LX: Precept of James VI to collectors for ministers (1568)

LX. Precept by King James VI., with advice of James, Earl of Murray, Regent, to the collectors for the ministers of Glasgow, confirming and extending the donation made by the Charter, No. LIX. Edinburgh, 5 June 1568.

James be the grace of God King of Scottis: To the lordis of oure counsall and sessioune, all and sindrie the collectouris appointit for the ministris, and vthiris oure liegis and subdittis quhome it effeiris, quhais knawlege thir oure letres salcum, greting. Forsamekile as we with awise and consent of oure derrest cousing James erle of Murray, lorde Abirnethie etc., Regent to ws oure realme and liegis, vnderstanding that oure derrest moder gaif and dispoint to the prouest, bailleis, counsall and communitie of oure cietie of Glasgw, for sustentatioun of the ministrie thairof, All landis, tenementis, houssis, biggingis, kirkis, chappellis, yaridis, orcheartis, croftis, annuelrentis, fruitis, dewiteis, proffittis, emolimentis, fermes, almois siluer, dailsiluer, obeittis siluer, and anniuersarijs quhatsumeuir, quhilkis perteinit or ony wayis salhappin or be knawin to pertene to quhatsumeuir chapellanreis, alteragis, prebendarijs, vicaris of the queir, fundit and erectit in quhatsumeuir college, kirk and chapell within the said cietie, be quhatsumeuir patrone, quhaireuir the saidis houssis, tenementis, biggingis, orcheardis, yairdis, annuelrentis, dewiteis, landis, emolimentis, lyis within this oure realme, Togidder with the maner places, mansionis, orcheardis, yairdis, annuellrentis, emolimentis, and dewiteis quhatsumeuir quhilkis pertenit of befoir to the Blak and Gray Freiris of the said cietie, as at mair length is contenit in the gift and dispositioun maid thairupone; And that the samin gift and yeirlie proffittis contenit thairin is nocht, nor will nocht be, sufficient to sustene the ministrie of the said cieties, be samekill as the prebendaris present possessouris of the foirsaidis beneficeis, altaragis, and chaiplanreis, ar appointit to jois and vplift the proffittis, rentis and emolimentis of the samyn during thair lyftymes, quhairby thair can be na commoditie obtenit thairof during the lyftymes of the possessouris of the samyn; And neuirtheles being of mynd that the foirsaid ministrie be deulie vphaldin for ministratioune of the Evangell to the inhabitantis of the said cietie, to thair edificatioun, and that na impediment succeid throw non payment of the stipend apperteining to the ministeris thairof; Thairfore, with awise and consent of oure said regent, and als with a wisse and consent of our lordis of secrete counsall, We haue gevin, grauntit, disponit and assignit, and be thir oure letres gevis, grantis, disponis, and assignis to the prouest, baillieis, counsale and communitie of our said cietie of Glasgw, and thair successouris, All and sindrie the thriddis, togidder with the superplus and omittit fruitis vngevin vp in rentall, of all and sindrie altaragis, chaiplanreis, kirkis and collegis, annuelrentis and vtheris commoditeis quhatsumeuir of the prebendareis and alterages foundit and dotit within the Cathedrall Kirk of the said cietie of Glasgw, and of all vthiris kirkis, chaiplanreis and collegis liand within the said cietie and fredome thairof, specifijt and contenit in the foirsaid gift grantit be oure derrest moder thairupoune of befoir, as said is, quhairsumeuir the samin fruitis lyis within our realme: Witht power to the saidis prouest, baillieis, counsall and commvnitie, and thair successouris, be thame selfis and thair collectouris in their names, to introment, vplift and vptak the foirsaidis thriddis of the alteragis and chaiplanreis abouewrittin, superplus and omittit fruitis thairof, fra quhatsumeuir personis addettit in payment of the samin off the crope and yeir of God j^m v^c thre scoir sevin yeiris, and sicklike yeirlie in tyme cuming quhill forther ordoure be takin; To the effect the saidis prouest, baillieis, counsall and communitie, and thair successouris, may apply the samin to the sustentatioune of thair minister and ministre present and being for the tyme and na vthirwayis, conforme to the discretioune and modificatioune of the superintendentis and assemblie of the kirk tane or to be takin thairanent: Dischargeing heirfore yow all and sindrie the collectouris appointit for the ministris, and vthiris personis quhatsumeuir for vplifting of the thriddis of benefices within our realme, of all chargeing, calling, trubling or molesting of the saidis prouest, bailleis, counsale and communitie, thair successouris and collectouris foirsaidis, for the thriddis of the saidis alteragis, chaiplanreis and vthiris benefices abouespecifijt, superplus and omittit fruitis thairof respectiue abouerehersit, and of youre offices in that pairt: Bot that ye and euere ane of yow quhilkis hes intrommettit thairwitht of the saidis crope and yeir of God j^m v^c there scoir sevin yeiris reddilie ansuer and mak payment of the samin to the saidis, prouest, ballieis, counsall and communitie, and thair collectouris foirsaidis, nochtwithstanding quhatsumeuir lawis, actis, statutis, letres or proclamationis maid or to be maid in the contrare; dispensand thairwith and all panis contenit thairin: Providing alwayis that the present possessouris of the alteragis, chaiplanreis and vthiris abouewrittin, be nocht permittit to vptak the twa pairt of the annuelrentis, teindis or fruitis thairof, in ony tyme cuming vnto the tyme thai mak first payment of the thriddis of the samin, or find cautioune thairfore: Dischargeing vthirwayis the persounis astrictit in payment of the samyn of all deliuerans thairof to thame or ony of thame in the mene tyme: Dischargeing alswa yow the saidis lordis of oure sessioune present and tocum of all granting of oure vthiris letres to thame to that effect: Providing alsua that the saidis prouest, bailleis, counsall and communitie becum strectly oblist to sustene the minister of thair said cietie present and being for the tyme sufficientlie, conforme to the ordoure takin or to be takin be the foirsaid kirk or superintendentis thairanent for all yeiris and termes abouespecifijt, alsweill bigane as tocum: And that the superplus of the foirsaidis fruitis, alsweile the foirsaid thriddis as haill infeftment of the samin, be imployit to the sustentatioune of the reidaris, puris, and vthiris gud vssis, be the a wise and consent of the minister and eldaris of the said cietie; And ordanis thairfore yow the saidis lordis of oure sessioun to gif and grant oure vthiris lettres in the foure formes to the saidis prouest, baillieis, counsale and communitie and thair successouris, to caus thame be ansuerit and obeyit of the foirsaid thriddis, superplus and omittit and vngevin vp in rentall, and all vthiris fruitis of the alteragis, prebendryis, chaiplanreis, and all vthiris abouewrittin and contenit in the foirsaid formar gift grantit thairupoune. Gevin vnder oure privie seile, at Edinburght, the fyft day of Junij the yeir of God j^m v^e thre scoir aucht yeiris, and of oure regime the first yeir.

Per signaturam manu dicti Domini Regentis subscriptam.