[1605/6/60]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Our sovereign lord and estates of parliament, calling to mind the great charges and expenses with which the burgh of Edinburgh, burgesses and inhabitants thereof are burdened in sustaining of the ministry of the said burgh, there being no part of the thirds of benefices assigned to them for their sustentation and maintenance of the colleges, hospitals and poor of the same burgh; and that for relief of a part of the said charges and expenses, [Mary], his highness's late dearest mother, after her perfect age, and our said sovereign at diverse times, gave, endowed, mortified and conveyed to the provost, bailies, council and community of the said burgh, for sustentation of their said ministry and maintenance of their college, hospitals and poor sundry lands, annualrents, tenements, provostries, altarages, benefices and other fruits and rents generally and specially comprehended and expressed in sundry gifts, mortifications, infeftments, acts of parliament and other rights and securities made to the said provost, bailies, council and community for sustaining and maintaining of their said ministry, college and hospitals, and being careful that the foresaid godly, necessary and profitable works decay not for lack of expenses, our said sovereign lord, with advice of the estates of this present parliament, has ratified, approved and confirmed, and by the tenor hereof, for his highness and his successors, ratifies, approves and perpetually confirms all and sundry gifts, mortifications, infeftments, other securities and rights whatsoever made, given, granted and conveyed by our said sovereign lord, his late dearest mother or by his highness's self at any time before the date hereof, to the said provost, bailies, council and community of the said burgh of Edinburgh and their successors of whatsoever lands, annualrents, tenements, teinds, provostries, prebendaries, altarages or other benefices, teinds, rents and emoluments, together with all and sundry acts of parliament made in favour of the said burgh, provost, bailies, council and community thereof, ministry, college and hospitals within the same, in all and sundry heads, points, articles, clauses, circumstances and conditions thereof; likewise our said sovereign lord, with advice foresaid, finds, decrees and declares the foresaid gifts, mortifications, infeftments, acts of parliament and other rights and securities made, given and granted to the said provost, bailies, council and community of the said burgh and their successors and in their favour, to be good, valid, lawful and sufficient rights for them and their successors for possessing and enjoying of all and sundry lands, tenements, annualrents, teinds, benefices, provostries, prebendaries, chaplainries, altarages, fruits, rents and emoluments whatsoever, as well generally as specially comprehended and contained in the foresaid gifts, mortifications, acts of parliament or any of them, and that the same shall remain and abide in their own full strength, force and effect and in no way to be taken away, hurt nor prejudiced in any sort, notwithstanding whatsoever act or statute made in this present parliament, with special provision that there be a reasonable and sufficient stipend modified by George [Gledstanes], archbishop of St Andrews, Master John Preston of Penicuik, collector, and Sir John Skene of Curriehill, knight, clerk register, (or by any two of them, the said Archbishop of St Andrews being always one) to the present minister at Currie, for himself and to his successor ministers thereat, to be paid thankfully to them yearly in all time coming by the town of Edinburgh. The which three persons being all present in parliament, accepted the modification of the said ministers' stipend at the said kirk of Currie in and upon them, to be paid to the present minister and to his successor ministers thereat yearly in all time coming above-specified.