XXXV. Instrument setting forth the Foundation by William Stewart, canon
of Glasgow, etc., of a perpetual chantry at the high altar of the
Church of the Friars' Preachers of Glasgow,—the rector of the
University, the regents in the College of Arts, and the provosts
and bailies of the City, being conservators of the chantry.
Edinburgh, 15 June 1487.
[Latin text]
Vniuersis et singulis Christi fidelibus tam presentibus quam futuris
hoc presens scriptum inspecturis, Willelmus Stewart prebendarius de Killern, ac canonicus ecclesie Glasguensis, rectorque ecclesie parochialis de
Glasfurde Glasguensis diocesis, salutem in eo qui est omnium vera salus.
Nouerit vniuersitas vestra me caritatiue ac pie deuocionis affectu motum
ad laudem gloriam et honorem Sancte et Indiuidue Trinitatis Patris et
Filij et Spiritus Sancti gloriosissimeque Virginis Marie et Omnium Sanctorum, ac ad diuini cultus augmentum, et pro anime mee patris ac matris
parentum meorum, necnon nobilis et potentis domini Johannis Stewart
comitis de Leuenaux et domini Dernele moderni predecessorum ac successorum eiusdem, amicorum parrochianorumque meorum, et animarum illorum
a quibus bona aliqua in vita mea recepi pro quibus ad plenum non satisfeci omniumque fidelium defunctorum salute; unam capellaniam perpetuam
in Ecclesia Fratrum Predicatorum infra ciuitatem Glasguensem, ad magnum altare eiusdem ecclesie, de censibus redditibus et edificijs infrascriptis,
de nouo fundasse, constituisse, erexisse et ordinasse necnon presentis
scripti tenore pro perpetuo fundare, constituere, erigere et ordinare, sub
modo et forma sequentibus, videlicet, Quod Fratres Predicatores de
Glasgw conuentuales perpetuis futuris temporibus, cum cantu sine nota,
omnibus et singulis diebus Dominicis, tercia quarta quinta et sexta ferijs,
ac Sabbatis omnibus, vnam cappellaniam perpetuam pro me, patre ac matre
meis, et ceteris suprascriptis, viuis ac defunctis, ad dictum magnum altare
deuote celebrabunt; sic quod vnus fratrum predictorum per suum priorem
pro tempore existentem ebdomidatim deputandus, statim post primam ad
prefatum magnum altare missam de Beata Virgine Maria cum cantu celebrabit, et piam commemoracionem pro meet ceteris suprascriptis faciet;
cuiquidem misse vsque finem eiusdem omnes fratres conuentuales infra
ciuitatem Glasguensem pro tempore residentes cantantes et debite prout
decet ministrantes intererunt; illis fratribus qui in lectura aut studio
tempore celebracionis dicte misse actualiter existunt tantummodo exceptis. Qualibet vero feria secunda prefatus frater, vt premissum est, per Priorem deputandus, ad dictum altare statim post primam cum suis confratribus missam pro defunctis, scilicet De Requiem, pro me et ceteris
suprascriptis, similiter cantabit et deuote. In singulis vero festis Beate
Marie Virginis, necnon commemoracionibus eiusdem, quando de ipsa ad
predictum magnum altare cantabitur missa, statim post consecracionem
corporis et sanguinis Domini, vnus fratrum predictorum missam priuatim
de Beata Maria Virgine ad altare eiusdem virginis in dicta ecclesia, absque
cantu et sine nota, pro me et ceteris suprascriptis, celebrabit singulis
annis imperpetuum. Pro cuius quidem capellanie sustentacione, in omnibus et per omnia, vt premissum est, ego Willelmus antedictus, expensis
meis proprijs, ad commodum profectum et vtilitatem dictorum fratrum,
construam et edificabo seu construere et edificare faciam, cum domibus
et asiamentis infrascriptis, totum integrum spacium prius fundatum in
dicta ciuitate Glasguensi, inter ecclesiam ipsorum fratrum et dormitorium
eorundem, ex parte occidentali sui claustri, hoc modo, videlicet: In primis
construam seu edificabo, vt supra, in dicto spatio quinque uel sex voltas
inferius prout vtilitati dictorum fratrum melius congruere videbitur;
desuper vero duas aulas, duas coquinas et quatuor cameras; ac deinde
domos superiores, eisdem aulis coquinis et cameris correspondentes, in
soliis cum tegulis bene tectas, et in lignis ac tabulis honeste dispositas.
