[A1567/12/6]¹

Anent the admissioun of thame thay salbe presentit to benefices, havand cure of ministerie

Item, it is statute and ordanit be our soverane lord, with avise of his derrest regent and thre estatis of this present parliament, that the examination and admissioun of ministeris within this realme be onlie in power of the kirk, now oppinlie and publictlie professit within the samin, the presentatioun of lawit patronageis alwayis reservit to the just and ancient patronis and the patroun presentand ane qualifyit persoun within sex monethis (efter it may cum to thair knawlege of the deceis of him quha bruikit the benefice of befoir) to the superintendent of thay partis quhair the benefice lyis, or utheris havand comissioun of the kirk to that effect, utherwayis the kirk to have power to dispone the samin to ane qualifyit persoun for that tyme, provyding that in cais the patroun present ane person qualifyit to his understanding, and failyeing of ane, ane uther within the said sex monethis, and the said superintendent or commissar of the kirk refusis to ressaif and admit the person presentit by the patroun as said is, it salbe lesum to the patroun to appeill to the superintendent and ministeris of that province quhair the benefice lyis and desyre the person presentit to be admittit; quhilk gif thay refuse, to appeill to the generall assemblie of this haill realme, be quhome, the cause beand decydit, sall tak end as thay decerne and declair.