CHARTERS, ACTS OF PARLIAMENT, ETC.

I.

Bulla Adriani confirmatiua omnium concessionum ecclesie abbirdonensi per serenissimos principes Scotorum Reges factarum R. P. Eduardo Episcopo.1

Adrianus episcopus seruus seruorum dei Venerabili fratri Eduardo Abbirdonensi episcopo eiusque successoribus canonice substituendis imperpetuum Salutem et apostolicam benedictionem. Cum ex iniuncto. nobis a deo apostolatus officio quo cunctis Christi fidelibus auctore domino preeminemus singulorum paci et tranquillitati debeamus intendere. presertim pro illorum quiete oportet nos esse sollicitos qui pastorali dignitate sunt prediti et ad officium pontificale promoti. Nisi enim nos eorum vtilitatibus intendentes ipsorum iura in quantum deo

I.

Bull of Adrian IV. confirming all grants to the Church of Aberdeen made by the most serene princes, the Kings of the Scots, to the Reverend Father Edward, Bishop. 10th August, 1157.

Adrian, Bishop, servant of the servants of GOD, to our Venerable brother Edward, Bishop of Aberdeen, and to his successors canonically following him, perpetual Greeting, and the apostolic blessing. Seeing that, as enjoined upon Us by GoD, in the office of our apostolate, wherein by Divine authority We are set over all CHRIST's faithful people, We ought to promote the peace and tranquillity of all men; especially does it behove Us to be careful for the quiet of those who are endued with pastoral dignity and are promoted to the pontifical office. For unless We, by promoting their advantages, preserve

1 This deed, the first authentic writ connected with the Bishopric of Aberdeen, is taken from the copy engrossed in the King's College MS. marked "Registrum Cath. Eccles. Aberdonensis," and differs very slightly from that printed in the Registrum Episcopatus Aberdonensis, i., p. 5.

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permittente possumus integra conseruemus. et auctoritate apostolica eos a pravorum incursibus defendamus de illorum salute non vere poterunt esse solliciti qui sibi ad regendum domino sunt disponente commissi. Huius itaque rei consideratione venerabilis in Christo frater Episcope prouocati tuis iustis postulationibus clementer annuimus tam personam tuam quam abbirdonensem ecclesiam cui deo auctore preesse dinosceris sub beati Petri et nostra protectione suscipimus et presentis scripti priuilegio communimus. Statuentes vt quascunque possessiones. quecunque bona eadem ecclesia in presenti iuste et canonice possidet aut in futurum concessione pontificum . largitione regum vel principum oblatione fidelium seu aliis iustis modis prestante domino poterit adipisci firma tibi tuisque successoribus et illibata permaneant. in quibus hec propriis duximus exprimenda vocabulis. ecclesiam de Abbirdein. ecclesiam Sancti Machorii. totam villam veteris Abbirdone. dimidiam aquam de North. decimam piscarie de Croys. Pethferlon. Ardimachyn. Ardechellyn. Slatyne. Goule. Petsprottis. Murrod. Goule1 [Tuligreg].

their rights unhurt, so far as, GOD permitting Us, We are able, and, defend them from the inroads of the wicked by our apostolic authority; they, indeed, can not be careful for the health of those who, by Divine authority, are committed to them to rule. Therefore, our venerable brother Bishop in CHRIST, We, urged by the consideration of this very matter, graciously assent to thy just petitions, and We take under the protection of the blessed Peter, and under our own protection, and fortify by the privilege of this present writing, both thy person, and the Church of Aberdeen, over which, by the providence of GOD, thou art a distinguished ruler; decreeing that whatsoever possessions and whatsoever goods the said church possesses at the present time by just and canonical right or may obtain in the future by the concession of Popes, the liberality of kings or princes, or the offering of the faithful or by other just means, shall, by Divine security, be held firmly by thee and thy successors and shall remain inviolate; among which we consider that the following should be specified by their own names: the Church of Aberdeen,o the Church of S. Machor, the whole town of Old Aberdon, half the water on

1 The copyist has erroneously repeated Goule in place of Tillygreig given in other MSS. 2 The church of Aberdeen may probably refer either to the church of the Kirkton of Seaton, or to an old foundation within new Aberdeen existing prior to the building of S. Nicholas, which was outside the ports of the burgh.

