[1578/7/19]¹

Concerning the policy of the kirk

Forasmuch as a book of the policy of the kirk being presented by the ministers thereof to our sovereign lord and three estates in parliament, they must earnestly desire the same and whole constitutions and ordinances therein contained to be confirmed by act of parliament and have the strength of a law perpetually in time coming; the said book being read and considered in presence of the lords chosen upon the articles, and many heads thereof being found of so great weight and consequence that no resolution nor determination can be presently given therein, and our said sovereign lord and his three estates, being most willing that the policy of the kirk should be certain and established, have appointed the persons underwritten: they are to say, Robert [Stewart], earl of Lennox, lord Darnley, Robert [Douglas], earl of Buchan, lord Auchterhouse and Robert [Stewart], lord Boyd, three of the king's grace's privy council; Patrick [Adamson], archbishop of St Andrews, James [Boyd], archbishop of Glasgow and David [Cunningham], bishop of Aberdeen for the bishops; Robert [Pitcairn], commendator of Dunfermline, Mark [Kerr], commendator of Newbattle, and Robert [Keith], commendator of Deer for the abbots; John Erskine of Dun, John Wishart of Pittarrow and John Fullarton of Dreghorn for the barons; William [Ruthven], lord Ruthven, provost of Perth, Master James Haliburton, provost of Dundee, and John Arnott [of Birswick], burgess of Edinburgh, for the burghs; Masters John Sharp, Clement Little and Master Alexander Sym, advocates, Masters George Buchanan, Peter Young, Alexander Arbuthnott, assistors, Masters James Lawson, David Lindsay, George Hay, William Christianson, John Row and John Duncanson for the ministers, or any 18 of them together, to convene at Stirling on 28 August 1578, and there to review the aforesaid book, with certain treaties made before at Leith and Holyroodhouse concerning the said policy, and to confer thereupon and upon all other things concerning or that may be profitable to setting forth of the said policy to the quietness of the whole kirk and commonwealth of the realm, and that their said conference be put in writing and reported to our said sovereign lord and three estates in the next parliament, that a substantial and certain order may be taken therein as appropriate.