Series 4 > Stirling Presbytery Records 1581-1587
(46) Page xli
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INTRODUCTION
xli
sanctuary there, prepared the way for attempts at reconciling
bishops, whom the king wished to retain, with a presbyterial
administration. A conference between some councillors and minis¬
ters at Holyroodhouse in February 1585/6 reached agreement in a
compromise which recognised that ‘ presbyteries of persons ecclesi¬
astical!’ should be set up throughout the realm in places selected by
the general assembly with the king’s advice, and that bishops,
presented by the crown and admitted by the general assembly (to
which they remained accountable in life and doctrine), should each
accept a congregational charge, and, with other commissioners,
conduct visitations with ‘the advice of the presbyterie’, which was
also assigned a positive role in admitting candidates to benefices.
Admissions and deprivations by a bishop, without the presbytery’s
approval, were declared to be invalid. Acceptance that a bishop ‘ by
himself sail doe nothing, but that which a particular minister or
moderator is astricted to by his office’ was evidently designed to
satisfy presbyterian beliefs, but it might also imply recognition that
the bishop should become constant moderator of the presbytery,
an interpretation which was by no means clarified in the accom¬
panying statement that ‘the bishops and commissioners sail visie
the presbytereis and the moderator of the presbytereis sail visie the
particular kirks’.1
When it met in May, the assembly gave hesitant approval to the
scheme after making many detailed comments. It insisted that the
name of bishop was ‘commoun to all Pastours and Ministers’, but
it permitted the king to present to the assembly for admission
a minister nominated to a bishopric. Although affirming that
‘visitatioun is in the person of Pastours’, the assembly accepted that
it might ‘send a man, accompanied with such as the Presbitrie sail
adjoyne to him in visitatioun’, or, again, it might appoint a bishop
to visit certain defined areas (but not ‘ the haill bounds callit of auld,
Dyocie’) so long as he proceeded with the synod’s advice and such
as the synod joined with him in visitation. In presentation and
collation to benefices, the overseer was to act with the presbytery’s
advice and with assessors nominated by the general assembly. The
work of bishops was to be supplemented by commissioners nomi¬
nated by the crown and admitted by the assembly. In addition, the
1 Calderwood, History, iv, 491-4
xli
sanctuary there, prepared the way for attempts at reconciling
bishops, whom the king wished to retain, with a presbyterial
administration. A conference between some councillors and minis¬
ters at Holyroodhouse in February 1585/6 reached agreement in a
compromise which recognised that ‘ presbyteries of persons ecclesi¬
astical!’ should be set up throughout the realm in places selected by
the general assembly with the king’s advice, and that bishops,
presented by the crown and admitted by the general assembly (to
which they remained accountable in life and doctrine), should each
accept a congregational charge, and, with other commissioners,
conduct visitations with ‘the advice of the presbyterie’, which was
also assigned a positive role in admitting candidates to benefices.
Admissions and deprivations by a bishop, without the presbytery’s
approval, were declared to be invalid. Acceptance that a bishop ‘ by
himself sail doe nothing, but that which a particular minister or
moderator is astricted to by his office’ was evidently designed to
satisfy presbyterian beliefs, but it might also imply recognition that
the bishop should become constant moderator of the presbytery,
an interpretation which was by no means clarified in the accom¬
panying statement that ‘the bishops and commissioners sail visie
the presbytereis and the moderator of the presbytereis sail visie the
particular kirks’.1
When it met in May, the assembly gave hesitant approval to the
scheme after making many detailed comments. It insisted that the
name of bishop was ‘commoun to all Pastours and Ministers’, but
it permitted the king to present to the assembly for admission
a minister nominated to a bishopric. Although affirming that
‘visitatioun is in the person of Pastours’, the assembly accepted that
it might ‘send a man, accompanied with such as the Presbitrie sail
adjoyne to him in visitatioun’, or, again, it might appoint a bishop
to visit certain defined areas (but not ‘ the haill bounds callit of auld,
Dyocie’) so long as he proceeded with the synod’s advice and such
as the synod joined with him in visitation. In presentation and
collation to benefices, the overseer was to act with the presbytery’s
advice and with assessors nominated by the general assembly. The
work of bishops was to be supplemented by commissioners nomi¬
nated by the crown and admitted by the assembly. In addition, the
1 Calderwood, History, iv, 491-4
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Scottish History Society volumes > Series 4 > Stirling Presbytery Records 1581-1587 > (46) Page xli |
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Description | Over 180 volumes, published by the Scottish History Society, containing original sources on Scotland's history and people. With a wide range of subjects, the books collectively cover all periods from the 12th to 20th centuries, and reflect changing trends in Scottish history. Sources are accompanied by scholarly interpretation, references and bibliographies. Volumes are usually published annually, and more digitised volumes will be added as they become available. |
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