present for the tyme or resortis to the oulklie assembleis, that the excommunicat persoun reconciliat him selff to the kirk and sall mak amendis for the said offence. And gif the excommunicat persoun foirsaid deforceis ony of thame in the executioun of the premisis, he being convict thairof, his movable guides sall fall in escheit to oure soverane lord and his persoun sall be punissit at his hienes will and plesure.