Series 6 > Perth Kirk Session books, 1577-1590

THE PERTH KIRK SESSION BOOKS: 1583
253
Forsamekle as sundry war absent fra the examination befoir the communion,
it was ordanit that all that war absent suld be warnit quarterly to schew ane
ressonabil cause quhy they absentit thame selffis againe this day aucht dayis.
(examination)
Forsamekle as ther has bein ane action of sclander depending befor us this
lang tyme bypast betuix William Killoch and William Knox, it was ordanit
that Andro Jhonston, Alexander Glass and William Inghs suld travell to agre
the foirsaid parties gif it mycht be and to report ther answer this day viii
dayis. (Killoch)
Ordanis the act of sclander to be put in execution aganis Jhon Peblis for the
sclandering of Jhon Canskin etc.
18 Martii 1583
Quhilk day the minister and eldaris being present, it was ordenit that the
act maid in Mr James Smythis tyme aganis Jein Thornton suld be put
in execution baith aganis hir self and hir cautionaris for hir wickit and
ungodly sclander committit aganis Metty Guthry of new aganis hir promes.8
(Thornton)
Ordanis the minister to confer with Andro Trumpet prively and assailye9 gif
he will turne fra his godles opinion of papistre and report his answer to the
assembly this day aucht dayis. (Trumpet)
Ordanis the act of sclander to be put in execution agans Violet Paterson for
the sclandering ofWilham Young, lorimer.
8 Mattie Guthrie would soon marry the minister, Patrick Galloway (see 21 Apr. 1583), and
Thornton s estranged husband, Oliver Peblis, would stand as her caution. Thornton s new
slander of her was probably part of her generahsed and apparently ongoing railing at ‘honest
men and women in this town alleging them more guilty of adultery than she was’ (29
Jan.). Her targeting of Guthrie is understandable given Guthrie’s friendship with Peblis and
Thornton’s resentment of Galloway and his colleagues for their discipline of her and referral
of her partner’s case to the presbytery. But one probably ought not discount altogether her
suspicion of hypocrisy on the part of her godly persecutors. The act made in Smyth’s time
is the ruling of the session meeting of 20 Nov. 1581 (when Smyth was clerk), after an earlier
incident ofThornton’s flyting with Guthrie even before her troubles with the session over
her sexual misbehaviour had begun. Thornton has now violated the terms of that ruling
by slandering Guthrie again, despite her promise to refrain.
9 Try, ascertain.