[A1661/1/92]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Our sovereign lord, considering that it appertains to his highness's care to oversee all universities, colleges and seminaries of learning within this his ancient kingdom of Scotland, and that it contributes very much for the advancing of religion, preventing and suppressing of schism and heresy in the church and for stirring up and inciting all ranks and conditions of people therein to their due obedience and allegiance to his majesty, their righteous prince, that sober, learned, well-qualified and loyal persons be established and maintained as professors, masters and members in the said universities, colleges and schools; and forasmuch as it is informed that during these troubles various abuses have crept into the universities, and upon pretence of former visitation, various honest and able ministers have been thrust out of their places and others placed therein; the rents and mortifications of the university have been dilapidated, unappropriated or misapplied; the foundations violated; the youth trained up in principles of disloyalty and schism; discipline and order has been neglected, and many other abuses to the prejudice of religion, the king's majesty's interest and interest of the university. For remedy whereof, our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of his estates of parliament, gives full power and commission to [...], or any [...] of them, [...] being always present, to be commissioners for the three colleges of the university of St Andrews; with power to appoint the times and places of their meetings and to give forth orders and precepts for summoning the whole masters and members of the three colleges of the said university to appear before them at such days as they shall think fit; and there to call for production of the respective foundations, rentals and mortifications of the colleges thereof, with the registers of the rectorial meetings; and to assess if the business of the university and colleges has been carried on accordingly; and how the rents and mortifications have been employed since the year 1648; and to take such course and give out such orders relating thereto as they shall think just, with power also to them to try and consider the process of such as has been put from their charges, and the admissions and carriage of such as have been put in since that time, and according as they shall find just, to remove such as has been imposed or put into honest men's places, and otherwise to punish them as they shall find their carriage to have deserved during their stay and exercise of these places. As also with power to them to take into consideration all such persons as they shall find to have been unjustly put out, and to restore them to their former services or put them in any other place of the university or colleges; and generally with power to them to take trial of all abuses, enormities and corruptions of the said university and two colleges, or any of the masters and members thereof; to censure delinquents, redress grievances, order the disposal of the rents of the university and colleges, the studies of youth and the professions therein, and to do all other things concerning the good of the said university and colleges that by the law or custom has or might have been done in any visitations formerly granted, firm and stable holding and for to carry out what shall be done by the said commissioners in prosecution of this commission; which is to endure for one year and until it be discharged by his majesty or his privy council.
30 May 1661
This commission being read in parliament was agreed to and approved. And the same was also agreed to and appointed to be given out for the universities and colleges of Edinburgh and Glasgow, and the commissioners' names in all the three commissions to be inserted accordingly as the lord commissioner shall nominate and appoint.
[John Lindsay, earl of] Crawford Lindsay, treasurer, in the presence of the lords of parliament