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In the name of the Lord, amen. To all and singular who shall inspect the present public instrument, John [Crannach], by the grace of God and the apostolic see bishop of Brechin, and conservator of the privileges of the Scottish church, and John Scheves, doctor of decreets, canon of Glasgow and Aberdeen and appointed official of St Andrews, greeting in the Lord and inviting certain faith in the present [letters]. Know that the reverend father in Christ, father John [Winchester] bishop of Moray, procurator and in the name of procuration of the prelates and clergy of all of Scotland, concerning which sufficient mandate was evident to us, exhibited, presented and judicially produced certain apostolic letters in our presence, namely one of the late lord Pope Gregory [XI], another of the late lord Pope Martin [V], and with the true lead bulls, embossed according to the Roman custom, hanging from them, [and] humbly asked from us that it might be thought fit for these apostolic letters to be transcribed and copied for future memory [...] Wherefore we, John, bishop of Brechin and conservator, and John Scheves, official [...], agreeing, and because after diligent inspection we have discovered these bulls to be sound [...] and free from suspicion, therefore we [...] have ordered that the aforementioned bulls be transcribed by the notaries written below [...], having extended summonses earlier to all and singular whom the said bulls concern by our letters, which we caused to be fastened publicly to the doors of the parish church of St Giles of Edinburgh, for compearing at a certain day and place written below to consider and hear this transumpt decreed, or for alleging [...] reasons whereby the transumpt ought not to be decreed. The tenor of which bulls follows words for word, and is such.
Bishop Gregory, servant of the servants of God, for due future memory of the pastoral office in which we preside from the Lord's appointment, requested that we shall exert ourselves as far as we are able for that by which the position of churches and ecclesiastical persons is beneficially decided. Recently, indeed, by the relation of a trustworthy person we learnt that formerly many kings of Scotland, by pretext of a certain custom, as they alleged, which ought more correctly to called a corruption, dared rashly to appropriate all property and moveable goods which the bishops of the said realm existing for the time were holding or possessing at the time of their death, de facto receiving and usurping these things to themselves from the same deceased bishops; and that, although formerly David [II], king of Scotland of illustrious memory, while he was conducting human affairs, piously considering that such a perverse and abominable custom existed, had decreed it to be abolished, and entirely revoked and removed, and had commanded that it henceforth be by no means observed; and a little later our most beloved son in Christ, Robert [II] king of Scotland, successor of the aforesaid David, had approved and confirmed this revocation and mandate; nevertheless many officials of the same king and certain others, by pretext of the said custom and in the name of the said King Robert, have hitherto dared and [continue to] dare rashly to pillage the goods of certain bishops and prelates dying in the said kingdom, and appropriate [them] to the treasury of the said kingdom or for other uses. We therefore, paying attention in order to provide opportune remedy of our concern concerning this, and wishing fittingly to meet [the challenge of] ventures of this sort of presumption in so far as, with God, we are able, by the tenor of the present [letters] strictly forbid all and singular persons existing in the said realm that they should presume to receive or by any means usurp any goods of whatsoever bishops or prelates dying in the aforesaid realm by pretext of the said detestable, or rather corrupt, custom. Indeed we determine all and singular who, contrary to this our inhibition, shall henceforth dare to plunder or usurp the goods of any bishops or prelates of the said realm dying in the future, even if such daring people should be distinguished with royalty or any other dignity, to incur a sentence of excommunication on this account, from which they may by no means be absolved except by death, unless they formerly restored the goods so plundered and usurped by them, contrary to this inhibition, entirely to those to whom they were owed, with effect. Therefore no person at all is allowed to infringe this our page of inhibition and decreet, or recklessly dare to make resistance, however if anyone shall dare to attack this [inhibition] he shall accept that he will incur the indignation of omnipotent God and of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul. Given at Avignon on 14 Kalends April in the fifth year of our pontificate [19 March 1375].
Bishop Martin, servant of the servants of God, to the venerable brothers [Henry Wardlaw] bishop of St Andrews and [William Stephenson] bishop of Dunblane, greeting and apostolic benediction. Believe that we are urged in our office from a dispensation, as we preside with plenitude of power from that divine dispensation for all the churches of the world. We strive to correct an impetuous excess in so many prelates of the same, as many of them are corrupted, for example if they remain uncorrected at an audience. Accordingly, from the relation of our most beloved son in Christ James [I] illustrious king of Scots, it appears that the venerable father Finlay [de Albany] bishop of Argyll, also known as Lismore, forgetful of his own salvation and neglectful of the fear of God, contrary to the duty of pastoral office, [...] adhering to many mutinous traitors and notorious rebels of the said king, gave them counsel, aid and favour contrary to his position and with plotting in many places and committed the crime of lese-majesty against his king. And, because of this act, the same Finlay, with the aforementioned traitors and rebels, fled from the said kingdom and left his church destitute of pastoral solace, forever having abandoned hope of his return there, and that, because of the foregoing things and other detestable acts, he is so hated by clerics and laymen that it cannot be tolerated in those regions without grave scandal. And therefore hitherto his church has suffered harm in spiritual and temporal matters and suffers daily loss, and the faithful people committed to him as a flock remain without a shepherd, having unloosed a danger for the souls of the same people, to the slighting of pontifical dignity and an abominable precedent for many. We, therefore, paying attention that, if the abovesaid things are true, the same Finlay has rendered himself unworthy to pontifical dignity, and not having