Pictish Settlement reconstruction Drawing
Archaeological excavations have shown that Pictish settlements contained sheep, cattle and pigs. They also grew crops such as barley and oats. Depictions in the stone carvings show scenes of hunting wild animals and fishing.
References to St Andrews within the Scotichronicon
The Scotichronicon is a chronicle written by Walter Bower, abbot of Inchcolm, in the 1440s. It traces the history of Scotland from its origins, and is a major source for the study of medieval Scotland. All sixteen books were edited from the surviving manuscripts and translated into English from Latin between 1989 and 1998. References to St Andrews have been extracted from these volumes.
D.E.R. Watt (general editor) (Aberdeen, 1989-98). Further information can be gained from the entry in the St Andrews University library catalogue: http://library.st-andrews.ac.uk/search/Y?search=scotichronicon
Walter Bower’s Scotichronicon Volume 1, Book II Ch. 58, p. 311: The translation of the relics of St Andrew etc. About the same time [the year 360] the emperor Constantius the son of Constantine the Great in the twentieth year of his reign, motivated by enthusiasm for the Christian religion and inspired by a special devotion which he had conceived long before in his heart for the blessed apostle Andrew, longed to do something gas final proof of his devotion. He went to the city of Patras in the district of Achaia where the apostle was martyred and buried, and from there he stealthily removed by main force the saint’s relics, translated them to Constantinople on 9 May and amid great rejoicing and to the accompaniment of hymns and chants placed them in golden and silver reliquaries with great honour. Achaia is one of the seven provinces of Greece, and almost an island, for it is surrounded by sea on all sides except for the north side, where it adjoins Macedonia. Therefore when Christ had entrusted the world to his apostles and disciples to be steeped in the catholic faith by their preaching, he allotted to Andrew the area around the Caspian sea, Scythia, Macedonia and Achaia, and also, as some would have it, Scotland. Since, as was previously described, the Picts derived their origins from Scythia, Andrew wished even after his death to convert those whom he was not able to convert while he was alive. This Andrew was the apostle of the Lord, the brother of Simon Peter, older than Peter by birth and first to be called, but second in rank or at least third, Galilean by nationality, born in the city of Bethsaida, gentlest of all the disciples. He excelled almost everyone in justice, piety and sanctity. He was dark-complexioned, handsome of appearance, of medium height, with a luxuriant beard. The translation of certain of his bones from Patras to Scotland was as follows. It happened that by divine will on the third night before the emperor entered the city, the angel of the Lord appeared to a certain holy, God-fearing man, an abbot Regulus by name, the guardian of the relics, saying: ‘Take with you suitable brethren and proceed to the sarcophagus, in which the bones of Andrew were deposited. You will take from there three fingers of the right hand and the arm-bone that hangs down from the shoulder, one tooth and a kneecap. Guard them carefully in a place which I shall show you, until I return.’ He quickly summoned the chosen brethren, and carried off all the bones, just as he had been ordered to. He hid them in a very secret place indicated by the angel. So the emperor came two days later with quick-marching legions, and captured the city, emptying it of all its wealth. He received the reliquary in which the relics were stored, and ordered it to be taken back to Constantinople with suitable reverence, while he escorted it with the army. Ch. 59, p. 313: The angel instructed Regulus to take the relics and go to the west-north-west regions of the world. Finally after several years had passed by, the celestial angel again came back to abbot Regulus, and with an intimidating look on his face gave him the following command in the name of Almighty God and in these words: ‘Take up again’, he said, ‘the relics of blessed Andrew beloved of God, which you recently preserved on my instructions. And take with you a praiseworthy escort of saints, and lose no time in going to the western regions under the west-north-west at the world’s end; and wheresoever the ship that carries you by will of God runs the risk of shipwreck, but with you and your companions remaining unharmed, know that there the course of your hardship, or at least of your prolonged voyage, has reached its successful conclusion. Moreover guard against being negligent or forgetful of this kind of instruction, namely that in that place you should firmly lay the foundations of a church to the honour of the divine name and the glory of his saint and apostle of everlasting veneration, because it will come to pass that, just as the east was for a long time adorned by the sound of his preaching while he was alive, as you are aware, so know truly that the whole of the west will also be adorned forever with the miracles worked by his relics. For since that place has been chosen by God, it will be an apostolic see for ever and a firm rock of the faith, and rightly so because of his brother blessed Peter to whom the Lord said: “You are Peter” etc. So the kingdom in which it is situated will be a steady, strong anchor, and it will be famous for its devotion to the apostle to all the faithful, especially the kings and other powers in the land, from whose estates and endowments it will be abundantly enriched. Therefore crowds of the faithful frequently coming there from abroad from the opposite ends of the world to receive bodily and spiritual health will miraculously receive what they have requested, and will return joyfully to their homes, praising God, who is always glorious in his saints, in his apostle with exultant voices.’ And with these words the angel disappeared from the his sight, and blessed Regulus addressed himself to carrying out his instructions. So wishing to obey the divine commands, he summoned to his side wise and religious men of preeminent learning and character, each of whom had been forewarned by angelic exhortation to take part in his pilgrimage and his merit. He carried the sacred relics with him to the ship, and put to sea, prepared to reach the regions of the west-north-west. The following are the sacred names of the company of saints: St Regulus, abbot, St Damian, priest, Gelasius and Chubaculus, deacons, Merniacus the brother of St Damian, Nerius and Elrisenius from Crete, Mirenus, Machabeus and Silvius his brother. There were eight hermits namely Felix, Sajanus, Matheus, Mauricius, Madianus, Philip, Luke and Eugenius and three virgin saints from Colosia namely Triduana, Potencia and Emerea. Ch. 60, p. 315: Blessed Regulus first reached Scotland with the relics after shipwreck Those very saintly men together with the virgins went on board a ship laden with all necessary supplies, and sailed around the shores of Europe by way of the Mediterranean Sea until they came, worn out by many hardships, to the islands situated in the Ocean beneath the setting sun. And when they had been wandering for the space of almost two years over unknown seas, as the breeze chanced to take them, not knowing what was their goal, suddenly a fierce wind from the east rushed into their sails with unusual force. Under its violent impulse their boat was driven onto the kingdom of the Picts amid the rocks of the island of Albion, just as the angel had foretold, and was smashed to pieces. Given strength however by God, blessed Regulus reached land unharmed with his companions on 28 September in great joy, with the sign of the Lord’s cross going on before. And there in a grove of pigs, which is called ‘Mucross’ in the native language, he later dedicated a church to the glory of the apostle. In this place there occurred many astounding miracles from touching the relics, such as had not been seen or heard of,, since the adoption of the faith in these islands up to that time. For sight was given to those who were blind from birth, speech to the bumb, walking to the lame, and on all who piously sought the apostle’s support, no matter with what infirmity they were afflicted, healing was immediately bestowed through the compassion of God. After frequent miracles of this kind occurred daily, people came from all the nations bearing gifts, clapping their hands, and as suppliants raising endless hymns of praise to God for such a patron. For this reason the following lines are found to have been written in olden times at Rymont: Here that bay of the sea was a barren shore, Which now surpasses the richest places of the world in fertility. Here a region previously bare is now green. It was poor before and is now rich. Long ago it was vile and is now beautiful. Hither therefore come men who are lords of remote castles to pray, A motley throng setting out from their native land. The boastful Frank, the war-loving Norman, The Flemish weaver and rough Teuton, English, German, Dutch, the man from Poitou with no knowledge of wool And the bloodthirsty man from Anjou Those who drink the waters of the Rhine and Rhone and the powerful Tiber Come here to lay their pryers before Andrew. We too, provided we have a name among such great people, Come here carried along on a prosperous wheel. At that time, Hurgust son of Fergoso king of that region was delighted with the sanctity of the pace, and built his own palace there beside the church, and granted certain lands to blessed Regulus and his brethren for sowing corn, to be cultivated as alms forever. Later kings followed his example, as the warmth of their devotion dictated, and their property increased, although modestly until King Hungus, who ruled over the Picts after 800, handed over a tenth part of his kingdom to blessed Andrew, in return for the miraculous aid afforded him in his expedition against the Saxons as will appear below in Book 4, Chapter 13 and following. The blessed men founded a little cell in the form of a monastery, and appointed guardians of the relics. The blessed men went out preaching through the countryside, not on horseback but, just as long ago the apostles went, two by two to sow the word of God everywhere among the heathen, miraculously performing innumerable miracles. When therefore they had imbued these people with the faith, inspired by heavenly teaching, and confirmed their faith with various miracles, the most blessed Abbot regulus died full of days and at a great age at Kilrymont (the name having been changed from Mucross by the king) thirty-two years after he had come shipwrecked to the island of Albion, during which he engaged in the work of the Gospel and wonderfully pleased God. Volume 2, Book IV Ch. 11, p. 299: The list of the kings of the Picts The first of their kings was Cruithne son of Judge Kynne who founded the monarchy in the kingdom of the Picts and reigned for fifty years. The second after him was Ghede, the third was Tarain. To these two are ascribed two hundred and fifty years, as was mentioned above. Duchil succeeded King Tarain and reigned for forty years. He was succeeded by Dinorthesi who reigned for twenty years. Duordeghel succeeded him and reigned for twenty years. He was succeeded by Decokheth who reigned for sixty years. Combust came next and reigned for twenty years. Caranatherech succeeded him and reigned for forty years. Garnarthbolg succeeded him and reigned for nine years. Wypopneth succeeded him and reigned for thirty years. He was succeeded by Blarehassereth who reigned for seventeen years. Frachna Albus succeeded him and reigned for thirty years. Thalarg Amfrud succeeded him and reigned for sixteen years. He was succeeded by Canatalmel who reigned for six years. He was succeeded by Dongarnethles who reigned for one year. Feredath Finyel succeeded him and reigned for two years. Garnard-dives succeeded him and reigned for sixty years. He was succeeded by Hurgust son of Forgoso. During his reign, as was mentioned in Book II, Chapter 59 and following, certain relics of St Andrew were brought by blessed Regulus to Scotland and were reverently deposited in Kilrymont… Ch. 24, p. 341: More about Constantine and the savage battle of Brunanburh Unlucky was that day for the Scots for all the dominions acquired in the time of Giric or earlier, which had been held for fifty-four years or more were lost on that day by the right of conquest. William [of Malmesbury] writes: ‘There fell on that same field Constantine king of the Scots, a man of great spirit and vigorous old age, five kings etc.’, But the lie is given to this statement of William’s by various reliable chronicles, because after the tragic destruction of this battle Constantine held sway over the kingdom for four more years. Then giving up the kingship of his own accord, he put on the monk’s habit and devoted himself to God. He lived for five years after becoming abbot of the Culdees at St Andrews. He died and was buried there. Then the monks of Iona immediately with permission dug up his bones, took them and buried them in the tomb of his fathers in the church of blessed Oran in 947. Therefore it is not tenable that he was killed at the battle of Brunanburh, since he survived for about ten years after the battle. The following lines of verse are about him: Constantine, whose father was Aed Albus Was king for thiry and ten years. For five he was in the city of St Andrews There he died, living under religious rule. Volume 3 Book V Ch. 33, p. 107: King Alexander I [1107-1124] King Alexander reigned for seventeen years. He was a well-educated and devout man, deferential and friendly to clerics and religious, but excessively