Series 2 > Miscellany of the Scottish History Society

184 THE SCOTTISH CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
expeditioun, ordour and some good effect, we have thocht
it meit that in everie presbyterie thair be appoynted one
of the ministrie thairof, and tuo or thrie of the gentillmen
of best creditt within thair boundis, assuming to thame
selffis in everie paroche the minister thairoff, to gadder
the voluntar benevolence of all that are abill and weill
disposed within the landwart paroches of that presbyterie ;
thairfor, we ehtreatt yow, in the bowellis of the Lord
Jesus, that ye, tacking with yow the minister of ilk paroche,
will be pleased to tak the paynes to go throw all the
landwart paroches within the precintis of your presbytrie,
addressing your selffis to the gentillmen and utheris that
ar abill, and efter a trew declaratioun of the great necessitie
of our poore afflicted brethrene, to receave and collect
what it shall pleas God to move thair hartis to bestow;
and that ye wald have ane booke whairin the particular
contributioun of everie one may be set doun, . . . which
roll or booke we desyre yow subscryve with your handis,
and to send it to the bishop of your diocie, together with
your contributioun, that it may be tymouslie delyverit
to the forsaid commissionar who presentlie attendeth the
end of this bussienes at Edinburght.’
The kirk-session found the desire to be most reasonable,
and were willing to contribute according to their power,
and to give orders that a voluntary contribution be craved
to that effect from such inhabitants of the burgh as are
able to give the same, ‘ efter they have hard what course
is taken thairanent be the burrowis in the south pairtis of
this realme.’ 1 So far as the Spalding Club volume of
selections from the ecclesiastical records of Aberdeen
shows, nothing more was done there in the matter.
Glowing reports from the burghs in the south of Scotland
may have led the Aberdonians to the conclusion that
contributions from the north were unnecessary. The
1 Selections from the Records of the Kirk-Session, etc,, of Aberdeen, pp.
99-101.