[1587/7/110]¹

Ratification to the New College of St Andrews

²Our sovereign lord and three estates of this present parliament, understanding that the New College of St Andrews, of all the colleges of this realm, is only appointed for teaching of tongues and theology and for the training up of learned men and qualified persons to the ministry, as well for the maintenance of the truth against the adversaries of the same as in instructing of the ignorant, of the which learned ministry there is a great decay and scant number within this realm; and that the rents of the aforesaid college (which were given in time of blindness and in no way helped but much hurt since the light of the evangel) be very small and always unable to sustain the few number of present masters and bursars, besides others founded persons, the fabric of the place and common affairs, and diverse promises were made after the reformation of the said college by our said sovereign lord's commissioners for the augmentation as well of the stipends of masters as of the number of bursars therein, nevertheless, nothing has been done thereupon and a great part of the small rents thereof have been lately otherwise conveyed and specially assigned to ministers in their stipends against the old foundation, our said sovereign lord's reformation and diverse promises, and specially obligation in writ made to the masters of the said college for setting in tack the parsonage of Conveth, which otherwise might have been a great supply and help to the aforesaid college, to the great hindrance of learning and godliness and decay of the sacred ministry, with the fall of that most necessary and godly work; therefore our said sovereign lord, now after his lawful and perfect age of 21 years complete and general revocation, with advice of the said three estates in this present parliament, ratifies, approves and confirms all privileges and immunities granted of old by his highness's progenitors or by himself to the said college and the old foundation thereof, especially so far as it helps the aforesaid privileges and rents with the late reformation concerning the tongues and theology and the act of repossession and restitution of the masters of the said college. Also our said sovereign lord, with advice of his said three estates, ratifies and approves the gifts of prebendaries, commons, chaplainries, annualrents, mails and other duties specified therein, of the date of 31 January 1586 [1587], and statutes and ordains that the said college be free in all times coming from paying of any part of stipend to any minister or reader serving at the kirks thereof. And to the effect the ministers and readers serving at the kirks of the said New College may be sufficiently provided of their stipends or otherwise, our said sovereign lord and estates aforesaid have remitted and remit the same and order to be taken therewith to the lords commissioners to be appointed for modifying of the ministers' stipends, and whatsoever they appoint, ordain and determine therein, the same to have as great strength, force and effect in time coming as if it had been done by his majesty, with advice of the said three estates in this present parliament.