Series 4 > Stirling Presbytery Records 1581-1587

STIRLING PRESBYTERY RECORDS 1581-1587 2rJ
be bot quhair thair is ane lauchfull juge, ane persewar and defender,
cans and circumstancis requisit, tyme, plaice and ordur aggreing with
the law, that is, gif it be ane inquest thai man be lauchfullie sum-
mondit and the partie hard and his lauchfull defenss, quhat may be
said againis thame of the law (thir nottis) as partiall counsell,
gevaris up of dilationis, ingyraris of thame selffis to be examinat,
hes bein accusaris of the partie, hes schawin thame selffis ennemeis be
word and deid uttering thair maleice and invy alwayis be certane
signis of heich contemptis, awcht nathir to be juge, inquest, witness
nor ony lauchfull membir of a lauchfull proces againis the persoun
defender quhair ony of thir is trew and may be varefeit nor yit can
ony accusatioun be lauchfullie deducit and usit, bot quhair the
defender is first hard and his lauchfull defensis, nathir yit aucht ane
elder (that is ane prechur) to be accusit bot be the witness of twa or
thre wimessis. Nane of thir is observit be you that I knaw and thair-
for wald be teichit, thairfor na lauchfull proces can be usit meikilles
ane lauchfull sentence pronuncit, and prayis you brethrein in the
name of God to be war that ye oppin nocht ane dur to the wickit
in the kirk of God be privie inquisitionis againis ony minister of his
doctrein and conversatioun be certane previe personis, quha of
maleice againis the ministeris zealle in doctrein and disceplein will
speik sclanderuslie of him (yea of the maist godlie) unrequyrit
meikill mair quhen thai ar requyrit, speacially quyetlie, he is a
proud man, he is a gredie man, a partiall man, a flytter, a drunkard,
a commone companioun at cairttis tabillis, the four houris pennie,
and siclyk, for ma nor anew of sic slanderus and wickit personis is
in everie congregatioun that regairdis nathir preiching nor dis¬
ceplein, admonitioun nor correctioun ony way, and gif a ministeris
preiching, conversatioun or disceplein salbe offerit to this previe
inquisitioun without his knawlege, I dout nocht bot wimessis salbe
fund againis him to condam him, and thairfor brethrein yit be war
in tyme of sic prettickis, ye use with me that ye trublle nocht the
maist part of the brethrein. Bot quhat ye can do to me aggreing with
the scripturis be lauchfull and formall ordur cheritablie and
brothurlie handillit (as ye wald be done to) lam contenttit thair-
with as I schew you in the beginning that I wald obey the kirk in all
thingis that I aucht and that appertenit to the kirk. And of this I
mervell quhairfra thir new accusationis or inquisitionis cumis now