[1617/5/43]¹

Annexatioun of Ferne to the bischoprick of Rose

Oure soverane lord, haveing consideratione that the rent and patrimonie of the bischoprik of Ross is sua exhaustit and dilapidat be fewis, takis, assedatiounes and pensiounes in sick maner that the same is scareslie habill to intertenie the estate of ane privat minister, mekleles to sustene the necessar and honorable burdingis quhairunto ane bischope is subject be vertew of his calling; and thairwith calling to mynd how that his majestee, in supplement thairoff in sum measure, gave and disponit to umquhile Maister David Lindsay, than bischope of Ross and his successoures the abbacye and monasterie of Ferne with all and sindrie landis, lordschippis and utheris pertening thairto; and to that effect dissolvit the same fra the croun quhairunto they wer annexit be vertew of the act of annexatioun of the kirklandis to the croun maid in the yeir of God j^M v^C fourescore sevin yeiris; quhilk dissolutioun of the said abbacye frome the croun and annexatione and unione maid thairof to the said bischoprick of Ross and haill patrimonie of the same, his majestie, with advyse and consent of the estaittis of parliament haldin at Edinburgh, the tuentye fourt day of Junii the yeir of God j^M vj^C and nyne yeiris, ratefied, approved and confermed in the haill heidis, articles and clauses thairoff; and now seing his majestie is of mynd and intentione that the said annexatioun and unione may formerlie proceid and tak full force, strenth and effect in all tyme cuming, thairfoire his majestee, with advyse and consent of the estaittis off parliament presentlie conveyned, of mature deliberatione, dissolvis fra the croun all and haill the said abbacye of Ferne with all and sindrie landis, lordschippis, woddis, mylnis, multoures, fischeingis, alsueill superioritie as propertie thairoff pertening thairto, advocatioun, donatioune and right of patronage of kirkis, chaplanries and alterages belanging to the same, and with all and sindrie fewfermes, fructis, rentis, kaynes, customes and utheris dewties of the said abbacye of Ferne quhairsoevir they ly; and to that effect, retreitis, cassis, annulis and abrogatis the said act of annexatione of the temporalitie of benefices to the croun maid in the yeir of God j^M v^C fourscore sevin yeiris in sa far as the samen may be extendit or comprehend the said abbacye of Ferne, fructis, rentis, maillis and dewties or ony pairt thairoff, with all uther actis of parliament maid in prejudice of this present dissolutione of the said abbacye and annexatioun and unione thairoff to the said bischoprick of Ross, with all that hes followit or may follow thairupoun; lik as his majestie, with consent foirsaid, of new unites, annexis and incorporatis all and haill the said abbacie and monaisterie of Ferne, hous and precinct thairoff, with all and sindrie landis, lordschipis, woddis, milnes, multeris, fischeingis, alsueill superioritie as propertie, teindis, teindschevis (gif anye be) belanging thereto, advocatioune, donatioun and rycht of patronage of kirkis, chaplanries, prebendaries and alterages belanging to the same, with all and sindrie feufermes, anuelrentis, anniversaries, fructis, rentis, kaynis, customes and utheris dewties quhatsumevir pertening or belanging or quhilk at ony tyme bigane pertenit or belangit to the said abbacie of Ferrne quhairsoevir the same ly; and willis and declairis that the said abbacie and monasterie of Ferne, name and memorie thairoff, salbe utterlie extingitischit in all tyme coming and be unite and incorporat in and with the said bischoprik of Ross in sick soirt and maner as the same may remayne ane proper pairt of the patrimonie thairoff in semblable maner as the rest of the patrimonye of the said bischoprik but ony uther speciall denominatioune quhairby the same may be separat fra the rest of the said bischoprik, to the effect that the reverend father in God, Patrik, now bischope of Ross and his successoures may frielie, quyetlie and peciablie enjoye and posses the said abbacie with the haill fructis and rentis thairof and utheris abovespecifit as now being ane proper pairt of the said bischoprik of Ross, and that als frielie as if the said abbacye of Ferne had bene of auld ane proper pairt of the patrimonie of the said bischoprik of Ross, sua that under the name and dispositioun of the bischoprick of Ross to be maid be his majestee in anie tyme cuming salbe comprehendit the said abbacye of Ferne, haill fructis, rentis and commodities thairoff as if the same had bene ane proper pairt of the patrimonie of the said bischoprick of Ross in all tyme bigane. Lyik as his majestie, with consent foirsaid, off new ratefies and apprevis the said gift and dispositioun maid to the said umquhile Maister David Lindsay, bischope of Ross and his successoures off the said abbacye off Ferne, togidder with the gift and dispositioun of the said bischoprick of Ross and abbacye of Ferne annexit thairto, granted to the said Patrick, now bischope of Ross under the gryit seall of the date at Quhythall, the sext day of November, the yeir of God j^M vj^C and sextene yeiris, in the haill heiddis, articles and clauses thairoff; and statutes and ordanis the same to be ane guid and valide right to the Bischop of Ross present and his successoures for bruiking of the said abbacye as ane proper pairt of thair patrimony in all tyme cuming; and, gif neid beis, ordanis ane new gift and dispositioune to be made thairoff to the said Patrik, now bischope of Ross, for him and his successoures in maist ample forms with all clauses neidfull, and declairis that this act of dissolutioun of the said abbacie and monasterie of Ferne and unions thairoff to the said bischoprick of Ross, or ony provisioun ratiefied heirby, or to be gevin of new to the said Patrik, now bischope of Ross off the premisse be vertew of this act, sall not comprehend nor be extendit to anye priviledge of regalitie, except the same have had regalitie of auld; in the quhilk cace, his majestie declairis that gif thair wes ane regalitie in Ferne of auld, the bischop and his successoures sall bruke the same heirefter and na utherwayes; and lykwayis thir presentis sall not prejudge ony pairties rightis lauchfullie maid according to the lawes of the cuntrey than standand.