XCI: Act of Parliament entitled 'Act anent the restitution of the Estate of Bischoppis' (1606)

XCI. Act of Parliament intituled 'Act anent the restitution of the Estate of Bischoppis.' Edinburgh, 11 July 1606.

In the parliament haldin at Perth the nynt day of Julij the yeir of God one thousand six hundred and sex yeiris, be vertue of ane speciall commissioun grantit be our Souerane Lord to that effect, vnder the great seall, of the date at Hamptouncourt the aucht day of Februar one thousand six hundred and four yeiris, Oure Souerane Lord, now in his absens furth of his Kingdome of Scotland, ernestlie desyring sa to provyde for the just and politique gouernament of that Estait as his faithfull subiectis thairof may perfytlie knaw that absens breids not in his royall mynd oblivioun of thair gude, bot that he is daylie mair and mair cairfull of sic thingis as may tend maist to the honour, proffitt, and perpetuall stabilitie and quietnes of the said kingdome, quhairin vnderstanding religioun and justice to be sa necessar fundamentis and pillaris, as by thame the authoritie of the princes and quietnes of the peopill in all times bipast hes cheiflie bene establischit and mantenit, quhill off lait, in his Maiesteis young yeiris and vnsetlit estaitt, the ancient and fundamentall policie, consisting in the mantenance of the thrie estaittis of parliament, hes bene greatumlie imparit and almost subuertit, specialie by the indirect abolischeing of the estait of Bischoppis by the Act of annexatioun of the temporalitie of benefices to the Crowne, maid in his Hienes Parliament haldin at Edinburgh in the moneth of Julij the yeir of God one thousand five hundred fourscoir sewin yeiris, quhairby, albeit it wes nather menit by his Majestie nor by his estaittis that the said estait of Bischoppis, consisting of benefices of cure, and being ane necessar estait of the Parliament, suld onywayes be suppressit, yit his Majestie, by experience of the subsequent time, hes cleirlie sene that the dismembering and abstracting frome thame of thair levingis hes brocht thame in sic contempt and povertie that they ar nocht hable to furneis necessaries to thair privat familie, mekill less to beir the charges of thair wonted rank in parliament and generall counsailles, and eftir the example of thair predecessouris to assist and supplie thair Prince with thair counsaill and gudis in tyme of peax and ware, the remede quhairof propirlie belangis to his Majestie, quhome the haill Estaittis, of thair bundin duetie, with maist hartlie and faithfull affectioun, humelie and trewlie acknawleges to be Souerane Monarche, absolute Prince, Judge, and Gouernour over all persones, estaittis, and caussis, baith spirituall and temporall, within his said realme: Thairfoir his Majestie, with express advyse and consent of the saidis haill estaittis of Parliament, being cairfull to repone, restoir, and redintegrat the said estait of Bischoppis to thair ancient and accustomed honour, digniteis, prerogatiues, privilegis, levingis, landis, teyndis, rentis, thriddis, and estaitt, as the samyn wes in the reformit kirk maist ample and frie at onytyme befoir the act of annexatioun foresaid, be the tennour heirof retreittis, rescindis, reduces, cassis, abrogattis, and annullis the foirsaid Act of annexatioun of the temporalitie of benefices to the Crown, maid in the yeir of God one thousand five hundred fourscoir sewin yeiris, as said is, in so far as the samyn may in ony sorte comprehend or be extendit to the authoritie, dignitie, prerogatiues, priuileges, touris, castellis, fortalices, landis, kirkis, teyndis, thriddis, or rentis of the saidis Bischoprikis, or ony pairt thairof, with all vtheris Actis of Parliament maid in prejudice of the saidis Bischoppis in the premissis, or ony of thame, with all that hes followit or may follow thairvpoun, and all actis for dismembring of particular kirkis or commoun kirkis of the saidis Bischoprikis frome the samyn, or for separatioun of the thriddis of the saidis Bischoprikis frome the bodie titill and twa pairt of the samyn, to the effect the persones presentlie provydit to the Bischoprikis of Scotland, or ony of thame, or that sail heireftir be provydit to the samyn, may freilie, quietlie, and peciablie injoy, brvik, and posses the honouris, digniteis, privileges, and prerogatives competent to thame or thair estait sen the Reformatioun of the Religioun, and all touris, fortalices, landis, kirkis, teyndis, rentis, twa pairt thriddis, patronages, and richtis quhatsumeuir belanging to the saidis Bischoprikis, or ony of thame, and vse and excerce the samyn, and frelie dispone vpoun the haill twa pairt and thrid temporalitie and spiritualitie of thair saidis Bischoprikis, and all the premises belonging to the saidis Bischoprikis, as the saidis actis of annexatioun and remanent actis maid in onywayes to thair preiudice in the premisses, and euerie ane of thame, and all that followit thairvpoun, had nevir bene maid nor done, they allwayes intertenying the Ministeris serveing at the cure of the kirkis of thair saidis Bischoprikis vpoun the reddiest of thair saidis thriddis, according to the ordinar assignationis maid or ressonable to be maid thairanent: Attoure, becaus his Maiesteis intentioun is onlie to restoir the Bischoprikis