[1641/8/401]¹

Act regarding the erection of the kirk of Longside

Our sovereign lord and estates of this present parliament, considering that his majesty's late trusty cousin and councillor William [Keith], earl Marischal, lord Keith and Altrie etc., being undoubted patron of the parish kirks and parish of Peterugie and titular of the teinds thereof, lying within the presbytery of Deer and sheriffdom of Aberdeen, by reason of the spaciousness and wideness of the said parish and of the many communicants within the same, caused build a new kirk upon a part thereof and named the same the kirk of Longside; likewise he presented Master Alexander Irvine thereto during his lifetime and, with consent of Master James Martin, minister at the said kirk of Peterugie, provided him to the vicarage teinds of the lands underwritten, lying next adjacent to the said newly built kirk, with 100 merks money of this realm of silver, payable by himself and his successors yearly at Whitsunday [May/June], and that as a constant and local stipend for his service of the cure at the said kirk. Likewise the said late earl had a great mind to obtain the same kirk erected in a separate parish kirk by itself and the towns and lands underwritten to be annexed thereto, and to be the bounds thereof and comprehended within the same, under the condition and provision always following: and that William [Keith], now earl Marischal, lord Keith and Altrie etc., son and heir of the said late William, earl Marischal, being most willing to further and prosecute his said late father's intention, is content and consents that the same newly built kirk be erected in a separate parish kirk by itself and disunited from the said mother kirk of Peterugie, and that the towns and lands underwritten be united and annexed to the same new kirk, and be the bounds thereof and comprehended within the same, under the provision and condition always subsequent. Therefore, our said sovereign lord and estates foresaid have made, constituted, created and erected and, by this ratification, make, constitute, create and erect the said newly built kirk in a separate parish kirk and parish by itself, to be called now and in all time coming hereafter the parish kirk and parish of Longside, and have united and annexed and by this ratification unite and annexe all and sundry the towns and lands of Rora, Fortry, Auchlee, Dumpstown, Auchtidonald, Mintlaw, Longmuir and Inverquhomery, mill and mill lands thereof, and Yokieshill, with their whole parts, pendicles and pertinents pertaining to the said William, earl Marischal; and also all and whole the lands of Ludquharn, the towns and lands of Auchtydore, Clayhills, Blexboige, Newton, Weshinpole, Tarrhendred, Lenabo, with the new and old mills of Ludquharn and mill lands thereof and whole pertinents, parts and pendicles of the said towns and lands respectively pertaining to Sir William Keith of Ludquharn, knight; as also all and whole the lands of Nether Kinmundy, the towns and lands of Tiffery, Inverveddie, Thunderton and Knockleith with the mill, mill lands, parts, pendicles and pertinents thereof, pertaining to Francis Fraser of Kinmundy; as also all and whole the town and lands of Faichfield, Dens, Over and Nether Savock, with the mill, mill lands and all their parts, pendicles and pertinents pertaining to William Fraser of Faichfield; as likewise all and whole the lands of Buthlaw, Cadgerhill, Thunderton and Longhill, with their pertinents, pertaining to Alexander Forbes of Boynlew; and all and whole the lands of Cairngall, Hillhead, Boigsyd and Auchquhittrie, with the mill, mill lands and their pertinents pertaining to John Arbuthnott of Cairngall, to the said newly built and erected kirk of Longside, and declare the same towns, lands and others foresaid to be the bounds of the said parish and comprehended within the same. And also his majesty and estates foresaid make, constitute and ordain the said William, earl Marischal, his male heirs and successors patrons of the said newly erected kirk of Longside, and ordain and declare him and them to be and remain patrons thereof in all time hereafter in the same way and as freely in all respects as he and they are patrons of the said mother kirk of Peterugie, notwithstanding of the disuniting of the same from the said mother kirk and that no mention is made of the patronage of the said new erected kirk in his infeftment. And further, his majesty and estates foresaid have ratified and approved and, by this legislation, ratify and approve the presentation, collation and institution made and granted to the said Master Alexander Irvine of the said kirk and stipend thereof foresaid, in the whole heads and articles thereof, and will and grant that this present general ratification and approbation of the same is and shall be as valid, effectual and sufficient to the said Master Alexander as if they and every one of them were at length word by word engrossed and set down herein, concerning which his majesty and estates foresaid have dispensed and by this ratification dispense for ever. Providing always, likewise it is hereby provided and declared by express provision and condition of this present act that the said William, earl Marischal and his male heirs and successors nor their lands nor teinds within the said new erected parish of Longside or within the said old parish of Peterugie shall be burdened with any further stipend to the said Master Alexander Irvine and his successor ministers serving the cure at the said kirk of Longside, nor his part of the vicarage teinds of the lands foresaid within the said newly erected parish of Longside, and sum of 100 merks money foresaid, whereto the said Master Alexander is already provided, so that if any further stipend by augmentation be granted to him and his said successors, it is hereby declared that the said William, earl Marischal and his foresaids and their lands above-written within the parish of Longside, as also his lands within the parish of Peterugie and teinds of the same, are and shall be altogether free thereof, and only the other heritors within the said parish of Longside and their lands foresaid and teinds thereof subject and liable to the payment of the same greater stipend or augmentation which shall happen to be granted as said is, without any relief against the said William, earl Marischal or his foresaids, under the which provision and condition and no otherwise it is hereby declared that this present act and erection foresaid of the said kirk is made and granted.