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Single person record details
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Person code |
NA20927 |
Corporate name |
Church Revenues |
Activity |
Initially the Scottish Reformation only affected the Pope's jurisdiction and the exercise of religion. Though forbidden to exercise their spiritual functions the religious orders and benefice holders retained their property and revenues, subject always to taxation and other exactions imposed by the crown. No provision had been made for supporting the reformed clergy. To remedy this, and also to provide additional income for the crown, the privy council decided in December 1561 that there should be an annual levy of one-third on the fruits of each benefice. This third was shared between the crown and the reformed kirk until 1567, when an act of parliament made payment of ministers' stipends a priority with only the 'superplus' (surplus) going to the crown.' Meanwhile feuing of church lands, which had been under way well before the Reformation, continued, subject only to the requirement of crown confirmation (see E14). In 1587, however, the temporalities of religious houses, bishoprics and other benefices were annexed to the crown, the revenue being administered by a new office, the treasury of the new augmentation. The 1587 act of annexation was annulled in 1606 so far as it concerned the civil authority and property of bishops. It had not applied to spiritualities (ie teinds). Various commissions set up to deal with these from 1617 onwards are discussed under the Teind Court (TE) records. It may be noted here, however, that Charles I's settlement provided for the crown to receive revenue from the teinds in the form of an annuity payable by the teindholder. With the first abolition of episcopacy in 1638, the temporalities of bishoprics again fell to the crown' but there are few financial records relating to this. With its final abolition in 1690 the 'bishops' rents' became an important source of revenue which continued under separate administration until the nineteenth century. Ministers' stipends also accrued to the crown during vacancies, but in practice these 'vacant stipends' were almost invariably applied to ecclesiastical or charitable purposes. |
Dates |
1561-1690 |
Jurisdiction |
Scottish Exchequer |
Associated records |
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E | Records of the Scottish Exchequer, Treasury and Exchequer Court | 1287-1981 |
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