[1661/1/79]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Our soveran lord considering that it apperteanes to his hienes care to oversie all universities, colledges and seminaries of learning within this his antient kingdome of Scotland, and that it conduces very much for the advanceing of religion, preventing and suppressing of shisme and heresie in the church and for stirring up and inciteing all ranks and conditiones of people therin to their due obedience and alledgeance to his majestie, their righteous prince, that sober, learned, well qualified and loyall persones be established and mantained [as] professours, masters and members in the said universities, colledges and schoolls, and forasmuch as it is informed that, dureing these troubles, diverse abuses have creept into the universities and upon pretence of former visitation, diverse honest and able masters and others have been thrust out of their places and others placed therein, the rents and mortifications of the universities have been dilapidat, impropriat or misapplyed, the fundations violated, the youth trained up in principles of disloyaltie and shisme, discipline and order hath been neglected and many other abuses to the prejudice of religion, the king's majesties' interest and interest of the universities. For remeid whairof, our soverane lord, with advice and consent of his estates of parliament, gives full power and comission to Johne, earle of Midletoun, his majesties' commissioner, William, earle of Glencairne, lord chancellour, Gilbert, earle of Arroll, William, earle of Marishall, Johne, earle of Mar, Charles, earle of Aboyne, Alexander, lord Halkertoun, [...], lord Fraser, Alexander, lord Pitsligo, Sir Archibald Primerose of Chester, lord register, Sir John Fletcher, lord advocat, Sir George Mckenzie of Tarbet, Collonell George Keith, Sir Gilbert Ramesay of Balmayne, elder, Walter Ogilvie of Boyne, elder, Sir Alexander Carnagie of Pittaro, elder, Sir Johne Wrwhart of Cromertie, Sir George Kinnaird of Rossie, Alexander Bannerman of Elsick, elder, [...] Grahame of Morphie, younger, [...], provest of Aberdein, Mr James Sharpe, Mr George Halyburtoun, Mr David Strachan, Mr Johne Paterson, Mr Alexander Gordon, minister at Forge, Mr James Chalmer, Mr Alexander Ross, minister at Monymusk, and Mr William Keith at Wdnie, or any nyne of them, the lord commissioner, lord chancellour or the earle of Marishall being alwayes one, to be commissioners for the universities and colledges of Aberdein, with power to them to appoint the times and places of their meitings and to give furth orders and precepts for summoning the haill masters and members of the university to appeare befor them, at such dayes as they shall think fit, and ther to call for production of the respective fundations, rentalls and mortifications of the colledges therof, with the registers of the rectoriall meitings, and to try if the bussines of the university hath been caried on accordingly, and how the rents and mortifications have been imployed since the yeer 1648, and to take such course and give out such orders theranent as they shall think just. With power also to them to try and consider the processe of such as hes been put from their charges, and the admissions and cariadge of such as have been put in since that time, and according, as they shall find just, to remove such as hes been imposed or put into honest mens places, and otherwise to punish them as they shall find their cariage to have deserved dureing their stay and exercise of these places. As also, with power to them to take into consideration all such persones as they shall find to have been injustly put out and to restore them to their former services, or put them in any other place of the colledge as shall be thought fit, and these who are to be put in any place of the new colledge to be put in be the earle of Marishall, conforme to his rights, and generally with power to them to take tryell of all abuses, enormities and corruptions of the said university or any of the masters or members therof, to censure delinquents, redresse greivances, order the disposall of the rents of the colledge, the studies of the youth and the professions therin, and to doe all other things for the good of the university that, be the law or custome, hes or might have been done in any visitations formerly granted, firme and stable holding and for to hold what shall be done be the saids commissioners in prosecution of this commission, whilk is to endure for ane yeer, and ay and whill it be discharged be his majestie and his privy councill.