[1587/7/25]¹

For explanatioun of the commissioun gevin to proceid aganis non residentis

²Oure soverane lord, with avise of his thre estaitis of this present parliament, haveing considerit the act maid in the parliament haldin at Edinburgh, the xxij day of Maii the yeir of God j^M v^C fourescoir foure yeiris, anent deprivatioun of personis providit to benefices of cuir under prelaciis for non residence at the kirkis of thair benefices, and that it sould be comptit non residence to be absent fra thair functioun four Sondayes in the yeir, be quhilk act commissioun is grantit to certane ecclesiasticall personis mentionat thairin to call and convene befoir thame the personis delaitit and suspectit as non residentis, or for uther causis mentionat in the said act, quhilk necessarlie requiring explanatioun for divers questionis and doubtis daylie falling out thairupoun, thairfoir declairis, statuitis and ordanis that the said act and commissioun directit thairupoun is, nor at na tyme heireftir salbe, extendit aganis ony of the lordis of secreit counsall or senatouris of the college of justice or thair memberis occupiit or daylie attending on his hienes necessar service, or aganis onie personis being furth of the realme be his hienes licence and employed in his speciale service during the tyme of thair absence (quhilkis notwithstanding salbe astrictit and haldin to sustene qualifiet ministeris at thair kirkis in thair absence). Nather sall the said act and commissioun be extendit aganis sic personis as wer providit to benefices of cuir under prelaciis being laic patronages befoir the making of the said act of deprivatioun for non residence and utheris causis specifiit thairin, bot that the haill personis broukand benefices in caisis befoir declarit sall injoy and possess thair benefices during thair lyftymes, susteneand the ministrie according to sic ordour as is takin or salbe takin thairanent as gif the said act and commissioun had not bene grantit, and that alwayes sic personis as hes reissavit benefices and bene collationat on conditioun to serve in the functioun of the ministrie and to mak residence and yit failyeis thairintill, salbe subject to the jugement of the said act and commissioun.