[1594/4/15]¹

Regarding satisfaction to the kirk by papists

Our sovereign lord, with advice of his estates in this present parliament, ordains all presbyteries within this realm to cause lawfully summon and charge all persons papists or suspect of papistry within the bounds of their presbyteries, personally or at their dwelling places, to compear before the said presbyteries and satisfy the kirk and presbytery where they remain and make residence between now and 1 August next to come. And in case of their non-compearance or compearing shall refuse to give obedience and make satisfaction as said is between now and the said day, his highness, with advice of his estates foresaid, ordains signification thereof to be made by the presbytery to his highness's privy council, and upon the said signification, the privy council to direct letters charging the said persons papists or suspected of papistry to compear before them and produce sufficient testimonial of the presbytery where they remain of their satisfaction as said is, under the pain of rebellion and putting of them to the horn; and if they fail, to denounce them thereto; by the which denunciation, our said sovereign lord and estates foresaid declare that not only their moveable goods shall fall in escheat and be confiscated to his highness's use, but the liferent of whatsoever their lands, rooms, possessions and others belonging to them shall appertain to his highness as escheat, to be intromitted with and disposed upon as he thinks good. And in like manner declare that whatsoever person or persons shall harbour, supply or entertain the said papists after the intimation of their disobedience and denunciation as said is shall incur the same penalty of loss of their goods, gear and liferent. And to the effect that the premises may be the better accomplished, his highness and estates foresaid declare that in case the said presbyteries be found remiss or negligent in citation of the said persons before them to the effect above-written, the ministers of the said presbytery, or any one person of the ministry thereof in whom the fault shall be tried, shall lose the one half of their benefice or stipend that year, and the collector or his deputes shall uplift the same to be conveyed by advice of the lords modifiers of the minister's stipend, to the help, supply and maintenance of other ministers as yet not provided to sufficient stipends.