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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Presbyt-, Presbitery, -erie, n. Also: presbet-, prisbit-, prisbyt-, prisbet- and -eri, -erye, -erei, -errie, -iori; -ry(e, -(t)rie, -(t)re; presbatrie; also presbterie. [e.m.E. and late ME presbitery (1510), -byterie (a 1552), -etory (1466), -ytory (1483), also prismatorie (1412), the presbytery of a church (1412), the office of presbyter (1604), a body of presbyters (1611), OF presbiterie (12th c. in Littré) a priest's house, late L. presbyterium.]Occas. abbreviated as presbry, -ie, prisbrie, etc. (see (j) below).

1. In the Presbyterian Church of Scotland: An assembly of presbyters or elders, consisting of the minister and one (? or, occasionally, more than one) ruling elder from each congregation within a particular local area, constituting the ecclesiastical court above the kirk-session (see Kirk n. 7 and Kirk-sessioun n.) and below the provincial synod.For some further examples see Moderato(u)r n. 2 b.For a discussion of the constitution and functions of presbyteries, see R. Foster ‘The Operation of Presbyteries in Scotland, 1600–38', Sc. Ch. Hist. Soc. Rev. XV 21 ff.(a) 1578 Second Bk. Disc. in Bk. Univ. Kirk II 505.
Na man aucht to haue the office of visitatioun bot he that is lauchfullie chosin be the presbyterie thairto 1581 Bk. Univ. Kirk II 480.
Thir sax hundreth kirks to be divydit in fiftie presbyteries, twelve to every presbytrie or therabout. Thrie of thir presbyteries … to make ane diocie … .Of thir number, certaine of presbyteries salbe the synodall assemblie 1583 P. Adamson in Melvill 149.
And in everie compas … thair sould be erected a presbyterie, consisting in the pastors and doctors, and sic uther laic persones, as be election may be associat within the sam 1595 St. A. Kirk S. 815 n.
The presbyterie ordanis ane universall tryell of ther haill memberis 1597 Ib. 842 n. 1599 Murray Lyon Hist. Lodge Edinb. 12.
Presbyteryes 1600-1610 Melvill 442.
The uther thrie presbyteries aggreit in an, that the kirk sould mak chose of thair awin commissionars 1602 Misc. Hist. Soc. II 244.
The Generall Assemblie of the commissionaires from the presbytioris of the Kirk of Scotland haldin at Haly Rood Hous 1619 Cranna Fraserburgh 209.
Comperit Mr. Wm. Jaffray … to be tryit be the presbyterie in his literature seeing he intendit … to be schuilmaister 1638 Nat. Covenant in Facs. Nat. MSS III xcvii.
The true Church … in her … presbyteries, sessions, policie, discipline 1649 Moray Synod 96. 1649 Dingwall Presb. 164.
Hutchone Monro wes elected … to the presbyteries bursse 1650 Argyll Synod I 172.
Ranald McRanald … to be summarily excommunicat be the presbyterie of Sky a1651 Calderwood 179.
By dissolving of the prelaceis, and planting of fiftie presbytereis in their place 1669 J.M. Beale Fife Schools 207.(b) 1578 Bk. Univ. Kirk II 425.
That they [the bishops] vsurp not the power of the presbytries 1588 (c 1650) Ib. 731 (C).
The presbytries … to give in the names of papists … to their commissioner 1589–90 Ib. 749 (C).
Presbytryes … to proceed against the violaters of the Lords day by keiping of mercats and fairs therin 1593 St. A. Kirk S. 766 n.
Presbytre 1629 Kirkcaldy Presb. 55.
Presbytrie ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. I 105.
The third article [of ‘A direction for presbyteries’, 1638] … did appoynt layemen to sitt in presbytryes(c) 1581 Reg. Privy C. III 383.
That thairefter presbitereis or elderschippis may be constitute 1589 Edinb. Presb. 28 Oct.
The presbiterie … hes concludit a publicte fast to be proclamit … throw all the kirkis of this presbiterie 1592 Acts III 542/1.
[The parliament] declairis the saidis assembleis presbiteries & sessiounes jurisdictioun and discipline thairof … to be in all tymes cuming maist iust gude and godlie 1593 Bk. Univ. Kirk III 799.
Ane presbiterrie in Ȝetland callit Tingwall 1598 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 164.
Bering ane supplicatione to the moderator and rest of the presbiterie for to admitt the said Thomas Makie to be ane teacher and instructor of the yowtht within thair brught 1629 Justiciary Cases I 114. 1638 Lennoxlove MS (The Duke of Hamilton) C1/439.
Directiones have beine sent from the covenanters to all presbiteryes heere for choosing commissioners to a Generall Assemblye(d) 1591 St. A. Kirk S. 704.
Presbittre 1593 Ib. 751.
To desyre the presbittrie … to esteablis the said ministrie 1621 Dumbarton B. Rec. App. i 3.
The sessionne desyrit the minister speir the advyse of the presbitrie a1634 Forbes Rec. 357.
Besyde sessions, presbitries and synods c1650 Spalding I 116.
The haill archibischopis and bischopis ar citit to compeir befoir the presbitrie of Edinbrugh 1660 Lanark B. Rec. 182.
Keiping the laich hous for the sessioun and presbitrie 1691 Cramond Kirk S. III 14 May.
This day the letters returned from the presbitry of Doun in Ireland 1693 Ib. 28 March.
At the first sederunt of the presbitry he, being ruleing elder for this paroch, should enquire what time they would commense the vacancy of this paroch 1695 Cullen Kirk S. 13 Jan.(e) 1584–5 Reg. Privy C. III 724.
Lyk as the said Mr. Patrik wes than serving at the said kirk, and be vertew thairof hes obtenit collatioun, admissioun and institutioun of the said benefice be the presbeterie than new erectit, and nocht be the said reverend fader, his ordiner(f) 1638 (1640) Acts V 274/1.
Many actis of parliament are conceived for mentinance of Godis true religioun … in hir nationall and sinodall assemblies, presbetries, sessiones [etc.] 1641 Ib. 352/1. 1649 Lamont Diary 3. 1680 Dunkeld Presb. I 225.
The presbetrie to appoint some of ther number … to take notice … of the largnes and capacity of the two said kirks 1687 Sc. N. & Q. 3 Ser. XII 170.(g) 1675 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS 8 Nov.
Presbatrie(h) 1595 Aberd. Council Lett. I 62.
The prisbiterie of Abirdene 1607 Reg. Privy C. VII 299.
Sum of the prisbitereis being too muche addicted to this anarchie … will refuise to admit … ane constant moderatour 1609 Ib. VIII 328.
As a persone suspect of witchcraft the said prisbiterie hes thairupoun convenit hir before thame [etc.] 1647 Dumfries Treas. Acc. MS 9.
For candell … to the prisbetrie 1669 Meikle Old Session Bk. 11.
He had represented his case to the bishop and prisbyterie(i) 1635 Boharm Kirk S. 27 Oct.
Referred the determination to the presbterie(j) abbrev. 1581 Sc. Ch. Hist. Soc. Rec. IV 184.
The namis of the ministers and elders presentlie convenit quha acceptit upone thame offeice & place in the said presbry [of Stirling] 1651 Alyth Par. Ch. 88.
Prisbrie 1659 A. Hay Diary 79.
Presbrie 1669 Meikle Old Session Bk. 12. 1669 Cramond Kirk S. II 31 Jan.
The p^rie having been consulted with [etc.]

