Foundation by William Stewart, prebendary of Killearn, of a chantry at the great altar of the church of the Black Friars of Glasgow, for the maintenance of which he mortefies to the said friars an annual rent of 50 shillings Scots out of a tenement on which he will build a cloister; the masters of the College and the magistrates of the city are appointed to be overseers of the said chantry.

Scope and Content

Six seals, of which two have been lost. The other ones are the seals of John Mure, Prior Provincial of Scotland, of the Predicant Dominican Friars of Aberdeen (maybe their prior's seal), of the priors of Glasgow, and of the priors of the Predicant Dominican Friars of Wigtown. Pendant on tags.

The seal of John Mure represents St Dominic with nimbus, wearing loose-fitting vestments. In his left hand he holds a processional cross and his right hand is upon his breast. He stands upon a crescent within a niche supported upon pillars. Beneath the crescent is a heater-shaped shield bearing arms: on a fess three stars. The legend is between raised borders: S' P' OR PUICIAL' FRA PDICTA PUI SCOCIE.

The seal of the Dominican Friars of Aberdeen represents a covered cooking pot with two handles on a round based shield. The legend is indecipherable and is between raised borders.

The priors of Glasgow's seal represents St Dominic with nimbus, wearing long vestment. In his hand he holds a branch of palm and in his left hand a chalice issuant from which are three ears of wheat. He stands beneath an unsupported pinnacled canopy. There is foliated decoration in the background. The legend is between carved borders: S'PRIORIS DE GLASGU ORDINIS PREDICATORU.

The seal of the Dominican Friars of Wigtown represents the Annunciation. To the right is a winged angel and to the left is the Virgin Mary, between them is a pot with a lily in it. The figurs are within a canopied niche supported upon pillars. Beneath the niche is a monk kneeling in prayer. The legend is between raised borders: S'PRIORIS FRATVM PD WIGTOWN.

The document is written on parchment in a bastard hand, a hybrid between the formal text hands and the informal cursives. The first letter is ornamented and the first words are written in bookhand.

Custodial History

Previously numbered GUA 16356.

Blackhouse charters catalogue description: 'Foundation by William Stewart prebend of Killairn of a Chaplanarie in the Church of the predicant friers in Glasgow at the great altar for the mentinance of which he obleidges himself to build a Cloyster upon the Ground formerly mortefied and for the mentinance of the said Chaplanrie he mortefies to the saids friers ane annual rent of 50 shillings Scots out of the tennement yr specified designed and bounded And The Masters of the Colledge and the Magistrats of the City are appoynted to be overseers of the said Chaplanrie dated 15 June 1487'.

Bibliography

  • Liber Collegii Nostre Domine registrum Ecclesie B.V. Marie et S. Anne infra muros civitatis Glasguensis MDXLIX : accedunt munimenta fratrum Predicatorum de Glasgu / domus Dominicane apud Glasguenses carte que supersunt MCCXLIV-MDLIX, ed. by Joseph Robertson (Glasgow: the Maitland Club, 1846), p. 198-202.
  • Munimenta Alme Universitatis Glasguensis, Records of the University of Glasgow from its Foundation till 1727, ed. by Cosmo Innes (Glasgow : the Maitland Club, 1856), I, p.33-37 (entry no 17).