terrifying to the rest of his subjects; he was a great-hearted man, extending himself in all directions beyond his strength. He was very enthusiastic in constructing churches, searching for relics of the saints, and in the manufacture and arrangement of priestly vestments and sacred books; he was also very generous beyond his means to all comers; so devout was he in respect of the poor that there was nothing that seemed to give him greater pleasure than receiving, washing, feeding and clothing them. Following his mother’s footsteps, he rivalled her in holy deeds to such an extent that he endowed three churches with many gifts, that is to say the church of St Andrew at Kilrymont and the churches of Dunfermline and Scone, the one founded by his father and mother, the other founded by himself to the glory of the Holy Trinity and St Michael the archangel, which was founded and built at Scone the chief seat of their kingdom. It was he who conferred the Boar’s Chase on blessed Andrew, and who also founded the monastery of canons of the Island of Incholm near Inverkeithing, and who conferred so many great privileges on the aforesaid church of the Holy Trinity at Scone, which he founded and built in the place where both the Pictish and the Scottish kings from ancient times had established the chief seat of their kingdom; and he had it dedicated after it had been built of stone construction in the manner of that time. In response to the king’s command almost the whole of the kingdom flocked to its dedication, which was performed by Turgot, bishop of St Andrews. Book VI Ch. 24, p. 343: The bishops of Kilrymont (that is St Andrews) from the time of the expulsion of the Picts until now But because (as has been stated) the most saintly King David increased the number of bishoprics by new foundations, it seems to me appropriate (even if I do not deal separately with the other bishops) at least to insert something here about the succession of the bishops of St Andrews at least from the time of King Kenneth son of Alpin, the first monarch of the Scots (who swept away the Picts and their achievements) down to the present day, especially since each of them in his own time was regarded not as primate, but as the first and foremost [bishop] in the kingdom, lest if this information were to be scattered through the annals, enquirers would find a notice about [each of] these bishops less readily. I find that the first was Kellach I and the second Fothad I, who was driven out by King Indulf; and after his expulsion from the see he lived for eight years. Regarding him I have found this inscription round the edge of the silver cover of a gospel book which is still preserved at St Andrews: Fothad, who is the leading bishop among the Scots, Made this cover for an ancestral gospel-book. Then Kellach and Maelbridge, who was bishop for eight years. [This Maelbridge, as we read in the Life of the glorious and excellent confessor the blessed Duthac prophesied that he would be one of the bishops of the Scots; and this was fulfilled]. Then came Kellach II, son of Ferdlag, who was the first to go to Rome for confirmation. Then in succession came Malmore, a second Maelbridge, Alwin who held the see for three years, Maelduin Makgillandris, Tuthald for four years, Fothad II, Giric, Cathre, Edmar and Godric, who died as bishops-elect. In 1109 Turgot prior of Durham was elected on the day of the Translation of St Augustine, and served as a consecrated bishop for about seven years. He wrote a little book about the saintliness of St Margaret the queen and about the virtues of her offspring. He was also her confessor. In 1117 ‘Edmund’ a monk of Canterbury was elected, but on renouncing his desire to become a bishop, he turned to his cloister. (But this man in the Life of St Anshelm calls himself Eadmer. He it was who dictated and wrote the Life of Anshelm.) In 1122 Robert prior of Scone was elected to the see on the urging of King Alexander. He [the king] restored in its entirety the land called the Boar’s Chase, which had been taken away from the church of St Andrew, on condition that a religious community was established there, as had been previously arranged by King Alexander in a ceremony involving the king’s Arabian steed with its special harness and saddle, covered with a voluminous and precious caparison, along with a shield and silver lance (which now forms the shaft of a cross) – all these things the king in the presence of the magnates of the land had brought up to the altar, and he had the church invested with, and given sasine of, the said liberties and royal customs. David his brother, then an earl, was present there and confirmed this gift. This same Robert was consecrated by Thurstan archbishop of York without a profession of obedience, saving the privileges of each church and the authority of the apostolic see as was then specified. He remained bishop-elect for two years, and once consecrated served for thirty-five years, and so as elect and bishop he served for thirty-seven years. (Elsewhere I find it written thus: ‘He served as elect for two years and after consecration served for thirty-two years, so that as elect and bishop he served for thirty-four years.’) He died in 1159, and was buried in the old church of St Andrew during the reign of King Malcolm. Ch. 25, p. 347: The election of St Waltheof abbot of Melrose to the see of St Andrews After Robert’s death, as Jocelin the monk of Furness writes, The episcopal see of St Andrews in Scotland was vacant, and by the request of the people, the election of the clergy and the assent of the princes Waltheof the saintly abbot of Melrose was chosen as pastor and bishop of their souls. Therefore the leading clergy came with some magnates of the land to Melrose with sufficient authority to embrace the man they had elected and bring him away with them; and the father abbot of Rievaulx, who happened to be present then, ordered Waltheof to comply with the election, assume the burden and undertake the office. But he excused himself on account of the weakness of his physical powers and his inability to undertake so weighty an employment; and he privately informed the abbot Rievaulx that he had not much longer to live on this earth. Replying to those who persisted in carrying through the plan for his election which had been conducted, and as the father abbot persisted in his command, the saint spoke truthfully in a prophetic spirit: ‘I have put off my robe; how can I put it on again? I have bathed my feet; God forbid that I dirty them again with the dust of worldly care.’ And he added, saying: ‘Believe me, you will elect and have a bishop other than me.’ Pointing his finger outside the chapter-house at Melrose, indicating his burial place there, he said: ‘This is my resting place. Here I shall dwell as long as the Lord pleases, since I have chosen it as a consolation for my sons.’ After these words the business was suspended; once it had been suspended it was adjourned by a stay of proceedings, and once delayed it was not carried through into effect. Once he had finally and utterly refused to consent to the election, another (namely the abbot of Kelso, who will be mentioned later) was elected, and Waltheof was buried at the time chosen by the Lord, lying asleep in the place which he had pointed out. Ch. 35, p. 371: The election of Arnold abbot of Kelso to the see of St Andrews In 1160 Arnold abbot of Kelso was elected as bishop of St Andrews on the feast of St Brice, which fell on a Sunday, and he was consecrated on the following Sunday in the old church of St Andrew by William bishop of Moray as legate of the apostolic see in the presence of King Malcolm. He was succeeded as abbot of Kelso by John, the precentor of that community, who was elected on the eve of the feast of St Andrew, and blessed by Herbert bishop of Glasgow on the Epiphany. In the same year Bishop Arnold was made legate of the lord pope and with King Malcolm founded the great church of St Andrew. He served as bishop for one year, then months and seventeen days, and died on 13 September 1162. He was succeeded by Richard, a chaplain of King Malcolm, who was elected in 1165 and consecrated at St Andrews by the bishops of the kingdom on Palm Sunday, that is 28 March in the presence of the king. He served as bishop-elect for two years, and as a confirmed bishop for twelve years and one month. He died on 5 May in the canons’ infirmary in good old age and in saintliness of life. An inscription on wood about these three foregoing bishops buried in the old church reads as follows: You who come as a pilgrim, pause, and first look on Robert, Then on what remains of Arnold; the last tomb covers Richard; They were once bishops, now they are citizens of Heaven. In that same year, that is 1177, Master John called Scot was elected to the see of St Andrews. King William was totally opposed and, confident in the royal power, had Hugh his chaplain consecrated as bishop in the church of St Andrew in accordance with his wishes. On both sides a serious dispute and dangerous rift arose, as will be clear in what follows, because although Scot was so called, nevertheless he had been born an Englishman in the township which is called Budworth in the county of Chester. He had spent some time as a student of the liberal arts first at Oxford and then at Paris; and it was not only in the liberal arts, but also in physics and finally in theology that he seemed to everyone good enough to teach as a master. Then when he had returned from the schools and had stayed for some time with his relatives in his family home, he decided to go in person to Scotland and visit the church of St Andrew the Apostle, where he was taken up as an honoured protégé by the bishop. Now regarded not as a guest and a foreigner, but as a citizen and a native, after the death of the archdeacon he obtained the archdeaconry. And not many years later on the death of the bishop, when the day for an election had been arranged and everyone had gathered who was supposed to attend, and in the presence also of John de Monte Celio, the cardinal who had been appointed a legate from the lord pope’s side in Scotland in particular, the grace of the Holy Spirit was invoked, and all and sundry cast their votes for the archdeacon, and jointly elected him as bishop with no dissent. Ch. 36, p. 345: How King William drove John out of the bishopric and how John appealed to the Roman court because of this At that time William king of Scotland, on hearing that the archdeacon had been elected bishop without him being consulted or giving any consent of approval, took it badly; and unable to hide the anger aroused in his mind, he burst out with these words: ‘By the arm of St James (for this was his usual oath) ‘as long as I live he will never enjoy the bishopric of St Andrews, nor will he exercise episcopal authority in that see.’ Soon therefore the property and revenues of the bishop were seized, and the king ordered that both John and all the others connected in any way with his family or household be condemned to exile. This servant of Christ therefore did not know what to do or where to go, for since he was not allowed to remain in his own country, he was necessarily forced to live in exile. He calculated therefore that the one and only refuge left to him was to appeal to the apostolic see, and to commit both himself and his case to the protection of the lord pope. He underwent exile four years after the exile of St Thomas of Canterbury. With the Lord guiding his journey, therefore, he went to visit the apostolic see, and as one might expect in a man of experience and polished eloquence he set forth his case to the lord Alexander who was then supreme pontiff very intelligently and effectively. He omitted none of the circumstance, nor added anything untrue, but set forth the sequence of events in the matter to him stage by stage. On hearing this, the lord pope was struck with very considerable surprise that a man of such character and discernment who had been canonically elected should have been so readily rejected without reasonable cause, and in addition forced into exile. Therefore he undertook to defend his just case, and promised reliable advice and assistance in accordance with the merits of his case. By order of the pope therefore Alexis, a subdeacon of the holy Roman church and nuncio of the apostolic see to find out the facts about the church of St Andrews, entered Scotland along with John the bishop-elect, who had previously been confirmed by the pope, though King William was reluctant to allow the visit. The said confirmed man had secured agreement that in conformity with the dignity of the church of St Andrews and the king’s honour he was to be consecrated to the episcopal see by whatever bishops he wanted. After many discussions and many troubles, with even the excommunication of some of the king’s clerks and a threat of interdict over the see of St Andrews besides (though John by no means agreed to this being done), when nearly all the bishops, abbots and eminent clergy designated by eminent office had been called together at Edinburgh in the church of the monastery at Holyrood, Alexis had John splendidly consecrated as bishop for the aforesaid see on Holy Trinity Sunday, 8 June, by Matthew bishop of Aberdeen by virtue of a mandate of the lord pope Alexander. The man this consecrated, realizing that he was without a bishopric, immediately left the province sadly for fear of the king and the wrath of the king’s men, and sought to return to the Roman court. Ch. 37, p. 377: How he remained an exile at the Roman court for seven years When he had stayed at the Roman court for a fair amount of time while the pope was taking advice and on his instructions, fearing that he was perhaps a nuisance to the lord pope or any of his court, he sought permission to leave immediately and stay somewhere else where the lord would allow it. The pope spoke to him: ‘Stay with us; don’t be afraid and do not take it on yourself to go anywhere away from the court, lest it happen that in your absence your adversaries sent from the king of Scotland’s side arrive, to accuse you on many points, and lest there is no one here to set himself up as a wall of defence on your behalf, or speak up for you against your accusers. But if you are complaining that you are short of the necessities of life, do not worry or be upset in any respect about these things, for we, by reason of our power, possess in abundance and superabundance what is lacking for your needs. Let there be one purse for all of us.’ Meanwhile, the lord pope sent a letter to the king admonishing and requesting him to allow the bishop to come home, and to receive him honourably on his return with proper filial affection. Otherwise lest so just a case for the case for the church appear to be lost by his neglect, the pope threatened to act more severely soon. For the pope wanted to pursue peaceful means of action, because a report of long standing made him cautiously take care for the future, that is lest a situation arise between the king and the bishop like that four years earlier when the same pope issued thunderbolts of judicial censures against King Henry of England (a relative of King William himself), who had nonetheless contemptuously and cruelly allowed Thomas archbishop of Canterbury to be killed in the bosom of mother church, whose rights the bishop was protecting. Therefore in the manner of a deaf snake closing his ears lest he hear the voice of a wise man casting a spell, the king neither yielded to warnings nor was frightened by threats, but persisted unmoved in his earlier purpose; he despised the menaces of the man who was issuing threats, and passed by with a deaf ear the prayers of the suppliant. Thereupon the supreme pontiff was much angered, and determined to place an interdict on the whole kingdom of Scotland unless the king without excessive delay were to make amends and promise to take the bishop under his protection with due honour. When he heard this, the bishop prostrated himself at the feet of the lord pope, vehemently imploring him to deign to cancel his intended purpose in this matter lest the Scottish church should be suspended on account of any case affecting him, and lest prayers of thanksgiving be not offered in it to the Lord in the usual way. ‘I prefer, holy father’, he said, ‘to surrender my right now, and resign the episcopal rank into your hands with the responsibilities attached to this rank, rather than that the masses being celebrated for the redemption of souls lying in Purgatory should be discontinued for even one day on account of any dignity conferred or to be conferred on me.’ The pope’s resolution was broken by his tearful entreaties, seeing that he wanted to surrender the bishopric rather than allow proceedings for the maintenance of his suit; and full of great admiration he restrained himself, and from that day forward it turned out that John found so much goodwill in the eyes of the supreme pontiff that whatever he asked of the pope which could legally be granted, he immediately acquired, and he did not suffer the rejection of the request which he had justifiably and reasonably made. He was compelled to stay in exile for seven years continuously, like Thomas of Canterbury, so that not even by letters from the lord pope and the cardinals, who wrote very warmly on his behalf, was he able to obtain permission from the king to return home. Ch. 39, p. 387: How the bishop divided the see of Dunkeld …At length John was elected bishop of Dunkeld, so that all grounds for dispute would be removed, and a lasting settlement achieved, with both king and clergy cheerfully consenting, and he was accepted by everyone with the greatest devotion. But seeing that he had suffered much expense, and wearisome hardships and damages while an exile for seven years, and the see of Dunkeld was far inferior to the see of St Andrews in revenues and estates, it was decreed in common council as some compensation that all the revenues which he held in the diocese of St Andrews when he held his archdeaconry were to remain permanently with him in full, and after his death they were to be returned to the diocese of St Andrews without argument. He was therefore harmoniously elected bishop of Dunkeld, confirmed by the lord pope, consecrated by his authority… Sir Hugh, his successor in the see of St Andrews, remained a bishop there for ten years and many months, and when he went to the Roman see regarding the case between him and John of Dunkeld, and had been received into the pope’s favour and absolved regarding his intrusion into the see, died six miles from the city on this side on 4 August 1188. Ch. 41, p 393: The succession of Roger and William as bishops of the same In 1189 after bishop Hugh’s death Roger, the son of a nobleman who was early of Leicester, and a kinsman and chancellor of the lord king William, was elected to the bishopric of St Andrews on 13 April (a Friday); and in 1198 he was consecrated to his episcopal see by Richard bishop of Moray on the first Sunday in Lent, in the presence of the king, etc. And he served as bishop-elect for ten years, and as a consecrated bishop for three years and a half . He died at Cambuskenneth on 7 July 1202, and was buried in the old church of St Andrew. In this year a certain legate called John who had been sent to Scotland translated William bishop of Glasgow at the request of King William, and appointed him bishop of the church of St Andrews. His postulation and translation took place at Scone on 20 September (a Friday). He ruled the church of St Andrews with vigour and distinction through many misfortunes for thirty-five years, ten months and two weeks. For he devoted himself with ever-watchful attention to restoring property that had been dispersed and alienated to its original condition, to preserving with discerning purposefulness what had been gathered together and assigned for the church’s purposes, and with cheerful countenance and jovial disposition to making generous distributions. Yet he arbitrarily took from the house of Dunfermline, it is said, the right to nominate to the vicarages of Kinglassie and Hailes, because on one occasion when he was spending the night at Dunfermline he had insufficient wine to drink in his room after supper. And this was not the fault of the monks’ servants, but of his own, who by reckless serving of the amount of wine which had been calculated as sufficient for his need used it up earlier than expected. At length he died at Inchmurdo on 9 July 1238 (a Friday), and is buried in the new church of St Andrew… Ch. 43, p. 399: Bishops William Fraser and William Lamberton On 4 August 1279 William Fraser, the king’s chancellor, was elected, with the Culdees again excluded then as in the preceding election. He was consecrated in the Roman court by the lord pope Nicholas on 19 May 1280. He served as bishop-elect for ten months and six days, as bishop for seventeen years, three months and eight days; and so as elect and bishop for eighteen years and fifteen days. Wanting to avoid the tyranny of Edward Longshanks king of England and the hostile acts of the English, he withdrew to France and met his end at Auteuil on 20 August 1297; and he was buried in the church of the Friars Preachers in Paris. Then after a little while his heart was brought to Scotland, and was buried by his successor William de Lamberton in the wall of the church of St Andrews next to the tomb of bishop Gamelin. In the meantime in 1295 indeed, while the said Bishop William was staying in France, all Englishmen holding benefices in the diocese of St Andrews were ejected permanently from all their benefices by judicial decree of Master William de Kinghorn and Master Peter de Campania on account of the clearest grounds for suspicion of treason, and credible proofs of criminal conspiracy against the king and state of the kingdom. In like manner all and sundry of the rest of the English, both clerics and laymen, were expelled by the king’s council on account of their plotting, William Wallace being the man who put their decree into effect. William Fraser was succeeded by William de Lamberton, who was then chancellor of Glasgow. He was elected on 5 November 1297, with the Culdees then entirely excluded as in the two previous elections. On this account William Comyn who was then provost of the Culdees opposed this election. He went to Rome, and in the presence of the lord pope Boniface VIII challenged the said election and the man who had been elected in every way that he could, but to no effect. For notwithstanding his objections, the lord pope approved the election, confirmed the bishop-elect, and on 1 June 1298 consecrated him in due fashion. It should be noted that episcopal jurisdiction during a vacancy rests entirely with the chapter. This jurisdiction was effectively administered throughout the whole diocese by Master Nicholas de Balmyle, the official of the court of St Andrews appointed by the chapter of the same place, and was exercised in the name of the chapter as fully as possible under the law. This William had an affectionate love for his canons and did many good things during his lifetime. While extremely concerned with the repair of the monastery buildings and making much available for that, he repaired little on his own estates. After he had served as bishop for some eighteen years, when shown by members of his household to be guilty of not building his own manor houses, he is said to have once replied in some agitation: ‘With the help of the grace of God, I intend to erect buildings of such size and of such strength that many as my successors will think it important to maintain them in a suitable or similar condition’. From then on he completed one of his manor houses nearly every year at quite considerable expense, namely his own fortress palace at St Andrews, his manor houses at Inchmurdo, Monimail, Dairsie, Torry, Muckhart, Kettins, Monymusk, Liston, Lasswade and Stow in Wedale; he also built a new chapter-house at his own expense. He splendidly adorned the beams of the great church with shaped boards and carvings, and left to the canons of the same a valuable red vestment adorned with embroidered pictures, along with a mitre and pastoral staff and a great many books. He ruled his church in a praiseworthy manner with wisdom and foresight and complete integrity of character; he preserved its rights and ecclesiastical liberties intact all his days, and adorned it in many ways with other signs of his virtues. He served as bishop-elect for seven months and two weeks, and as bishop for thirty years, thirty weeks and six days. Then he fell ill with the complaint by which he was carried off from this life in the monastery of St Andrews, in the room of the lord prior of that place; and he was buried in the great church to the north of the altar on 7 June 1328. Ch. 44, p. 403: The bishops sir James Ben, sir William Bell elect, and William Laundels On 19 June of the said year the canons of St Andrews held an election, with the Culdees entirely excluded as with previous elections. The method of a general vote was used, and with some agreeing on sir James Ben who was then archdeacon of St Andrews, and some on Alexander de Kininmund who was then archdeacon of Lothian, the election was a disputed one. But sir James, who as then staying at the Roman court in person, before news of the outcome of the election reached him, obtained the bishopric by appointment of the lord pope John XXII, who had reserved for his own appointment nearly all the bishoprics in the world. Sir Alexander then went to the Roman court and was made bishop of Aberdeen by the lord pope’s provision. Sir William Comyn, who was then provost of the Chapel Royal, challenged this election, but this was a pretence of an appeal, as it were; and on this account he did not follow it up by going to the Roman court. Later he was promoted archdeacon of Lothian by favour of the lord pope. This bishop sir James, in fear of the ferocity and intolerable cruelty of the English, who were on the rampage everywhere in the kingdom of Scotland after the battle of Dupplin, for the young boy David had earlier been crowned by him, came to St Andrews by night from Loch Leven, bidding farewell to the prior and convent he boarded a ship there the next night with a few companions. Not many days later he landed safely in Flanders, and while staying in the town of Bruges he departed this life on 22 September 1332, and was buried at the Eeckhout monastery of regular canons of Bruges. He served as a bishop then for four yearsm two weeks and as many days. In this year on 19 August William Bell dean of Dunkeld was elected by means of the compromise procedure; the Culdees were then entirely excluded, claimed no right in that election, and raised no objection. He went to the curia which was then Avignon, where he encountered many opponents and adversaries, by whom the processing of his case was in the end held up until the promotion as bishop of sir William Laundels. Smitten indeed by various afflictions, and in the end overtaken by old age and stricken with blindness, he resigned his right of election. After returning from the curia in the company of the said William de Laundels who had now been promoted to the see, and assuming the habit of the regular canons in the monastery at St Andrews, he breathed his last in the infirmary there on 7 February 1342. On 18 February of the previous year sir William de Laundels rector of the church