[1587/7/32]¹

Legislation: private act

Act in favour of Master Alexander Dunbar, dean of Moray, one of the senators of the college of justice

²The which day, concerning the supplication presented to our sovereign lord and three estates in the parliament by Master Alexander Dunbar, dean of Moray, one of the senators ordinary of his highness's college of justice, making mention that in the time of his highness's late dearest grandmother, Mary [of Guise], queen dowager and regent of this realm for the time of good memory, he was one of the ordinaries of the college aforesaid and has continued therein more than the space of 25 years past, as well during that time as the time of [Mary], his majesty's dearest mother, and since in his highness's own time as his majesty's most constant, faithful and affectionate subject; and through his long and continual travail, being now of good age, he is become subject to sundry infirmities of his person so he is not able to continue in the service, howbeit goodwill lacks not. Most humbly, therefore, beseeching his majesty and estates to have consideration of his long service and present inability, and therefore that he may possess his benefice without payment of any thirds during his lifetime, enjoying thereby the privilege and immunities sustaining the ministers thereat as he has done in times past, and with that desiring his majesty most humbly in case his inability continue that his absence be not imputed to him nor he have loss thereby in his living or place, or otherwise that a qualified man be nominated in his place for administration of justice, reserving to him all privileges and immunities for his long service, as the said supplication purports. Our sovereign lord, now after his perfect age of 21 years complete, with advice and consent of his said three estates, understanding the desire of the said supplication to be reasonable, therefore wills and grants that the absence of the said Master Alexander from his place in session any time shall in no way be hurtful or prejudicial to him toward his said place and living and enjoying of all privileges which he has had in times past, so long as he at any time may be able to travail and occupy his place aforesaid; and what time his infirmity and inability be such that he becomes altogether unable and may not occupy the same, ordains then the lords commissioners to place another qualified person [in]³ his place, according to the commission to be directed by our sovereign lord thereupon; reserving always to the said Master Alexander, in consideration of his age and long service, all privileges and immunities which he, as one of the said senators ordinary, has had in times past, so that he may use and possess all his benefices without payment of any thirds during his lifetime, seeing order is taken concerning the sustenance of the ministers of the kirks belonging to his benefice being of the spiritual estate under prelacies.