Chapter XIII: Restoration,
1405-1459
The King was a good friend to the Abbot in his endeavours to put things right. He had enjoyed the support and advice of his clergy against the tyranny of his fierce nobility, and so, in gratitude, granted them for their aid some very important privileges which they had not hitherto possessed. On the Bishops he conferred the much-coveted privilege of making their testaments, of levying the fruits of vacant sees, and converting them to their own use. [21] In the same spirit he granted privileges to the monasteries. To Abbot Tervas he confirmed, in 1451, the regality into which Robert III. had erected the Abbey lands, granting even, in regard to their Dunbartonshire lands, the four points of the Crown which that King had reserved. [22] This concession gave the Abbot very wide criminal jurisdiction, and,—as the name regality implies,—the power of a king over his vassals. Besides this, he gave the Abbot power of repledging [23] all his tenants and husbandmen within the bounds of the church lands, who should be indicted, attached, or arrested for any crimes or transgressions, with the power of holding courts himself, by the King's chamberlain or his deputy, summoned by the Abbot or his bailies, for assisting them with his aid and council. Whenever, therefore, any dweller on the Abbot's lands was accused before the King's courts, the Abbot or his deputy had the power of rescuing him, bringing him into the court of the Monastery, and trying him there, and none of the royal judges could interfere with the Abbot or his officers in thus sitting in judgment on his own vassal. It was a curious privilege, and was often exercised to the great detriment of justice ; but it gave the Abbot exclusive jurisdiction over all his tenants, and put him on an equality with the great nobles of Scotland. These privileges were given to Thomas Tervas, his Convent, and his successors, in “recognition of his virtues and the reformation he had effected in his Monastery.” But a more singular concession is made to the Abbot than any of these, one which furnishes an illustration of the manner in which funds were raised for ecclesiastical purposes, and may even give a hint to the church extensionists of the present day. The King gave and conferred on all officers, deputies, and servants of the Abbot of Paisley, full power of holding tavern, [24] and of selling wines within the gates of the Monastery, at the will and pleasure of the Abbot, without any hinderance or disturbance from any of the lieges whatsoever. This extraordinary privilege was doubtless taken great advantage of by the thirsty souls of the neighbourhood, and the visitor who looks with admiration on the beautiful clerestory and triforium of the church may remember that it is, in great part, due to the tavern-keeping of Thomas Tervas.
This part of the building was erected under his superintendence. He finished the roof and built a great portion of the steeple, and also the gatehouse, which was of a stately character. [25] Having thus prepared the church for divine service, he went to Rome to get suitable furnishings for the worship of the sanctuary, which the poverty of Scotland could not supply. Probably the English soldiers had taken away everything that was of any value when they burned the Monastery. On 30th May, 1453, the Abbot received a safe-conduct from Henry VI. [26] “to visit the shrines (liminia) of the Apostles,” along with George Falowe, Burgess of Edinburgh ; Walter Steward of Dalswinton ; James Inglis, Canon of Glasgow ; and Sir Thomas Fersith, Vicar of Legardwoode—with seven persons in their company. The Vicar of Legardwood, who served that Church, which belonged to the Abbey, probably acted as chaplain to his venerable superior. They crossed the Straits of Dover at Calais, [27] whence they would find their way by easy stages to Rome, calling probably at the Monastery of Clugny to render obeisance to the head of the Order. The Abbot did not return from his quest empty-handed, but carried back for the Abbey adornments of a very sumptuous character, with which he had been furnished by the faithful, or had bought for himself, at Rome. “He brocht hame,” says the old chronicle, [28] “mony gud jowellis, and claithis of gold, silver, and silk, and mony good bukis, and the statliest tabernackle that was in al Skotland, and the maist costlie.” The same historian tells also of the mitre which he wore —one of the best in Scotland—of chandeliers of silver, and a lectern of brass. All this was probably the cunning work of Italian artists,—work like that of the same period which may be still seen in the Duomo of Florence and the Cathedral of Milan ; and the treasures of the Abbot, when lie unfolded them, on his return, to the simple monks of his Convent at Paisley, must have produced upon them the most powerful impression.
[21] Tytler, Vol. II., p. 150.
[22] Rape, rapine, murder, and fire-raising.—Reg. de Pas., p. 256.
[23] Reg. de Pas., p. 267.—Repledging or claiming offenders from the royal courts to be judged by those of the regality. See “Notice of the early system of Replegation,” by Dr. Stewart, in Appendix.
[24] Reg. de Pas., p. 258.—Potestatem plenariam habernandi et vendendi vina infra portas dicti monasterii.
[25] Chronicle of Auchenleck.
[26] Rotuli Scotiae.—“Salvus conductus pro abate Pasletensi et aliis liminia apostolorum visitare volentibus,” “venerabilem patrem Thomam Abbam de Pasle.”
[27] Rotuli Scotiae.
[28] Chronicle of Auchenleck.