[1578/7/7]¹

Concerning the visitation of the hospitals

²Item, because diverse hospitals have been erected by our sovereign lord's most noble progenitors and other zealous and devout men within the country, which in all ways are coming into decay by negligence of such to whom the one cure thereof pertains, and are set in feu and tacks without all good order, in respect that the victuals and other profits pertaining to the said hospitals are converted into small sums of money, so that the poor and beadles of the said hospitals have small [means] or nothing to live upon. For remedy of the which, our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the three estates of parliament, ordains [John Stewart, earl of Atholl], chancellor, for all the hospitals founded by our sovereign lord's most noble progenitors, and the bishops and commissioners of the diocese where no bishops are provided for all other hospitals, [to] try the quantity of their rent, the order of their foundation and the estate wherein the rent presently is, and to that effect, that the lords of council and session direct letters charging the holders of the foundations and erections of the said hospitals, feuars and tacksmen of the lands and others pertaining thereto to produce the same before the said chancellor, bishop and commissioners at such days and places as they shall appoint, to be seen and considered by them to the effect that order may be taken upon the reformation of the decay of the same hospitals, under the pain of rebellion and of putting them to the horn; and that the said chancellor and others aforesaid report their answer to the king's grace and lords of secret council between now and Easter coming.