Restis yit other two sortis of peple to be provided for, of that quhilk is called the patrimonye of the Kirk; to wit, the Poore, and Teachearis of the youtheid. Every severall Kirk must provide for the poore within the self; for fearful and horrible it is, that the poore, quhom nott onlie God the Father in his law, but Christ Jesus in his evangell, and the Holie Spreit speaking by Sanct Paule, hath so earnestlie commended to oure cayre, ar universallie so contempned and dispysed. We ar nott patronis for stubburne and idill beggaris, quho, rynning from place to place, mak a craft of thair beggyng, quhom the Civile Magistrat aucht to punyshe;[421] but for the wedow and fatherless, the aiged, impotent, or laymed, quho neather can nor may travell for thair sustentatioun, we say, that God commandeth his pepill to be cairfull; and thairfor, for suche, as also for personis of honestie fallin in[to] decay and penuritie,[422] audit suche provisioun[423] be maid, that [of] oure aboundance should thair indigence be releaved. How this most convenientlie and most easilie may be done in everie citie, and uthir partis of this Realme, God shall schaw you wisdome and the meanis, so that youre myndis be godlie thairto inclyned. All must not be suffered to beg that gladlie so wald do; neather yit most beggeris remane whare thei chuse;[424] but the stout and strong beggar must be compelled to wirk, and everie persoun that may nocht wirk, must be compelled to repair to the place whare he or scho was born, (unles of long continuance thai have remaned in one place,) and thair reassonable provisioun must be maid for thair sustentatioun, as the Churche shall appoint. The ordour nor soumes, in oure judgementis, can nott be particularlie appointed, unto suche tyme as the poore of everie citie, toun, or parrishe, be compelled to repair to the places whaire thei war borne, or of thair residences, whaire thair names and nomber must be tackin and put in roll; and then may the wisdome of the Kirk appoint stipendis accordinglye.
[421] The edit. 1722, supplies the words, "ought to [compell to work, or then] punish."
[422] In edit. 1621, "fallen into decay and poverty."
[423] In this place of the MS. 1566, a blank space occurs, at the conclusion of one of the re-written quires, with the catchword "_such provi-_," in connexion with the top of the next quire, which is written in a kind of official square hand, and was probably a portion of the copy laid before the Convention, in January 1561. Instead of "Kirk," it will be observed that the word "Church" is now employed; and curiously enough, in Calderwood's edition, 1621, this is reversed, and "Church," which had hitherto been used, gives place to "Kirk."