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parties subject themselves to the jurisdiction and coercion of the bishop of Lincoln for the time being, so that he may compel by sentences of interdict and excommunication the party contravening the agreement. Moreover the said bishop [of Dunblane] promised that he would give diligence that things illegally alienated should be restored.

For greater security to the part of this indenture (cirographi) which was to be deposited with the master and brethren the seal of the bishop of Dunblane was attached, together with the seal of the see of Dunblane; and to the part to be kept by the bishop the common seal of the master and brethren. Witnesses . . .

IV A

[Gift of the church of Gask to the Hospital of Brackley.] Seher de Quincy, earl of Winton, makes known that he conferred and confirmed to God, St. Mary, and the Hospital of St. John of Brackley, and the canons and brethren there serving God, the church of Gask with all its pertinents, the right of the patronage of which belonged to him, in pure and perpetual alms, for the soul of his late father Robert de Quincy, and of his mother Orable, and of his eldest son Robert, and for the weal of his own soul and of the soul of his wife Margaret, etc., for the maintenance of the said canons and brethren there serving God and ministering to the sick. His seal. Witnesses... [1210-18].

IV B

[Confirmation of the above by King Alexander II.]

Alexander [11.], king of Scots, makes known that he has confirmed the gift of the church of Gask made by Seher de Quincy to the Hospital of St. John of Brackley, to be held in pure alms, as the charter of the aforesaid Seher testifies. Witnesses . . . At Stirling, 15 October. [c. 1215-20.]

V

[Grant by Earl Malise to his sister Mary of leave to search for and possess certain neyfs.]

Malise, earl of Strathern, makes known that he has granted and confirmed to his sister, the lady Mary, leave and power to search for and possess all the neyfs justly pertaining to the lands

of Straty and Pronny, wherever they were found in his lands, to place them in the said lands of Straty and Pronny to serve the said lady and her heirs, with all their goods, chattels, and offspring. He strictly prohibits any from troubling the said lady and her heirs on this matter. Seal of the earl. Witnesses. . . Given at Fowlis, 21 February 1268-9.

VI

[Obligation by George, abbot of Inchaffray, that within twenty days after his admission to the abbacy he will appoint Laurence, Lord Oliphant, to be bailie thereof, 25 January 1468-9.]

VII

[Petition of Mary, Queen of Scots, to the Pope, that the commendam of Inchaffray should be granted to James Drummond.1]

The queen urges the importance of good men, devoted to learning, being appointed to ecclesiastical dignities where they could be of more service to the state, which is especially true at a time when the Church was so grievously afflicted. She declares her desire and resolve to preserve and advance the Catholic faith and the religion of her ancestors, now almost overwhelmed in her kingdom by the malice of seditious men and by force of arms. There were few who openly professed the true doctrine and sought to repress the errors and turbulence which everywhere prevailed. Among these was one specially characterised by prudence and judgment, who had the power to give help in these troublous times, David, Lord Drummond, her powerful defender, even at great loss to the property of himself and his family. And since Alexander, archbishop of Athens, desired to resign the commendam of the monastery of Inchaffray, in the dioceses of Dunblane and Dunkeld, in favour of James Drummond, son of the said David, she urgently begs his Holiness to admit the proposed resignation, and to grant the necessary writs, and to do this free of charge and without any payment of money, inasmuch as the poverty of the monastery, and the heavy losses of the father of Alexander Gordon, who was resigning, incurred in the defence of

1 This is an uncorrected rough draft, but the general sense is sufficiently plain.

the Catholic religion and the Apostolic See, demanded this favour. The queen begs that a pension of two hundred pounds Scots might be assigned to John Gordon, and another pension of one hundred pounds Scots to Laurence Gordon, out of the fruits of the monastery, as set forth in the forms of mandates offered to his Holiness. In this way, as the times were, the best would be done for that prelacy (sacerdotio) and the advantage of Alexander Gordon. His Holiness could learn more fully from Cardinal Sermoneta, 'promotor' of the queen's affairs. [1565.]

VIII

[Gift of the abbacy by Queen Mary to James Drummond for his lifetime, 26 July 1565.]

IX

[Institution of James Drummond to the abbacy of
Inchaffray.]

