[1617/5/44]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Our sovereign lord, having consideration of the means of the estate of the bishopric of Dunblane and perfectly understanding the rents thereof to be of so small value that they are altogether unable in any measure to furnish the necessaries to the private family of a bishop, much less to bear his charges in parliament and councils and other ecclesiastical conventions, which, by virtue of his calling, he must of all necessity undergo; and seeing the only help and succour thereof properly appertains to his majesty who of his wonted clemency has restored the estate of the bishoprics to their former integrity and helped such other of them as were meanly provided, therefore his majesty, with advice and consent of the estates of this parliament and of a reverend father in God John [Spottiswood], archbishop of St Andrews, Adam [Bellenden], bishop of Dunblane and prior of Monymusk, and Master Peter Hewitt, abbot of Crossraguel, being careful to help the estate of the said bishopric of Dunblane, has united, annexed and incorporated in and to the said bishopric of Dunblane and patrimony thereof all and whole the abbacy of Crossraguel, as likewise all and whole the priory of Monymusk, as well as temporality as spirituality of the said benefices, with all lands, kirks, teinds, teind sheaves, fishings, annualrents, profits, commodities or other casualties whatsoever, as well as not expressed as expressed, pertaining or belonging or which in any time bygone pertained or belonged to the said abbacy or priory or any of them in any manner of way. And to this effect, his majesty, with advice and consent foresaid, has dissolved and by the tenor of this act dissolves from his highness's crown all and whole the temporality of the said abbacy of Crossraguel and priory of Monymusk with all annualrents, casualties and profits following the said temporality and annexed to his highness's crown by virtue of the act of annexation of the kirklands to the crown, and by the tenor hereof retreats, rescinds, makes void, abrogates and annuls the foresaid act of annexation of the temporality of benefices to the crown made in the year of God 1587 in so far as the same may in any way be extended to the temporality of the said abbacy of Crossraguel and priory of Monymusk, or any part thereof, or any other acts of parliament made to that effect with all that has followed or may follow thereupon. As likewise his majesty, with advice foresaid, has suppressed and by the tenor of this present act suppresses the dignity and title of the said abbacy of Crossraguel and priory of Monymusk so that the same shall remain extinct for ever; and declares and ordains the said benefices of Crossraguel and Monymusk, as well as spirituality as temporality thereof, whole fruits, rents, teinds, teind sheaves, fishings, other profits, emoluments and casualties whatsoever, to be united, annexed and incorporated in and to the said bishopric of Dunblane, and to be a proper part of the patrimony and living thereof as if the same had been mortified to the said bishopric at the first foundation thereof. And further, his majesty, with advice foresaid, declares, decrees and ordains that the said Adam, now present bishop of Dunblane, by the strength and force of this present act, shall have as good and sufficient right, title and interest to the whole fruits, rents, profits, casualties and other emoluments whatsoever pertaining to the said benefices now united and incorporated to the said bishopric by the tenor of this act as if the same had been a proper part of the patrimony thereof at the time of his provision to the said bishopric of Dunblane, so that the same shall be peaceably possessed and enjoyed by the said reverend father and his successors bishops of Dunblane for now and ever, the said reverend father always and his successors bishops of Dunblane maintaining the ministry serving the cure at the kirks of the said benefices upon the readiest of the fruits of the same kirks according to the ordinary assignations made or reasonably to be made relating thereto. Reserving always the liferents of the present titulars of the said benefices; and also reserving to [John Kennedy], earl of Cassilis and to all others having rights to the lands and teinds of the abbacy of Crossraguel all their lawful rights and tacks of lands and teinds belonging thereto lawfully made and set to them at any time bygone; and likewise reserving to the laird of Monymusk the superiority of the manse of Monymusk now held by him of our sovereign lord, to the effect he, his heirs and successors may hold the same of his highness in all time coming and to pay to the Bishop of Dunblane and his successors the feu duties contained in his feu infeftment of the said manse of Monymusk, notwithstanding that he holds the same lands of his highness, the which payment of the said feu duty yearly in time coming to the said Bishop of Dunblane and his successors shall be as sufficient an exoneration to the said laird of Monymusk, his heirs and successors as if he and his foresaids had paid the same to our sovereign lord. And likewise reserving to all other persons who have acquired feus, tacks or other titles whatsoever of the said priory of Monymusk at any time bygone all their lawful rights lawfully made and set to them at any time bygone of the lands and teinds of the said priory of Monymusk. And also reserving to the ministers at the kirks of the said abbacy of Crossraguel and priory of Monymusk present and to come their rights and stipends notwithstanding this act. And lastly reserving to Master Peter Hewitt, present abbot of Crossraguel, his own liferent thereof with the whole rents, honours, immunities, privileges and dignities belonging to the said abbacy to be possessed by him during his lifetime according to his provision.