b. The presbyteries of the national church, collectively. 1591 P. Adamson in Row 127.
For as concerning the authoritie of the presbyterie, we haif the samen expressed in the Gospel of Saint Matthew, cap. xviii, [etc.] Ib.
Aganis any order or proceeding of the presbyterie Ib.
As for any uther thing that is contained in this act aganis any order or proceeding of the presbyterie, it is to be esteemed that no thing was done by the presbyterie without wisedome, discretion, and judgement, and so hath receaved approbation againe by the kirk 1600-1610 Melvill 644.
He could so jouk and beir with the ministeres and presbyterie, that not only wald not acknowledge but controll him

c. The territorial unit comprising the parishes or congregations under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of a presbytery. 1590 Thirds of Benefices MS SRO E45/23.
To the commissioners, ministers and reidareis within the presbitrie of Lanrek vii b[olls of wheat] 1591 Reg. Privy C. IV 628.
In the speciall kirkis of the said presbiterie 1626 Fraserburgh Kirk S. II 8 Nov.
That thair be ane collectioun maid … to Alax^r Craik … quha … was helpit in all the kirkis of the presbetry 1630 Moray Synod 25.
Ewerie minister in ewerie presbetrie who beis absent … sall pay [etc.] 1640 Kirkcudbr. Min. Bk. 48.
Thair are ten kirkes of the presbytrie of Drumfries, quhilk lyes in Galloway 1642 St. A. Presb. 6.
In drawing vp the bounds of this presbyterie for Sir Johne Scotts carte 1649 Acts VI ii 498/2.
[The] commissiouners of the presbitrie of Dumbartan within the quhilk presbitrie the said parochine doeth lye 1672 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS 11 March.
That the justices of the pace of this presbitrie hes given in a bill [etc.]

d. Attrib. and comb.(1) 1600 St. A. Kirk S. 936 n.
That the presbyterie buik be produceit the nixt day 1644 Moray Synod 70.
The Covenant is insert in all the presbytery books except Abernethie 1667 Fife Synod 185. 1677 Cullen Kirk S. 1 Sept.
The mortificatione … quhilk is registered … in the presbetrie bookes registre at Fordyce 1689 Cardross Ch. 68.
This their resolution to be insert in the presbyterie book 1689 Cramond Kirk S. III 6 Dec.
Ut videre est in their presbitry minutes(2) 1597 St. A. Kirk S. 835 n.
Untill the nixt presbiteri day 1615 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 13 June.
Nixt presbitrie day a1651 Calderwood VI 708. 1698 Dunkeld Presb. II 18.(3) 1686 Cramond Kirk S. II 7 Feb.
Mr. Charles Lumsden presbitry clerk(4) 1640 Argyll Synod I 11.
[That] at the least a schoole be in ilk presbetry seate

2. The Presbyterian polity or system; Presbyterianism. 1662 Dunkeld Presb. I 12 n.
Ther was noe meeting of the presbetrie and soe noe acts to be registred (by reasone of the intermissione betwixt Episcopacie and Presbetrie) 1696 Penninghame Par. Rec. I 1.
James Martin [etc.] … were ordained [as elders] … in the tyme of Presbyterie before the coming in of Prelacie in the yeer 1662