Parietes insuper huiusmodi edificij in altitudine correspondebunt parietibus dicte ecclesie, et in suis lateribus exterioribus cum lapidibus bene
sculptis, videlicet, le astlaris, edificabuntur. Vlterius vero pro maiore et
firmiore sustentacione dicte capellanie, do et imperpetuum assigno dictis
fratribus annuos redditus infrascriptos, qui michi ex diuina gracia et
conquestu aduenerunt, extendentes se annuatim ad quinquaginta solidos
monete Scocie, hoc modo, videlicet: decern solidos ad sustentacionem et
reparacionem dicti edificij annuatim post completam construccionem siue
edificacionem eiusdem; et reliquos quadraginta solidos inter fratres in
prefata capellania actualiter ministrantes ordino et assingno disponendos
de terris et tenementis infrascriptis; videlicet, octodecim solidos de
tenemento Dauid Spere, jacente in vico publico se extendente ab ecclesia
Cathedrali Glasguensi usque Crucem Fori eiusdem, et ex parte orientali
ipsius vici inter tenementa Hospitalis Glasguensis ex parte boriali, et
Thome Mynteth ex parte australi: Item, duodecim solidos dicte monete
de tenemento quondam Johannis Hynde, jacente infra dictam ciuitatem
in vico Sancte Thanew, ex parte australi ejusdem, inter tenementa Dauid
Cochran ex parte orientali et Willelmi Brown ex parte occidentali; Item,
quatuor solidos de tenemento et orto Johannis Leiche, piscatoris, jacente
in ciuitate Glasguensi, in vico extendente ad Pontem Glasguensem, inter tenementa Alani Olifant ex parte occidentali et Jonete Finlai ex parte
orientali; Item, decern solidos de tenemento Vinfridi Maknayr, et
duabus rodis terre ejusdem, jacentibus in dicta civitate Glasguensi,
et in le Mutalcroft inter terras Johannis Oliphant ex parte orientali,
et terras abbatis de Pasleto ex parte occidentali, extendentibus a
viridario Glasguensi ex parte australi, et communi via extendente a
capella Sancte Thanew vsque crucem foralem Glasguensem; Item, sex
solidos de quinque rodis terre campestris Walteri Rankyn, jacentibus in le
Palyartcroft, prope capellam Sancte Thanew, inter terras Dauid Wyntir
ex utraque parte. Item, constituo et ordino dominum rectorem alme
Vniuersitatis Glasguensis pro tempore existentem, et regentes in collegio
arcium studij Glasguensis, necnon prepositum et balliuos dicte ciuitatis
Glasguensis, conseruatores predicte capellanie, qui ad ipsam attendent et
ascultabunt ita quod in defectu seu negligencia predictorum fratrum
nullatenus ipsa capellania deficiat. Et casu quo ipsi fratres negligentes
in premissis aut culpabiles inuenti fuerint, quod absit, do, et per tenorem
huius scripti concedo, dictis rectori et regentibus, preposito ac balliuis,
meam omnimodam potestatem et mandatum speciale ad distringendum
et compellendum eosdem fratres coram suis superioribus pro complemento premissorum. In quorum omnium et singulorum fidem et testi monium premissorum, huic fundacioni, que cum prefatis preposito et
balliuis nomine meo in custodia remanebit, appensum est sigillum commune dicti conuentus Glasguensis, vnacum sigillis reuerendi patris fratris
Johannis Mure sacre theologie bachallarij, ac in regno Scocie eiusdem
ordinis prioris prouincialis, et diffinitorum capituli prouincialis, videlicet
fratris Dauid Crag prioris dicti conuentus Glasguensis, Fratris Willelmi
Reryk prioris conuentus de Eddinburgh, Fratris Johannis Penny prioris
conuentus de Abirdene, et Fratris Johannis Rede prioris conuentus in
Sanctoandrea, manibus eciam propijs appositis, In capitulo prouinciali
tento apud Eddinburgh, die decimoquinto mensis Junij, anno Domini
millesimo quadringentesimo octuagesimo septimo, cum assensu pariter et
consensu ceterorum fratrum eiusdem ordinis in dicto capitulo existencium.
