Commission by the generall assembly for visiting the colleges, 1649.

Edinb. 27 July 1649 sess. 28.

The generall assembly considering that it hath been the antient custome of assemblies to grant comissiones for sighting the colledges and universities within this kingdome, and now finding it reason that ane comission be granted for visiting the university of Aberden and the colledges of the old town and new towns thereof for rectifieing of all bygone abuses and preventing the lyke in tyme coming: Therfor the assembly gives full power and comission to the persones underwritten viz., Masters Robert Douglas, Androw Cant, James Guthrie, John Neve, Patrick Gillespie, Samuell Rutherfoord, James Wood, David Forret, John Moncrieff, John Robeson, George Pittillo, John Row, John Menzies, Androw Strachen, Androw Abercrombie, John Paterson, Robert Keith, Duncan Forbes, Allexander Cant, John Young, Allexander Lesk, Gilbert Anderson, Murdoch Mackenzie, John Annand, Wm. Falconer, and Joseph Brodie, ministers; the vicount of Arbuthnet, Mr. Thomas Gray provest Aberden, George Cullane and Alexander Jaffray baillies there, sir James Melvill, the laird of Fingasse, tutor of Pitsligo, laird of Eight, laird of Brodie, the lairds Kermucks, laird of Waterton, Lesly younger, Mr. Alexander Skein, Mr. Androw Skeine, John Jaffray, Mr. Thomas Sandelands, and the laird of Leyes, elders, or any fourtein of them, eleven of them being ministers, to meet at the Old Town of Aberdeen, the first Wednesday of Aprile, being the day of the said moneth, M vio and fiftie yeares, and therafter in ather of the touns at any dyets they shall appoint, with full power to them to constitute a clerk and uther necessar members to visite the said university of Aberdeen, the colledges of the Old Town and New Town therof, and to sumond and conveen before them all the members therof, to try and examine the qualitie of the said members, if they be correspondent to the order of the erection, to consider how the doctrine is used by the masters and regents, and if the samen be correspondent to the confession of faith and acts of this kirk and of former visitationes, and how this order is keeped amongst the students, how their rents and livings are bestowed, and all other things, to try and examine quhilk any commissioners from the assembly had power to try, or whilk the generall assembly might have tryed themselfes in their visitation; and after due tryell of the

members and orders, if they be agreable to the erection and acts of this kirk and of visitations, to remove all members, superfluous unqualified or corrupt and to plant their places with more sufficient and sound masters; and lykwise with power to the saids commissioners to remeid all disorders, rectifie all abuses, and to doe all other things necessar for the preservation of religion and learning whilk former assemblies or their commissioners have or might have done; and this comission to endure to the

day of

nixt to come; and the comissioners to report their diligence to the nixt generall assembly, to whom they shall be answerable for their proceedings.

A. Ker.

Commission by Parliament for visiting the uniuersities and colleges of

Aberdein.

[In the parliament] at Edinburgh, the tuentie-tuo day of February, one thousand sex hundreth threescore one yeers, Our soverane lord considering that it apperteanes to his hienes care to oversie all universities colledges and seminaries of learneing within this his antient kingdome of Scotland, and that it conduces verie much for the advanceing of religion, preventing and suppressing of shisme and heresie in the church, and for stiring up and inciteing all ranks and conditiones of people therin to their due obedience and alledgeance to his maiestie their righteous prince, that sober learned well qualified and loyall persones be established and mantained professours masters and members in the said universities colledges and schools. And forasmuch as it is informed that dureing these troubles diverse abuses have creept into the universities, and upon pretence of former visitation diverse honest and able masters and others have been thrust out of their places, and others placed therin, the rents and mortifications of the universitie have been dilapidat impropriat or misapplyed, the fundations violated, the youth trained up in principles of disloyaltie and shisme, discipline and order hath been neglected, and many other abuses to the preiudice of religion, the kings maiesties interest and interest of the universitie. For remeid whairof our soverane lord, with advice and consent of his estates of parliament, gives full power and commission to John earle of Midletoun his maiesties commissioner, Williame earle of Glencairne lord chancellour, Gilbert earle of Arroll, William earle of Marishall, Johne earle of Mar, Charles earle of