certain notice concerning the foregoing, and wishing to oppose such scandal and to employ an opportune remedy concerning these things, we entrust and command your brotherhood by apostolic writing that you, or one of you, personally call and summon the said Finlay, if he is discovered in the city† or diocese of Argyll, otherwise publicly in his church of Argyll, between the solemn service of masses, and having affixed this summons to the doors of his church concerning the foregoing and relating others on the behalf of the said king. And from whatever things you learn by summary information, you should enquire concerning the truth of these things related against this ill-reputed bishop, [he] having been summoned, and, whether present or absent contumaciously, proceeding in the form of an inquisition by way of the points set out [against the] ill-reputed person. And you should remit faithfully to us whatever you learn concerning this with all process of such an inquisition in authentic form, [such] as those supplied by our justices and others appointed as seems expedient to us. And furthermore, if you find the aforementioned bishop to be absent from the said city or diocese, and the people subject to him to be abandoned, while the process is pending of this inquisition, and during the absence of this bishop, you should commit the rule and administration of this church in spiritual and temporal matters to some other bishop or other good man suitable for this, by our authority, until we shall have made provision concerning this, or ordained otherwise, enjoining notwithstanding to the person to whom you shall have ordered the administration to be committed (duly supported with the remaining burdens† of the same church), that he take care to conserve diligently the fruits, rents and profits of aforesaid church, or even by a future successor to the aforementioned bishop, if perchance another person shall be provided by us in the meantime, or otherwise as received from us in mandates (for which it should be held diligently to provide a reason). Notwithstanding both [the constitutions] of our predecessor Pope Boniface VIII of blessed memory (in which it is stipulated that nobody should be summoned for a judicial investigation outwith his city and diocese, except in certain exceptional cases, and in those [cases] beyond one day's journey from the boundary of his diocese, or that judges deputed by the apostolic see proceed against anyone with force, or commit [the task] to another or to their deputies, or dare to draw any persons beyond one day's journey from the boundary of the diocese of the same people, or two days journey to a general council), and other apostolic constitutions to the contrary, whatsoever; or if the said Finlay or any others, together to individually, should have been indulged that they should not be interdicted, suspended or excommunicated or be summoned outwith or beyond a certain place for judgement by apostolic letters not making full and express mention of this and by a word for word [transcript] from the indult. The witnesses who shall be named, if influenced by hatred or fear, should withdraw. By the same censure, delaying appeal, you should compel true witness. Given at Rome at St Peter's on 3 Ides May in the ninth year of our pontificate [13 May 1426].
After all and singular the above, we the aforesaid conservator and official caused the present public transumpt diligently to be heard, collated and found to be in agreement with these original bulls, and finally, because after diligent collation [...] we found the present transumpt [..] to agree in and by all ways, [...] therefore [...] we determine that the present public transumpt ought [...] to be adhered to faithfully [and] without doubt just as the aforewritten original bulls [...]. In faith and testimony of all and singular of which we have commanded and caused this present public instrument or transumpt, by our notaries public written below, and by our mandate, to be strengthened by the affixing of seals. These things were done at Edinburgh in the house of residence of the vicar of the same, where thirty-six deputies, by ordinance of the three estates of the realm and of the parliament held in the said burgh of Edinburgh, in the king's presence, were then solemnly assembled, 28 June A.D. 1445, eighth year of the indiction, fifteenth year of the pontificate of the most holy father in Christ Pope Eugenius IV. Present in the same place, the reverend fathers in Christ James [Bruce], bishop of Dunkeld, chancellor of Scotland, John [Cameron], bishop of Glasgow, Michael [Ochiltree], bishop of Dunblane and George [Lauder], bishop of Argyll, also the venerable fathers the lords William, abbot of Kelso, Richard [Bothwell], abbot of Dunfermline, James [Rossie], abbot of Lindores, Patrick [Witherspoon], abbot of Holyrood of Edinburgh, James [Crawford], abbot of Dryburgh, William [Blair] abbot of Coupar Angus, John,† abbot of Deer, Richard [Coventry], abbot of Balmerino, and James,† abbot of Kinloss, and also the noble and powerful lords, namely, Alexander [Montgomery], [lord of]† Montgomery, Herbert [Maxwell], lord of Maxwell, Patrick Lyon, lord of Glamis, John [Lindsay], lord of Lindsay of the Byres, Alexander Irvine of Drum, John Ogilvy of Lintrathen, John Scrimgeour, constable of Dundee, David Murray of Gask and Laurence [Abernethy], lord of Abernethy, knights, Andrew [Gray], lord Gray of Foulis, William [Somerville], lord of Somerville, esquires, also the honourable and prudent men John of Livingston, commissioner of Edinburgh, John of Haddington, commissioner of Perth, John Scroggs, commissioner of Aberdeen, William of Strachan, commissioner of Dundee, Andrew Reid, commissioner of Inverness, Walter of Tulloch, commissioner of Montrose, witnesses to the foregoing, called and summoned together.
And I, David Bell, clerk of St Andrews diocese, notary public by apostolic and imperial authority, was present at the presentation, reception, publication, reading, inspection, examination of, and insertion of the decreet into, the aforementioned apostolic letters, and all and singular the other things written above, and therefore (the aforewritten apostolic letters [reproduced] word for word, adding or removing nothing that can change the substance of the apostolic letters or varying their contents in any way; having written [it] with my alternate hand because other arduous business was hindering me) I have signed the present public instrument with my sign and with my usual and customary name, [...] David Bell, along with the appending of the seals of the aforementioned reverend father in Christ and lord the bishop of Brechin, conservator, and of the official, in reinforcement. And I, Thomas Boyle, priest of Aberdeen diocese [...] And I, Alexander Thomson, priest of Brechin diocese.