[1672/6/56]¹

Act for imploying vacand stipends for the universities

The king's majestie, considering the present condition of the severall universities and colledges within this kingdome, and the mean and incompetent provision of the masters and professors therof, and being desireous to give all due encouragement to these seminaries, that thereby able and fitt persones may be invited to accept of functions within the same; doth therfore, with advice and consent of his estates of parliament, statute and ordaine that the stipends and benefices of kirks that shall happin to vaike for the space of sevin yeirs, this present yeir j^M vj^C and sevintie two being the first of the sevin, and soe furth to continow untill the expireing of the sevin yeirs, shall be employed for the use of the universities and colledges in maner aftirspecified: viz, the vacancies within the diocessis of St Andrews, Dumblain, Dunkeld, Breichin and Orknay, for the universitie of St Andrews; and the vacancies within the diocess of Edinburgh for the colledge of Edinburgh; and the vacancies within the diocessis of Abirdein, Murray, Ross and Caithnes, for the universitie of Aberdein; and the vacancies within the diocessis of Glasgow, Galloway and the Isles, as followes viz, the vacancies of the diocess of Glasgow for this present yeir j^M vj^C and sevintie two, to be employed, the one halfe for the universitie of St Andrews and the other halfe for the universitie of Glasgow; and the vacancies of that diocess for the six yeirs ensueing, with the wacancies of the said two diocessis of Galloway and the Isles, for the whole sevin yeirs abovementioned, to be employed for the university of Glasgow. And that this supply may prove the more effectuall, the severall universities and colledges are hereby warranted to name collectors (for whose diligence and faithfulness, they are to receive sufficient caution befor they receive their commissions) to uplift the vacand stipends which are or shall become vacand dureing the sevin yeirs abovementioned, within the respective diocessis hereby alloted to them; the collector to be appointed by the colledge of Glasgow, to uplift the vacancies of the diocess of Glasgow, allwayes finding sufficient caution at the sight of the university of St Andrews, to make payment to that university and to the university of Glasgow, equally betuixt them, of the vacancies which he shall receive within the said diocess of Glasgow for this present yeir j^M vj^C and sevintie two. And his majestie, with advice forsaid, ordaines lettirs of horneing and all other execution necessary, to pas at the instance of the saids collectors for the more speidy raiseing and inbringing of the vacancies afoirsaid, which vacancies are to be disposed of and imployed for the use of the respective universities and colledges yeirlie, by the visitors to be appointed by his majestie for the respective universities and colledges, undir the great seall. It is allwayes heirby declaired that the vacancies shall be burdeined with the upholding of the manses of these paroches, out of which the vacancies shall be raised, in the same maner as they wer formerlie upon removeall of the incumbent, conforme to the act of parliament maid theranent. And as to the vacancies of the diocess of Argyll, they are to be employed for maintainance of bursars, as is appointed by former acts of parliament. And his majestie, with advice forsaid, declaires the former act past in the thrid session of his majesties' first parliament entituled, act for additionall provision in favours of universities, to be void and null to all the intents therincontained.