[1609/4/19]¹

²Act aganis Jesuitis, seminarie preistis and ressettaris of thame

Oure soverane lord and estaittis of this present parliament, considering the impunitie of Jesuitis, seminarie preistis and utheris papistis, adversareis to the trew religioun professit within this realme, and thair ressaitteris in tymes bigane hes bene the cause alsweill of thair increase as of thair insolence in all the pairtis of this realme, and that the samin hes procedit pairtlie upoun the negligent executioun of the actis of parliament maid aganis the saidis papistis, Jesuites and seminarie preistis and thair ressaitteris, and pairtlie upoun some obscuritie of wordis in the saidis actis; thairfoir our said soverane lord and estaitis foirsaidis, most willing to have the saidis actis put to dew executioun in all pointis and papistrie and superstitioun utterlie suppressed according to the intentioun of the samin, hes ratefeit, apprevit and confermit and, by the tennoure of this present act, ratefeis, appreves and confermit all and whatsumevir actis of parliament either maid in his highnes minoritie and lesse age, or ellis since his acceptatioun of the governament in his awin persone, aganis Jesuites, seminarie preistis, papistis, sayaris and heiraris of masse and ressetteris of the saidis persones or ony of thame, and decernis and ordanis the same to have full strenth, force and effect and to be put to dew executioun in all tyme cumming, with these explanationes eftir following: that the saidis actis maid aganis sayaris and heiraris of masse sall be put to dew executione and be extendit to all heiraris and sayaris of masse without ony exceptioun or restrictioun, as lykwayes that all actis maid of befoir aganis the ressetteris of the saidis persones have their full force, strenth and effect, and to be put to dew executioun aganis the saidis ressetteris eftir lauchfull intimatioun and denuciatioun be maid of the saidis persones, whiche denuciatioun and intimatioun his highnes and the estaitis foirsaidis declares to be sufficient to cause the saidis ressettaris of the saidis papistis, Jesuites, seminarie preistis and utheris contenit in the saidis actis incur the panis thairin contenit gif the samin be maid at the headburgh of the schire wheir the saidis persones remanes and at the marcat croce of Edinburgh, without ony forder intimatioun to be thairanent; aftir the whiche denunciatioun and intimatioun to be maid as said is, oure said soverane lord and estaitis foirsaidis declairis that who soevir thaireftir sall wittinglie and willinglie resset ony of the saidis persones, either privatlie or publictlie, that the saidis ressaitteris sall incur the panis contenit in the saidis actis, they being lauchfullie convict thairof, and that the act maid in his highnes first parliament, beiring that none that professe not the trew religioun presentlie professit within this realme may be judge, procuratour or member of court, be extendit to all and quhatsumevir offices without ony exceptioun or restrictioun in all tyme cumming. And for the better executioun of the saidis actis, oure said soverane lord and estaittis foirsaidis commandis and ordanis all archibischoppis, bischoppis and presbiteres to call befoir thame the saidis papistis, Jesuites, seminarie preistis and thair ressettaris, everie ane within thair awin boundis, and to tak tryell and cognitioun gif they have controvenit the saidis actis or ony pairt thairof, and according as they find eftir dew tryell and probatioun, that they reporte the samin to his highnes advocat and secrete counsaill, to the effect they may be callit and convenit befoir thame and punished according to the saidis actis in all pointis.