[1593/4/66]¹

Procedure: remit of supplication to the queen's council

²Supplication of the ministers of Dunfermline remitted to the queen's majesty's council

Regarding the supplication given in to the king's majesty and estates of parliament by the brethren of the ministry of the lordship of Dunfermline upon both the sides of the water of Forth, making mention that where our sovereign lord had given and conveyed the said lordship to his dearest spouse the queen, who being well inclined to the sustentation of the ministry within their bounds, provided sundry of them to several parsonages thereof serving the cure, with which, albeit the same was but very sober livings to them, considering how they are rent and spilt with tacks, pensions and otherwise, yet because they appeared to have some certainty thereby, they stood content thinking that they had been settled in that point, and yet nevertheless they hear that now there is an act of parliament granted in favour of Henry Pitcairn of Forthar regarding the said benefice of Dunfermline and demission thereof made in his favour by the late Robert [Pitcairn], last lawful commendator of the same, which act of parliament will annul all the provisions of so many of them as were provided to the said several benefices, as also their stipends, for which they have served since then and yet resting uncollected in sundry parts, parcelled and in time coming cast so loose as they know not whereat to begin, nor how to seek themselves to be remedied in their stipends. And beside this great inconvenience, there are sundry of them of the ministry of the said lordship that are of two other ranks, namely: sundry of them altogether destitute and unprovided of stipends, and others they be that have so small stipends that they can sustain no honest reasonable man, albeit they were never so solitary and quiet. Beseeching therefore the king's majesty and estates foresaid for the reward of God to pay attention hereto, and that in consideration of the premises and of the great inconveniences that may befall the kirks and flocks of the said lordship; and in case they be disappointed, to declare that it shall be permissible to them of the ministry, so many as are duly provided by the queen's highness to several kirks and benefices, to hold and possess the same in stipends during their lifetimes, notwithstanding the said late act of parliament, otherwise that if our said provisions may not be suffered to stand, that the same benefices as they are provided may be assigned to them in stipends for life, each one of them for their own parts. And as for them of the said ministry of Dunfermline in the other two ranks above-written, that the king's majesty and estates foresaid would appoint the queen's highness's council, with such of the well affected ministry hereabouts as they please to nominate, to sit and take such solid order as they may be sufficiently provided of stipends, that the kirks in their defaults be not left destitute, as at more length is contained in the supplication. Which being heard, read and considered by his majesty and estates foresaid and they therewith being ripely advised, the king's majesty and estates of this present parliament remits the foresaid supplication and contents thereof to the queen's majesty's council, and to any two of the ministers whom her highness's council pleases to nominate and choose, to take order in the premises, to whom his highness and estates foresaid give full power and commission to that effect.