[1633/6/148]¹

Act in favour of the Laird of Pitsligo

Oure soverane lord and thrie estates of parliament presently convenit, considering that the parochine of Aberdour lyand withine the diocie and shirefdome of Abirdeine is soe great and spatious that the haill parichioners thairof can not convenientlie resort to the paroche kirk of Aberdour to gett the confort of the word preatched and the sacraments ministred to thame thairat, and considering lykwayes that Alexander Forbes of Pitsligo, patroune of the said paroche kirk and parochine of Aberdour, out of the fervent zeale quhilk he hes to the glorie of God and for the mair ease to himselff and remanent parichioners of the said parochine quha duells besyde him at the eist end of the said parochine (in respect their duelling, residence and remaining is far distant fra the said kirk of Aberdour) hes not onlie upon his awine propper chairges and expenses buildit and biggit up ane new kirk upon his lands and baronie of Pitsligo, lyand withine the said parochine of Abirdour, bot also with consent of the Bischope of Abirdeine and of the present minister and persone of Aberdour, titular of the said benefice, and of the heretors withine the said parochine, hes devydit, at the least is to devyde, the samyne parochine in tua severall distinct parochines, and hes presentit ane qualifiet minister to the said new biggit kirk upon the saidis lands of Pitsligo. Thairfor, and for divers uthers good causes and considerationes moving his majestie, his hienes, with advyse and consent forsaid of the saidis thrie estates of parliament, hes ratifiet, approvine and confirmit and, be thir presents, ratifies, approves and confirmes all divisiones, ane or mae, maid, or to be maid, of the said parochine of Aberdour, betuix the said patroun, with consent of the remanent heretors withine the samyne parochine, and the minister and persoun present and to come serving the cure at the said kirk of Aberdour, in the haill heads, articles, clauses, conditiones, bounds, limeitts, meithes and merches thairof, and als all resignationes and modificationes of stipends that is alreadie, or sall happine to be, assignit and modifiet heirefter to the minister, present and to come, serving the cure at the said new biggit kirk, with all manses, gleibs, kirklands that is alreadie, or sall happine heireftir, to be designit thairto, admitting heirby the saidis divisiones, assignationes, modificationes and designationes to be als valeid and sufficient as if the samyne wer per expressum sett downe and ingrossit heirintill; quhairanent oure said soverane lord and estates forsaidis be thir presents, dispenses for ever. And farder oure said soverane lord and estates forsaidis hes creatt and erectit and, be thir presents, creatts and erects the said new biggit kirk upon the saidis lands of Pitsligo in ane severall paroche kirk per se, and als the haill lands divydit or to be divydit fra the said parochine of Aberdour in ane severall parochine per se to be callit in all tyme coming the paroche kirk and parochine of Pitsligo. And becaus the said Alexander Forbes of Pitsligo is wndoubted patrone of the said paroche kirk and parochine of Aberdour (quhairof the said new erected kirk of Pitsligo and parochine thairof is ane pairt), thairfor our said soverane lord and estates forsaidis, be thir presents, declairs that the said Alexander Forbes of Pitsligo, his airs male and successors in all tyme coming, sall remaine wndoubted patrones of the said paroche kirk and parochine of Pitsligo and sall have the onlie wndoubted richt of presentatione of the ministers present and to come serving the cure thairat in all tyme thaireftir, als frilie as if the samyne had not beine divydit and disjoynit fra the said kirk and parochine of Aberdour in maner forsaid, but prejudice alwayes of thair richt of patronage of the samyne paroche kirk and parochine of Aberdour, quhairanent thir presents sall nawayes be prejudiciall. And that this present ratificatioun, approbatioun and erectioun be extendit in the best forme with all clauses neidfull, and be insert and registrat in the buikes and registers of parliament, and thir presents to be ane sufficient warrant for that effect.