of Kinkell was promoted to the bishopric by provision of the lord pope Benedict XII, and on 17 March he was consecrated. The support which came in many requests to the supreme pontiff and his venerable college of cardinals from the illustrious kings of France and Scotland and also from other venerable persons recommended him as worthy of a bishopric on the strength of the merits of his life. But it was especially the letters (both public and private) of the chapter of St Andrews, sent on various occasions to the same see on his behalf, and taking into account the resignation of the said master William Bell, which achieved the processing of his business. Without them any other letters in the form of petitions would have entirely failed to achieve processing, a fact that is more fully made clear in the public bulls of the lord pope himself. In these William is not recommended as if by the request of some individual, but he is openly named as the elect of the same church. This see from the death of sir James Ben to the promotion of sir William Laundels was vacant for nine years, five months and eight days. Ch. 45, p. 405: The same [William Laundels] and sir Walter Trayl This William Laundels was a man from a leading family, generous and kind, the lord and heir of all the lands and estate of Laundels, witty, generous, cheerful, gentle, forbearing, handsome and peaceable, a [sincere] lover of the canons as his own sons. When he had held office for forty-four years, he met his end at a good old age in the monastery of St Andrews. He died on the feast of St Tecla the Virgin 1385, on the seventh anniversary of the burning of the church of St Andrew, and he is buried in the paved floor in the great church opposite the door to the sacristy under a finely carved stone. He was succeeded by Walter Trayl, a champion of the church, a knight of civil law, a doctor of canon law, and a man equipped with all the liberal arts, who was, however, not elected, but appointed by provision at the wish of the lord pope Clement VII. (This pope was in the straight line of descent from Mary Countess of Boulogne, the daughter of Margaret the queen and Malcolm the king of Scotland). Walter was then a referendary in the court of this pope at Avignon, one of the inner circle of his household and a distinguished auditor of cases. As a mark of the pope’s exceptional esteem for this man, it is said that when news came of the vacancy in the bishopric of St Andrews, the pope suggested concerning him that in his judgement the same Walter was more worthy of the papacy than of a bishopric. By his [Trayl’s] provision the person would be far worse provided for than the place. Despite this, after the death of the said sir William de Laundels the chapter, on some unknown day, elected sir Stephen Pay prior of St Andrews, a very generous man inclined to plain speaking, lofty in stature, attractive to onlookers and extremely popular. Making a rapid start on a journey to the Roman court with his election decree and letters of recommendation from the king and the chapter to acquire confirmation, he accidentally when at sea fell into the hands of pirates, and was taken as a captive to England. And because he knew that the monastery of St Andrews was threatened by the great expense of the burden of his ransom and the unfortunate fire which had burnt their church not long before, he chose rather to end his life in England than through a ransom of this kind do too much harm to the bishopric or the monastery. There by God’s will he took ill at Alnwick, as a result of which he was borne away from this world; his soul departed from its bodily dwelling-place and, it is hoped, entered into the joy of the Lord on 2 March 1385. After his death, as has been said above, the said Walter Trayl succeeded to the bishopric. Although he belonged to a family of middling status, nevertheless by the nobility of his character he surpassed his lineage. Once he had been made bishop therefore, with his appointment graciously expedited and confirmed by bulls of the lord pope, he hurried to his native land and satisfied the demands of his office well enough; as priest, bishop, and a good skilled master of the virtues, a good pastor among his people, he had been given authority by the pope over peoples and kingdoms, that is those of good birth living in his diocese and the magnates of the kingdom, to eradicate deeply-rooted sins, and tear down the ramparts of heretics, and destroy the deliberations of the wicked and build on the foundation of morals and plant on faith. For it was suitable for such a man to be put in charge of such a church, on whose judgement depended the government of almost the whole kingdom in matters of difficulty. He bestowed on everyone what was of advantage to them – advice to the king and court, cash payments to his church: and being thus involved in the concerns of the court, because he had concern for everything, he left room for neglect in neither of his administrative functions. By thus adorning himself everywhere with the embellishments of the virtues, he inculcated spiritual lesson dint he people all the more on that account. Thus he suppressed vices in himself, lest they held sway; he tamed the flesh, lest it be in control; he raised up the spirit to take the lead; not as it were lording it over the clergy, but, having become a model for his flock, he presented himself as an example of good works towards everybody. He reproached laymen who maligned the church with ecclesiastical censure; he curbed clerics from worldly affairs and commerce; and he restrained priests with concubines from all brother-keeping throughout the whole of his diocese, and banished them from vile filth of this kind, so that there was no cleric there at all among the men of holy church who obviously and openly kept a concubine without Walter either humbling him, however eminent he may be, with imprisonment, or depriving him of his benefice, or otherwise very shrewdly sanctioning a permanent separation. This sever critic of morals therefore and corrector of faults, than whom no one was more severe in his rebukes, more gentle in his compassion, more lavish in his expenditure, more friendly in his conversation, ore ready with his assistance, had no fear of the threats of magnates, nor was he a respecter of persons, nor was anyone found like him in maintaining the law Most High. Broken by old age, when he was about seventy, he died in the castle at St Andrews which he had himself built from the foundation on [ ] 1401. He served as a bishop for sixteen years, and was honourably buried in the burial place of the bishops next to the high altar in the church of St Andrew on the north side within the screen. There is was written of him: This man was an upright pillar of the church, a bright window, a scented censer, a resounding bell. Ch. 46, p. 409: Bishop Henry Wardlaw After the death of the said sir Walter Trayl, Thomas Stewart was elected. He was a son of the elder King Robert, a brother of King Robert III, a paternal uncle of James I, archdeacon of St Andrews, a man of very retiring disposition and dove-like innocence. After his election had been approved and the election decree was about to be transmitted to the curia, he renounced his election; and Master Walter Danielston was postulated, who took possession of the fruits of the see until his death. This Walter Danielston with a large force of armed men set himself up as lord in Dumbarton castle, causing great annoyance to the king and the kingdom. A man of action, he could not be prised away from the king’s other castle, other than by a transfer of this kind. Yet he died as keeper of the castle. Someone has written this about both Walters, that is Trayl and Danielston, first about the former: Vessel of Virtue! Food and light for the emaciated Who revives the sick with life-saving abundance. He changes his style for the latter, saying thus: Because you fail to do these things you will change your fame and fame. An etymology arising from the contrast: Vessel of the Vices! Food of indulgence Who without pity holds the sick in check by a sulphurous lash. After the death of this Walter de Danielston, the venerable father, Master Gilbert Grenlaw was postulated. A man supported by the dignity of all the virtuous habits, he was bishop of Aberdeen and chancellor of the kingdom of Scotland, tenacious for justice, firm and calm in all his conduct. But meanwhile, following a provision of the Lord Benedict XIII, there came home from the curia at Avignon a man of distinguished blood, that is Master Henry de Wardlaw the cardinal bishop of Glasgow. This man was gentle, kind and liberal, handsome in appearance and more handsome in his character, slight of build but pleasing in personality. In his endeavour to please everybody in doing good, he entertained daily at great cost beyond his means, but was an agreeable innkeeper who charged nothing. It was he who as the prime founder brought the university to the city of St Andrews, who built the Guardbridge at great expense, and who obtained from King Robert III two-thirds of the great custom of St Andrews for himself and his successors as bishops forever, while he previously held no more than one third. Between him, however, and the said sir Walter Trayl the see was vacant for three and a half years. He served as bishop for nearly forty years, and when worn out by age after this present life’s course, he was buried in the church of St Andrew in the wall between the choir and the Lady Chapel with greater honour than that given to his predecessors. He died in the castle after Easter on 6 April 1440. Consider his further praise on his epitaph: Alas for one whom the fretful stone presses upon as he is weighed down by the tomb. See I commence my mournful verse expressing my grief for a father. The earthly flesh of the noble Henry Wardlaw is thus buried: the circumstance demands that, within a short space of time, it becomes that from which it was created. My Muse, groaning, add in your lamentations, redoubling your grief, since the rampant rage of death thus lays low all honours. Dust is turned to dust hidden here in this burial. See, equal desolation subdues high and low alike. This man was a guide to the blind and a foot to the lame; a source of salvation to the sick, By his outstanding fame, giving teaching to those who followed him. He was clothed in piety, goodness, the integrity of the law, virtue, peace and probity; he in person removed harmful scourges. Fair in his judgements, he balanced the scales of justice with impartiality. He was a model, an example, and the glory of the people, of the clergy and his country. As a teacher he rightly propagated God’s decrees by his example. The schools founded on the Rymont stream are his noble achievement. The whole of Scotland drinks at the waters of this stream. The school flourishes in the wake of this bishop everywhere renowned. If someone seeks to find out who is the subject of these verses, he will soon be able to find out by looking at their initial letters. Ch. 47, p. 413: James Kennedy bishop of St Andrews On the following 22 April 1440 the nobleman Master James Kennedy, the nephew of King James I by his sister the countess of Angus, and bishop of Dunkeld, was postulated by the method of accepting the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He was then at the curia at Florence with the lord pope Eugenius, from whom in the previous year he obtained the monastery of Scone in commend. But before his election decree and the royal letter of recommendation reached the curia, he was provided with the bishopric of St Andrews. He celebrated his first mass with great splendour in his church on the feast of St Jerome, which fell on a Sunday, in 1442. [Chapters 49-57 discuss the Priors of St Andrews] Book VIII Ch. 25, p. 323: The fickleness of the men of Galloway; and the attempt by the English to make the Scottish church subject to them In this year [1178] Master John surnamed Scot but English by race was elected to the bishopric of St Andrews. But King William refused to agree to his election and caused his own chaplain Hugh to be consecrated as bishop. Between the two parties a grave dispute and f=dangerous division emerged (concerning which see above, Book VI, where there is an account of the bishops of St Andrews). Ch. 67, p. 441: The privilege of the Scottish church that it be subject to no one except the Roman pontiff [transcription of the papal bull cum universi] Innocent the bishop, servant of the servants of God sends his greeting and apostolic blessing to his most beloved son in Christ, William the illustrious king of the Scots and to his successors in perpetuity. Although all the faithful should find protection and favour with the apostolic see, yet it is right and proper that those whose faithfulness and devotion that see has experienced on many occasions should be especially cherished by the bulwark of its protection, so that they may be all the more encouraged to fervent love for it and with even more devoted affection may allow themselves to be governed by reverence and devotion which we know you have shown toward the Roman church from long times past, and following the example of our predecessor Pope Celestine of happy memory, we most strictly enjoin in this our present letter that since the Scottish church, which is recognized as comprising the bishoprics of St Andrews, Glasgow, Dunkeld, Dunblane, Brechin, Aberdeen, Moray, Ross and Caithness, is directly subject without intermediary to the apostolic see, of which it is a specially favoured daughter, no-one save only the Roman pontiff or a legate despated a latere should be permitted to proclaim an interdict or sentence of excommunication upon the kingdom of Scotland.
