SECTION III.

The Romish or Popish Church.

It was by slow degrees that the Church of Rome got her innovations and corruptions introduced into this kingdom. Some few of her superstitious customs were adopted in the eighth century; but before the eleventh century we had no Diocesan Bishops except one,—viz. of St Andrews. He was not properly a Diocesan, for he was designed Episcopus Scotia or Scotorum. In the same century it was that Romish Monks and Friars were brought in as a militia or an army, to support the Romish Bishops, and to root out the ancient Keledees, and propogate the poison of Popery; yet it was not before the twelfth century, and the reign of David I., that the Popish clergy or doctrines got any sure footing. Richard, Prior of Hexham, writing De bello Standardi, anno 1138 (the time when he lived) says of the Scots," Illi vero diu a Cisalpina, imo fere ab universa ecclesia discordantes exosæ memoriæ Petro Leoni et apostasiæ ejus nimium favisse videbantur. Tunc vero divina gratia inspirati, mandata Innocentii Papæ et Legatum ejus, omnes unanimiter cum magna veneratione susceperunt.'

The Papists divide their clergy into regular and secular; and I shall treat of both as I have found them in this province, beginning with

THE REGULAR CLERGY.

These were so called because they were bound to live by the rule of St Augustine, or St Bennet, or by some private statutes approved

• But they, differing long from the Cisalpine, and almost from the whole church, seemed to favour too much Peter Leo, of abandoned memory, and his Apostacy. But then, being inspired by divine grace, they all unanimously, and with great veneration, received the commands of Pope Innocent and his Legates.

of by the Pope. They lived, messed, and slept under one roof; and were numerous in this province. I shall speak of them under the distinctions of Abbey, Priory, Convent, Preceptory, Ministry, and Chaplainry.

AN ABBEY

Is a society of Monks and Friars, whereof the Abbot is the head or ruler. Some Abbots were independent of the Bishop, and freed from his jurisdiction. These were called Abbates Exempti. Some were invested with Episcopal power, and wore a mitre, and were called sovereign mitred Abbots, and had a seat in Parliament. The Abbates Exempti might discipline and punish their Monks; but Abbots, subject to the Bishop, must submit them to his authority. We had but one Abbey in Moray,-viz. that of Kinloss, the Abbot of which was mitred, and had a seat in Parliament. It was founded by David I., December 19, 1150, and confirmed by the Pope's Bull, anno 1174, (App. No. XXVI.) The Monks were of the Cistertian or Bernardine Order, called Monachi Albi, because all their clothes were white, except a black Cowl and Scapulary.

King David endowed the Abbey with lands; and King William added many more, particularly all the lands of Stryla, or Strathyla, near Keith, (App. No. XXVII.) I have perused a Bull in favour of this Abbey, by Honorius, anno 1216, ratifying its lands and possessions, particularly, “Locus in quo monasterium fixum est, cum pertinentiis; Grange de Kinloss, cum pertinentiis; Grange de West, cum pertinentiis; possessio de Crumbachin; possessio de Banefef; possessio de Invernis; possessio de Invernarin; possessio in Forres; possessio de Elgin; possessio de Aberdin; possessio de Berwick."* Other possessions

• The place in which the Monastery is fixed, with its pertinents; Grange of Kinloss, with its pertinents; West Grange, with its pertinents; a small farm in Crumbachin; another in Banff, Inverness, Nairn, Forres, Elgin, Aberdeen, and Berwick.

are named in the Bull; but the parchment is so spoiled, and the writing so defaced, that they cannot be read, but may be supplied as follows:-The Abbey-lands, out of which Mr Brodie of Lethin receives feu-duties, are the Barony of Muirtown,-the Mill of Kinloss, Windy-hills, Coltfield, West-Grange, and Mill,-the lands of Burgie, all Hempriggs, the Crofts and House of Kinloss,-Kirktown lands of Ordies,-Freefield, in Elchies,-all Ballendallach's lands of Struthers,-Meikle and Little Tanachy,-Town of Forres and their Fishing,-Burds-Yards,-Kincorth's, Grangehills, and Coulbin's Fishing,-Rose of Newton's lands, near Nairn,-Braco's lands, in Stryla,-lands of Lichnet,-Kinminitie's lands, in Stryla, -lands of Edingieth,-lands of Glengerrock,―several lands belonging to Lord Findlater,-Grange, in Stryla,-the lands of Ellon, besides Lethen's lands of Kinloss, and the Precinct of the Abbey.

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The Revenues of the Abbey, anno 1561, in Money, Victual, &c., were £1,152, Is. Bear and Meal, 47 chalders, 11 bolls, 1 firlot, 3 pecks; Oats, 10 bolls, 3 firlots; Wedders, 34; Geese, 41; Capons, 60; Poultry, 125. From which was deducted, to fourteen Monks for habite; silver to each, fifty shillings per annum; for fish and flesh to each tenpence per diem; for fire, butter, candle, spicery, and lentron meat, £12; for bread and drink per annum, to each, 19 bolls, 1 firlot, 2 pecks, and £40 to Mr John Ferrarius for his pension, which he had under the Seal of the Abbey, annually, during life. This specimen shows, how sumptuously these pretendedly mortified Monks lived; and much more so their Abbots and Priors.

The Abbey stood in a fertile soil at the head of the Loch, or Bay of Findhorn. No doubt the buildings were sumptuous, but no judgment can now be formed from the remaining ruins. In the years 1651 and 1652, Alexander Brodie of Lethin, proprietor of Kinloss, sold the stones to the English, and with them the citadel of Inverness was built. The Abbot had a Regality within the Abbeylands. He had Granges, or Farms, with detached Monks to oversee

them, at East and West Grange, and at Grange, in Stryla. I find in the writings of the family of Westfield, that the Abbot had a process of spulzie against Sir Alexander Dunbar of Westfield, who died 1576, for taking out of the Abbey, a Laver weighing 240 ounces of silver, and 22 feather beds, with other pieces of plate and furniture.

Upon the dissolution of the religious houses, Mr Edward Bruce was made Commendator of Kinloss. The King would not want the votes of Abbots and Priors in Parliament, and, therefore, presented Laics to the Benefices when vacant, who, by way of commendam, enjoyed the profits, and sat in Parliament. But this Usufructuary possession, as Titulars, gave no right to the lands; and, therefore, they got them erected into temporary Lordships. Edward Bruce was created Lord of Kinloss, and got the superiority of the other Abbey lands. Ascelinus was the first Abbot; Renerius the second; and Robert Reid was the last. I now go to

THE PRIORIES.

Of these we had three,-viz at Urquhart, Pluscarden, and Kingusie. At first the Prior was but the ruler of the Abbey, under the Abbot, who was Primus in the Monastery; and the Prior was no Dignitary. But afterwards a Mother-Abbey detached a party of its Monks, and obtained a settlement for them in some other place; and, becoming a separate Convent, a Prior was set over them; and their house was called Cella Grangia, or Obedientia, denoting that they depended on a superior Monastery. This was called a Conventual Prior, and was a Dignitary; but a Prior in the Abbey was only a Claustral Prior. The oldest in this province was the Priory of Urquhart, founded by David I., anno 1125, in honour of the Trinity. It was a Cell of Dunfermline, planted with Benedictine or black Monks, of the Order of Fleurie. King David endowed it liberally, granting "Priori et Fratribus ibidem Deo servientibus, Fochopir per suas rectas divisas, et communionem pascuum animalium, et unam pisca