Coram hiis testibus, venerabili viro magistro Alexandro Bothueill vicario
de Mussilburgh, domino Jacobo Thomson capellano, Laurencio Wallace
burgensi burgi de Edinburgh, Jacobo Nigelli notario publico, et Nicholaio
Christeson, cum multis aliis etc.
Sequuntur subscriptiones Prouincialis et Priorum prescriptorum.
Ego Frater Johannes Mur, prouincialis, approbo ratifico et confirmo
hanc suprascriptam nouam fundacionem; teste manu propria.
Et ego Frater Willelmus Reryk, diffinitor, ad omnia suprascripta
consensio; teste manu propria.
Et ego Frater Dauid Crag, presentis capitulj diffinitor, similiter
huic fundacioni letus assensio.
Et ego Frater Johannes Penny, diffinitor capituli, ad omnia suprascripta consensio; teste manu propria.
Et ego Frater Johannes Red, prior in Sancto Andrea, et diffinitor
presentis capituli, ad omnia suprascripta consensio; teste manu
propria.
[Translation]
To all and sundry faithful in Christ, as well present as to come, that shall see this
present writing, William Stewart, prebendary of Killern, and canon of the church
of Glasgow, and rector of the parish church of Glasfurde in the diocese of Glasgow,
greeting in him who is the true salvation of all men. Wit Ye all of you that I,
moved by the impulse of my love and pious devotion, for the praise glory and honor
of the holy and undivided Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Ghost, and of the most
glorious virgin Mary, and all the saints, and for the increase of the service of God,
and for the salvation of my own soul, and the souls of my father and mother, my
parents, and of a noble and mighty lord, John Stewart, present earl of Lennox, and
lord Dernele, his predecessors and successors, and of my friends and parishioners,
of them from whom, in my life, I have received any goods for which I have not fully satisfied them, and of all the faithful dead, have founded of new, constituted,
erected and ordained, and by the tenor of this present writing, for ever Found,
Constitute, Erect and Ordain a perpetual chaplainry in the church of the Preaching Friars within the City of Glasgow, at the high altar of the said church, out of
the mails, rents, and buildings underwritten, in manner and form following, to wit:
That the conventual Preaching Friars of Glasgow, in all times coming, shall devoutly
celebrate at the said high altar with plain song, on every Lord's day, on the third,
fourth, fifth, and sixth days of the week, and every Saturday, a perpetual chaplainry
for me, my father and mother, and others above written, quick and dead; in such
manner, that one of the Friars Preachers to be appointed weekly by his prior for
the time being shall, immediately after prime, celebrate with chant at the foresaid
high altar the mass of the blessed virgin Mary, and make pious commemoration for
me and the others above written: at which mass to the end thereof, all conventual
friars for the time abiding within the city of Glasgow shall be present, singing and
duly serving as is fitting; except only the friars that shall be actually at lecture or
study during the time of the celebration of the said mass. And on every second
day of the week, the foresaid friar to be deputed by the prior as aforesaid, together
with his brethren, shall in like manner sing, and that devoutly, at the said altar immediately after prime, the mass for the dead, to wit, De Requiem, for me and the
others above written. Moreover at every feast of the blessed virgin Mary, and at
her commemorations, when the mass shall be sung at the foresaid high altar, immediately after the consecration of the body and blood of our Lord, one of the foresaid friars shall celebrate privately the mass of the blessed virgin Mary, at the altar
of the said Virgin in the said church, without singing and note for me and the
others above written, year by year for evermore. For the upholding of which
chaplainry, in all and by all, as aforesaid, I, the foresaid William shall erect and
build, or cause to be erected and built, at my own expense, for the behoof, profit
and use of the said friars, with houses and easements underwritten, all and whole
the space before founded in the said city of Glasgow, betwixt the church of the
said friars and their dormitory, on the south side of their cloister, as follows, to
wit: In the first place, I shall build or construct, as above, in the said space five or
six vaults beneath as shall seem most meet for the use of the said friars; and
above, two halls, two kitchens, and four chambers; and thereafter houses above,
corresponding to the said halls, kitchens, and chambers on the ground-floor, well
