[1587/7/32]¹

Legislation: private act

Act in favour of Maistir Alexander Dunbar, deane of Murray, ane of the senatouris of the college of justice

²The quhilk day, anent the supplicatioun presentit to our soverane lord and thrie estaitis in the parliament be Maistir Alexander Dunbar, deane of Murray, ane of the senatouris ordiner of his hienes college of justice, makand mentioun that in the tyme of umquhill his hienes derrest guddame, Marie, quene drowriar and regent of this realme for the tyme of guid memorie, he was ane of the ordinaris of the college foirsaid and hes continewit thairin mair nor the space of xxv yeiris bipast, alsweill during that tyme as the tyme of his majesties derrest moder and sensyne in his hienes awin tyme as his majesties maist constant faythfull and affectionat subject; and throw his lang and continewall travell, being now of gude aige, he is becum subject to sindrie infirmities of his persoun sua he is not able to continew in the service, howbeit gude will inlaikis not. Maist humelie, thairfoir, beseikand his majestie and estaitis to haif consideratioun of his lang service and present inhabilitie and, thairfoir, that he may possess his benefice without payment of ony thridis during his lyftyme, enjoying thairby the privilege and immunities sustening the ministeris thairat as he hes done in tymes past, and with that desiring his majestie maist humblie incais his inhabilitie continew that his absence be not impute to him nor he have loss thairby in his leving or place, or utherwayes that ane qualefiet man be nominat in his rowme for ministratioun of justice, reserving to him all privileges and immunities for his lang service, as the said supplicatioun proportis. Oure soverane lord, now efter his perfite aige of xxj yeiris compleit, with avise and consent of his saidis thre estaitis, understanding the desir of the said supplicatioun to be ressounable, thairfoir will and grantis that the absence of the said Maistir Alexander fra his place in sessioun ony tyme sall nawayes be hurtfull or prejudiciall to him toward his said place and leving and enjoying of all privilegeis quhilkis he hes had in tymes bipast, sa lang as he at ony tyme may be able to travell and occupie his place foirsaid; and quhat tyme his infirmitie and inhabilitie beis sic that he becumis altogidder unhable and may not occupie the same, ordanis than the lordis commissioneris to place ane uther qualifiit persoun³ his place, according to the commissioun to be direct be oure soverane lord thairanent; reserving alwayes to the said Maistir Alexander, in consideratioun of his aige and lang service, all privileges and immunities quhilkis he, as ane of the saidis senatouris ordiner, hes had in tymes bigane, sua that he may brouk and possess all his benefices without payment of onie thriddis during his lyftyme, seing ordour is takin anent the sustentatioun of the ministeris of the kirkis belanging to his benefice being of the spirituall estait under prelaciis.