[1571/8/19]¹

Concerning kirkmen that happen to be sl[ain in our sovereign lord's] service, in defence of his highness's au[thority]²

³Item, our sovereign lord, with advice of [John Erskine, earl of Mar], my said lord regent's [grace, three estates] and whole body of this present parliament, has statute [and ordained that] in case any our sovereign lord's true lieges, beneficed men, happ[en to be] hurt, slain or wounded to the death, and thereafter of the said hurt [or wounds] to die in our sovereign lord's service and in defenc[e of] his authority at any time against the forfeited and declared [traitors] presently being within the castle and burgh of Edinburgh and others, [his majesty's] open and manifest enemies, resisters and conspirators against [his highness's] authority during all the time of the open and manifest resistance th[ereto], that the nearest of the said beneficed men's kin, able and qualified, shall have the presentation, provision and collation of his benefice for that time only, and the same to be conveyed to the nearest of his kin that happens to be slain or dies in manner aforesaid, being always able and qualified therefore as said is; and the profits of their benefices, with the fruits especially on the ground, with the annualrent, thereafter to pertain to them and their executors, as well abbots, priors as all other kirkmen.