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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Kirk-sessioun, n. Also: kirke- and -sessioune, -session. [Sessioun n.] A kirk-session, the lowest court in the Reformed Church of Scotland.Comprising the minister and elders (in some instances also the deacons) of a parish or congregation, or rather, those who held active office for that particular year. Not found as a compound before the 17th c.: but referred to earlier as the eldarschip, the sessioun, the seat (occasionally also the assembly), or, from its constituents, the minister and eldaris or the minister, eldaris and deacones, of a particular church: cf. also Kirk n. 3 and 3 b. Also referred to earlier as the ministry: see esp. St. A. Kirk S. I. xxiii f.(1) 1617 Acts IV. 548/1.
Anent the punischment of drunkardis … power … is gevin … to all shirreffis, … justices of peace and kirk sessiounes within everie parochin 1639 Spalding I. 227.
Any vther meiting or conventioun of the subiectis, then the ordiner meiting of kirk sessionis, presbitreis, synodis, … is null 1640 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 251.
The sin of adultrie … confest be thame both in the presence of the kirk session 1640 Acts V. (1870) 278/2.
The … priviledges of this kirke or of hir generall provinciall presbiteriall assemblies and kirke sessiones 1649 Ib. VI. (1870) 383/2.
The said Johne Watt to pay to the kirk sessioune of Borrowstounes … ane hundreth punds Scots 1672 Ib. VIII. 99/2.
Provideing … that the minister and kirk session, with the heretors of each paroche, … have the nomination of a collector 1699 Edinb. Gazette 26–30 Oct.
The clerk's office in the West Kirk session being … vaccant … any person may … give tryal of their qualifications in presence of the said kirk-session(2) 1647 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 77.
The vther half [of the fines] … to the collector of the kirk session for the vse of the poore 1661 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 459.
John Robesoune, thesaurer of the kirk sessioune 1696 Acts X. 63/2.
The casualties which formerly belonged to the readers and clerks of the kirk session