The said day, David Fergusone, Minister of Dumfermling, declared in the publict Assemblie, That he had spoken to Paul Methven, lately excommunicat, quhom he fand verie sorrowful for his grievous offence committed be him in maner above rehearsed, and also sick repentance for the same, that he wald underly whatsoever punishment the Kirk of God would lay upon him, even if it were to lose any member of his bodie, to satisfie the same. After long reasoning of the whole Assemblie of the said repentance and offer, reportit be the said minister, the Kirk condescendit that the said Paul sould have a comfortable answer, and attour that they in the mean tyme sould speake the Lords of the Privie Counsell thereanent. Sess. 2^{a.} holden 26th Junii 1563. The whilk day the Kirk pronounced, That no Contract of Marriage alledged to be made secretlie, carnall copulation following, sall have faith in judgement in time coming, untill the tyme the contractors suffer as breakers of good order and slanderers of the Kirk; and thereafter that faith sall not be given to that promise, untill sick tyme as famous and unsuspect witnesses affirme the same, or ellse both the parties confesse it: And in case that Probation or Confession follow not, that the saids offenders be punished as Fornicators. Concerning the order of appellations, it was statute and ordained, That if anie person find himself hurt be any sentence given be any Ministers, Elders, or Deacons of the Kirk, It sall be lesume to the persone so hurt to appeall to the Superintendant of the Diocie and his Synodall Convention, within ten dayes next after; and the said Superintendant sall take cognition whether it was weill appealed or not, and give sentence thereupon; and if the Partie yitt alleges himself hurt be the Superintendent and his Convention, it salbe lawfull to appeale to the Generall Assemblie of the whole Kirk, immediatelie following thereafter, within ten dayes as of before; and the said Assemblie to take cognitione of the said Appellation, whether it was weill appealed or not, and thereafter to pronounce sentence thereintill, frae the whilk it sall not be leisum to the said Partie to appeale, but the former sentence to have Execution, according to the tenor of the same. _Item_, If the appellant justifies not his appellation before the Superintendant and his Convention foresaid, that he sall impute an Paine upon the said Appellant, as he sall think good, above the Expensis to the Partie; whilk Paine salbe delyvered to the Deacons of the Kirk where the first sentence was given, to be distribute to the Poore. And in like maner, the Generall Assemblie, finding it evill appealed be the said Partie frae the foresaids Superintendant and Convention, sall, as of before, impose ane paine arbitrall, to be distribute as said is, together with the Expensis to the Partie, as is above specified.