An account of the Islands of Orkney by James Wallace ... ; to which is added an essay concerning the Thule of the ancients.

CHAP. VI. Of the ancient State of the Church of Orkney. Of the Cathedral Church at Kirkwall. Bishop Robert Reid's ere∣ction of the Chapter. Bishop Law's Transaction with King James VI. (Book 6)

THE Church of this Country, as also that of Zetland, was under the Government of one Bishop, stil'd Bishop of Orkney and Zetland. The Bi∣shop's Revenue was great before, but at present, it will not amount to much more than Six hundred Pound Sterling; and now the King's Exchequer, considering how much that Country has of late been impoverished, Farm it out for Four hun∣dred Pound Sterling.

The Cathedral Church is St. Magnus's Church in Kirkwall; it was founded, as is thought, by St. Magnus, or rather by Rolland Earl of Orkney, who founded it in memory of his Cozen St. Magnus, See the double of the Manuscript in the 8th Chapter; but it has been enlarged

by some of the Pious Bishops of that See; for Bishop Steward enlarged it to the East, all above the Grees, and Bi∣shop Reid three Pillars to the West. It's as beautiful and stately a Structure as is in the Kingdom, and perhaps by much the longest as it is now; for I have mea∣sur'd it, and, by some Feet, it is lon∣ger than that of St. Giles at Edinburgh; it's built cross-ways, for the most part of Free-stone, standing on Pillars, all most curiously vaulted, and the Steeple elevated to a great height, in which is a set of as excellent and sweetly chim'd Bells, as are in any Cathedral of the Kingdom. In the Year 1670, the Py∣ramid of the Steeple, being cover'd with Wo••d, was burn'd by Thunder; but by the Care of Bishop Mackenzie, and his Liberality, and some other Charita∣ble Persons, it is again Repaired.

Besides the Cathedral, there are one and thirty Churches more in this Coun∣try, wherein Divine Service is celebra∣ted, as also a great many ancient Cha∣pels, above an hundred in number, which shews that this Country was no less anciently than it is at present addi∣cted to Devotion.

This Diocess had its several ancient Dignities and Privileges for a long time; but these, by the constant trouble this Country was in by the change of Ma∣sters, being lessen'd and grown worse, Bishop Robert Reid made a new Ere∣ction and Foundation of the Chapter, viz. Seven Dignities, whereof the first was a Provost or Dean, to whom, un∣der the Bishop, the Correction and o∣versight of the Canons, Prebendaries and Chaplains was to belong. He had al∣loted to him the Prebend of Holy Tri∣nity, and Vicarage of South-Ronalsha, with the Maintenance of the Church of Burza. 2. An Archdeacon, who was to Govern the People according to the disposition of the Canon-law, and to him was allotted the Archdeacons an∣cient Rights, the Vicarage of Birsa and Chaplainry of St. Ola, within the Ca∣thedral Church of Kirkwall, together with the Maintainance of the Church of Hara. 3. A Precentor who was to rule the Singers in the Quire, in the e∣levation or depression of their Songs; and to him was allotted the Prebend of Orphir and Vicarage of Stennis. 4. A Chancellor, who was to be learned in

both Laws, and bound to read in the Pon∣tifical Law publickly in the Chapter to all that ought to be present, and to look to the preserving and mending the Books of the Quire and Register, and to keep the common Seal and Key of the Library; to him was allotted the Prebend of St. Mary in Sanda, and Vi∣carage of Sanda. 5. A Treasurer, who was to keep the Treasure of the Church and Sacred Vestments, and to have a care of the Bread, Wine, Wax, Oyland Lights, for the Church; to him was al∣lotted the Rectory of St. Nicholas in Stronsa, and Vicarage of Stronsa. 6. A Subdean, who was to supply the place of the Provost, in his absence; to him was allotted the Personage of Hoy, and Vicarage of Waes. 7. A Subchantor, who was bound to Play on the Organs each Lord's Day and Festivals, and to supply the place of the Chantor, in his absence; to him was allotted the Pre∣bend of St. Colm.

Likewise he erected Seven other Ca∣nons and Prebendaries, to wit, 1. The Prebendary of Holy-cross; to him was given the Personage of Crosskirk in San∣da; he was to be a special keeper of

Holy things under the Treasurer, and was to take care of the Clock and Ring∣ing of the Bells at Hours appointed, and to take care that the Floor of the Church was cleanly swept. 2. The Prebendary of St. Mary; to whom was given the Chaplainry of St. Mary and Vicarage of Evie; he was to have a care of the Roof and Windows of the Cathedral, and to have them helped if need were. 3. The Prebendary of St. Magnus, to whom was allotted the Pre∣bend of St. Magnus; he was to be Con∣fessor of the Housholds of the Bishop, Provost, Canons and Chaplains, and their Servants in the time of Easter, and to administer the Eucharist to them. The 4th. Prebendary was to have the Chaplainry of St. John the Evangelist, in the said Cathedral Church. The 5th. Prebendary was to have the Chap∣lainry of St. Lawrence. The 6th. was to have the Prebend of St. Katharine. And the 7th. Prebendary was to have the Prebend of St. Duthas. To which seven Dignities and seven Prebendaries, he moreover assigned and allotted (be∣sides the former Churches and Titles) the Rents and Revenues of the Perso∣nages

of St. Colm in Waes, and Holy-cross in Westra; as also the Vicarages of the Parish Churches of Sandwick and Strom∣nes, with their pertinents for their daily Distributions.

