[Amendments from the meeting of the nobility to the commission for plantation of kirks, valuation of teinds and minsters' stipends]

5 October 1641

In the efternoone at the meitting of the nobilitie, the Erle of Southesk was elected president in absens of the president of the parliament who was imployit upon the committie for accomodatioune of the bussines concerneing the electioune of the officers of estate, counsellours and sessieners.

The commissioune anent the kirk and teindis being red, the nobilitie present observit thir remarkis following:

1. Quhair in the beginning and narrative mentioune is maid that commissioun may be renewit, it is offerit to consideration that the expression is more fit thus: that commissioune be grantit.

2. In the claus anent the division of one paroche kirk into tua severall paroche kirks, that the same be upoun the desyre of that presbiterie quhair the kirk lyis, and that the divisioun be maid upoun this provision: that everie ane of the saidis paroches be able to give ane competent stipend, and that the division be maid be the consent of the heritours of the maist pairt of the landis of that parochine.

Adde to this: or reasons be given of thair disassent approvin be the commissiours.

3. Anent the claus that augmentatioune be grantit to ministers who gat not augmentatioune formarlie, to limitat the same with this restriction: quhair they have not bene sufficientlie provydit before.

4. To conceave the expression in thir termes: that all ministers who ar not provydit to stipends be the formar commissioune and hes not sufficient mantenance may ressave augmentatioune, and that these kirke quhilk hes bene provydit be the formar commissioune and sall now get farder augmentatioune be this commissioune, that the samene farder augmentatioune salbe payit out of the bishops rents allanerlie.

Adde to this: provyding thair be not sufficient means within the paroche to doe the same.

5. Anent the plantatioune of schooles, that the same be not universall, bot in paroches quhair the samene is necessar and salbe so fund be the commissionars, and that the mantenance to be appointit to schooles be payit out of the bishops rents.

Nota: It is thocht necessar that everie paroche have ane schoole att leist to learne bairnis to reed and wryte, and gif the provisiouns of schooles be leyit on upon prelacies, it is onlie the way to distroy schooles.

6. That the charges of the commissionars to the generall assemblies may cum aff the brethren as hath ever bene observit since the reformatioune.

Nota: This is contrair to reasone and to the promeis maid be the parliament in thair letter sent to Sanct Andros to the assemblie.

6 October 1641

7. That the commissionars may have power by the commission to grant prorogatioune of takes quhair they impose ony burdingis.

8. To deleit out of the second lyne efter first blank the word 'formar commissioune' and the lyne following relative thairto.

9. That the pryce of the teindis to be bocht may be conforme to nyne yeirs purches.

10. That pairt anent the annuitie to be tane to considerationne.

11. And this to be without prejudice of the valuatioune of these teindis.

12. That it be rememberit in the commissioun quhat number salbe a quorum or quhat cowrse salbe tane thairanent.

That it be addit to the commissioune quhair thair is more assignit nor the valuatioune allowit and approvin extends to (quhilk appeirs to be done be negligence), the commissionars may have power to rectifie the samene, alsuell in the quantitie as in the qualitie of the bolls.

Thes words wald be adjoyned thairto: 'provyding alwayes that the assigned stipend be not diminischit or deteriorat'.

  1. NAS, PA6/7, 'Appendix, October 5 1641'. Back