[1593/4/74]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Our sovereign lord and estates of this present parliament, understanding that the greatest number of the vassals, free tenants and heritable feuars of the temporal lands belonging to the archbishopric and priory of St Andrews and to the archbishopric of Glasgow are of so mean rent and quality that they are in no way able to make the expenses upon the resignation of their lands in our said sovereign lord's hands and interest thereto by his highness's chancellery, which gives occasion to many of the said feuars to lie out unentered to their said lands; in consideration also that his highness's dearest cousin, Ludovic, duke of Lennox, earl of Darnley, lord Tarbolton, Methven and d'Aubigny etc., being provided to the said priory of St Andrews, whereof the rent and patrimony, likewise the rent and patrimony of the said archbishoprics, is wholly exhausted by tacks, pensions and other dispositions, so that little or no commodity thereof remains, except the superiority of the same; therefore our said sovereign lord and estates foresaid give, grant and convey to his highness's said dearest cousin during all the days of his lifetime the right of the superiority of the whole temporal lands, mills, multures, woods, forests and fishings of all and sundry the said archbishopric and priory of St Andrews and archbishopric of Glasgow, with power to him and his commissioners and others in his name specially constitute to that effect during his lifetime as said is to receive all resignations to be made by whatsoever heritable tenants, vassals or feuars of the said temporal lands and others above-specified or any part thereof belonging to the said archbishoprics and priory, and to give interest to them, their heirs and successors of the said lands and others above-rehearsed; declaring all and sundry resignations foresaid of the said free tenants, vassals and feuars of the said temporal lands and others above-specified and interest thereof to be given to them or their foresaids by the said Ludovic, duke of Lennox or his said commissioners, under his proper seal and subscription, to be as good, valid and sufficient to the receivers thereof for holding and enjoying of their said lands and others above-written as if the same had been given and granted by his highness or if they had been entered by his highness's chancellery, notwithstanding of the act of annexation of all ecclesiastical lands to the crown made in the parliament held at Edinburgh, 29 July the year of God 1587, to the which this present act makes and shall make express derogation in so far as the same may be extended to the superiority of the said temporal lands and others above-rehearsed pertaining to the said archbishoprics and priory during the said Ludovic, duke of Lennox, his lifetime.