LXXXVI: Act of Parliament ratifying heritages and possessions of Archbishop (1600)

LXXXVI. Act of Parliament, ratifying to James Archbishop of Glasgow his restitution to his whole heritages and possessions. Edinburgh, 15 November 1600.

Oure souerane Lord and Estaittis of this present parliament, considering the great, thankfull, and honourable seruice done to his Majesteis vmquhile mother of gude memorie, to his Majesteis self, and to the honour of the haill nation of Scotland, be James, Archibischop of Glasgow, in the pairtis of France, be vseing of the office of Ambassaderrie, to the honour of his majestie, and haill Realme of Scotland, without ony condigne recompance, and yit be iniurie of tyme the said archibischop hes bene debarrit frome his benefice of Glasgow, and hes nevir hithertillis sen his departure furth of this realme importit ony commoditie furth of the samyn, nor never hes bene restorit effectuallie to his richt and place of the said archbischoprick, quhill laitlie, in the moneth of Junij, one thousand five hundred fourscoir auchtene yeiris, that oure said Souerane Lord and estaittis considering the said archibischop, his gude seruice and demerritis, as lykwayes being moveit be the suittis of diuerse forane kingis and princes and faythful promeis made to thame be his Majestie, his Majestie and estaittis foirsaidis restorit the said archibischop to his heretages, honours, digniteis, benefices, offices, landis, rowmes, possessionis, actionis, quhilk at ony tyme evir pertenit to him of befoir within the realme of Scotland, and that notwithstanding quhatsumeuir dome and sentence of forfaltour, decrete of barratrie, horning, actis of parliament and counsall, excommunicatioun, and declaris the acte and benefite of pacificatioun maid at Perth in the moneth of Februar j^m v^c threscoir tuelf yeiris, ratefeit in his Hienes parliament, in the moneth of Aprile j^m v^c threscoir thretene yeiris, and the act of pacificatioun and abolitioun maid at Linlithgw in the moneth of December j^m v^c fourscoir fyve yeiris, and the act maid in the moneth of Julij j^m v^c fourscoir sewin yeiris, in favouris of thame quha wer banesit, trublit, or exylit sen the Kingis Majesteis vmquhile mother of gude memorie returning to Scotland, to be extendit to the said archibischop, and he to injoy and have the haill effect and commoditie of the saidis actis als frelie in all sortis and respectis as gif his name wer per expressum contentit thairintill; and als frelie as ony of our Souerane Lordis liegis bruikis and joisis the samyn, notwithstanding of quhatsumeuir actis of parliament and counsall, statute, ordinance, or law, maid or to be maid in the contrair, quhilkis may stay or impede the said archibischop to bruik, jois, and possess the benefite of the saidis actis, and specialie dispensand with ane act of parliament maid in the moneth of Junij j^m v^c fourscoir twelf yeiris, be the quhilk it was declarit that na persone sall be hard to seik the said benefitte bot sic as hes acknawlegeit his Majesteis authoritie and religioun presentlie professit within the realme, anent the quhilk act and act of ipso facto maid againis beneficit persones, and all vtheris actis and statutis foirsaidis, oure said Souerane Lord and Estaittis foirsaidis dispensis and declaris that the said archibischop sall injoy his haill heretages, benefices, digniteis, honours, rowmes, actiounes and possessiones, notwithstanding that he hes nevir maid confessioun of his fayth, and notwithstanding that he hes nevir acknowlegeit the religioun professit within this realme; anent the quhilk his Majestie and estaittis be thir presentis dispensis, and that the said archibischop sall nowayes be subiect to the making of the confessioun of his fayth, nor to the penaltie nor penalties that may resulte vpoun the not making of the samyn during the haill tyme of his remaning furth of the cuntrey, and for ane yeir eftir his returning, as at mair lenth is contenit in the said act of the date at Edinburgh, the penult day of Junij j^m v^c fourscoir auchtene yeiris. Quhilk act of pacificatioun and restitutioun above-specifeit OUR SAID SOUERANE Lord and Estaittis foirsaidis in this present parliament hes ratefeit and approvin and decernis and ordanis the samin to have full strenth, force, and effect to and in favours of the said archibischop, without ony kind of limitatioun or restrictioun, sua that he may jois and bruik the benefitt of pacificatioun als amplie in all sortis and respectis as ony subject within the realme hes bruiket and joisit the samin, and that continualie sen the date of the said act above specefeit; but prejudice alwayes of quhatsumeuir fewes of the temporall landis of the bischoprick of Glasgow lauchfullie sett without diminutioun of the rentall to quhatsumeuir persone or persones, als but prejudice of the ministeris stipendis conforme to thair particular assignationis maid to thame furth of the said bischoprik, and of quhatsumeuir rentes and dueteis pertening to the College of Glasgow; exceptand alwayes furth of the said restitution the Castell of Glasgow and cheising of the Provest and bailleis of Glasgow and prouestrie and baillarie thairof.