[1662/5/106]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of his estates of parliament, presently convened by his majesty's special authority, ratifies, approves and perpetually confirms the gift and letters patent granted by his majesty to a reverend father in God David, now bishop of Argyll, under his majesty's great seal of the date at Hampton Court, 14 July last past, giving and granting to the said reverend father in God, and his successors bishops of Argyll, forever the jurisdiction of commissariotship and administration of justice, by commissaries and their deputes, within the diocese of Argyll, in all causes belonging to the said courts, with power to them to confirm testaments by their commissaries within the said diocese, and to receive the quots to be paid thereof by themselves, their factors or receivers in their names, and to exercise the foresaid jurisdiction and enjoy all privileges, emoluments and casualties belonging thereto, and do all other things thereupon, likewise and as freely as the remaining bishops or any of them have done or may do within their respective dioceses, and with the sole and only power, privilege and liberty of nominating, constituting and presenting commissaries, commissary clerks and procurator fiscals to the said commissariat of Argyll, from time to time as the said offices or any of them shall happen to become vacant, for administration of justice to all his majesty's lieges; and also, dissolving the power of presentation to the said offices, with all fees and casualties thereof, from the crown, and annexing the same to the said bishopric of Argyll to remain therewith, in all time thereafter, notwithstanding of the reservation contained in the act of parliament made in the year 1609, and declaring the nomination, constitution and presentation of men qualified to exercise the said offices now to belong to the said bishop of Argyll and his successors bishops thereof only, in all time thereafter, in manner at length specified in the said letters of gift of the date foresaid, in all and sundry heads, points, articles, clauses and circumstances thereof. And his majesty, with advice and consent of his said estates of parliament, wills and grants and for his highness and his successors decrees and ordains that this present ratification shall be as valid, lawful and sufficient to the said reverend father and his successors bishops of Argyll, in all time coming, as if the foresaid gift and letters patent were word by word engrossed herein, albeit the same be not so done; with the which and with all defects that may follow thereupon, and also with all other objections and imperfections, if any be, which may be opposed or alleged against the validity of the foresaid gift or of this present confirmation and ratification thereof, his majesty, with advice and consent foresaid, has dispensed and, by this act, dispenses for ever; and statutes and ordains that the foresaid letter of gift, with this present ratification thereof, shall be a sufficient, valid and undoubted right to the said David, bishop of Argyll and his successors bishops thereof, and their commissaries, to bruik and enjoy the whole privileges, liberties, emoluments, fees, casualties and profits above-specified perpetually in all time coming, notwithstanding of whatsoever acts, laws, statutes or constitutions heretofore made to the contrary.