The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2024), date accessed: 28 March 2024
[1609/4/39]1
2Act in favouris of the Universitie of Sanctandrous
Forsamekle as oure soverane lord, among the rest of his princelie and fatherlie cares for the weilfare and conservatioun of the good estait of this his heighnes native and ancient kingdome, hes bene solist and provident for the conservatioun of learning thairin, not onlie be large and princelie donationis gevin out of his awin propirtie to the universiteis of colleges of learning, bot alsua in his awin royall persone bestowing paines for visiting the estait of the saidis universiteis, and in speciall of Sanctandrous, the most ancient matrice and fountene of science and knawlege, for the benefite alsweill of kirk as commoun weill; lyk as his majestie in his tender yearis haveing commiseratioun of the abuses of the said universitie then meaned to his heighnes in the year of God jM vC threscoir nyntene yeiris, gaif comissioun to the maist nobill and renowmed persones: they ar to say, umquhile Erle of Lennox, than prior of Sanctandrous, his heighnes great uncle, Robert, commendatar of Dunfermeling, his heighnes secretary and conservatour of the privileges of the said universitie, Maister George Buchannan, Maister James Halyburtoun, provest of Dundie, and Maister Peter Young of Eister Seytoun, to tak ordour with the saidis abuses and reforme the said universitie, as the reporte of thair commissioun being seene and considered his heighnes, with the estaitis in the said year authorized, ratefeit and confermit in maist ample forme the ordour, reulis and constitutionis sett down be the saidis commissionaris, as the act of parliament of the date at Edinburgh, the tent day of November the yeare foirsaid, maist amplie proportis. Nochttheless, it being of veritie that albeit baith the said parliament gaif comissioun to certane spirituall and temporall lordis of his heighnes counsaill and nobilitie to sie the said reformatioun put in practise, and lykwayes that his heighnes hes urged the samin be visitatioun maid in his heighnes awin presens and be his umquhile chancellar of good memorie, Johne, erle of Montrose, with certane of his heighnes privie counsaill adjoynit to him, and laitlie in a visitatioun haldin be his heighnes counsaillouris George, archibischop of Sanctandrous, James, sumtyme lord Balmirrenoch and president of the sessioun, Schir Thomas Hammyltoun, his heighnes advocat, umquhile James, bischop of Dunkeld, David, bischop of Ross, Andro, bischop of Brechine, and otheris, in the whilkis also upoun occasioun of emergent abuses and defectis in the said universitie sindrie good actis and constitutionis ar sett doun, baith anent the forme of studeis and employment of the rentis of the saidis colleges and governament thairof, yet the said act of parliament maid anent the reformatioun of the said universitie is almost neglectit and come in desuetude, the forme of studeis, employment of rentis and governament nawayes keipit accordinglie thairto, and the actis of the saidis visitationis maid be our said soverane lord, his heighnes chancellar and foirsaidis lordis of counsaill contemned and dissobeyed; heirfoir the king his majestie, with advyse of the estaitis of this present parliament, authorises, ratifeis and confermis the act of parliament maid for reformatioun of the said universitie, day and year foirsaidis, in all the heidis, clauses and conditionis thairof, as the tennoure thairof beiris, presentlie exhibitit and producit befoir the estaittis of this present parliament, with express command and charge to the chancellar, conservatour, rector, deanis of facultie, maisteris, regentis, bursoris and all studentis and persones quhatsumevir haveing residence or privilege in the said universitie to conforme them selffis to the said act of parliament in all tyme commyng without ony faill, under the panis of deprivatioun of them frome thair honouris, places and rowmes in the said universitie, and forder under all higher pane to be inflictit upoun the dissobeyaris be the commissionaris eftermentionat. And to that effect, oure soverane lord, with advise foirsaid, makis, constitutis and ordanis his heighnes honorable counsaillouris and otheris, his lovittis eftir following: they ar to say, Alexander, erle of Dunfermeling, his heighnes high chancellar of Scotland, George, erle of Dunbar, high thesaurer, George, archibischop of Sanctandrous, chancellar of the said universitie, Johne, erle of Montrose, Patrik, erle of Kinghorne, Alexander, bischop of Dunkeld, Andro, bischop of Brechine, David, bischop of Ross, Alexander, bischop of Caithnes, James, bischop of Orknay, David, lord of Scone, Schir James Hay of Kingask, comptroller, Schir Thomas Hammyltoun of Monkland, advocat, Maister Johne Prestoun of Pennycuke, collectour, Maister Johne Skene, clerk of register, Schir David Carnegie of Kinnard, knycht, Schir Johne Lermonth of Balcomie, knycht, Maister Johne Weymis of Craigtoun, commissioner of Sanctandrous (or ony sewin of them, the saidis lord chancellar and Archibischop of Sanctandrous being alwayes twa, and incais of the said lord chancellar his absens, his commissionar and depute), his heighnes comissioneris and visitouris of the said universitie, with power to them to convene at such tymes and places as they shall think maist expedient upoun the premonitioun directed be oure said soverane lord, his heighnes chancellar or Archibischop of Sanctandrous as shall be thocht meitest, and ay and quhill his heighnes, with advise of his privie counsell, shall discharge the samyn; and in their said meeting to tak ordour with all and sindrie abuses committed or to be committed inducing the space of the said commissioun, in the governament, discipline, studeis, administratioun of rentis or otheris quhatsomevir aganis the said actis of parliament, to displace unworthie, unqualifeit and ewill disposed persones, and in their rowmes to place otheris be consent and advyse of electors, designed in the act of parliament, to tak compt of the administratioun of the rentis of all the saidis thrie colleges, and incais of unrighteous and partiall dispositioun thairof, to sett down ordour for amendement and reparatioun thairof, to fill upe all places and rowmis whilkis shalhappin to be found vaikand at whatsomevir their meetingis of visitatioun and generalie to do, hant and exercise the office of visitouris and counsaillouris of the said universitie during the space foirsaid.
- NAS, PA2/17, f.47v-48r.
- '27' written in margin beside heading.