King CHARLES the II. 73 of Patronages be dulyfetled and eftablifhed by the ancient and fundamental Laws and Conftitutions of this Kingdom; Yet, divers Minifters in this Church have, and do pofTefTe Benefices and Stipends in their re- fpecTive Cures without any Right or Prefentation to the fame from the Patrons. And it being therefore moftjuft, that the lawful and undoubted Patrons of Kirks be reftored to the pofleffion of the Rights of their refpeclive Advocations, Donations and Patronages ; Therefore, His Majefty, with advice and confent of His Eftates of Parliament, Doth Statute and Ordain, That all thefe Minifters who entered to the Cure of any paroch in Burgh or Land within this Kingdom, in or fince the year one thcufand, fix hundred and fourty nine (at and before which time die patrons were moft injurioufly difpoffefled of their patronages ) have no right unto, nor fhall receive, uplift nor pofTefTe the rents of any Benefice, modified Stipend, Manfeor Gleib for this prefent cropt, one thoufand, fix hundred and Tixty two, nor any year following, but their, places, Benefices and Kirks are, ip/ojure, vacand. Yet, His Majeftie, to evidence His willino-nefs to pafs by and cover the mifcarriages of His people, Doth, with advice forefaid, Declare, That this Acl fhall not be prejudicial to any of thefe Minifters in what they have poffcfled , or is due to them, fince thier admif- fion: And that every TuchMinifter who ihall obtain a prefentation from the lawful patron , and have Colla- tion from the Bilhop of the Diocefle where he liveth , betwixt and the twentieth of September next to come, fhall from thenceforth have right to , and enjoy his Church, Benefice, Manfe and Gleib, as fully and freely as if he had been lawfully prefented and admitted thereto at hisfirft entry, or as any other Minifter within the Kingdom doth or may do. And for that end, it is hereby Ordained , That the refpec"tive patrons fhall give prefentations to all the prefent Incumbents, who in due time fhall make application to them for the fame And in cafe any of thefe Churches fhall not be thus duly provided before the faid twentieth of September then" the patron fhall have freedom to prefent another betwixt and the twentieth day oiCfrtarch, one thoufand fix hundred and fixty three ; which it he fhall reiufe or neglect, the prefentation fhall then fall to the Bilhop! lure devoluto, according to former Laws. And fuchlike HisMajeftie, with advice forefaid, doth Statute andOrdain the Archbifhops and Bilhops to have the power of new Admiffion and Collation to all fuchChurch- esand Benefices as belong to their refpecTivc Sees, and which havevaked fince the year one thoufand, fix hundred and thirty feven : And to be careful to plant and provide thefe their own Kirks conform to this Aft. I V. ACT concerning Matters of Univerfities, Ministers, &c.
- He King's moft Excellent Majefty , according to the laudable example of His Royal progenitors in for"
mer parliaments, Doth, with advice and confent of His Eftates conveened in this prefent parliament Ratifie and Approve all and whatfoever Ads and Statutes heretofore made, concerning the liberty and fre- edom of the true Church of God, and the Religion now profefled and eftablilhed within this Kingdom: And confidering how necefTar it is for the advancement of Religion and Learning, for the good of the Church and peace of the Kingdom, that the Univerfities, and Colledges be provided and ferved with profefibrs, prinl cipals, Regents ana Mafters, well effected to His Majefty and the eftablilhed Government in Church and State; His Majefty, with advice forefaid, Doth Statute, Ordain and EnacT, That from this time forth no Mafters, pnncipals, Regents, nor other profefibrs in Univerfities or Colledges within this Kingdom , be admitted , nor allowed to continue in the exercife of any Function within the fame, but fuch as are of a pious loyal and peaceable converfation, fubmitting to, and owning the Government of the Church by Archbifhops and Bifhops, now fetled by Law ; and who having given fatisfation therein to the Bifhops of the refpeftive Diocefles and patrons, and having, in their prefence , taken the Oath of Alleagiance , fhall procure their atteftation of the fame ; that is to fay, the profefibrs and other Mafters of the Univerfities of St. Andrews Glajgow and Aberdeen, to have the approbation and atteftation of the Archbifhops and Bifhops, who are' the refpective Chancellors of the laids Univerfities; and the profefibrs and other Mafters of the New-toun Colledge in Aberdeen andCoIledge of Edinburgh, to have the approbation of the refpecTive patrons the Earl of Marjhal, and Magiftrates of Edinburgh and Aberdeen, and an atteftation and certificat under the hand of the Bifhops of Edinburgh and Aberdeen, refpective, that they have taken the Oath of Alleagiance, and that they are perfones who fubmit to, and own the Church-government as now fetled by Law. Likeas,* His Majefty finding it necefTary for the peace and quiet of the Church, that the Minifters be fuch as will ac- knowledge, and comply with , the prefent Government of the fame, Doth therefore, with advice forefaid Stature and Enact , That whatfoever Minifter fhall , without a lawfuli excufe to be admitted by his Ordina- ry, abfenthimfelf from the vifitations of the Diocefle, which are to be performed by the t Bifhop or fome of the Minifters to be appointed by him, or from the diocefian Aflembly ; or who fhafl not , according to his duty, concur therein, or who lhall not give their affiftance in all the Acts of Church-difcipline, as they fhall be required thereunto by the Archbifhop or Bilhop of the Diocefle, every fuch Minifter fb offending ihall for the firft fault , be fufpended from his Office and Benefice till the mxt diocefian Meeting; and if he' amend not, lhall be deprived, and the Church and Benefice to be provided as the Law alloweth in other
- • cafes
