[1579/10/68]¹

Act in favour of the hospitall of Edinburgh

Forsamekle as oure soverane lordis dearest mothir, with avise of hir secreit counsale, efter hir perfyt aige of tuenty five yeris, gaif and grantit to the provest, baillies, counsale and communitie of the burgh of Edinburgh, for the sustentatioun of the ministrie and hospitalitie within the samyn, all landis, annuellis, obitis and daill, sylver, mailis, rentis, proventis and dewiteis quhatsumevir pertening of befoir to quhatsumevir benefice, alterage or chaiplanrie within the said burgh and fredome thairof, or awand furth of the said burgh or tenementis thairof to quhatsumevir uther benefice or chaiplanrie, as the said gift in itself at mair lenth beris; and albeit thair be certane chaiplanriis foundat in certane places lyand without the said burgh, unto the quhilkis the saidis provest, baillies and counsale ar undoubtit patronis, the service of the quhilkis chaiplanriis hes altogither ceissit and ceissis throw the abrogatioun of the papisticall superstitioun within this realme, swa that the fruictis, rentis and dewiteis of the saidis chaiplanriis of gude ressone aucht now to be applyit to sum better use. Quhairfoir oure soverane lord, with avise and consent of the three estatis of this present parliament, grantis and gevis full libertie and fredome to the saidis provest, baillies, counsale and conitie and thair successouris to ressave and uplift the proffittis and dewities of the foirsaidis benefices, alterages and chaiplanriis, to the quhilkis they and thair predicessouris wer patronis pleno jure, to be bestowit to the sustentatioun of the said ministerie and hospitalitie and to call, follow and persew for the saidis fruictis and proffeittis of all yeiris and termes bipast sen the samyn vaikit and in tyme cuming for evir, with sic privilege for recovering thairof as ony ecclesiasticall persone hes for recovering of the fruictis and rentis of thair benefices, providing alwayis that they be comptable yeirlie to the chekker; and gif thair be ony benefices of cure, that they dispone the same to qualifiit personis. And mairour, becaus thair ar diverse personis, Godlie and zelouslie movit, petying the miserable estate of the puyr and delyting in that gude werk of erectioun of ane hospitall within the said burgh, myndit to supplie the said hospitall with thair almous and support of annuell rentis, landis and tenementis liand within the said burgh to be annexit thairto for the intertenyment of the puyr, waik, aiget and seik personis to be sustenit thairin, thairfoir oure said soverene lord, with avise of his saidis thrie estaitis, gevis and grantis licence to all personis quha may be movit to support the said hospitall in landis, tenementis or annuelrentis liand within the said burgh sa to do, and that this act of parliament salbe to the effect foirsaid sufficient in all respectis to all giftis and donationis maid or to be maid of landis or annuelrentis liand within the said burgh to the said hospitall, and salbe of als greit strenth as gif particuler confirmationis wer gevin upoun every ane of the saidis donationis as mortifiit to the said hospitall, in maner foirsaid, becaus the samyn can nawise hurt oure said soverane lordis proffeitt quha hes na yeirlie proffeit furth of the said burgh bot his burrow maillis and service of burgh.