Aboyne, Alexander lord Halkertoun, lord Fraser, Alexander lord Pitsligo, sir Archibald Primerose of Chester lord register, sir Johne Fletcher lord advocat, sir George M'Kenzie of Tarbet, collonell George Keith, sir Gilbert Ramesay of Balmaine elder, Walter Ogilvie of Boyne elder, sir Alexander Carnegie of Pittaro elder, sir Johne Wrwhart of Crommertie, sir George Kinnaird of Rosse, Alexander Bannerman of Elsick elder, Grahame of Morphie younger, provest of Aberdein, Mr. James Sharpe, Mr. George Halyburtoun, Mr David Strachan, Mr. Johne Patersone, Mr. Alexander Gordoun minister at Forge, Mr. James Chalmer, Mr. Alexander Rosse minister at Monymusk, and Mr. William Keith at Udnie, or anie nyne of them, the lord commissioner, lord chancellour or the earle of Marishall being alwayes one, to be commissioners for the universities and colledges of Aberdein, with power to them to appoint the tymes and places of their meitings, and to give furth orders and precepts for summoneing the haill masters and members of the university to appeare before them at such dayes as they shall think fit, and ther to call for production of the respective fundations rentalls and mortifications of the colledges thairof, with the registers of the rectoriall meitings, and to try if the bussinesse of the university hath been caried on accordingly, and how the rents and mortifications have been imployed since the yeer 1648, and to take such course and give out such orders theranent as they shall find iust; with power also to them to try and consider the processe of such as hes been put from their charges, and the admissions and cariage of such as have been put in since that tyme, and according as they shall find iust to remove such as hes been imposed or put into honest mens places, and otherwise to punish them as they shall find their cariage to have deserved, dureing their stay and exercise of these places; as also with power to them to take into consideration all such persones as they shall find to have been unjustly put out, and to restore them to their former services, or put them in any other place in the colledge as shall be thought fit, and these who are to be put in any place in the new colledge to be put in be the earle Marishall, conforme to his rights; and generallie with power to them to take tryall of all abuses enormities and corruptions of the said university, or any of the masters or members therof, to censure delinquents, redresse grievances, order the disposall of the rents of the colledge, the studies of the youth, and the professions therin, and to doe all other things for the good of the university that be the law or custome hes or might have been done in any visitations formerly granted; firme and stable holding and for to hold what shalbe done

be the saids commissioners in prosecution of this commission, whilk is to endure for ane yeer, and ay and whill it be discharged be his maiestie or his privy councill. Extracted furth of the records of parliament be me sir Archibald Primerose of Chester, knight and barronet, clerk of his maiesties councill registers and rolls.

ACTIS OF THE VISITATIONE

OF THE

KINGIS COLLEDGE OF ABERDENE, 1664 AND 1665.

At the Kings Colledge of Old Aberdene, the nynt day of August, 1664, being the secund Twysday of that moneth.

The said day ane right reverend father in God Patrick bischope of Aberdene presentit befoir the commissioners after namit ane sub commissione grantit be the commissioners for visitatione of colledges and universities, proceeding upon ane former commissione grantit be his majestie under his highnes great seall, of the dait at Whythall the 16 January, 1663-4; and the said sub commissione, bearing dait the eight day of March 1664, together with ane prorogatione of the saids commissioners their meiting to the said secund Twysday of August instant, which prorogatione is daitit the 14 day of July 1664: At the whilk nynt day of August instant convenit with the said lord bischope, Alexander lord Pitsligo, Johne Udny of that ilk, Richard Maitland of Pitrichie, Mr. Robert Burnet of Muchells tutor of Leyes, Mr. James Gordon parsone of Rothimey, and Mr. Williame Gray minister at Auchterles, which persones did then elect and choise Mr. Alexander Forbes writtar in Aberdene ther clerk to the said commissione, and [to] make wp their report therwpon, who being sworne maid faith de fideli administratione officii. Lyk as, in respect ther was not so frequent ane meiting of the commissioners impowered by the said commissione as was thought requisit for going about the work therby committed to them; thairfor they did prorogat and continew ther nixt meiting to the last Twysday of September next, being the 27 that moneth, with continewatione of dayes.

At the Kings Colledge in Old Aberdene 27 September 1664, being the last Twysday of that moneth, ante meridiem.

The said day, in order to the said commissione, convenit the said bischope of Aberdene, Alexander lord Pitsligo, sir James Baird of Auchmedin knight, Mr. Alexander Rose persone of Monymusk, Mr. Alexander Seatoune minister at Bamffe, Mr. Alexander Gardin minister at Fourg, Mr. William Scrougie minister at Rathven Rector of the said Kings Colledge, and the said Mr. Williame Gray minister at Auchterlesse.

And after incalling the name of God, ther wer produceit by the principall masters and members of the said Kings Colledge in Old Aberdene thrie peices writine upone parchment, all sealed, viz. the first foundatione of the said old colledge be bischop William Elphinstone in anno 1505; item, ane uther foundatione of the said colledge much inlarged, granted be bischop Gavine Dunbarr in anno 1530; and the thrid ane popis bull, conteining ane license to graduat doctors and professores (in that colledge) of all sciences, in anno 1506.

Item, the said day, the said Alexander lord Pitsligo produceit ane factorie, grantit be William earle Marischall to him for acting in every thing for him and in his name toucheing his lordships concernmentes and interest in the said commissione as if himselff were present, which is daitit at Lundon, 3 September, 1664.

Eodem die post meridiem.

The said day in the afternoon, convenit the foirsaids commissioners abone namit, also Alexander Fraser younger of Philorth, Richard Maitland of Pitrichie, Mr. Robert Burnet of Muchells tutor of Leyes, and Mr. James Gordone parsone of Rothiemey.

The whilk day the commissioners having desired the saids masters and members of the said kings colledge to answer and satisfie former articles contenit in the said commissione whilkis they wer to examine, the whilks articles they had formerly receaved, whairby the better to prepair ane satisfactorie answer therto at this tyme; the first being ane list of the number of ther members bursars servantes about the house etc.; the secund anent ther rents and rentalls; the thrid anent ther priviledges and immunities; 4, of ther lawes; 5, of ther burdens and depursementes; 6', of ther