_Item_, Because that the incres of vertew, and suppressing of idolatrie, crauis that the Prince and the peple be of ane perfyte religioun, quhilk of Goddis mercie is now presentlie professit within this realme; Thairfoir it is statute and ordainit, be our Souerane Lord, my Lord Regent, and thre Estatis of this present Parliament, that all Kingis, and Princes, or Magistratis quhatsumeuir, halding thair place, quhilkis heirefter in ony tyme sall happen to regne, and beir reule ouer this realme, at the tyme of thair coronatioun, and ressait of thair princely authoritie, mak thair faithfull promise, be aith, in presence of the Eternall God, That induring the haill cours of their lyfe, thay sall serue the samin Eternall God, to the vttermaist of thair power, according as he hes requyrit in his maist haly word, reuelit, and contenit in the New and Auld Testamentis; and according to the samin word sall mantene the trew religioun of Jesus Christ, the preicheing of his haly word, and dew and richt ministratioun of the sacramentis now ressaifit and preichit within this realme. And sall abolische and gainstand all fals religioun contrare to the samin: And sall reule the pepil committit to thair charge, according to the will and command of God, reuelit in his foirsaid word, and according to the louabill lawis and constitutionis ressaifit in this realme, nawyse repugnant to the said word of the Eternall God. And sall procure to the vttermaist of thair power, to the Kirk of God, and haill Cristiane pepil, trew and perfyte peice in all tyme cuming. The rychtis and rentis, with all the iust priuilegeis, of the Crowne of Scotland to preserue and keip inuiolatit, nouther sall thay transfer nor alienat the samin. Thay sall forbid and repres in all estatis and degreis, reif oppressioun, and all kynde of wrang. In all jugementis, they sall command and procure that justice and equitie be keipit in all creatures, without exceptioun, as the Lord and Father of all mercyis be mercifull to thame. And out of their landis and empyre they salbe cairfull to ruite out all heretykis and enemeis to the trew worschip of God, that salbe conuict be the trew Kirk of God of the foirsaidis crymis. And that they sall faithfullie affirme the thingis aboue writtin be their solempnit aith.[15] 10. Anent thriddis of benefices grantit in the moneth of December, the ʒeir of God 1561 ʒeiris, for sustening of the Ministeris and vther effaires of the Prince.