Page:The Laws and Acts of Parliament of Scotland.djvu/665

 King CHARLES the] II. 95 - them for their encouragment, the ableft and fitteft perfons of ingenious fpirits and education, willfhun and avoid the undertaking of Functions in Univerfities, for want of fuch ingenuous means as fliould in- vite, entertain, encourage and obliege men fufficient for fuch laborious imployments, to the great de- cay of Learning, and detriment of all ranks of Perfons in the Kingdom : For preventing and re- meeding whereof, there being an expedient propofed, that the Archbiihops and Biihops , and the reft of the inferiour Clergy, may allow fome part yearly of their Rents, Benefices and Maintenance, for the fpace of five years to come, as an exemplary teftimony of their piety and zeal , for the advan- cement of Learning and Religion. Therefore, His Majefty , with advice and confent of the Eftates of Parliament, Doth Statute and Ordain , That for the cropts and years, onethoufand, fix hundred, and jfixtyiour, onethoufand, fix hundred, and fixty five, one thoufand, fix hundred, and fixty fix , onethou- fand, fix hundred, and fixty feven, and one thoufand , fix hundred, and fixty eight , there be raifed year- ly, out of the Rents of ilk Archbiihop and Biihop , the fum of fifty pounds for every thoufand merks of the faids Revenues, and the fum of fourty pounds out of every thoufand merks of the Stipends or Benefices of every Miniller , and foproportionably fix of the hundred, as the Benefice or Stipend mall be valued to be more or lefs by the Biihops of the Diocefies ; And that the faids feveral proportions , payable by the Bifhops, fhall be yearly given in to the Archbiihops of the refpeclive Provinces , or fuch as mail have warrand from them ; and that the faids feveral proportions, payable by Minifters , fhall be yearly given in to the Biihops of the refpeclive Diocefs, or fuch as mall have warrand from them , and for whom the faids Bifhops mall be countable : Which fums fo to be raifed, fhall be diftributed to the feveral Univerfities, according to rhofe proportions which fhall be afligned by His Majefty , by a Committee to fit at Edinburgh , confiding of the Archbiihops of Sanct-A/^/r^tcj: and Glafgow , and the Biihops of Edinburgh and Aberdeen, and four others , whereof one to be nominal by the Vifitors of the Univerfity of Sznct-^&idrews, and another by the Vifitors of the Univerfity of Glafgow , the third by the Vifitors of Aberdeen, the fourth by the Council of Edinburgh • Hereby authorizing the Archbiihop of Sa.nct- Andrews, and in his abfence the Archbiihop of Glafgow , to prefide in the faid Committee, and to appoint their diets of meeting from time to time ; and the Committee to take care, that the iums thus allotted, fhall be put into a Stock and fetled upon Land or othervvayes , by advice of the refpeclive Bifhops, who are Chancellors of the faids Univerfities ; and Ordains the Annual- rent of the faid Stock to be proportioned to the Mafters and Profeflors of each Univerfity, as the Vi- fitors thereof fhall appoint. And further, His Majefty and Eftates f orefaid , do Ordain , that Stip- ends, and all Benefices of Kirks that fhall vaik after the firft day of February, in this following year of God, one thoufand , fix hundred , and fixty four , for the fpace of feven years next thereafter , ihall be up-lifted by Collector thereof, and imployed by him in the maner, and according to the proportions above-fpecified, for encreafing of the Stock of each Univerfiry : De- claring, that the fifty two Act of the firft Seffion of this Parliament, Concerning the difpofalofva- cand Stipe, ids, fhall be of no force during the fpace of the years forefaid ; And Ordains Letters of Horning and Poinding , and all other execution neceflary , to be directed at the inftance of the faids Bifhops, or any to be appointed by them ; and at the inftance of the faid Collector , for the more fpeedy in-bringing of the. fums re/pefiive above-mentioned. Further, His Majefty and the Eftates of Parliament , do recommend to the Lords of the Privy Council , to entertain and promote any voluntary offer or contribution, for the ends aforefaid , to be made by Noble-men or Gentlemen , for a work fo worthy of the publick wifdom , piety and honour of this Kingdom. It is alwayes Declared, that this Act fhall be without prejudice of Acts paft in this Parliament, for allowing the vacand Stipends of the Diocefs of fles and Argyl {01 breeding of young Schollars, the fum being regulate by the Committee above-named; and that this Act fhall be no preparative for laying on any burdens on the Clergy here- after, without their own confent. XXV. ACT regulating the proportions of Excife in the feveral Shires and Burghs. THe Eftates of Parliament, taking to their confideration , the grievances rcprefented to them by feveral Shires and Burghs , anent the excesfive proportions of Excife laid upon them by the late Act of Parliament, and what great burthen the Land-rent of the faids Shires and Burghs lyes under, for making up the faids proportions, and the great eafe which feveral other Shires have in their pro- portions ; And it being juft and reafonable, that all publick impofitions of that nature , fliould be equally diftributed upon thofe lyable in payment thereof. Therefore, the Kings Majefty,, with advice and confent of the Eftates of Parliament, Statutes and Ordains , that the feveral Shires and Burghs of this Kingdom, ftiall, for the Moneths of November and December next , one thoufand, fix hundred, and fixty three, and January one thoufand , fix hundred and fixty four years , and in all time thereaf- ter, be lyable in the monethly payment of the refpeclive proportions under-written, viz. The Shire of Edinburgh principal, in the fum of two thoufand , one hundred , and fourty pounds Scots money ; The