Forsamekle as the Quenis Majestie, be the advise of the Lordis of hir Secreat Counsall, directit hir Letteris commanding all and sindrie Archbischoppis, Bischoppis, Abbottis, [Commendatouris,] Priouris, Deanis, Archdeanis, [Subdeanis, Chantouris, Subchantouris,[717]] Personis, Vicaris, and[718] all utheris beneficit men, thair factouris, fermoraris, and takkismen, to compeir befoir hir Hienes and Lordis foirsaidis, at Edinburgh, or whair it shall happin thame to be for the tyme, sa many as dwellis upoun this syde of the Month, the xxiiij day of Januar instant; and thame that dwellis beyond the Month, the tent day of Februar nixttocum; that the just availl of thair Benefices may be knawin, sua that thairafter hir Grace mycht tack ordour for the susteanyng of the Ministeris, of the Pure,[719] and publict busynes of the Realme: And becaus the Quenis Majestie is presentlie occupyed in other effairis, and may nocht attend hir self upoun the ressait of the saidis Rentallis, Thairfoir hir Hienes hes gevin and granted, and be thir presentis gevis and grantis, full power and commissioun to Maister James Makgill of Rankeillour Neather Clerk of Registre, Schir Johne Bellenden of Achinowle knycht Justice Clerk, Thesaurar, Secretare, Advocat, and Laird of Pittarrow,[720] To call befoir thame within the burgh of Edinburgh, All and sindrie Prelattis and Beneficit men, quha are charged be vertew of the saidis letteris, and now being in Edinburgh, or that heirafter shall happin to repair thairto, thair factouris and fermoraris, and thar inquyre of thame the Rentallis of thair benefices, and resave the samyn fra thame, to the effect foirsaid: And siclyke that the saidis Commissionaris caus warne all Superintendentis, [Ministeris,[721]] Eldaris, and Deaconis, to geve unto thame the names of the haill Ministeris of this Realme, that the just calculatioun being considdered and maid be the saidis Commissionaris, of the availl of the saidis Benefices, thai may reporte the samyn to the Quenis Majestie, that hir Hienes may tak ordour thairin; according to the [just[722]] tennour of the first Ordinance maid thairupon.
Apud Edinburgh, xijo Februarij, Anno &c. lxjo.
[Sederunt.
Georgius Comes de Huntlie,
Archibaldus Comes Ergadie,
Jacobus Comes de Mar,
Willelmus Marescalli Comes,
Joannes Atholie Comes,
Alexander Comes de Glencarne,
Jacobus Comes de Mortoun,
Joannes Dns. Erskin,
Joes. Ballenden de Auchnowle miles Clericus Justiciarie.]
The quhilk day, forsamekle as be Statute and Ordinance maid be the Quenis Majestie and Lordis of Secreit Counsale, and her Hienes letteris direct thairupoun, All and sindrie Archbischoppis, [Bischoppis,][723] Abbottis, Commendatouris, Priouris, Archdeanis, Deanis, Subdeanis, Chantouris, Subchantouris, Provestis, Personis, Vicaris, and utheris beneficit men of this Realme, war charged to exhibite and produce the Rentallis of thair benefices befoir hir Majestie and Lordis foirsaids, in maner following: That is to say, the saidis Beneficit men, [dwelling] on this syde of the Month, the xxiiij day of Januar last bypast, and on the uther syd of the Month, the tent of Februar instant, to that effect that ordour mycht be takin thairin conforme to the said Ordinance; with certificatioun to thame, and thai failzeit, the Quenis Majestie and Counsale [foirsaid] wald tak ordour thairin, as the samyn Ordinance beiris: Notwithstanding the quhilk, and that the Quenis Majestie and Counsale, and utheris appointed be hir for resaving of the saidis Rentalles, hes continewallie, sen the said xxiiij day of Januare, awaitted upoun the resaving thairof; yit ane verray small nomber of thame hes produced the said Rentalles, contepmnand thairthrow nocht onlie hir Grace's Ordinance and Proclamatioun foirsaid, but als hir self and hir authoritie, like as thai war princes and nocht subjectis, expresse aganis reassone, equitie, and justice: For remeid quhairof, the Quenis Majestie ordanis, be advise of the Lordis of hir Secreit Counsale, that Factouris and Chalmerlanis be appointed to intromett, gaddir, uplift, and receave to our Soverane Ladeis use, all and sindrie mailles, fermes, teyndis, rentis, proventis, emolumentis, canis, proffeittis, and dewities of whatsumevir Benefices, whairof the Rentallis ar nocht produced, conforme to the said Ordinance: And gif ony Rentalle ellis produced bearis not the just availl, but is fraudefullie maid, to intromett and uptak samekle of the frutis and proffeittis of the saidis benefices as ar omitted furth of the saidis Rentalle; and the ingevaris of the Rentalles, and possessouris of the benefices thairof, shall never haif actioun to craif, clame, or ressaif fra the tennantis and possessouris, farther nor is contained in the saidis Rentallis ellis produced be thame: and the saids tennandis and possessouris shall na wyis be haldin to pay ony mair for thair rowmes to the possessouris of the saidis benefices and ingevaris of the saidis Rentalles, nor is conteyned in the samyn rentallis ellis produced, as said is: And that the saidis Factouris and Chalmerlanis to be appointed be the Quenis Majestie, shall have sufficient power to intromett and uptak the fructis and proffeittis foirsaidis, siclyke as gif speciall letteris of Factorie and Chalmerlanrie wer granted to thame thairupoun. And ordanis the Lordis of Sessioun to direct furth letteris at the said Factouris and Chalmerlanis instance, owther horning or poinding, as shalbe thocht expedient, for causing of thame to be ansuered of the fructis of the saidis benefices, to be furthcumand to the Quenis Majesties behuif, whill forther ordour be tacken thairintill.