Statutes of the Scottish Church, 1225-1559
Selected references within the statutes to the church in medieval St Andrews
The book is a translation of Concilia Scotiae: Ecclesiae Scoticanae Statutae tam Provincialia Quam Synodalia Quae Supersunt.
Edited and Translated by David Patrick, LLD
[General or Provincial Statutes of the 13th Century] How the Conservator should be chosen And we ordain firstly that every year the duty of preaching be laid on one of the bishops one after the other, to be performed at the next council by himself or by another to be proposed by him, beginning with the bishop of St Andrews; and that by choice of the others one of the bishops be appointed conservator of the statutes of the council; who shall hold his office from council to council and shall punish open and notorious offenders against the council or the transgressors of any decree passed at it, and shall effectually compel them to make due satisfaction by ecclesiastical censure as law demands. [Constitutions of David, Bishop of St Andrews, 1242] To the office of pastor it pertains, as concerns the state of the churches entrusted to him and the instruction of those under his charge, to take vigilant care that when called to given an account of the flock committed to him he may be able to give the Lord interest on his talent. Therefore it is that of the rules that have been made by the ancient fathers we recall some to mind at present, adding other anew, lest (which God forbid!) we should appear to treat our office lightly. That churchyard be enclosed As to the state of the churches, we decree that in the first place it be seen to that churchyards be suitably enclosed all the way round, so that no access be open to brutish and unclean beasts; for sacred places should be kept clean, and such as have been duly consecrated to God by bishops. Of the enclosing of churchyards and the repairing and adorning of churches We decree further that round about, as far as the chancels extend, churchyards be enclosed by the rectors, the remaining portion by the parishioners, unless the custom prevails that the whole of the churchyard be enclosed by the parishioners. Item that the churches be roofed, that the walls be unbroken and not ruinous, the windows of glass and unbroken – those round the chancel to be kept in repair by the rector, but let those round the church be put in order by the parishioners. Item that the clergy be compelled thereto by the suspension of their stipend until the necessary repairs have been made; the laity, by suspension of their church privileges. We direct further that every church or chapel able to support a priest have its own priest, and have a silver chalice; and to the purchase of the same,, and as well as for the other things necessary for the altar, whether in vestments or books or lights, let the rectors be compelled each by suspension of this benefice until out of their benefices the thing lacking have been purchased; and, once acquired, they are to remain the property of the churches. The flagons or cruets for keeping the wine and the water for the eucharist of the Lord should be of silver or of pewter; the sacrarium neat and undilapidated; let the font also be not of wood but of stone and of becoming appearance, and let it not be put to other uses. That chrism, eucharist and fonts be secured with a lock We decree also that in all churches the chrism, the eucharist and the fonts be kept under safe keeping, locks and keys being provided, lest some overbold hand may reach forth to them to the commission of abominable and unspeakable acts. But if he who has the charge of them has carelessly left them unguarded, let him be suspended from his office for three months; and if any sacrilege have thence arisen, let him underlie a more severe penalty. Of the visitations of archdeacons Further, we will that every church in our diocese be visited by our archdeacons or their deans every year, and all deficiencies in churches and churchyards, books and ornaments, be brought under our notice in writing; that whatever is to be put right may be put right in accordance with our instructions. Of the life and good repute of the clergy We decree furthermore that all the clergy, in whatever rank they be, and particularly those in holy orders who have the cure of souls, have their hair clipped all round, so that their ears be covered, and have large and seemly crowns [of hair]. That priests do not have capes with sleeves, or plaited capes, but round ones without sleeves; nor shoes nor sleeves decorated with laced-work. To this we add that all clerics, and particularly priests, unless when on a journey or under pressure of necessity, must not eat or drink in taverns or mix with open tipplers. Let them not play at dice or other games. And if on transgressors of this statute injury of the nature of the violent laying on of hands be in any way inflicted by laymen, let no hearing be given by the ordinary, but let the priests be suspended for three months. And especially we will and ordain that priests, who daily handle the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ, and where they are by their duty bound to administer whenever the occasion calls, shall not have wenches in their own or other people’s houses; but let their dwellings be clean and respectable. Nor let them even have kinswomen in their houses, unless they be such as no suspicion can arise about; but if they be disposed to make provision for such, let them do so in places far removed from themselves and beyond suspicion. Let no-one, moreover, receive in his house, entertain or keep a priest’s wench or concubine. But is any one transgress this statute, let him be held bound by the church to give condign satisfaction, and be otherwise punished at the discretion of the judge, so that temporal punishment may at least deter from sin those whom the fear of God does not restrain from evil. Of the wenches or concubines of clergymen We decree that after this whatever priest be found to keep a wench or a common prostitute and, after having been once fined in proportion to his means, be convicted of returning to her or to another such-like woman, or be unable to clear himself when common report charges him therewith, we will that such one be thenceforth suspended by our authority without hope of pardon. Let priests beware of having carnal knowledge of their woman-penitents, and offence for which the canon inflicts a penance of fifteen years and thereafter seclusion in a monastery; for they sin no less heinously than if they were carnally to know those to whom they acted as godfathers. And because it behoves us sometimes to devise new remedies, we enjoin further that priests’ concubines be not admitted by any church to the kiss of peace or the holy water. And if they remain in the priests’ house till their death, let them be refused Christian burial; and if the priests die first let the concubines receive nothing from their wills. Further, let a priest’s concubine obtain nothing in consequence of his promise made to her for the dishonour done to her body. Item let no priest admit a priest’s concubine to penance unless she resolve to forsake her sin – for sin should never be forgiven unless it is first forsaken; and this rule is to hold good in the case of any one openly living in a state of mortal sin. Of the celebrations of masses Item the utmost care must be taken that in the consecration of the body and the blood of our Lord water be added in so moderate a quantity that the wine be not absorbed by the water but the water by the wine. But let the wine be not absorbed by the water, but rather the water by the wine. But let the wine used be red rather than white; in white wine, however, there is valid consecration. Let priests beware that the wine be not turned to vinegar or mouldy; and be particularly careful not to celebrate with vinegar, since vinegar has lost all the substantial properties. Let the host be made of pure wheat, round and entire and spotless, because the Lamb of God is without spot and not a bone of him was broken. Once a day in every church before the Pax Domini is said in any mass, whether it is for the dead or any mass, led there be said, with prostration and the ringing of the bell, the prayers for the remission of sins: Paternoster, Deus venerunt, Levavi, and the collects for the king and the bishop, and for the troubles and perils of the church; and when these have been finished let there be said Kirieleyson thrice, Paternoster…et de nos; afterwards these prayers, Exurgat Deus, Dominie salvum me fac, Fiat pax; the collect Deus in cujus, and in that collect let there be added ‘for our king and queen and their children’; the collect Deus qui caritatis dona; the collect Ecclesie tue quesumus Domine preces etc. Now when the celebrant has come to the participation of the body and the blood of our Lord, if he must celebrate a second time on the same day – which it is not lawful for any priest to do unless there is an urgent necessity – let him not take the wine, or the water which after the consecration is poured out to rinse the chalice; for by every kind of meat or drink is his fast broken, so that on that account he could not celebrate. Let him pour that rinsing of the chalice into some clean and seemly vessel set apart expressly for this use and no other, and let him take it after his second celebration. But if some boy or other be present of whose piety the celebrant has no doubt, he may safely give the aforesaid ablutions to him. Of the same Item let no celebrant elevate the host, but let him keep it in front of his breast, until those words are finished: ‘This is my body’. Item we forbid any priest to serve two churches. Item let the parish priest not celebrate masses for the dead on receipt of or in hope of payment. Item, if it has been entrusted to anyone, as executor, to have masses said for the living or for the dead in any particular manner, or to select one priest rather than another for celebrating in the said masses, let him not receive any kind of remuneration. Of the reservation of the eucharist and the visitation of the sick We further decree that when in cities, burghs, and castles the eucharist is brought to the sick it be placed in a clean and befitting pyx and that the pyx itself be placed in a chalice of pewter if such is possessed, and that it be wrapped in a clean linen cloth: and proceeded by a lantern, cross and holy water let the priest, clad in surplice, if the weather permit, holding the pyx aloft in a solemn and reverent manner, go in the procession to the sick person, unless he is at a great distance: but otherwise let the eucharist be carried in a clean and seemly pyx enclosed in a box which may serve to protect the pyx from the inclemency of the weather. Let the host which is to be given to the sick be renewed every Lord’s day and put in a seemly and secure place. On other days, however, it may be renewed at need. Of baptism and the form of baptising Deacons cannot baptise and administer the sacrament of penance and let them not presume to minister the eucharist. In peril of death a deacon and even a layman will have power to baptise. Parishioners should be taught these things in church, and how baptism is to be administered under these words: ‘I baptise thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.’ For which reason the child who has in accordance with this canon been baptised in a critical emergency should not be exorcised. By no means let the priest supplement the last rites which in baptism precede the immersion but only those which follow. And we further enjoin that if there is doubt of any one’s baptism, he should by all means be baptised (for it cannot be said that the sacrament has been conferred once) with these words: ‘If thou hast been baptised I do not baptise thee, but if thou hast not been baptised I baptise thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.’ Of penance To eradicate simoniacal corruption from the priesthood we further enact that on no layman in sickness or in health shall they enjoin masses for a penance. We order also that no priest receive another’s parishioner to penance unless by permission of his own priest. But if that parishioner ask to go to a more discreet priest, then let his own priest in kindness grant him permission. The parishioner must however in that case be careful not to divide his confession; but without his own priest’s permission let him go to no other. Moreover, let the priest explain that extreme unction makes nothing unlawful to the sick man after he receivers which had been lawful to him before he took ill. He should also explain that the said extreme unction can be repeated as often as may be required. Of burial Moreover, we will that if any one has been overtaken by sudden death he shall not lack Christian burial, unless he has died an excommunicated person or been killed in some deed in which he commits mortal sin. For with whom in life we are in communion, with him also in death we ought to be in communion. Of matrimony Marriage must absolutely not be contracted between persons who are unknown nor even between persons who are known, unless it has been preceded by a threefold solemn proclamation, as well of the man as of the woman, publicly made in the church on three Sundays. Proclamation of excommunication to be made in churches four times in the year Item we decree that solemn sentence of excommunication be pronounced in all churches on Sunday four times every year. Let a general excommunication be pronounced against all soothsayers, fire-raisers, forgers, professional usurers, robbers on the king’s highway; all who wittingly obstruct wills lawfully made; all laymen who withhold or seize, diminish or carry off unjustly teinds or lands or other privileges or possessions of the church; all witnesses who deliberately forswear themselves, so that through them some person loses any inheritance or ecclesiastical or secular benefice. Item that no priest without the advice of his bishop absolve such perjurers unless in peril of death. Item that the priest publicly warn his parishioners that no one under colour of a reprehensible custom which has long been prevalent, swear in concert with his neighbours against his conscience either through affection for another or through another’s bidding. Item that perjurers of this sort be not absolved without the advice of the bishop unless in imminent peril of death. Item that priests first and foremost admonish such of their parishioners as are open fornicators and persuade them to put away their strumpets. And if afterwards they return to them, that in the presence of at least three trustworthy witnesses summoned for the express purpose, an oath be exacted from the fornicators that if they thereafter have knowledge of their strumpets, they shall henceforth treat them as their wives. Of residence Item, that a parson or vicar do not leave his own parish and take up residence in burgh or town save on urgent occasion, or when a dispensation has been granted to him. That he who has been once admonished and does not return, be deprived of the revenues of his church for the space of four years. That marriages or proposals not be contracted without witnesses Item that no one contract marriage or betrothal unless in the presence of lawful witnesses, by whom the marriage can be proved should any doubt arise about it. Of monks and canons-regular who are fugitives Furthermore, for as much as we know of a certainty that many warnings have gone forth from our predecessors and from ourselves to the effect that if there are any monks or canons-regular who are fugitives in this archdeaconry, they return to the observance of their rules to which they are bound by their profession or in any other way: All these, therefore, we admonish anew that they abandon their apostasy and return to their monasteries, or at least seek from us warrants which will issue up till three months from the day of the promulgation of this statute in this archdeaconry: otherwise, let them know that they are thenceforth by our authority excommunicated. And that none may pleas ignorance, let this statute be published in every parish church in the next following Sundays. That religious be not admitted for a stipulated sum Item we decree that no monk or nun or other religious person be received into religion for a stipulated sum. That clerics do not hold secular offices or carry on trades Item we decree that clerics must not hold secular offices or engage in trade. That churchmen do not write or dictate sentences involving bloodshed Item we decree that no churchman dictate or write a sentence involving the shedding of blood That rectors be resident or appoint vicars Item we decree that all rectors either reside in their parishes or present vicars to a decent maintenance therein. Of chaplains and deacons ordained in another diocese Item we decree that no rector of a church in this archdeaconry keep any chaplain or deacon in the service of his church, even though he himself is sure about him, unless there be lawful evidence of his ordination and good behaviour, and even in that case let him present him to the lord bishop or to his officials; but if a chaplain or deacon be unknown, he shall in no wise be admitted to the exercise of his office in this diocese unless he have letters patent of recommendation from his bishop or his archdeacon, by means of which legitimate assurance may be had as to his ordination and good behaviour. Of the changing of priests Furthermore, whereas from the frequent changing of priests much expense and many disadvantages are occasioned to churches, we decree that when any one proceeds to arrange about a priest for his church he should procure for himself one whom he may be able to retain for a year at least; since if he must for any reason be removed at the end of the year or before that, he is to be dismissed and another put in his place only by the advice of our archdeacon or dean or officials; and this we design to be applicable to parish priests. That churches or benefices be not let on lease We further also enact that no one receive on any lease any church or living without our own or our officials’ assent; and that particularly that no one have two churches on lease without our authority or permission; and in especial that no layman receive a church on lease. Let a contract to this effect entered into between parties contrary to the tenor of this statute be held as of no effect: and let no hearing be given to those who make complaint of the non-observance of contracts of this kind. That chaplains do not celebrate until they make their canonical obedience Also, we forbid, on pain of anathema, any chaplain of a parish church who says mass for the dead, or resides with knights or any others, to celebrate in our diocese, until he makes his canonical obedience; and particularly let not those whose duty it is to say mass for the dead every day in the year bind themselves to perform a trental of masses instead of another. Of residence and the ordination of vicars Moreover, we reiterate what our venerable father Otho, by the grace of God legate of Scotland, lately decreed as to the residence and ordination of vicars, and decree that all vicars shall without excuse or exception reside in their parishes and receive holy orders in due succession, under the penalty inflicted in the same statute, which must be observed in both of its articles. Of rectors Wishing in our pastoral solicitude to provide for the visitation of churches, we ordain by statute that all rectors of churches shall within five years after they have been appointed to churches, take up residence in their cures as is the duty of pastors; public intimation being given in any parish in which they do not reside that their place of abode is in such and such a parish. That rectors either have suitable priests in their parishes or be themselves ordained as such Let the rector of every parish see to it that he has in his parish a priest who is capable, efficient and well-educated, or else declare that he is himself being ordained priest to minister in the same order in the parish. That rectors be ordained We decree that all rectors of parishes be at least in minor orders, the next in rank to holy orders without waiting for another admonition after the present one; as to those who do otherwise, let all to whose knowledge this statute shall come know that they are suspended from the revenue of the church, and are over and above liable to be deprived of their benefice. Where confessions ought to be heard Furthermore, we forbid confessions of women to be heard between the veil and the altar: they should be heard in another part of the church beyond earshot, but not out of sight of men. Of the promulgation and observance of the foregoing statutes We also enact in virtue of holy obedience that the foregoing statutes be published in every parish church without exception, and be carried out in their eternity by all. But let transgressors of these laws know that they will be compelled by ecclesiastical censure to render condign satisfaction: and if these foresaid statutes be not found in any parish of the archdeaconry within eight month from the day of the holding of this synod at Musselburgh, the Monday following the feast of the Invention of the Holy Cross in the year of grace 1242; we have decreed that the rectors of the same parishes, if present, or, if absent, their procurators, are thenceforward by our authority suspended from the revenue of their church. [Synodal Statues of St Andrews, 14th Century] We enact the synodal decrees which are hereinafter written: That rectors possess the synodal decrees We enact that there be no rector or vicar who does not possess all the synodal decrees and cannot read and understand them (since a consequence is that through their ignorance of them our officials and archdeacons are often put to trouble) and that they be brought every year to the synod and this we decree under a penalty of forty shillings. That rectors and vicars be resident in their parishes Item, we have statute that every rector or vicar or other holder of a benefice make personal and continuous residence in the place of his benefice, as the terms on which he holds it require: a rector to be fined in a sum of ten marks, a vicar and other beneficed persons in a sum of one hundred shillings. Of the manses of the beneficed clergy Item whereas by reason of the meanness of the houses we cannot be entertained in the benefices within our diocese, and in consequence cannot in our own person perform our official visitation or discharge the duties incumbent upon us in virtue of that office, we have decreed that every holder of a benefice shall against the next visitation make arrangements for building a manse according to the revenue of his benefice, so that we may, if need be, be accommodated therein, and his under a fine of a hundred shillings on every defaulter. That churchmen put away their wenches or concubines Item we will and ordain by statute that all and sundry rectors, vicars, and other beneficed persons lead a chaste life and out utterly away from them their wenches or concubines within three months from this date, and that so entirely that no sinister suspicion of incontinence may be cherished against them, under the pain of deprivation on offenders who have been thrice admonished; on those twice admonished, of ten merks, on those once admonished, of forty shillings and suspension from celebrating divine services. That churchmen ordained without the diocese be not admitted without dimissory letters We enact that no one from another diocese, especially a foreigner, be allowed to celebrate divine service unless he have letters giving sufficient proof as well of his orders as of his permission to leave the diocese, which shall have been approved by us or our official in synod or consistory. But any contravener we order to be fined in the sum of five merks, to be uplifted by our official and our deans and collectors of escheats That no religious be engaged for a fee to celebrate without special license We also decree that no religious be engaged for a fee to serve a cure or minister the sacraments of the church within our own diocese unless he has our special license, which ought to remain in writing in the possession of the said religious. That no priest celebrate several masses a day Also, inasmuch as certain priests looking more to gain than to piety, appropriate to themselves the salaries of many, though they can scarcely discharge the sacred obligations of one priest, by celebrating several masses a day – this we forbid to be done when there is no necessity of it. We have ordained that whoso transgresses be punished with a fine of one hundred shillings, to be applied to pious uses. Item of the same Item like a penalty must be inflicted on those who have persuaded their temporal lords, whether one or more, male or female, to sue for a permission to the contrary. Of the hearing of the confessions of clerics Item because by usage conform to the decisions of canon law no one can be judge in his own cause so far as to be allowed to choose a confessor without the permission of his superior; lest by reason of our neglect those under our authority should incur danger to their souls, we appoint the following, whose names are written below, to hear the confessions of cleric and to enjoin penances to the end of the year, for each of the deaneries, a, b, c, d, e, f, g. That churches should have their full complement of clergy We decree also that every church, oratory, or chapel in our see have its full complement of priests and clerics, so that divine worship may not be stinted in our times. Let him, moreover, who is negligent in the matter of this statute be canonically punished. That priest must not celebrate in short tunics We have furthermore decreed that no priest celebrate in a tunic so short that it does not reach beyond the knee, under a fine of ten merks, one half of which shall be given to the informer, and the other half applied to pious uses. That rectors and vicars and parish-priests shall have seals We furthermore enact that every rector or vicar and parish priest have a seal with his name inscribed on its circumference, so that the bishop and the archdeacons and their officers may be informed and certified as to citations and the execution of their other mandates, and