X 1242
National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh
From People of Medieval Scotland
Omnibus sancte Matris ecclesie filiis presens scriptum uisuris . uel audituris . Dauid . ⁊ albinus . dei gratia sancti andree . ⁊ brechyn’ . Episcopi . Et Magister abel . Capellanus domini | pape . ⁊ archidiaconus sancti andree . salutem eternam in domino . Mandatum Episcoporum regni Scocie in hec uerba inspeximus . Excellentissimo domino suo . A . dei gratia illustri regi | Scoc’ . Dauid . Willelmus . Petrus . Clemens . Albinus . Robertus . Willelmus . sancti Andree . Glasg’ . Aberdon’ . Dunblayn’ . brechyn’ . Rossen’ . Ketenens’ . ecclesiarum ministri . salutem . | ⁊ fidelia semper obsequia . ac deuota . Licet ea que in ultimo concilio apud Eddenburc celebrato . vobis . ac Magnatibus uestris presentibus ordinata fuerant minime | fuerint in scriptam redacta ea tamen a consiliariorum uestrorum memoria intercidisse non credimus . videlicet quod ecclesie . ⁊ earum prelati omnium Iurium . ⁊ libertatum pacifica | possessione gauderent . que tempore felicis memorie Regis Alexandri patris uestri optinuerint saluo Iure uestro . ⁊ vestra possessione in omnibus . verum Iam quiddam nouum | ⁊ in regno Scoc’ a retro temporibus inauditum . a uestris est consiliariis introductum . vt uidelicet persone ecclesiastice possessionibus . Ecclesiasticis eorundem in elemosinas concessis | noninterueniente Iudiciali cognicione suorum prelatorum per laicos spolientur . vt nuper de priore sancti andree audiuimus contigisse . Cum autem hec ⁊ hiis similia . contra | deum . ⁊ ecclesiasticam libertatem ... sub dissimulacione transire non debeant Excellencie uestre humiliter supplicamus . ac deuote . Quatinus quod in | bonis dicti prioris irreuerenter est . ⁊ incaute presumptum . discrecione preuia reuocationes consimilia decetero fieri si placet nullatenus permittatis . Alioquin nos | pocius quibuscunque periculis exponemus . quam sustinere uelimus in posterum tam inestimabilem ecclesie lesionem . valeat Excellencia uestra semper in domino . In cuius rei testi-|monium presenti scripto sigilla nostra apponi fecimus .
To all sons of Holy Mother Church who shall view or hear the present document, David and Albin, bishops by the grace of God, of St Andrews and of Brechin, and Master Abel, chaplain of the lord Pope and archdeacon of St Andrews, wish eternal salvation in the Lord. We have inspected the mandate of the bishops of the kingdom of Scotland in these words: To their most excellent lord, Alexander, by the grace of God illustrious king of Scots, David, William, Peter, Clement, Albin, Robert, William, servants of the churches of St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dunblane, Brechin, Ross, Caithness, wish health and ever faithful and devoted allegience. Although those things that had been appointed during the last council celebrated at Edinburgh, where you and to your magnates were present, have hardly been put in writing, we nevertheless do not believe that they have been forgotten by your counsellors, namely, that the churches and their prelates might rejoice in the peaceful possession of all rights and liberties which they had during the time of King Alexander your father of happy memory, saving your right and your possession in all things. Yet now a certain new thing previously unheard of in the kingdom of Scotland has been introduced by your counsellors, namely that ecclesiastical persons may be deprived by laymen of their ecclesiastical possessions granted in alms without a judicial inquiry of their prelates taking place, as lately we heard from the prior of St Andrews to have happened. Since, however, these things and things like them, against God, and ecclesiastical liberty ... ought not to pass by unregarded, we humbly and devotedly entreat your Excellency, that what among the goods of the said prior has been irreverently and inconsiderately appropriated, having first considered our appeals, you would please in no way permit similar things to be done in future. Otherwise we shall expose ourselves instead to however many dangers, a more inestimable injury to the church than we would wish to sustain in the future. May your Excellency ever have strength in the Lord. In testimony of this matter we have caused our seal to be affixed to the present document.
