[1581/10/22]¹

Against dilapidation of rents of benefices provided to ministers in title for their lifetimes

²Item, because sundry ministers provided to benefices for their lifetimes, without regard of conscience or how their successors should live after them, for some present profit, set their said benefices and rents thereof in feus, tacks, rentals or convey pensions out of the same, to the utter overthrow of the kirk and great prejudice, both of the king's majesty, the commonwealth and prosperity to come; it is therefore thought expedient, statute and ordained by our sovereign lord, with advice of his three estates and whole body of this present parliament, that no persons being in the function of the ministry provided to title of benefices under prelacies shall, in time coming, make or set any feus, tacks, rentals, convey pensions or make other dispositions of the rents of his benefice to the prejudice of his successor and diminution of the rental whereat he finds it at his entry thereto, under the pain of deprivation from the said benefice, whereunto, in case he fails, his set and location to be decreed null and himself to be deprived as well from his function in the ministry as from the benefice itself, which upon his default, tried and judged as said is orderly, shall be declared to be vacant and to be presented and conferred of new as if he was naturally dead.