Forsuameikle as, albeit there be diverse acts concludit in sundrie Assemblies of before, to stay unjust alienatione, dispositione, and wasting of the Kirk rents, and patrimonie thereof, be sic persones within the ministrie as are cled with benefices; and not the less, naither respect nor feare of God, nor reverence to his Kirk, nor good lawes set out in the contrare, hes represt their insatiable and cursed avarice from sic inordinat dealing, to the great prejudice of the Kirk of God, and common griefe and regrait of all good men: For better remeid whereof the brethren assemblit, after reasoning and mature deliberatione in the matter, in uniformitie of votis, hes thocht meit, and concludit, that all persons within the ministrie, alsweell they that wsurpit the stylls of Bischops as uthers that shall be tryit heirafter, to diminische the rents of their benefices aither be diminution of the old rentall, be setting of victuall for small pryce, and within the worth, or wther wayes unjustlie dilapidating and putting away of the rent thereof, be the sicht and judgement of the Generall Assembly, shall underly the sentence of excommunicatione, but furder proces. For purgatione of the Kirk from sclander: the Kirk requyrs, and in the name of God desyres, all men, alsweill gentlemen as uthers convenit at the tyme, if they knaw any within the ministrie sclanderous in lyfe, unable to teache, unprofitable or curious teachers, negligent in preaching, non-residents or deserters, havers of plurality of benefices and offices, dissolute in manners, havand mixt jurisdictiones, givers of pensiones out of benefices, or receavers thereof, to give in their names in a tickett to the Moderator, and that order may be taken with them be the Moderator and his assessors, if present order may be had therewith, wtherwayes to report to the Assembly. Anent the office of Readers, that hes no farther gift of God but simple reading of the Scriptures: The Generall Assemblie hes concludit, after lang reasoning, that their office is no ordinar office within the Kirk of God; and because some of the brether movit the cause and questione, qwhither, in their necessitie or circumstance of tyme, they should be sufferit to continow, the disputation heirof remittit to the morne. Sessio 7. William Stewart, brother to the Laird of Traquair, presentit ane wryting unto the Assemblie in name of the Earle of Lennox. Tenor thereof: