[1645/11/185]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The estates of parliament, considering how prejudicial the want of schools in many congregations has been and how beneficial the founding thereof in every congregation will be to this kirk and kingdom, do therefore statute and ordain that there be a school founded and a schoolmaster appointed in every parish (not already provided) with the advice of the presbytery, and to this purpose that the heritors in every congregation meet amongst themselves and provide a commodious house for the school and modify a stipend to the schoolmaster, which shall not be under 100 merks nor above 200 merks, to be paid yearly at two terms, and to this effect that they set down a stent upon everyone's rent of stock and teind in the parish proportional to the value thereof for maintenance of the school and payment of the schoolmaster's stipend, which stipend is declared to be due to the schoolmasters over and above the casualties which formerly belonged to the readers and clerks of kirk sessions; and if the heritors shall not convene or being convened shall not agree amongst themselves, then and in that case the presbytery shall nominated 12 honest men within the bounds of the presbytery who shall have power to establish a school, modify a stipend for the schoolmaster with the latitude before expressed and set down a stent for payment thereof upon the heritors, which shall be as valid and effectual as if the same had been done by the heritors themselves. And because the proportions imposed will be very small, therefore and for the better and more ready payment thereof, it is further ordained that if two terms' proportions run in the third unpaid, then those that so fail in payment shall be liable in the double of those proportions then resting and in the double of every term's proportion that shall be resting thereafter until the schoolmaster be completely paid, and that without any deduction, and that letters of horning and all other executorials necessary be directed at the instance of the schoolmaster for payment of the double of the proportions in manner aforesaid, discharging hereby any suspension to pass against the schoolmasters without consignation. And it is declared that liferenters during their lifetime shall be liable in payment of the proportion imposed upon the lands liferented and execution in the manner before expressed shall pass against them for that effect, and the heritors shall be always free of the same during the liferenters' lifetime; and if any persons find themselves wronged by inequality of the proportions imposed, it shall be lawful for them to seek redress thereof before the lords of secret council or session within a year and day after the imposing of the stent and by no other way.