[1593/4/26]¹

²For punishment of the contemners of the decreets and judicatories of the kirk

Forasmuch as the king's majesty, with advice of his estates in parliament, has confirmed and established the jurisdiction and judicatories of the kirk in the general and synodal assemblies, presbyteries and particular sessions of every kirk and parish, willing and ordaining their sentences and decreets in matters pertaining to their judicature to be put into execution and take full effect; and it is of verity that a number of obstinate and stubborn people in diverse parishes of this land have contemned and daily contemns the sentences and decreets of the said assemblies and judicatories of the kirk, namely in landward parishes where there is little or no concurrence of magistrates to punish obstinate and disobedient persons; and the said kirk having no other punishment in their hands but spiritual, the which the said obstinate people (being altogether fleshly and beastly) feels not nor sets nothing by; therefore our sovereign lord, with advice of his said estates, for remedy hereof, has statute and ordained that in case any of his subjects within this realm refuse to obey the ordinances and decreets of the said assemblies and judicatories of the kirk in any time to come, the said assemblies and judicatories shall direct their beadle to the person or persons disobedient, charging and commanding them in the name of God and the king to obey their decreet and ordinance; the which charge if the said person or persons contemns and remains obstinate, the minister of the parish where the said person or persons remains still three several Sundays from pulpit, charge and command the said person or persons in the name of God and the king to obey the same ordinance and decreet. And in case notwithstanding all the said charges the said person or persons remains still obstinate and rebellious, then shall the said assembly or judicature which has made the said ordinance and decreet submit the matter by their supplication to the lords of session, containing the substance of the process, the sentence and decreet pronounced against the said person or persons with a complaint of their contempt and disobedience, whereupon the party complained on being first cited and heard to propose their lawful defences in case they compear, and if they compear not on account of contumacy, the said lords of session or secret council shall give out letters to put the said person or persons to the horn within 10 days next after the charge in case of disobedience and continuing in their former contempt and rebellion.