Perth Kirk Session minute book
Church of Scotland Kirk Session minutes throughout Scotland include complaints about people playing golf when they should have been at church.
The Perth Kirk Session minute book tells of 6 boys caught playing golf at Perth. The ringleader was fined and all were ordered to make public repentance before the congregation.
The Rev James Scott's transcription of the Perth Kirk Session minute book, 1604.
[National Library of Scotland reference: Adv.MS.31.1.1]
Transcription
'January 2nd 1604
Sabbath
'The Visitors report that good order was keeped [kept] the last Sabbath, except that they found some young Boys playing at the Gowf [Golf] in the North Inch in Time of Preaching after noon; who were warend then by the Officiars [officers] to compeat [appear] before the Session this Day.
'Ibid [same] Cempears [appears] Robert Robertson, William Stenis, Andrew Donaldson, Alexander Niving, Adam Paul, Robert Meling, all warned to this Day, who were convicted of profaning the Lord's Sabbath by absenting themselves from hearing of the Word, & playing at the Gowf in Time of Preaching. And therefore the Session ordained first, Robert Robertson who was Ringleader to the rest to pay an Mark to the poor, and, secondly, or dains him & the rest to compear the next Sabbath into the Place of public Repentance, there to declare their Repentance in Presence of the whole Congregation.'