quhilkis ar benefices of cure, and nawayes to alter ony thing done in vther benefices quhilkis ar nocht of cure, and for the better satisfactioun of his Majesteis subiectis and faithfull servandis, quhome his Majestie, in his princelie liberalitie for diuerse gude respectis and caussis moveing him, hes beneficit, rewardit, and advanceit with erectionis, fewis, patronages, teyndis, and vtheris infeftmentis, confirmationes of landis, rentis, teyndis, patronages, and vthers richtis of abbaceis, prioreis, and vtheris benefices, nocht being bischoprikis; and to the effect that they be nocht prejudgeit nor put in mistrust by this act of thair securitie in the premisses, his Hienes, with advyse of the haill estaittis of Parliament, ratefeis, appreves, and for him and his successouris perpetualie confermes the haill erectionis, infeftmentis, confirmatiounes, patronages, takkis, and vtheris securiteis of landis, teyndes, patronages, richtis, and rentis quhatsumeuir of the saidis haill benefices foirsaides, or ony pairt thairof (nocht being bischoprikis) gewin, disponit, or confermit be his Majestie during the tyme of the said Parliament haldin in the moneth of Julij one thousand five hundred fourscoir sewin yeiris, of befoir or sen syne, maid agreable to the lawis and actis of the said Parliament fourscoir sewin, and vtheres lawis and actis maid sensyne, and faithfullie promittis in verbo principis neuir to querrell nor impugne the samin directlie nor indirectlie in ony tyme cuming; as alsua for the weill and securitie of the tennentis of the landis and teyndis of the saidis Bischoprikis quha since the Act of Annexatioun hes debursit diuerse soumes of money to his Hienes thesaurar for making and confermyng to thame of thair infeftmentis, takkis, and securiteis of the saidis landis, teyndis, and rentis of the said Bischoprikis possessit by thame, and to the effect that the annulling of the said act of annexatioun bereiff thame nocht altogidder of the saidis landis, teyndis, and rentis of bischoprikis acquirit by thame, vpoun thair large charges and expensses, according to the law than standing; and that vpoun the vther pairt the saidis Bischoprikis be nocht altogidder maid vnproffitable be the vnlauchfull dilapidatioun of the rentis thairof, and hurtfull conversioun of the victuall, caynis, customes, and vtheris comoditeis of the samin for vnequall and vnworthie prices, thairfoir his Majestie, with advyse of his Estaittis foirsaidis, ordanis the saidis persones, possessouris of the landis or teyndis of Bischoprikis be vertue of infeftmentis, confirmatiounes, or takkis of the samin grantit or sett since the said act of annexatioun, and conforme to the samin and lawis of the realme at the tyme of the making thairof, sall have the securiteis, confirmatiounes, takkis and richtis of the saidis landis and teyndis of the Bischoprikis foirsaidis renewit and grantit to thame in sufficient, perfyte, and valide forme be the Bischoppis, possessouris of the saidis benetices, the saidis fewaris, takismen, and tenentis payand to the saidis Bischoppis for gressum, entres and compositioun for renewing of thair saidis fewis of all landis and vtheris belonging to the saidis Bischoprikis, and als for ratificatioun of thair saidis takkis, of all teyndis pertening thereto, off the quhilkis at the day and date heirof thair is ten yeiris croppis of the samyn to ryn, the doubill of the yeirlie siluer duetie contenit in thair saidis fewis and takkis, and the singill of the victuall duetie and of all vther dueteis expressit thairin, and that by and attoure the yeirlie duetie expressit in thair saidis fewis and takkis; the quhilkis dueties for gressun, entres and compositioun, the haill Estaittis of Parliament declairis sall be payit be the saidis fewaris, takismen and tennentis, within yeir and day eftir they be lachfullie cytit to that effect, and for that samyn cause, or eftir that intimatioun of the samyn be maid to thame be the Bischoppis in thair awin courtis; and in cais of nocht thankfull payment of the double of the said siluer duetie, and of the singill of the said victuall and vtheris dueties within yeir and day eftir the said citatioun and intimatioun as said is, the saidis Estaitis of Parliament findis and declairis that the saidis fewaris and takkismen sall be astrictit to pay eftir the expyring of the said yeir and day (thankfull payment nocht being maid within that space of the foirsaidis gressumes, enteres and compositioun extending to the quantitie abovewritten) the quadruple of the siluer duetie, and the doubill of the said victuall and vthereis dueteis foirsaidis to the saidis Bischoppis, by and attour the yeirlie dueteis contenit in thair saidis fewis and takkis as saidis; and the saidis Estatis declairis that gif thair is nocht ten yeiris compleit to ryn of the saidis takkis of teyndis pertenyng to the kirkis of the saidis Bischoprikis eftir the day and date heirof, in that caise the takismen onnawayes sall be astrictit to pay ony gressum, enteres or compositioun for the samyn, to the saidis Bischoppis, bot they to be frie thairof. Attoure the saidis Estaittis declairis that the said act and ordinance of Parliament sall nawayes be extendit comprehend nor prejudge ony fewis of Bischoprikis Jachfullie sett and confirmit