[1578/7/20]¹

Ane ratificatioun of the gift maid to the provest of Sanctsalvatouris College

Oure soverane lord, with avise and consent of his thrie estatis of this present parliament, has ratefiit and apprevit and, be the tennour heirof, ratefeis and apprevis the lettres of gift and dispositioun maid be our said soverane lord, with the advise of the lordis of his secrete counsell, to the provest and principall maisteris of Sanctsalvatouris college within the citie of Sanctandrois, with all giftis, privilegeis contenit thairintill and all pointis and clausis and articles of the samyn, and declaris the same to have effect after the forme and tennour thairof, of the quhilk the tennour followis:

James, be the grace of Gad king of Scottis, to all and syndrie our liegeis and subditis quhom it effeiris, to quhais knawlege thir our lettres sall cum, greting. Wit ye we understanding that the youth is not onlie sene to preserve the commoun weill, bot also of thame man ryis sic as heirefter man serve in the kirk of God and instruct the youthe in scuillis within this realme and to the comoun weill of the samyn; and albeit be the lawes, custome and ordour ressavit within our realme all benefices of befoir at the donatioun and presentatioun of prelatis ar now cum in use and ordinit be parliament to be at our patronage in tyme cumming, nevirtheles it hes bene alwayis meanit and expreslie providit that the universiteis within the quhilkis thair is exercise of liberall scienceis sall still bruik the privilegeis of the kirkis, chaiplanreis and prebendareis annext to thair collegeis, presentand qualefeit personis to the kirkis and bursouris within thair awin collegeis to the chaiplanreis; thairfoir we, willing the incresce of vertew and lettres and that the ministeris thairof be na wayis prejugeit in thair rychtis and possessiounis bot mantenit thairintill, and in quhatsumevir may appear to appertene unto thame, have in favouris of our lovittis the provest and maisteris of Sanctsalvatouris college within the citie of Sanctandrois, for us and our successouris, perpetuallie declarit that it salbe lesum and permittit to the saidis provest and maisteris to dispone quhatsumevir provestries, chaiplanreis, prebendareis or utheris benefices erectit and gevin to thair said college, queir and cheptour thairoff, to qualefeit personis hable to travell in schuillis kirk of God and comoun weill of the same, sua that thai nawayis be prejugeit in thair titill and rycht of thair saidis benefices, bot that they may dispone the samyn as said is, notwithstanding of ony actis of parliament or lawes of our realme quhairby the richt of presentatioun of ecclesiasticall benefices may appear to cum in our handis sen the reformatioun of relligioun and to appertene to us allanerlie; in the quhilkis, we will not that the prebendareis and chaiplanreis erectit to the said college or uther collegeis within our realme and benefices appertening thairto salbe comprehendit in ony sort, bot that the samyn be disponit to qualefeit personis be the provest and maisteris foirsaidis as haveand richt and titill to the same, dispensand with our saidis actis, constitutionis and quhatsumevir rycht may be competent to us thairby for evir. And this not onlie to be extendit to quhatsumevir benefices or chaiplanreis to be disponit in tyme cumming, bot alsua in tyme bypast, sen our act of parliament maid in favour of all collegeis within universiteis, providing alwayis that thir lettres be not prejudiciall to the presentatioun of benefices, offices, bursories or benefices pertening to the presentatioun of lawit patranis. Gevin under our previe seall at our castell of Striveling, the xxvij day of Junii, the yeir of God j^M v^C lxxviij yeiris and of our regnne the ellevin yeir, per signaturam manibus supremi domini nostri regis ac dominorum sui secreti consilii subscriptam. Providing that the personis appointit for visitatioun of the collegeis within this realme tak full cognitioun of the quantitie and valour of the benefices within the said college quhairof the patronage mycht pertene to our said soverane, how mony bursouris and of quhat qualitie the samyn may sustene, and to mak and forme ane perfite fundatioun of sa mony personis, bursouris, as the said rentis newlie disponit may sustene, and to report the same to the kingis majestie and counsall betwix the dait heirof and the xx day of December nixtocum, with certificatioun to thame ane they failyie heirin, thay sall tyne the benefite of the said act and the samyn to be null and of nane availl in the self.