[1587/7/22]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
†Oure soverane lord, having consideratioun of the gude affectioun borne to his hienes and his estaitis be the clergie and prelattis, quhairof thai have gevin any sufficient pruiff be thair willing and frie consent gevin to the annexatioun of all and sindrie the ecclesiasticall rentis and landis to remaine as propre patrimonie with the croun, our said soverane lord and his successouris for ever (except as is speciallie mentionat in the act of the said annexatioun), in the quhilk respect, his majestie is nawayes myndit that the present possessouris of the prelaciis and benefices quhais rentis may be impairit be the said annexatioun salbe gritelie hurt or damnefiit during thair lyftymes, thairfoir, his hienes, with advise of his saidis thre estaitis of parliament, decernis, statuitis and ordanis that every ane of the saidis prelattis and beneficit personis quhais rentis be the said annexatioun salbe diminissit, sall, with all convenient speid, ressave recompence and satisfactioun thairfoir be the sicht of the commissioneris underwrittin in maner efter following, and that befoir the feast of Mertimes nixtocum, quhilk terme is appointit quhen the said annexatioun sall tak effect, quhilk assignatioun of the commoditie and proffite to be grantit to thame sall induir for the lyftymes of the present possessouris of the saidis benefices allanerlie, and sall not be extendit to thair successouris, quhilkis salbe providit be thair deceise or be deprivatioun, depositioun or inhabilitie of the saidis present possesouris, nor yit to ony persoun quha is alreddie providit as future successour be resignatioun or dimissioun, with reservatioun of the fruitis to the present possessour foirsaid, quha sall nawayes have the benefite of the said excambion and exchange bot the samin sall end with the present possesouris, quhidder thay be allanerlie usufructaris or fullelie providit to thair benefices, efter quhais deceise the commodities to be now gevin to thame in exchange sall returne to our soverane lord and his successouris. And becaus all the particulair personis ecclesiasticall quhilkis the said annexatioun twechis hes entres heirin and that it is maist expedient that with all celeritie and suirtie thai salbe providit be the said assignatioun, oure soverane lord, with advise of the saidis thre estaitis als parliament, hes constitute and ordanit and, be the tennour of this present act, constituitis and ordanis his weilbelovittis Archibald, erle of Angus, lord Douglas and Abirnethie etc., George, erle Marschell, lord Keith, Robert, lord Seytoun, lord Boyd, Thomas, maister of Glammis, his hienes thesaurair, Schir Johnne Maitland of Thirlstane, knicht, his secretair, Schir Johnne Seytoun of Bernis, knicht, comptrollair, James Meldrum of Sagy, Maistir Johnne Lindsay, persoun of Menmur, Maistir Johne Grahme, persoun of Killerne, senatouris of the college of justice, Schir Lues Ballenden of Auchnoull, knicht, justice clerk, Maistir Robert Douglas, provest of Lynclouden, collectour generall, the provest of Edinburgh, Schir Robert Mailvile of Murdocairnie, knicht, thesaurair depute, Alexander Hay of Eister Kennat, clerk of registri, Maistir David Makgill of Neisbite, advocat, or onie fyve of thame, my lord thesaurair, my lord secretair, the said Schir Robert Mailvile and Schir Lues Ballenden or onie tua of thame being of the said nowmer, gevand, grantand and committand to thame full pouer to treat and conclude with the saidis ecclesiasticall personis and every ane of thame for thair awin pairtis upoun the commoditie to be assignit to thame and to mak thame and every ane of thame sufficient assignatioun thairof for thair lyvetymes as said is; quhilk being registrat in the buikis of the chekker salhave als summar proces and executioun in favouris of the saidis prelattis and beneficit personis as thai mycht haif had be vertew of thair provisionis befoir the said annexatioun; and to the effect foirsaid, the saidis commissioneris sall convene at Edinburgh the aucht day of August nixtocum and frathynefurth thay sall sitt for appoyntment and expeding of the saidis assignationis as the caus sall require to the first day of November nixt thairefter; and the saidis assignationis being maid in maner foirsaid salbe als sufficient in all respectis as gif oure said soverane lord and thrie estaitis of parliament had consentit thairto. And to the effect that the saidis prelattis and ecclesiasticall personis havand interesse pretend na ignorance thairof, oure said soverane lord and his thrie estaitis of parliament ordanis lettres to be direct to mak publicatioun heirof in everie schire and diocie, appoynting severall dayes and termes to the personis, alsueill titularis of benefices as pensioneris of everie diocie, for thair compeirance according to the discretioun of the saidis commissioneris, that thay may the mair advisedlie proceid thairin; providing alwayes that sic as salhappin not to compeir at the dayes appointit to thame salhaif na benefite of this act. And it is alsua providit that gif the saidis commissioneris salhappin not to gif thair decreit and declaratioun anent the said recompence to all personis that salhaif interesse be the said annexatioun befoir the said feist of Mertimes nixtocum, in that caise our said soverane lord sall not intromet with the deweties of the landis pertening to sa mony personis ecclesiasticall having the benefite of this act as for quhome declaratioun and decreit sall not be gevin upoun the said satisfactioun, and thai thame selffis sall intromet thairwith of that terme and termelie thairefter till the said declaratour be gevin.
Attoure, it is declairit, statute and ordanit that the said satisfactioun to be maid to the clergie for thair lyfrentis salbe in all thingis equivalent to that quhilk salbe tane fra thame be the said annexatioun in the proper rent of thair saidis landis and custumes thairof, penny for penny and boll for boll; and sic as obtenis not the said satisfactioun in maner foirsaid befoir the said terme of Mertimes sall brouk and injoy thair awin ay and quhill the said satisfactioun be declairit in maner foirsaid, and that be thair provisionis, lettres and decreitis alreddie obtenit or to be obtenit be thame thairupoun. And forder, it is declairit that the said annexatioun sall nawayes prejudge ony of the ecclesiasticall personis anent the mailles and deweties, fewfermes or proffittis of thair saidis benefices, landis or rentis thairof, of ony yeiris and termes bipast, bot that thay and every ane of theam salhaif place to call and persew thairfoir and intromet thairwith to thair awin use, notwithstanding the said annexatioun or ony clause thairof.
Mairower, oure soverane lord gevis and grantis commissioun to the saidis commissioneris to modifie and tak ordour anent the ministeris stipendis, to tak ordour with the tennentis, takkismen and parrochineris that hes anis maid payment bona fide to ministeris, to tak ordour how the ministrie at the college kirkis salbe sustenit, to tak ordour anent the victuall assignit to ministeris in thair stipendis in the last chekker, how it may stand without alteratioun or change in money in tyme cuming, to tak ordour anent manses and gleibis, to tak ordour for honest intertenement of his hienes four musicianis and to anser the utheris articles and supplicationis remittit to the sex commissioneris in this present parliament.