Series 5 > Religious Controversy in Scotland 1625-1639

144 RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSY IN SCOTLAND
submissione unto the assemblie.
Eftir this rose upe Mr Johne Hamiltoune28 who in the name and behalf of
the laird ofBlackhafll],29 declaired the saids laird’s approbadone of the proceiding
of the assemblie, and that quhen he subscrivit the King’s Covenant, he did it
with reference unto the Covenant of King James, anno [15]80, and also that he
refused to subscryv the proclamatione. Eftir this Mr David Lindsay declaires the
converssione of a young gentillman30 who was avers from the Covenant and the
present proceidinges of the assemblie, but now hes subscrivit the Covenant.
Mr David Mitchell, his proces being reid, the court immediathe proceids
unto sentence, [fo 3] Bot first the moderator counsles the clerk to red the act of
the first foure assembHes declaireing the causes wherfore [?] a minister aucht to
be censured and deposed. Which being endit the moderator verie smoothlie
frameth a speache quherin he distinguishethe betwixt the censores of the Church
of England and Scodand, affirmeing that the Englishe churche haid31 several!
censures—suspentione, depossitione, deprivatione, and degradation. He gave a
lide touche to that Romishe indelibille character which papists affirme the preistes
to receave in the ordinances which by no wickednes oflyff nor yit by any churche
censure can be razed out. As for the Churche of Scodand, the cluirche censur
was ather to excommunicat, suspend, or to depose, depossidone and degradationes
in the censures are being [one] and the same thinge. The moderator, haveing
endit his speache, he demandethe the judgment of sume brethreine, quhither
they thought it not fittinge to proceid in sentanceing of Mr David Mitchell. It
was answerit by them affirmitivlie. Bot ther arose sume lide jangling quhat his
censure should be.Then rose upe my Lord Lowdaine and my Lord Balmirinoche
quho, haveing declaired ther opiniones, the roll was immediatlie cahit, and all
the house with on[e] consent agreid that Mr David aucht to be depoised, which
being done the moderator proceids to pronunce sentance, bot was a lide inter¬
rupted by a motione of a zealouss brother quho, feareing least any prejudice
mycht aryss unto the libertie of thir assemblie, would neids put in a difference
betwixt the giveing of voyces and the pronunceing the sentance. Bot this bieng
soone cleired, the moderator pronunced sentance, the maner quherof is this:‘In
the name of this assemblie and in the name of our Lord Jesus Chryst, I declaim
Mr David Mitchell to be deposed fiome his ministree and declaim that the said
Mr David is uncapable to execuit any pairt of the ministeriall functione.’ Eftir
this, ordoure was givine by the moderator then [that] his sentance should be
28 Probably the minister of Inverkip: FES, iii, 209.
29 Sir Archibald Stewart.
30 John Forbes, brother of Craigievar. RKS, 160.
31 unintelligible mark.