Apud Edinburgh, xvto Februarij, Anno &c. lxjo.
[Sederunt.
Georgius Comes de Huntlie,
Archibaldus Ergadie Comes,
Jacobus Comes de Mar,
Joannes Atholie Comes,
Jacobus Comes de Mortoun,
Willelmus Marescalli Comes.]
The quhilk day, forsamekle as the Quenis Majestie, be the advise of the Lordis of hir Secreit Counsale, and otheris diverse of the Nobilitie had of befoir, upoun the xxij day of December last bypast, ordanit, that gif the Fourt parte of the fructis and rentis of all the Benefices within this Realme war nocht sufficient for the support of hir Majestie, and other particulare charges underwrittin, necessar to be borne for the tranquillitie[724] of the country; then the Thrid of the saidis fructis, mair or less, should be takin up, to the effectis foirsaidis: And attour ordanit letteris to be direct, chargeing all and sindrie beneficit men, on this syd of the Month, to produce thair Rentallis upoun the xxiiij day of Januar last bypast; and the tent day of Februar instant, was prefixt be the saidis letteris, for inbringing of all rentallis of the benefices beyond the Month; with certificatioun, that quha produced nott the saidis Rentallis[725] at the dayis foirsaidis respective, the Quenis Majestie and hir Counsale wald provide remeid: According to the quhilk certificatioun, hir Hienes, with avyse of hir Counsale foirsaid, hes ordanit, that thai quha hes nocht produced thair rentallis, haill and full intromissioun shalbe had of thair fructis, be thame whom hir Majestie shall direct thairto; and quha hes nocht gevin in thair just Rentallis, quhatsumever part omitted in thair saidis rentallis shalbe intromettit with in lyke maner: And further, having consulted ryplie and diligentlie avysit upoun the commoun effairis and necessities concernyng the Quenis Majestie, and charges to be borne, for the commoun weill of the Realme, and sustentatioun of the Preachearis and Readaris, conforme to the said Ordinance maid thairupoun of befoir, hes fundin and declaired the haill Thrid partis of all Benefices within this Realme, of the quhilkis the rentallis ar produced, to be taken up be the person or personis to be nominat be hir Majestie, and to begyn upoun this last crope of the year of God Jm Vc, and threscoir ane yearis, the samyn to be employed to the effect foirsaid: togitther with the haill fructis of the benefices whairof the Rentallis ar nocht produced; and alsua of samekle as is omitted in the rentallis produced: And that ordour be directit be the Quenis Majestie, to the Lordis of Sessioun, that the auld Possessouris may be ansuered of the remanent fructis of the saidis benefices; providing that the Thrid part foirsaid be full and haill takin up, be the personis to be deput to the up-taking thairof: And this ordoure to continew and stand, ay and whill further ordouris be takin be the Quenis Majestie, with advyse of hir Estaitis. Mairover hir Hienes, be the advyse of hir Counsale foirsaid, hes statut and ordanit that all annuellis, mailles, and dewities within free Burrowis, or utheris townis of this Realme, alsweill pertenyng to Chapellanreis, Prebendarijs, as to Freiris, togitther with the rentis of the Freiris landis, quhairever thai be, setting and disponing thairupoun, be intrometted with, and takin up be sik as hir Grace shall depute thairto; for employing of the same be hir Hienes, to Hospitaliteis, Scholes, and utheris godlie uses, as shall seme best to hir Hienes, be the advise of hir Counsale: And knawing, that nathing is mair commodious for the said Hospitalitie, nor the places of Freiris as [ar] yitt standand undemolissed; as als to the intertenyng of Scholes, Colleges, and utheris uses foirsaidis, Ordanis the Provest and Baillies of Abirdene, Elgin in Murray, Innerness, Glasgow, and utheris Burrowis of this Realme, quhair the samyn ar nocht demolished, to interteny and uphald the saidis Freiris places standand in the saidis Townis, upoun the commoun gudis thairof, and to use the samyn to the Commoun-weall and service of the saidis Townis, ay and quhill the Quenis Majestie be farther advysed, and tack finall ordour in sik thingis, nochtwithstanding [of] ony other gift, titill, or interesse, gevin to quhatsumever personis of the saidis places, with thair yardis, orchardis, and pertinentis, be our Soverane Lady as of befoir.