roofed with tiles, and sufficiently finished in wood and boards. Further, the walls of the said building shall correspond in height with the walls of the said church,
and be built on the outside with well hewn stones, to wit, ashler stones. And further,
for the better and more certain maintenance of the said chaplainry, I give and for
ever assign to the said friars the annual rents underwritten, which came to me by the
blessing of God, and my purchase, extending yearly to fifty shillings money of Scotland, in this manner; to wit, ten shillings for the upholding and repair of the said
building yearly, after the complete erection or building thereof; and the other
forty shillings I ordain and assign to be distributed among the friars actually serving
in the foresaid chaplainry, out of the lands and tenements underwritten; to wit,
eighteen shillings furth of the tenement of David Spere, lying in the public street
that runs from the High Church of Glasgow to the Market Cross thereof, and on
the east side of the said street, betwixt the tenements of the hospital of Glasgow
on the north, and of Thomas Mynteth on the south sides; Also, twelve shillings
money foresaid from the tenement of the late John Hynde, lying within the said
city in St Thanew's Street, on the south side thereof, betwixt the tenements of
David Cochrane on the east and William Brown on the south side; Also, four
shillings from the tenement and garden of John Leiche, fisherman, lying in the city of Glasgow, in the street running to Glasgow Brig, betwixt the tenements of Alan
Olifant on the west, and Jonet Finlai on the east side; Also, ten shillings from the
tenement of Humphrey Maknair, and two roods of land of the same, lying in the
said city of Glasgow, in the Mutalcroft between the lands of John Oliphant on
the east, and the lands of the Abbot of Paisley on the west side, extending from
Glasgow Green on the south side, and the highway running from St Thanew's
chapel to the Market Cross of Glasgow; Also, six shillings from five roods of
meadow land of Walter Rankyn, lying in the Palyartcroft, beside St Thanew's
chapel, between the lands of David Wyntir on both sides. Likewise I Constitute
and Ordain the lord Rector of the University of Glasgow for the time being, and
the regents in the College of Arts of Glasgow University, and the provost and
bailies of the said city of Glasgow, conservators of the foresaid chaplainry, to watch
over it, and give heed that the said chaplainry do in no wise fall to decay through
default or neglect of the foresaid friars. And in case the said friars be found
negligent or culpable in the foresaids, which God forbid, I give, and by the tenor
of this writing grant to the said rector and regents, provost and bailies, my full
power and special mandate to distrain and compel the said friars before their superiors, for fulfilment of the premises. In Faith And Witness of all and sundry which
premises, to this foundation, which shall remain in the keeping of the foresaid
provost and bailies in my name, the common seal of the said convent of Glasgow
is affixed, together with the seals of a reverend father friar John Mure, bachelor of
sacred theology and provincial prior of the said order in the kingdom of Scotland,
and of the diffinitors of the provincial chapter, to wit, friar David Crag prior of the
said convent of Glasgow, friar William Reryk prior of the convent of Edinburgh,
friar John Penny prior of the convent of Abirdene, and friar John Rede prior of
the convent in St Andrews, setting to also their hands; in a provincial chapter
held at Edinburgh, on the fifteenth day of June, the year of God one thousand
four hundred and eighty-seven, with assent and consent of the remanent friars of
the same order present in the said chapter; before these witnesses, a venerable
man, Master Alexander Bothueill vicar of Mussilburgh, Sir James Thomson Chaplain, Laurence Wallace, burgess of the burgh of Edinburgh, James Nielson, notary
public, and Nicholas Christeson, with many others.
Follow the subscriptions of the foresaid provincial and priors.
I, friar John Mur, provincial, approve, ratify, and confirm the above written
new foundation; witness my hand.
And I, friar William Reryk, diffinitor, consent to the whole above written;
witness my hand.
And I, friar David Crag, diffinitor of this present chapter, in like manner
willingly assent to this foundation.
And I, friar John Penny, diffinitor of the chapter, consent to the whole above
written; witness my hand.
And I, friar John Red, prior in St Andrews, and diffinitor of the present
chapter, consent to the whole above written; witness my hand.