_Provisioun for Sustentatioun of the Ministeris in Burrowis._
Apud Striviling decimo die mensis Januarii anno 1^m. v^c. lxvj.
Sederunt domini ut in die predict.
The quhilk day the Quenis Majestie and Lordis of Secreit Counsall,
being weill myndit that the Ministerie within this haill realme be
interteneit alsweill to burgh and land as hir Majestie fand the samyn
at hir arryvall in Scotland, and becaus the haill Lordis of Secreit
Counsall may nocht weill vaik at all tymes for the ordouring thairof,
being occupiit with utheris wechtie materis; Thairfoir her hienes,
with avyise of her Counsall foirsaid, hes constitute and namyt her
lovittis underwrittin, my Lordis Huntly, Chancellar, Ergyle, Murray,
Bothwell, Atholl, Cassillis, Craufurde, and Mar, my Lordis Bischopis
of Galloway, Roise, and Orknay, my Lord Secretare, Maister Johnne
Spens of Condy, advocat, Sir Johnne Bellenden, Justice Clerk, Sir
James Balfour, Clerk of Register, and David Fores, generall of the
Cunziehous, to quhome, be thir presentis, the Quenis grace and hir
Counsale foirsaid, gevis thair full power and commissioun, or to ony
fyve or sex of thame, to call before thame the haill burghis of this
realme, generallie or particularlie, as thai, or ony fyve or sex
of thame, sall think expedient. And to consider the habiliteis of
the saidis burghis particularlie, and according thairto to appoint
and imputt particular taxatioun or impositioun upoun everie burgh
yeirlie, to be gadderit and upliftit for sustentatioun of the said
ministerie, be thameselffis, thair collectouris or chalmerlanis,
as the saidis Commissionaris, or ony fyve or sex of thame, sall
think expedient, as thai will ansuer to God and the Quenis Majestie
thairupoun. And quhatsumevir the saidis Commissionaris, or ony
fyve or sex of thame, sall do in thir premises, the samyn to haif
the lyke force and effect as gif the samyn wer done in plane
counsall: And letteris to be direct thairupoun as effeires, as the
said ministerie and thair collectouris will requeir. And alswa for
relief of the saidis burghis, the Quenis grace, with advyise of her
Counsall foirsaid, be thir presentis, gevis and grantis to the
saidis burghis, and everie ane of thame, the annuellis of alteragis
chapellanereis and obittis within the samyn, quhairevir the samyn
salhappin to vaik, be the deceise of the possessouris thairof, or
utherweyis hes happynnit to vaik, sen the Quenis grace arryvall in
Scotland, quhilkis as yit remanis ungevin or distributit to ony
persoun; and that to relief the taxatioun and contributioun foirsaid.
And the superplus of the saidis annuellis and obittis, gif ony beis,
to be distributit to the pouer and hospitallis of everie burgh
within thameselffis, be avyise of the minister and eldaris thairof,
as thai will ansuer to the maist heast thairupoun. And letteris to
be directit be the Lordis of Secreit Counsall and Sessioun, as thai
salbe requirit, for publicatioun of thir premissis.