Maitland Club > Miscellany of the Maitland Club > Volume 3, Parts 1 and 2

1560. KIRK SESSION OF ST. ANDREWS. 255
God quhai is the way the veritie and the lyfe quhome We the minister
and eldaris of this reformed Kirk of Sanctandrois takes to witnessing of
our consciences That We takand cognitioun in the actioun and caus of
divorcement or partysing moved and intentated by Elizabeth Gedde
against William Iiantoun hir pretended husband for the filthy and abho-
minable cryme and syne of adulterie committed be him with Margaret
Aidnem the parties petitioun ansueringes richtes reasones jures and alle-
gatiounes with the testimonies and depositiones of witnes and all vther
thinges Concerning the said matere before ws produced in presence of
men of great eruditioun with quhome we communicated the secretes of
the said cause and matter and with ws and them being heard seyne con-
sydered and rypelie vnderstand haifFand respect to the dilatioun gevin in
to ws before the moving of this caus vpoun the filthy cryme forsaid of
adulterie committed be the saidis Williame and Margaret And the said
William being called and therof accused and examinated vpoun his aith
perjuradlie denyed the same and nevertheless therefter the saidis Wil-
liame and Margaret oppinlie singularlie and lamentablie in the faice of
the Congregatioun assembled within the paroche Kirk of Sanctandrois
confessed the forsaid cryme of adulterie betuix them committed Like as
the said Williame also hes also confessed in this caus judiciallie before
ws and sa be confessioun of partie and depositioun of famos witnes
We find the said Williame gyltie and the said Elizabeth innocent and
justlie of the law of God audit and suld be divorced and simpliciter par-
tysed fra the said Williame hir pretended husband and heirfore be this
our sentence diffinityve pronunces decernes and declares the said Wil-
liame ane perjured adulterar and the said Elizabeth innocent divorced
and fre of the company and societie of the said Williame with full power
to hir according to the law of God to mary in the Lord And the said
Williame to be haldin and repute ane dead man worthy to want his lyf
by the law of God quhen evir it sail please God to stirre up the heart of
ane gude and godlie magistrate to execute the same with the ciuile
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