The quhilk day Forsamekill as the King and Quenis Majesteis hes understand and considderit that the Ministeris stipendis quhilkis necessarlie mon be payit furth of the thridis of the benefices extendis to sic a sowme that the saidis thridis is nocht abill bayth to sustene the chargeis of thair Majesteis hous attour the rent of thair propirtie, as alswa to sustene the saidis ministeris. And eftir gude deliberatioun takin how thai may be sustenit with leist chargeis and expensis Thair Hienessis hes fund it maist convenient and als with avyise of the Lordis of thair Secreit Counsall Statutis and Ordanis, that in tyme cuming all small benefices personages vicarages and utheris extending in yeirlie rentall to the soume of thre hundreth markis or within as thai salhappin to vaik Sall alwayis be disponit to sic personages as the Superintendentis and Assemblie of the kirk eftir dew examinatioun sall find abill qualifiit and sufficient And thaireftir nominat and present to their Majesteis quhilkis being sa nominat and presentit Thair Hienessis sall admit thame and be thair authoritie caus thame be ansuerit of the frutis and dewiteis of the saidis benefices: Attour quhensoevir ony bischoprik abbacie pryorie or uther prelacie that hes the patronage of sic small benefices salhappen to vaik and fall to thair Majesties dispositioun and presentatioun as likewyise of all thame that ar presentlie vacand Thair Hienessis promittis in verbo Principum That thai sall alwayis retene in thair awin handis the power and titill of the dispositioun of the saidis small benefices to the effect abonewrittin And sall caus the personis to quhome thair Majesteis disponis the saidis prelaciis and greit benefices Consent thairto befoir thair Majesteis mak ony rycht of the principall to thame And in caise it sall happin thair Majesteis ignorantlie or utherwayis to gif or dispone ony of the saidis small benefices be gift presentatioun or utherwayis contrair this present act and ordnance and ony wayis prejudiciall to the samyn Thair Majesteis expressitlie commandis thair Comptrollar present and tocum his clerk and collectouris the keparis of the signet previe seill and greit seill and all utheris thair Hienessis officiaris liegis and subdittis That they on na wayis admit allow obtempir or obey ony sic gift or presentatioun or to pas the samyn throw the seillis Or grant letteris in the four formes thairupoun bot to hald repute and esteme thame as previe writtingis purchest in defraud and prejudice of this present lovabill act and publict ordinance Notwithstanding ony charge or command gevin or to be gevin in the contrair quhairunto thir presentis sall serve thame for a sufficient warrand And sicklike thair Majesteis ordanis and requiris the Lordis of Counsall and Sessioun on na wayis to admit allow or attend to ony gift provisioun or presentatioun of quhatsumevir small benefice of the valu abonewrittin disponit be thair Majesties Or utherwayis quhair the samyn is repugnant or contrarious to this present act and ordinance And nocht disponit to qualifit personis apt for the ministerie examinat and admittit be the Superintendentis and kirk in maner foirsaid And that letteris be direct for publicatioun heirof in due forme as efferis.

XI.

ASSIGNATION FOR THE MINISTERIE BY THE QUEN.

20 Decr. 1566.

REGINA,

Forsamekill as the Ministeris within our realme this haill ʒeir bigane hes wantit thair stipendis in respect of sindry occasionis that hes interuenit; ʒit becaus we ar myndit and weill willit that the said Ministerie be sustenit and interteneit in tyme cuming as efferis; Thairfoir with avyise of oure secreit counsale hes tane sic ordour as we mycht best for the present, And hes assignit for sustentatioun of the said Ministerie certane victuales and money in sindry places and cuntreis to be tane up and disponit be the said ministerie and thair collectouris or chamberlanis as thai sall think maist expedient Extending to the soume of ten thousand pundis money and four hundreth chalderis victuale As the particular assignationis maid thairupoun mair fullelie proportis We thairfoir be avyise of our counsall foirsadis Ordanis and Decernis that the said ministerie and thair collectouris and chalmerlanis quhatsumevir be thankfullie ansureit and obeyit of the haill payment alsweill of money as victuale foirsaid throuchout oure haill realme quhairsoevir the samyn or ony part thairof is assinit And lettris thairupoun to be decernit and gevin furth owther of horning or poinding respective As the said ministerie sall think expedient and requeir Commanding expresslie oure Clerk of Register and Comptroller and all utheris quhome it efferis or salbe requirit thairto To deliver the attentik copyis and extract of the said assignatioun to the ministerie with expres inhibitioun to our Comptrollar or ony uther Chamberlanies to intromet or mell ony maner of way with the saidis assignationis or ony part thairof under all heich panis that may follow thairupoun Subscrivit with our hand At Strivling the xx day of December the ʒeir of God Im Vc lxvj ʒeris And our regnne the xxiiij ʒeir.

MARIE.

XII.

ACT OF PRIVY COUNSALE ANENT ASSIGNATIONS.

Apud Striviling xxj Decembris Anno Domini Millesimo Quingentesimo lxvj.