[1617/5/72]¹

Ratificatioun to the old colledge off Abirdene

Oure soverane lord, with advyse and consent of the estaittis off this present parliament, remembering and calling to mynd the maniefold actis of parliament maid be his majestie and his hienes predicessoures of worthie memorye in favoures off the old universities within this realme, quhilkis ar the seminarye of the kirk and policye within the samyne, and his majestye being moved with fervent zeall of the propagatioun and advancement of religioun and with ane eirnest luiff of the incres of the policye, and haveing thairwith ane speciall regarde to the educatioun and upbringing of the youthe and speciallie within the north pairtis of this realme, quhairoff oure said soverane lord, his colledge of and universitye of auld Aberdene hes bene speciall instructaris, and understanding that the same wes of auld foundit be King James the feard of worthie memorye, and gifted be him and certane utheris his majesties subjectis with the kirkis and landis following mortifiet and unite thairto, viz: the personage and viccarage of Abirluthnot, the personages and viccarages of Glenmuke and Glengardyne, the personages and viccarages of Slaynis, the personage and viccarage of Snaw, the personage and viccarage of Auchindore, the viccarage of Tullienessill, the halff toun and landis of Drumlugies, the toun and landis of Adiell, Balmakettill, Collyin and Andeit, Berriehill, Mundurne, certane croftis lyand in the territorie of new Abirdene, ane annuelrent off tuentie pundis yearlie out of the baronye of Balhelvie, nyntene merkis out of the kingis wateris off Banff, tuelff pundis, sex schillingis, aucht pennyis yeirlie furth of the landis of Orde, Monbrae, Blairschynnocht, and certane utheris adjacent landis in Boyne, ane anuelrent of fyve pundis out of the landis of Udoche, ane annuelrent of four pundis yeirlie furth off the landis of Pettie, the landis of the hospitall of Sanctgermanis, with the haill fructis, rentis and dewties belangand thairto quhairevir the samen beis or lyes within this realme, the landis quhairupoun the said colledge is foundit with the yairdis and croftis of the samen with the manse, yairdis and croftis of the canonist, civilist, mediciner and granmariour, with certane uther chaplanryes, landis and anuelrentis specifit and contenit in the old foundatione of the said colledge, chartouris and donatioun of the samen; as likwayis that oure said soverane lord, haveing respect that the meanis of the said rent wes not able to intertenye the memberis of the said universitye as the samyne wes first foundit, thairfore he him selff off his majestyes princelie liberalitye, luife and affectioun quhilk he had to learning and incres of vertew and lettres within this realme gave and disponit to the said universitye the kirkis, teindis, landis and annuelrentis efterspecifit, to wit: all and haill the personage and viccarage of Sanct Mather, callit the deanrie of the cathedrall kirk of Aberdene, with the haill landis, teindis, fructis, rentis, emolimentis and dewties pertening and belanging thairto, all and haill the personages and viccarages of Methlick, Furvie, Petir Kirk, callit Spittell, or the subchantorye of Abirdene, with the haill manses, gleibis, landis, rentis and dewties of the saidis kirkis respective, all lyand within the diocyes of Sanctandrois and Aberdene respective, togidder alsua with all and sindrie kirklandis, teyndis, anuelrentis, feufermes, manses, gleibis, houses, biggingis, yairdis and utheris fruttis, rentis and emolimentis quhilkis pertenit to the freiris Carmalittis of Banff, the chaplanries off Westhall and Folleroule, the chaplanrie of Sanctmagdalene, with all and sindrie kirklandis, teyndis, anuelrentis, feufermes, manses, gleibis, houses, biggingis, yairdis and utheris fructis, rentis, emolimentis and dewties quhatsumevir quhilkis appertened to the said chaplanrie or to the auld chaplane of the said universitie, togidder with all utheris landis, biggingis, proventis, teindis, annuelrentis, fewfermes, tytillis, rightis, jurisdictiounes and utheris quhatsumevir pertening and addettit to the said colledge, maisteris, regentis, bursaris or memberis thairoff, ather gevin be oure said soverane lord, his predicessoures or be him selff, quhidder it be, and with the consent off his majesties regentis, his hienes counsell or ony utheris, or be the Bischope of Abirdene off gude memorie, or be ony utheris grantit and gevin at onye tyme of before, of quhatsumevir the said colledge possesses, hes possest or ony wayis might posses, as in his majestis donatioune, gift and dispositioun thairoff at mair lenth is conteaned. And his majestie, continewing now still in the said goode affectioun, love of leirning and vertewous educatioun of the youthe, and being willing be all meanes possible sua far as lyes in his majesties power to promove vertew, advance the said colledge and corroborat the rightis and tytillis thairoff, swa that the same may the mair and mair flurische in leirning, discipline and goode maneris, thairfore his hienes, with advyse and consent of the saidis estaittis and haill bodye of this present parliament, ratifies, allowes, approves and confermes the foirsaidis haill foundatiounes and donatiounes gifted and granted to the said colledge and universitie, with all priviledges, immunities, exemptiounes, jurisdictiounes, fredomes and liberties of the samen, in all and sindrie the heiddis, poyntis, articles, clauses and circumstances thairoff quhatsumevir efter the formes and tennoures of the samen; and willis, grantis and declairis that the said universitie sall injoye the samen, intrometwith and uplift the haill landis, teyndis, fructis, rentis, annuelrentis, chaplanries and utheris quhatsumevir abovespecifit pertening and belanging thairto, and alsua all utheris priviledgis, immunities, fredomes and exemptiounes quhilkis ony tyme the said colledge and universitye or ony uther colledge or universitie within this realme bruikis and injoyes, or has bruikit and injoyed in ony tyme bigane. And becaus the deanerie and subchantorye off Abirdene, with the personage off Methlick, ar now unite, annexit and incorporat to the said universitye, and that the principale of the said colledge hes divers yeiris bigane servit the cure of the said kirk of Sanct Machar pertening to the said deanerye and hes exercesed the said office, and his majestie being nawayes willing that the said chaptour be hurt, impairit or frustrat of ony of the old memberis or priviledgis thairoff, thairfore his hienes, withe advyse foirsaid, statutes and ordanis that the principale of the said colledge sall, in all tyme cuming, be deane off Abirdene, and that the subprincipale salbe subchantour off Abirdene, and that ane qualifiet regent of the said colledge sall sitt in the said chaptour and have vote as persoun of Methlick, quhilk regent salbe elected and nominat furth of the number of the saidis regentis be the present Bischope of Abirdene and his successoures, prowyding alwayes the said colledge mak ane sufficient stepend and provisioun to the minister actuallie serveing the cure at the said kirk.