this under a fine of half a merk on every defaulter. That priests do not wear long knives which are called hangaris Item we enact that no priest shall wear the long knife which is called a hangar, save when he is equipped for a journey, under the fine of half a merk. That church-livings be not directly or indirectly leased to laymen We enact that no rector or vicar or other cleric whatsoever, regular or secular, the possessor of a church living, shall presume to set or let his living on lease to laymen directly, or indirectly, with the help of a clerical person interposed so as to lend colourable and fraudulent appearance to the transaction. But if any one without our license first sought and obtained shall contravene each rule, let him be held liable to be deprived and actually be deprived of the fruits of his benefice for a whole year, and they shall be applied to building the fabric of the church of St Andrews. That beneficed churchmen do not undertake the management of secular affairs Item whereas some beneficed churchmen in our diocese, enslaved by the vice of avarice, address themselves to the employments of laymen, in consequence of which clerical credit is often injured; by statute we insist that no rector or vicar or any other churchman whatsoever who holds a benefice shall in any way be understood to manage any layman’s affairs, or shall hereafter presume to make intromissions as to which he will be held bound to render account; seeing that such administrations are utterly prohibited by the sacred canons. But let him who presumes to attempt the contrary underlie the penalty of deprivation, unless perchance the said business has been undertaken in virtue of our special license; the affairs of our lord the King, the Queen and their children alone being excepted. Nuptials shall not be blessed unless preceded by banns Still further, whereas the nuptials od some persons marrying contrary to the statutes of the canons have in times past been blessed by priests ignorant of the law, from whose action it is known that great scandal has arisen in the church of God; wherefore we statute and ordain that no priest shall dare to bless or take part in blessing within our diocese the nuptials of any persons of whatsoever rank or dignity they be, unless the banns have been first published and proclaimed according to the custom of the church; notwithstanding any assertion made by the parties in person or by proxy that they are ready to find a canonical pledge for indemnity, which canonical pledge we by the present statute repudiate and decree that it be in nowise accepted. But if any priest, unmindful of his own honour, shall dare to transgress this statute, not only shall he be ipso facto suspended from office without hope of favour, but he shall also lose all hope of preferment unless of our charity a dispensation be granted to him by us. And parties marrying contrary to this our statute shall underlie canonical punishment. That espousals be not contracted without the presence of priests and witnesses Furthermore, we decree that parties wishing to contract espousals, whether according to the formula for a union ‘at present’ or ‘in the future’, contract the said espousals in the presence of a priest and of trustworthy witnesses: and we further enjoin that on the next following Sundays and festivals they publish the banns according to the custom of the church, and that thereafter there follow, as quickly and conveniently as possible, the nuptial blessing , given not in private chapels and at night, but solemnly and publicly in their own parish churches; that those, moreover, who contract these espousals have meanwhile no carnal intercourse; but that, if any do so, they underlie canonical punishment as if they were fornicators. That churchmen under accusation do not resort to laymen for succour Item whereas some beneficed churchmen in our diocese, as we have learned by experience, careless of their own good name and enemies of their own good character; when about to be, by us and our officials, put under correction for their offences, following the examples of Judas, the despairing traitor, who, after he betrayed our Lord, turned not to the Apostles but to the Jews for counsel; resort to laymen and chiefly to those who are powerful, and return from them, as we have good reason to suspect, not without bestowing gifts to induce them to present supplications, on behalf of themselves and their possessions, to us and our officials, so that they may escape the punishment of their misdemeanours – yet surely not without disgrace to themselves; wherefore we prohibit this to be done in the future, and enact that if anyone be found culpable on this head he not only lose the benefit of such petitions as may have been made on his behalf, but also be held convicted of the offence with which he was charged, even although it has not been otherwise proven. That excommunicates be not admitted to burial in a churchyard Item we decree and by statute we forbid any one holding a cure in our diocese, by whatever title he may be rated, who has charge of Christian burial conducted by himself or another, to admit within his churchyard anyone who may have elected to be buried there whom he knows to have in life been excommunicated by canon law or specifically, in general or particular; unless he shall have sufficient evidence of his having been absolved by him who has the power to absolve. But let the contravener know that he will be ipso facto suspended from priestly functions for a year. Of holding a consistory court once a year We have also decreed, and by virtue of our episcopal authority ordained by statute, that all rectors, vicars, parish priests and other chaplains of churches officiating for the dead as well as in place of chaplains assemble once in the year, and in this case at our next consistory to be holden after Easter: to wit; those in the archdeaconry of St Andrews in the parish church of the same city, and those in the archdeaconry of Lothian in the church of St Giles in Edinburgh: to hear and receive from us or our official, or other person whom we have judged specially fit to represent us in this matter, our instructions how they should acquit themselves in the celebration of mass and the ministration of the sacraments of the church according to the statutes of the canons, and how they should likewise instruct their parishioners in those matters which concern the salvation of their souls. Names of persons in every parish who stand in need of discipline are to be reported every year to the bishop in consistory We statute and ordain that at the above-named days and places they bring in writing with them every year the names of all person in their parishes who need discipline, who are notorious, or about whom there is any public scandal; so that at our next visitation we may suitably reward them as good stewards for their faithful service, in faithfully reporting to us and vigilantly watching over the flock committed to them under us, or contrariwise if they have been negligent. The names of all who die in every parish should every year be reported to the bishop in his consistory Furthermore, also, we will and ordain that they [the clergy] bring with them in writing every year, as above, the number and names of all who die in their parishes, of whatever condition, or rank, or age they be, and who have dies testate or intestate, that thereby we may learn how the last wills of deceased persons, and especially in respect of their bequests to religious purposes, are having due effect given to them by the executors of the said deceased persons, or perchance by our officials as executors, if in any respect they have fallen short of their duty. Moreover, let whosoever has been a transgressor of this our statute in whole or in part, be fined, if a rector, forty shilling; if merely a vicar, twenty shillings,; if a parish priest, ten shillings; if merely a chaplain, six shillings and eight pence; unless there is legal proof of his labouring under a canonical impediment. Mow this our statute comes into force on the feast of our Lord’s Resurrection in the year of our Lord one thousand three hundred… Of the obedience of clergymen Item whereas obedience is better than sacrifice, and contumacy and disobedience are compared to the sins of witchcraft and idolatry, we enact that all clergymen who are contumacious to their bishops in their lawful and canonical commands, and who, having no clear and reasonable cause, refuse to obey, be suspended from office, and if their contumacy become aggravated, be punished with severer penalty. A general excommunication We excommunicate all those who dare maliciously to despoil churches of their rights or through ill-will strive to violate their immunities: also all ill-disposed invaders of church property: Item all who burn churches or houses in time of peace: Item all who deliberately withhold teinds: Item all who obstruct testament or matrimony lawfully made: Item all who counterfeit our lord the Pope’s briefs or our lord the King’s seal: Item all false coiners and clippers of money: Item all who give or procure poison to be given to anyone: Item all who wittingly bear false witness or procure it to be borne: Item all who substitute false heirs: Item all who put scandal maliciously on any man when he has not been chargeable: Item all common usurers: Item all sorcerers and all confidently believing in them: Item all who cast down their offspring at church doors or in other places: Item all who put hand on father or mother with evil intent: Item all who put violent hands on priest, deacon, or clerk in holy orders: Item all who take thieves from church or church sanctuary deliberately: Item all guilty of infanticide: Item all who falsely impute a child to another: Item all who hold intercourse with an excommunicated person or wittingly help him: All who, knowing they are suspended, celebrate mass: All guilty of simony as principals or proxies: All who desecrate church or cemetery in consequence of which it requires to be reconciled: All who succour the Saracens in arms or otherwise against Christians: All who favour heretics and who receive schismatics wittingly: All who go about at night for the purpose of stealing: Item all who trouble the peace of the king and most of all the peace of the church with evil intent: Item all who fix false boundaries wittingly: Item, all who withdraw from the unity of holy mother church. Of the reconciliation of a church Furthermore, we decree that when a church or churchyard shall have been profaned by the shedding of blood or of sexual seed, if this church or churchyard have been profaned by the rector or the vicar or a parishioner of the said church, or by any other person whatsoever, he who profaned it, provided he be solvent, shall pay the dues in respect of reconciliation of this church or churchyard, But if either have been profaned by someone who has no wise compeared, or has perchance compeared but has been found to be non-solvent, the rector of this parish or his vicar, if there be both in the said parish, shall provide the dues in respect of the reconciliation in this connection, at their own and the parishioners’ expense in equal proportions, since it is their common interest, with reservation also to them of the right of raising an action against the desecrator. Now when there are a rector and a vicar in the same parish, the one half of the dues shall be paid by them in proportion to their respective incomes, and the other half shall be paid by the parishioners themselves, and if need be, they shall be compelled by ecclesiastical censure. Also we interdict, under pain of excommunication in force from this time forth, anyone from daring in the future to have dances, or to hold wrestling matches, or to hold or engage in any other kind of unseemly sports in churches or in churchyards at any festivals or seasons whatsoever, since the occasion of profaning churches or churchyards has been wont to arise from such causes. [GENERAL STATUTES OF 1549] The order to be followed in the lectures on grammar and logic The synod wills and decrees that the rector of every university, not forgetting or overlooking the reasons moving thereto, have a care to admit no students to the classes of logic or of the arts save such as speak Latin, and that grammatically, and that those who wish to acquire the art of dialectic be examined before they are admitted to that study, and that none be admitted to the degree of bachelor or master until after strict examination they have been found qualified to receive it: otherwise let them be put back to the next lower class; and if this is not done, it shall be imputed as a fault to the rector. Item the archdeacon of St Andrews shall take care concerning the master of the grammar school in the city of St Andrews that he be versed in grammatical subjects, of good moral training, and amply competent in other respects to teach boys and such as do not know the simplest elements of grammar. For the maintenance and the permanent establishment of preachers of the word of God wherein the Christian people are to be nurtured For the permanent establishment of preachers throughout the province and