befoir the said Act of Annexatioun quhilk wes in the said moneth of Julij one thousand five hundred fourscoir sewin yeiris. Exceptand and Reserveand alwayes furth of the present Act all dispositionis maid of quhatsumeuir patronages of the kirkis pertening to the saidis Bischoprikis disponit be lauchfull titularis and the Kingis Majestie, and ratefeit in Parliament, in fauouris of quhatsumeuir persone or persones and nane vtheris, and findis and declairis all and quhatsumeuir dispositionis maid of the foirsaidis patronages of all kirkis pertening to Bischoprikis disponit be the lachfull titularis and his Majestie, and nocht confermit in Parliament, to be of nane availl although the samyn patronages be grantit and disponit be the Kingis Majestie and titularis thairof. And lykwayes Exceptand and Reservand all commoun kirkis pertening of auld to the saidis Bischoppis and thair Chaptour in commountie quhilkis ar disponit be his Majestie to quhatsumeuir persone at ony tyme preceding the date of this present act. And the saidis Estaittis declairis that gif thair be ony commoun kirkis pertening to the saidis Bischoprikis and to thair Chaptour of auld that now pertenis and fallis to thame be vertew of this present act, that thairby the Ministeris quha ar lauchfullie provydit to the saidis commoun kirkis be presentatioun, collatioun, and admissioun, and serveing thairat, sall nawayes be prejudgeit during thair lyfetymes, bot that the saidis provisionis sall be sufficient richt and warrand to the saidis Ministeris to bruik, joise, and posses thair commoun kirkis foirsaidis, according as they ar provydit thairto for all the dayes of thair lyfetimes, notwithstanding of quhatsumeuir clause contenit in this present act or any vther act of Parliament, that micht mak ony derogatioun to the saidis provisionis. Exceptand alwayes and Reserveand the Castell of Sanctandrois and Castell yairdis of the samin, disponit to George Erle of Dunbar vpon the resignatioun of George Archibischop of Sanctandrois, dissolvit and dismemberit fra the said Archbischoprik be oure said Souerane Lord and Estaittis, with express consent and assent of the said Archbischop personalie comperand in Parliament, quhome to oure said Souerane Lord in place and recompence of the said Castell, hes gewin and disponit the provestrie of Kirkhill, vicarage and archidenrie of Sanctandrois, to remane with the said Archbischop and his successouris, by and attoure ane yeirlie pensioun of thrie hundred merkis gewin to the said Archibischop, sua that the said Castell and Castell yairdis sall nawayes be comprehendit in this present Act, nor yit sall be comptit nor estemit in ony tyme heireftir ony pairt or portioun of the patrimonie of the said Archibischoprik, bot sall remane with the said George Erle of Dunbar his airis and successouris, as thair propir heretage, lauchfullie disponit to thame, and dissoluit fra the said Archibischoprik. And in lyk maner the saidis Estaittis declaris that the foirsaid act grantit in fauouris of the saidis Bischoppis, sall nocht be extendit nor prejudiciall to the infeftmentis, richtis, and titillis, maid to Sir Roberts Melvill of Murdocarnie, knyght, his airis and successouris mentionat thairin, of the landis of Monymaill and Lethame, with the maner place, yairdis and biggingis of Monymaill and patronage of the kirk of Monymaill, pertening of auld to the Archibischop of Sanctandrois; and declaris the samyn infeftmentis to stand in the awin strenth, nochtwithstanding of this present act; provyding always that the said Sir Robert Melville and his airis sustene and interteny the Ministeris serveing at the said kirk, vpoun the fruittis of the samin kirk. And notwithstanding of this present act and haill claussis thairin contenit, oure said Souerane Lord with advyse foirsaid, having considerit the fewaris of the baronie of Glasgow to be mony in number, and the povertie of the maist pairt of thame to be suche as they are nocht abill to furnesche the ordinary charges for renewing thair infeftmentis, haif dispensit, and be this present act dispenssis anent the foirsaid claus of renewing of fewis with sa mony of the saidis fewaris as have takin thair fewis without diminutioun of the rentall and conversioun of victuall and vtheris dueteis in siluer, and quha sall obtene ane ratificatioun frome Johne, now Archibischop of Glasgow, of the saidis fewis and richtis befoir the Feist of Alhallowmes nixtocum; and declaris the fewis and lauchfullie sett as said is to the saidis persones valide and effectual, thair airis, successouris, and assignais alwayes entering be the said Archibischop as thair immediat superiour, and be his successouris, to thair saidis landis, rowmes and possessionis be brevis rasit out of the said Archibischoppis chancellarie, preceptis of clare constat, resignationis, and confirmationis as vse is, and payand thair few maillis, fermes, multuris, caynis, and vtheris dueteis to the said Archibischop and his successouris in all tyme hereafter, but preiudice to the Lettres of Gift and Pensionis grantit to the Duke of Lennox, Sir George, Sir James, and Sir Archibald Erskynnis, pensionis furth of the fruittis of the said Archibischoprik of Glasgow, to be bruikit be the said Lord Duik during the said Lord Dukis lyfetyme alanerlie.