Scottish Text Society publications > Old series > Historie of Scotland > Volume 1, 1888

io6
THE HISTORIE OF SCOTLAND.
speik, that the Ecclesiastical ordour may haue the first
place, first for the authoritie, quhairthrouch sche excellis
the rest, and than for a certane diuine power gyuen vnto
her. Of the Ecclesiastike state I wil first speik, and trulie
in fauour of the simpiller sorte, I may vse mse wordes 5
than vthirvvyse this place requiret, because that maist
haly ordour throuch ignorance of wicked men or rathir
thair maliciousnes is sa veheme/ztlie wraket and brocht
to nocht with vs.
THE ECCLESIASTICAL -ESTATE.
Thrie digries
in the estate
ecclesiasti¬
cal.
Bischopes.
Preistes
hauewg the
regarde of
the saules.
In administratione of the Kirk, schynes thrie digries, 10
by the rest, in that ordour, to wit, Bischopes, Priests,
and Religious, ffor quhen al forme of doeng or keiping
ordour may aluttirlie dekay, excepte it depend vpo;/ the
superioritie of ane or mony, Bischopes ar ordanet, quha
obteine«g the first place, walde appoynt certawe lawis, in 15
a maner, to the rest, of pietie, modestie, temperance, and
of al vertues. Bot seing of Bischopes ar sa few, that on
fute thay ea/2 nocht throuch al places gang, nathir al
mew is maniris caw thair eyne sie, nathir only can thay
vse al the offices of thair authoritie ; thairfor ar eikit to 20
thame priestes, quha may to the lai peple betuene dorpe
and dorpe, and toune and toune minister the blist Sacra-
mewt, and feid thame w‘ the pure and sinceir lycht of
the Religione. To thame for thair trauel publiklie is
ordayned thair sustentatione, 85 steddings directed, houses 25
appoynted.
Bot quhen God saw w‘ that scharpe sychte quhairw1
he al things sies, that preistes eftir certane jeiris, and
wfin proces of tyme, sould gyue thame selfes ouer to
vice, and vicious leiueng, to couetousnes, and gaiping 30
eftir ryches, in the mein tyme thair office cleine abiectc,
w‘ his glide spirit sum he inllamet, quha sulde gyue ouer