Besides these, he erected thirteen Cha∣plains; to the first was allotted the Chaplainry of St. Peter, and he was to be Master of the Grammar School: To the second was allotted the Chap∣lainry of St. Augustin, and he was to be Master of the Singing-School: The third was to be Stellarius or the Bishop's Choirister. The fourth the Provost Choirister. The fifth the Archdeacons. The sixth the Precentors. The seventh the Chancellors. The eighth the Trea∣surers. The ninth the Subdeans. The tenth the Prebendaries of Holy-cross. The eleventh the Prebendaries of St. Mary. The twelfth the Prebendaries of St. Katharine. The thirteenth the Cha∣plains of Holy-cross. Every one of these Choiristers were to have twenty four Meils of Corn, and ten Merks of Mo∣ney for their Stipend yearly, besides their daily distributions; which were to be raised from the Rents of the Vica∣rage of the Cathedral Church, and from the foundation of Thomas Bishop of Ork∣ney,

and of the twelve Pounds left by King James III. and King James IV. Kings of Scotland. To these he added a Sacrist, who was to ring the Bells, and light the Lamps, and carry in Wa∣ter and Fire to the Church, and to go before the Processions with a white Rod, after the manner of a Beadle; and for this he was to have the accustomed Re∣venue, together with forty Shillings from the Bishop yearly.

He moreover ordained six Boys, who were to be Taper-bearers, and to sing the Responsories and Verses in the Choire, as they were to be ordered by the Chanter. Of which six Boys, one was to be nominate and maintain'd by the Bishop; the second by the Preben∣dary of St. Magnus; the third by the Prebendary of St. John; the fourth by the Prebendary of St. Lawrence; the fifth by the Prebendary of St. Katharine; the sixth by the Prebendary of St. Du∣thas: And every one of them was to have, besides their Maintenance, twen∣ty Shillings Scots a Year. To every one of the foresaid Dignities, Canons, and Prebendaries, he assigned certain Lands in Kirkwal for their Dwelling Houses.

The Charter of this erection is dated at Kirkwal, October 28. Anno 1544; and in the following Year it was con∣firmed by another Charter granted by David Beaton Cardinal of St. Stephen in Mount Celio, and Archbishop of St. An∣drews, having Authority so to do. It is dated at Stirling, the last of June, and eleventh Year of Pope Paul the Third; and confirm'd by Queen Mary, at Edin∣burgh, the last of April, Anno Regni 13.

In this condition the Church stood as long as Popery continued, but the Reformation coming in, and Robert Stew∣ard, Earl of Orkney, having obtain'd the Bishoprick from Bishop Bothwell, in ex∣change for the Abbacy of Holyrood-house, he became Lord of the whole Country, and he and his Son Earl Patrick, who succeeded him, did in the Church what they pleas'd.

At last James Law being made Bishop of Orkney, and the Earldom being uni∣ted to the Crown (by the death and forefaulture of the foresaid Patrick, Earl of Orkney, as we shall have occasion to speak more of in the 8th Chapter) he, with the consent of his Chapter, made

a Contract with King James VI. In which they resign to the King, and his Successors, all their Ecclesiastical Lands and Possessions, with all Rights and Se∣curities belonging thereto, to be incor∣porated and united to the Crown, espe∣cially by such as should be thought ne∣cessary to be united to it; and the King gives back and dispones to the Bishop several Lands in the Parishes of Ham, Orphir, Stromnes, Sandwick, Shapinsha, Waes, Hoy, St. Ola, and of Evie, Burra, and Flotta, to be a Patrimony to the Bi∣shop and his Successors for ever; dispo∣ning moreover to him and his Successors the Right of Patronage, to present to all the Vicarages of Orkney and Zetland, with power to them to present qualify'd Ministers as oft as any Church should vake. Disponing also to them the he∣retable and perpetual Right and Jurisdi∣ction of Sheriffship and Bailiffry within the Bishoprick and Patrimony thereof, exeeming the Inhabitants and Vassals of the Bishoprick, in all Causes, Civil and Criminal, from the Jurisdiction of the Sheriff or Steward of the Earldom. As also he gave to the Bishop and his Successors the Commissariot of Orkney

and Zetland, with power to constitute and ordain Commissars or Chancellors, Clerks, and other Members of Court. This contract was made Anno 1614; and in the Year following, by an act of Platt, dated at Edinburgh the 22d of November, the several Dignities and Mi∣nisters both in the Bishoprick and Earl∣dom, were provided to particular Main∣tenances (besides what they were in possession of before) payable by the King and Bishop to the Ministers in their se∣verl bounds respective. And as it was agreed by that Contract, and determin'd by that Act of Platt, so are they provi∣ded for at this present.