their maintenance, that the said preachers may not want for food and other necessaries, the archbishop primate, the bishops ordinary, and the inferior clergy, representing in the present provincial council the general convention of bishops and clergy of the realm of Scotland, have, on behalf of themselves and others, respectively assigned to the preachers who shall undertake the preaching, in respect of each of the prelates within the district and among the people subject to his jurisdiction, the following benefices: and provision shall be made that the present possessors do not resign them to others to the detriment of the preachers, as is contained in the instruments drawn up thereanent. Names of benefices allotted to preachers [St Andrews only]: For the Archbishop of St Andrews, the rectory or church of Muckhart. For the priory of St Andrews, the vicarage of Trinity Church at St Andrews [MANDATE OF THE BISHOPS OF THE KINGDOM OF SCOTLAND – mid 13TH CENTURY] To all the sons of the holy mother church who shall see or hear these presents, David and Albinus, by the grace of God bishops of St Andrews and Brechin, and Master Abel, chaplain of our lord the pope and Archdeacon of St Andrews, wish eternal wellbeing in the Lord. We have inspected a mandate of the bishops of the realm of Scotland to the following effect: To their most excellent Lord A[lexander III]., by the grace of God the illustrious king of Scotland: David, William, Peter, Clement, Albinus, Robert, William, ministers of the churches of St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dunblane, Brechin, Ross, and Caithness, respectively send greeting and their ever faithful and devoted service. Although the rules ordained in the last council of the kingdom holden at Edinburgh in the presence of you and your magnates have not at all been reduced to writing, yet we cannot believe that these have escaped the memory of your councillors: Namely, that the churches and their prelates should enjoy the peaceful possession of all those rights and liberties which they have received in the time of King Alexander, your father, of happy memory, your royal right and possession being in all cases reserved. Yet now something new and from of old unheard of in the realm of Scotland has been brought in by your councillors: to wit, that ecclesiastical persons should, without the intervention of ay judicial cognition on the part of the prelates, be despoiled by laymen of the possessions bestowed on their churches in alms, as we understand has lately occurred in the case of the Prior of St Andrews. Now since these and the like of these attempts against God and the freedom of the church should not be allowed to take place without attention being called to them, we humbly and devotedly petition your excellency to revoke under the decision already come to whatever has irreverently and inconsiderately been done in the case of the goods of the Prior of St Andrews, and, if it please you, not to permit such things to be done in the future. Otherwise, we shall, at whatever risk to ourselves, rather denounce than be willing to endure what may hereafter turn out to be such an incalculable injury to the church. May your excellency ever prosper in the Lord! In witness whereof we have caused our seals to be affixed to the present document. Letter of general caption of excommunicate persons Robert [II], by grace of God king of Scots, to the justiciars, sheriffs, provosts and their bailies to whom the present letters shall come, greeting. We command and enjoin on you that ye compel, by the apprehension and incarceration of their bodies, to give satisfaction to God and the church, all these in your bailiaries or burghs who shall by the reverend father in Christ, William [Landels], bishop of St Andrews, or his officials, be certified to you to have contumaciously remained for forty days and more, in contempt of the keys of holy mother church, under sentence of major excommunication, and that with such expedition that we shall hear no further just complaint on that head as to your failing so to do. The presents to have no validity a year after date, etc. Letter of caption of excommunicates when the bishop has by letters patent denounced them to the king. Robert [II or III], by grace of God king of Scots, to the sheriff and his bailies, greeting. The venerable father in Christ, Walter [Trail], by grace of God Bishop of St Andrews, has by his letters patent invoking the secular arm of our royal dignity to the support of the holy mother church, certified us that A. has remained for forty days or more under sentence of excommunication, and so miserably contemning the keys of the church. Wherefore we command and enjoin on you that wherever in your bailiary the said A. shall be found, ye shall by the apprehension and incarceration of his person compel him to give satisfaction to God and the church; and that with such celerity that we may on that head hear no further just complaint of your failing to do so. The presents to have no validity a year after that date, etc. Letter of procuration by the Abbot of Aberbrothock giving powers to appear for him in a cause concerning him in the Synod of the Archbishop of St Andrews. Let it by the presents be patent to all men that we, David, by divine permission abbot of the monastery of St Thomas the Martyr of Aberbrothock, of the order of St Benedict and the convent of that place, by unanimous consent and assent of our chapter have made, constituted and appointed, and by the tenor of these presents do make, constitute and appoint these venerable men and brethren in religion: Alexander Masoun prior of Fyvie, Thomas Tullo sub-prior, Thomas Betgranger, John Dryburch cellarer, Robert Cuby, Richard Scot, James Lawsoun and Robert Gray and any one of them, as a body, jointly or singly, to be our true, lawful and undoubted procurators, agents, factors and managers of our affairs, and envoys, special and general: so that the specialty shall not derogate from the generality not contrariwise; and that there be no privileged character of priority amongst them, but what one has begun another of them shall be empowered to carry on, continue and complete, granting and conceding to these our procurators, and any one of them, our plenary powers and special and general mandate to appear for us and in our name, in all and several the causes and suits concerning us in the synod to be held on the twenty-third day of April in the metropolitan church of St Andrews, before the most reverend father in Christ and lord William, by grace of God and the Apostolic See Archbishop of St Andrews, and his vicars-general as his commissaries, one or more; as also all and several the other judges, ecclesiastical or secular within the realm of Scotland, wherever their own jurisdiction may lie: about and concerning all and several the affairs, rights, possessions, and the ecclesiastical actions and disputes which is moving or intending to move against and in opposition to us; and to take action and make defence on our behalf and in our name; to give and receive a libel or libels; to dispute; to dispute or cause to be disputed a plea or pleas; to make, depone and utter oath of calumny or fidelity; to produce and cause to be produced witnesses, letters, endorsements and all the other things proper to procurations; to oppose, reply to, accept or refute for a first, second, third or if need be fourth time the things produced against and contrary to us; to petition that sentences of whatsoever kind be issued, interlocutory or definitive; to appeal, give intimation, insist and prosecute the cause as against these sentences or against any injustice; to make composition, agreement, compromise; to conclude a compromise on faith and penalty, to substitute one or more procurators who should have the same or similar powers with themselves; and generally to do, perform and exercise all and several the other things which in the premises or as regards them may be necessary or even opportune; we holding and to hold as ratified and acceptable all and sundry that these our said procurators, or any one of them, or the substitute or substitutes appointed by them, or any one of them has or have duly and legally thought proper to do; such as we should ourselves do were we personally present and unanimous. Given under the common seal of our said monastery in our chapter house on the nineteenth day of the month of April Anno Domini 1487.
Scottish History Society, (Edinburgh, 1907)
Further Reading on the University in Medieval St Andrews
A select bibliography of the current research on the medieval University of St Andrews
This resource will be updated at regular intervals, and is available as a word document at the bottom of this page.
Anderson, J. M. 'James I of Scotland and the University of St. Andrews', Scottish Historical Review, 3 (1906), 301-15. Anderson, J. M., ‘The Beginnings of St Andrews University, 1410-1418’, SHR, viii (Edinburgh, 1911), pp. 225-248. Blair, J. S. G., History of medicine in the University of St Andrews (Edinburgh, 1987). Cameron, A. I., ‘Scottish Students at Paris University 1466-1492’, JR, xlviii (London, 1936), pp. 228-255. Cameron, J. K., ‘A trilingual college for Scotland. The founding of St Mary's College in the University of St Andrews'. St Mary's College Bulletin [University of St Andrews], 31 (1988), 9-19. Cant, R. G., The University of St. Andrews. A short history, (3rd edn, 1992), part I. Cant, R. G., The College of St Salvator (Edinburgh, 1950). Cant, R. G., The University of St Andrews, a short history (St Andrews, 2002). De Ridder-Symoens, H. (ed.), A History of the University in Europe: Volume I Universities in the Middle Ages (1992) Doughty, D. W. ‘Renaissance books, bindings and owners in St Andrews and elsewhere : the humanists’ The Bibliotheck, 7 (1975), 117-33. Dunlop, A. I., ‘Scottish Students at Paris University, 1466-1492’, JR, xlviii (London, 1936), pp. 228-255. Dunlop, A. I., Acta facultatis artium Universitatis Sanctiandree, 1413-1588 (St. Andrews University Pubns., 56), (Edinburgh and London, 1964). Dunlop, A. I., The Life and Times of James Kennedy, Bishop of St Andrews (Edinburgh, 1950). Durkan, J. ‘St. Andrews University Medieval Theological Statutes : Revised Dating Suggested', Innes Review, 13 (1962), 104-8. Durkan, J. and R.V. Pringle, ‘St Andrews' additions to Durkan & Ross : some unrecorded Scottish pre-reformation ownership inscriptions in St Andrews University Library’, The Bibliotheck, 9 (1978-79), 13-20. Durkan, J., ‘Education in the century of the Reformation’, in D. M. McRoberts ed., Essays on the Scottish Reformation 1513-1625 (Glasgow, 1962), pp. 145-168. Durkan, J., ‘The Scottish Universities in the Middle Ages 1413-1560’ (unpublished PhD thesis, University of Edinburgh, 1959) Gabriel, A. L., ‘The English-German Nation at the University of Paris from 1425-1494’, in A. L. Gabriel, ed., Garlandia: studies in the history of the medieval university, (Frankfurt am Main, 1969), pp. 167-200 Hannay, R. K., ‘Early university institutions at St. Andrews and Glasgow : a comparative study’, Scottish Historical Review, 11 (1914), 266-83. Herkless, J. and Robert Kerr Hannay (ed.). The College of St. Leonard (St. Andrews); being documents with translations, notes, and historical introduction (Edinburgh, 1905). Higgitt, J. (ed.), Medieval art and architecture in the diocese of St Andrews (London, 1994). Hoare, P. 'The libraries of the ancient universities to the 1960s', in Alistair Black and Peter Hoare (eds), The Cambridge history of libraries in Britain and Ireland : vol. 3 : 1850-2000 (Cambridge, 2006), 321-44. Lyall, R. J., ‘ Scottish Students and Masters at the Universities of Cologne and Louvain in the Fifteenth Century’, Innes Review, 36 (1985), pp. 55-73. Macdougall, N., ‘Bishop James Kennedy of St Andrews: a reassessment of his political career’, in N. Macdougall ed., Church, Politics and Society: Scotland 1408-1929 (Edinburgh, 1983), pp. 1-22. McRoberts, D., ‘Archbishop Beaton and the Scots College in Paris’, from ‘The Scottish Catholic Archives, 1560-1978’, IR, xxviii (Glasgow, 1977), pp. 61-68. Moonan, L., ‘The scientific writings of Laurence of Lindores (d.1437)’, part ii, Classica et Mediaevalia, xxxix (Copenhagen, 1988-1989), pp. 273-317. Moonan. L, ‘Lawrence of Lindores (d. 1437) on “Life in the living being”’ (unpublished PhD thesis, Universtiy of Louvainm 1966) Nicholson, R., Scotland in the Later Middle Ages (Edinburgh, 1978). Reid, N. et. al., Treasures of St Andrews University Library (London, 2010). Robb, R. ‘Student life in St. Andrews before 1450 A.D.’ Scottish Historical Review, 9 (1912), 347-60. Swanson, R. N. ‘The University of St Andrews and the Great Schism, 1410-1419’ Journal of Ecclesiastical History, 26 (1975), pp. 223-46. Vyšný, Paul, ‘A Hussite in Scotland : the mission of Pavel Kravar to St Andrews in 1433’ Scottish Historical Review, 82:1 (2003), 1-19. Watt, D. E. R. ‘University Graduates in Scottish Benefices’, RSCHS, xv (Glasgow, 1966), 77-88. Woodman, I. ‘Education and Episcopacy: The Universities of Scotland in the Fifteenth Century’ (St Andrews Ph.D. thesis, 2011). (online access: at http://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/handle/10023/1882)