Kynmonedy. Malmeulach. ecclesiam quoque sancti Nicholai de Abbirdone. decimam molendini abbirdonensis. decimam de chane nauium que illuc veniunt. cum uno rete in Suth aqua et totam decimam piscium que ibi capiuntur. totam decimam annone in eodem loco. totam decimam piscium que capiuntur in stellis. decimam de Baldwyniston annone et piscium. decimam de Badfothel. totam decimam regis de burgo Abbirdon. decimam eorum que sunt inter duas aquas que De et Spee dicuntur. Villam de Rane cum pertinentiis suis. Clat cum ecclesia et ceteris pertinentiis suis. Tulynestyn cum ecclesia et ceteris pertinentiis suis. monasterium Cloueth. villam et monasterium de Murthillach cum quinque ecclesis et terris eisdem pertinentibus. ecclesias de Rane et de Dauyoth cum pertinentiis suis. ecclesiam de Outeirlis cum pertinentiis suis. ecclesiam de Crudane cum pertinentiis suis. ecclesiam de Balhelwy cum pertinentiis suis. ecclesiam de Bras cum pertinentiis

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the North, the tithe of the fishing of Croys,2 Pethferlon, Ardimachyn, Ardechellyn, Slatyne, Goule, Petsprottis, Murrod, Tuligreg, Kynmonedy, Malmeulach, also the church of S. Nicholas of Aberdon, the tithe of the mill of Aberdeen, the tithe of the customs of the ships which go there, with one net in the South water, and the whole tithe of the fish which are caught there, the whole tithe of grain in the same place, the whole of the fish which are caught in ponds, the tithe of Baldwyniston grain and fish, the tithe of Badfothel, the whole King's tithe of the burgh of Aberdon, the tithe of those things situated between the two waters which are called Dee and Spey, the town of Rane with its pertinents, Clatt with its church and the rest of its pertinents, Tulynestyn with its church and the rest of its pertinents, the monastery of Cloueth, the town and monastery of Murthillach, with five churches and the lands pertaining to them, the churches of Rane and Dauyoth with their pertinents, the church of Outeirlis with its pertinents, the church of Crudane with its pertinents, the church of Balhelwy with its pertinents, the church of Bras with its pertinents, the church of Dulmayok with its perti

3 These lands are evidently the same as Ardchelly, Petenderleyn and Ardonachyn granted to the support of the Hospital of S. Peter, and now forming part of the estate of Hilton.

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• These lands are Sclaty in Newhills; Goval; Murcar; Tillygreig in Udny; Kinmundy, and Mameuley in New Machar. Petsprottis I have not been able to identify.

5 Probably in the parish of Dyce.

6 Pitfodels.

suis. ecclesiam de Dulmayok cum pertinentiis suis. ecclesiam de Banchery Dewynyk cum suis pertinentiis. terram de Elone quam magister Philippus tenuit. villam de Fethyner et ecclesiam cum suis pertinentiis. villam que fuit Bastiani presbyteri cum pertinentiis suis. villam que fuit Achelis secus Abirden. Preterea monachos sive canonicos in cathedrali ecclesia iuxta dispositionem tuam instituendi liberam auctoritate sedis apostolice habeas facultatem. Decernimus ergo vt nulli omnino hominum liceat supradictas personam ecclesiam temere perturbare aut eius possessiones auferre aut ablatas retinere minuere seu quibuslibet vexationibus fatigare. sed illibata omnia et integra conseruentur in eorum pro quorum gubernatione et sustentatione concessa sunt vsibus omnimodis profutura. Salve nimirum apostolice sedis auctoritate. Si qua igitur in futurum ecclesiastica secularisve persona hanc nostre constitutionis paginam sciens contra eam temere venire temptauerit secundo tertiove commonita nisi presumptionem suam congrua satisfactione correxerit potestatis honorisque sui dignitate. careat ream que se divino iudicio existere de perpetrata iniquitate cognoscat et a sacratissimo corpore et sanguine dei et domini redemptoris nostri Jhesu Christi aliena fiat atque in extremo examine districte

nents, the church of Banchery Deuynyk with its pertinents, the land at Elone which Master Philip held, the town of Fethyner with the church and its pertinents, the town which belonged to Bastian the priest, with its pertinents, the town which belonged to Achelis near to Aberdeen. Furthermore, by the authority of the apostolic see, have thou the faculty of appointing monks or canons in thy cathedral church according to thy free disposition.

We therefore decree that it be absolutely unlawful to any man wantonly to disturb the aforesaid personage-and church-or to carry off his possessions or to keep them if removed, or in any way to vex him with molestation; but all must be kept whole and inviolate for the future for every kind of use for the management and maintenance of which they were granted. They are absolutely safe by the authority of the apostolic see. If therefore, in time to come, any person, ecclesiastical or secular, shall knowingly attempt wantonly to contravene this charter of our constitution, when warned for the second or third time, unless he make suitable satisfaction for his presumption, let him lose his position of power and dignity, let him know that at the Divine tribunal he is arraigned of having committed an act of wickedness, let him be without the Most Holy Body and Blood of GoD and of the LORD