Chapter XXI: The Commendator
The revenues of Paisley at the final dissolution of the Monastery were very large, and we have a very exact account of them. In 1561 the Privy Council decreed that all holders of ecclesiastical benefices should give up one-third of their revenues for the Crown and the maintenance of the Protestant clergy. The thirds were lifted by collectors specially appointed, and a certain Michael Chisholm discharged this duty for Paisley. At the assumption of the thirds, the rental of the whole Abbacy [1] was as follows :—
Money, £2467 19s ; the meal, 72 ch. 3 b. 3 2/3 f.; the bear, 40 ch. 11 b.; the horse corne, 43 ch. 1 b. 1 f., 1 p. great mete ; the cheese, five hundred, five score and six stones.
Among the items deducted are seven chalders of meal yearly for the almoners' weekly doles to the poor ; for the maintenance of the Convent in kitchen expenses and clothes yearly, according to the accounts of the cellarer and grainter, £473 8s. 4d.; for the fees of the grainter and cellarer, and their under servants, £38 ; for the Archbishop's claim for procurations now converted into money, £13 6s. 8d.; for the contribution to the Lords of Session and pensions settled on the Abbey, £550 2s 8d. There were twenty-nine churches in possession of the Monastery at the dissolution, [2] eleven of which were in Renfrewshire.
It is uncertain how many monks belonged to the Abbey when its overthrow took place. The Archbishop-Abbot's name and those of fifteen monks are subscribed to a Tack in 1539, [3] and the Archbishop's name and those of fifteen monks to a charter in 1559. [4] Nor do we know what became of them in their day of adversity. In 1571 the Archbishop found the Monastery “standing waist,” and no one in it but a boy who had the key of the gate. By that time the convent was entirely broken up. Some of the brotherhood lingered, as we have seen, [5] about Paisley, where they had many supporters ; and there is reason to believe that, so long as they refrained from openly performing the offices of religion, they were permitted to retain certain pittances for their support. [6] Their case was a hard one—perhaps less hard at Paisley than in other parts of Scotland, as they had the sympathy of the people ; but all of them must have experienced suffering, and one of them, at least, suffered death for saying mass. [7]
[1] Origins Parochiales, Vol. I., p. 70.
[2] These churches were:—
Cathcart, Killellan, Neilston, Eastwood, Kilbarchan, Paisley, Erskine, Lochwinnoch, Inverkip, Mearns.
[3] An Association of the kirks of Paisley and Lochwinnoch is signed in 1539 by the following members of the Convent :—
Johne, Abbot of Paslay, David Cant, Wilza Sclatr, Richard Watsoun, Wilza Leper, John Pade, James Taynne, Robert Morton, Johne Hamilton, Wilza Litchen, David Mossman, Johne Alext., sen, Johne Fork, Johne Sandilandis, Robert Ker, David Brante.
[4] A Charter of the Lands of Over Gallowhill, dated 18th July, 1559, was signed by—
John, Bishop of St. Andrews, Edward Logan, Alex. Tait, prior, Augustine Pegaw, William Leper, dean, Thomas Lochheid, John Padine, John Alexander, David Branche, Archibald Hammiltoun, Robert Morton, John Hammiltoun, John Hammiltoun, Alex. Bern, William Letham, John Hammiltoun.
[5] See account of the trial of the Archbishop for saying mass.
[6] Lindores Abbey, p. 31. In the Grammar School Charter the rights of the occupiers of the altars, &c., are reserved.
[7] Buchanan's Hist. of Scot., p. 266.