Your Loving Brethren and fellow-preachers in Christ Jesus.
Ordains ane humble supplication to be made to the Lords of Secret Councill anent the Commissione of Jurisdictione supponed granted to the Bishop of St Andrews, to the effect that their honors stay the same, in respect that these causes for the most part judged be his usurped authority, pertaines to the trew Kirk; and howbeit, for hope of other things, the Kirk oversaw the Queen’s Majestie’s Commissione given therintill to sic men who for the most part were our brethren, yet can the Kirk no wayes be content that the Bishop of St Andrews, ane common enemy to Christ, to use that Jurisdictione, and alse in respect of that colloured Commissione, he might againe usurp his old usurped authority, and the samen might be the meane to oppresse the whole Kirk be his usurped judgement.
The Generall Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland, conveened at Edinburgh the 25th of December 1566, To the Nobilitie of this Realme that professe the Lord Jesus with them, and hes renunced that Roman Antichrist, desyre constancie in faith, and the spirit of righteous judgement.
Seeing that Satan, be all our negligences, (Right Honourable,) hes so far prevailed within this realme of late dayes, that we stand in extream danger not only to losse our temporall possessions, bot also be depryved of the glorious Evangell of Christ Jesus, and so we and our posteritie to be left in damnable darkness, we could no longer contain ourselves nor keep silence, lest in so doing we might be accused as guiltie of the blood of sic as shall perishe for lack of admonishment, as the Prophet threatens. We, therefore, in the fear of our God, and with grief and anguish of heart, complains unto your honors, yea, we must complaine unto God and to all his obedient creatures, That that conjurit enemie of Jesus Christ, and cruell murtherer of our dear brethren, most falsly styled Archbishop of St Andrews, is reponed and restored be signator to his former tyrannie: ffor not only are his ancient jurisdictions (as they are termed) of the haill bishopric of St Andrews granted unto him, but also the execution of judgement, confirmatione of testaments, and donatione of benefices, as more ample in his signator is exprest. If this be not to cure the head of that venemous beast whilk ance within this realme, be the potent hand of God, was so banished and broken downe that be tyranny it could not hurt the faithfull, judge ye. His antient jurisdictione was, that he with certaine his colleagues collateralls, might have damnit of heresie, upon probatione as pleased him, and then to take all that were suspect of heresie heretofore. Ye cannot be ignorant judges whether they remaine in their former malice or not: their states and travells openly declares. The danger may be feared, say ye; but what remedie? It is easie and at hand, Right Honourable, if ye will not betray the cause of God and leave your brethren, whilk never will be more subject to that usurped tyrannie then they will unto the Diuell himselfe. Our Queen belyke is not well informed. She ought not, nor justly may not, breake the lawes of this realme; and so consequently she may not raise up against us, without our consent, that Roman Antichrist againe: ffor in ane lawfull and free Parliament as ever was in the realme before, was that odious beast depryved of all jurisdictione, office, and authority within this realme. Her Majestie, at her first arryvall, and be diverse her proclamations sinsyne, hes expressly forbidden all uther forme and fact of religione then that whilk she fand publickly established at her arryvall: Therefore she may not bring us the greatest part of the subjects of this realme back againe to bondage, till that alse lawfull and alse free ane Parliament as justly damned that Antichrist and his usurped authority have given decision betwixt us and him heirof, and of uther things that no less concerns yourselfes then us, ye plainly and boldly admonishe our Soveraigne, and without tumult only crave justice. The tyrants dare no more be seen in lawful judgement, nor dare the howlats in the day light. Weigh this matter as it is, and ye shall finde it more weighty then to many it appears.