[1617/5/48]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Our sovereign lord, being most careful of the upholding and maintenance of universities, colleges and schools, which are the very true seminary of all literature and sciences, in the which the youth is trained up that they be the more able to serve his majesty in such places and functions of the commonwealth as they shall happen to be called to, and having consideration of the small provision and means of the rents of the college of Glasgow, which are not sufficient to maintain the ordinary members of the said college and to repair the building and fabric thereof, which will shortly come to ruin and decay unless the same be timeously helped; therefore his majesty, with advice and consent of the three estates of this present parliament, annexes, unites and incorporates in and to the said college of Glasgow, rents and patrimony thereof, all and whole the kirk of Kilbride, parsonage and vicarage thereof, called of old the chantry of Glasgow, together with the kirk of Renfrew, parsonage and vicarage thereof, both lying within the diocese of Glasgow, with the whole mails, ferms, teinds, teind sheaves, small teinds, fruits, rents, profits, emoluments and duties whatsoever pertaining or belonging to the said kirks, to the effect that the same may remain with the college of Glasgow, professors and members thereof, as a proper part of the patrimony of the same. Likewise his majesty, with consent foresaid, gives, grants and, for his majesty and his successors, freely conveys to the said college of Glasgow, professors and members thereof, all and whole the said kirks, fruits and rents of the same, both parsonage and vicarage thereof, to remain with the said college, professors and members of the same and to be freely possessed, enjoyed and intromitted with by them as a proper part of their patrimony in all time coming. Likewise his majesty, for the better corroboration of this present incorporation of the said kirks to the said college, statutes, wills and declares that the same shall have full strength, force and effect, notwithstanding of whatsoever acts of parliament made at any time before which may appear to derogate to the same, and in special without prejudice of the generality foresaid notwithstanding of the act of his majesty's parliament held at Edinburgh, 21 July 1593, by the which all dispositions of kirks or patronages thereof made without consent of the present titular are declared to be null; which act, in so far as the same may be derogative to this present union and incorporation of the said kirks to the said college of Glasgow, his majesty rescinds in that part and declares that this present incorporation of the said two kirks to the said college of Glasgow shall be excepted therefrom. And for the better preservation of the rents of the said kirks to the said college, his majesty wills and declares that it shall not be permissible to the principal, regents, bursars or other members of the said college whatsoever to dilapidated the rents of the said kirks in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, by giving of feus, setting of tacks, assedations, rentals or factories thereof, or any part of the same, but that the fruits and rents of the said kirks be for once brought to a sufficient rental of rentalled bolls of victual for the maintenance of the members of the said college; which being for once so rentalled, it shall not be lawful to the said principal, regents and members of the said college to dilapidate, set in tack, convert or in any manner of way diminish or put away the said rentalled bolls or any part thereof in any time hereafter; and if they do in the contrary, his majesty wills and declares the said tacks, assedations, factories, rentals and other deeds whatsoever by the which the said rental shall be diminished to be null and of no value, force nor effect, as well as by way of action as exception. And because the said two kirks and benefices were of old members of the chapter of the cathedral seat of Glasgow† and benefices of cure, to the end therefore that neither the said places of the chapter be extinguished, nor the cure of souls neglected, his majesty wills and ordains that the said principal regents and other members of the said college of Glasgow shall content, pay and assign yearly and each year to every one of the two ministers serving the cure at the said two kirks 12 chalders of victual yearly to be uplifted out of the fruits of their own kirks, who shall serve the cure at the said kirks and supply the place of the said beneficed persons in the chapter, the one of them to be styled and called the chanter of Glasgow, and the other the parson of Renfrew, who shall be presented to the said benefices and stipends foresaid only by the Archbishop of Glasgow for the time as their patrons of the said benefices and kirks. And, if need be, that a new gift of union and incorporation be made of the said two kirks to the said college to be extended in due form with all clauses needful, without prejudice of the present titulars of the said two kirks of Renfrew and Kilbride, their liferents of the whole fruits of the said two benefices, and that the ministers that shall hereafter be presented to each one of the said benefices shall have each one of them 12 chalders of victual for each one of their stipends and with special provision that the tacks lawfully already set shall stand in the own strength, force and effect notwithstanding of this act; and also without prejudice of the tack set by Master David Sharp, present parson of Kilbride, to James Hamilton of Peill, his heirs and assignees therein contained, which is set without the consent of the bishop and chapter; and ordains the Bishop of Glasgow to consent to the said tack of his own consent, being present; and ordains also the rest of the chapter to consent to the said tack to the effect the said James Hamilton may possess the same who was the old kindly possessor of a part of the said teinds of Kilbride, and that for the whole years contained in the same, namely: for 22 years after his entry thereto, which was and began at Candlemas [2 February] last and which tack is of the date 24 March 1617.