ark, when he brought
home his queen. He was afterwards concerned in several important affairs
of the church, until that fatal year 1618, when the five articles of
Perth were agreed on in an assembly held at that place. He attended at
this assembly, and gave in some proposals[48], upon being (along with
others of his faithful brethren) excluded from having a vote by the
prevailing party of that assembly.

In 1620, he was with some others, summoned before the high
commission-court, for not preaching upon holy days, and not administring
the communion conform to the agreement at Perth, with certification if
this was proven, that he should be deprived of exercising the functions
of a minister in all time coming. But there being none present on the
day appointed, except the bishops of St. Andrews, Glasgow and the isles,
and Mr. Walter Whiteford, they were dismissed at that time; but were
warned to compear again on the first of March. The bishops caused the
clerk to exact their consent to deprivation, in case they did not
compear against that day. Nevertheless, they all protested with one
voice, That they would never willingly renounce their ministry, and such
was the resolution and courage of Mr. Scrimzeor, that notwithstanding
all the threatening of the bishops, he celebrated the communion conform
to the antient practice of the church, a few days thereafter.

On the day appointed for their next compearance, the bishops of St.
Andrews, Dunkeld, Galloway, the isles, Dumblain, Mr. Hewison commissary
of Edinburgh, and Dr. Blair, being assembled in the bishop of St.
Andrews lodging in Edinburgh, Mr. John Scrimzeor was again called upon
to answer, and the bishop of St. Andrews alleged against him, that he
had promised either to conform or quit his ministry, as the act at his
last compearance on January 26th reported; he replied, "I am fore
straitned, I never saw reason to conform; and as for my ministry, it was
not mine and so I could not quit it." After long reasoning betwixt him
and the bishops, concerning church policy and the keeping of holy days,
he was removed for a little. Being called in again, the bishop of St.
Andrews told him, "You are deprived of all function within the kirk, and
ordained within six days to enter in ward at Dundee." "It is a very
summary and peremptory sentence," said Mr. Scrimzeor, "ye might have
been advised better, and first have heard what I would have said." "You
shall be heard," said the bishop.