On 2 August 1565, in the twenty-third year of Queen Mary, in the presence of Andrew Drummond, clerk of the diocese of Dunblane, notary public, and of the witnesses underwritten, James Drummond, clerk of the diocese of Dunblane, came to the chapter of the monastery of Inchaffray, and there presented to Sir Andrew Gerdin, superior of the said monastery, in the presence of the other canons gathered in chapter, the queen's letters of his provision to the abbacy for life, sealed in the accustomed form with the sovereign's privy seal, as in the same bearing date Edinburgh, 26 July 1565, is more fully contained; requiring Sir Andrew to give him, as undoubted abbot, institution, and possession of the monastery, with its rights, fruits, tithes, lands, etc., according to the tenor of his provision; to assign to him a stall in choir and place in chapter, to render him obedience as abbot lawfully provided, and to cause the other canons to render like obedience. The said Sir Andrew, as an obedient son, understanding the said request to be just, received into his hands the letters of provision, and caused them to be read in the chapter. This done, the said Sir Andrew instituted the said James as abbot by the delivery of a Bible and the keys of the monastery, and inducted him into real possession, and assigned him a stall in choir and place in chapter as tokens of real possession of the monastery and its emoluments. And Andrew and the rest of the canons rendered the said James obedience as undoubted abbot, and

promised to render the same in future, and delivered to him in token of real possession a certain sum of money paid by James Drummond, tenant of the monastery in Auchterarder, and dismissed him in peace, without opposition of any. Upon which, all and singular, the said James, abbot, asked instruments of the notary. Done within the chapter and in the church of the monastery, about ten o'clock before noon on the day, in the month and year, etc., as above. Witnesses . . .

Testification by Andrew Drummond, clerk of the diocese of Dunblane, admitted notary public by the Lords of Council.

X

[Confirmation under the Great Seal of a Tack by the Commendator and convent of Inchaffray to David, lord Drummond, or Dame Lilias Ruthven, his spouse, of the Abbey and whole benefice thereof for their lives for yearly payment of 900 marks, Scots. The Tack is dated 7 November 1560, the Confirmation 24 February 1565-6.] Henry and Mary, by the grace of God king and queen of Scots, make known that they ratify and confirm the tack and assedation made by Alexander, bishop of Galloway, or Candida Casa, commendator of Inchaffray and the convent of the same, to their beloved cousins, David, Lord Drummond, and the Lady Lilias Ruthven, his spouse, of the lands, churches, rents, etc. [detailed fully in the charter of the commendator and convent written in Scots and transcribed in this royal confirmation]. The tack and assedation is to have the same force as if it had been confirmed at the court of Rome, and is to have effect during the whole period specified in the commendator's charter. In the event of a future revocation of any church lands, the king and queen promise, on their royal word, that the revocation shall not include the present grant. To this end they ordain that the Lords of Council and Session should give to the above-written lord and lady, their assignees and sub-tenants, letters, conform to the royal confirmation, 'in quatuor formis.' Great Seal, Edinburgh, 24 Feb. 1565-6, ' of our reigns first and twenty-fourth.'

XI

[Draft of Royal Signature erecting the Abbacy into a temporal lordship, c. 1609; inserted as giving the best available list of the abbey possessions at the dissolution.]

HEADS (PRIORS AND ABBOTS) OF THE CONVENT OF AUSTIN CANONS AT INCHAFFRAY

MALISE is described in the Foundation Charter as 'presbyter and hermit.' To him Earl Gilbert intrusted the selection of the first members of the community. To him, too, was intrusted the duty of instructing the religious in the service of God according to the rule of St. Augustine (A.D. 1200). Abbot Bower (Scotichronicon, viii. 73) relates that the members of the new community were drawn from the house of Canons Regular at Scone. charter of Jonathan, bishop of Dunblane, granting to the abbey of Cambuskenneth the churches of Tulibody and Tillicultrie, is witnessed by priore Maliis de insula Effren' (Regist. de Cambuskenneth, p. 313). Malise was dead before 1210. (See Nos. xxvI., XXVII.)

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A

Between Malise and Innocent, who became prior in 1220, there were at least two priors, by name John and Elphin (or Elpin); but in what order they succeeded is a question which it is not easy to answer.

JOHN was Prior in the time of Abraham, bishop of Dunblane (1210-c. 1224). See Chartulary of Lindores, Nos. xxx., xxxi., and Regist. Vet. de Aberbrothoc, Nos. 213, 214, 215. Assuming that 'J' of No. XXXII. is this John, we find him in the time of John 11., bishop of Dunkeld, who was elected 24 July 1211, and died 7 October 1214. The names of two canons of Inchaffray, Henry and Durand, in Prior John's time are mentioned in the Arbroath charter referred to above.

ELPHIN, who does not appear in the present volume, granted a charter to the abbey of Lindores in the time of Bishop Abraham (Chartulary of Lindores, No. XLIX. ; see also Nos. XLII. and XLV.). The most important clue as to date is that Guido, abbot of Lindores,

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