Series 3 > Charters of the Abbey of Inchcolm

INTRODUCTION
XXVll
instigation of the Abbot of Inchcolm, to pay this sum to
the monastery, under pain of suspension.1 The unwilling¬
ness of the vicars of Cramond to pay this sum, of which,
not without reason, they probably regarded themselves
as personally mulcted, is also evidenced by the proceedings
which were taken from 1419 to 1427 against Adam Gordon,
‘ vicar or minister of the parish church of Cramond,5 for
recovery of it.2
A further occasion of grievance on the part of secular
clergy against the religious is illustrated in a record of
1320,3 whereby it appears that Richard Kirkcaldy, who
had instituted proceedings against the Abbey in support
of his right—of what nature is not specified—in the chapel
of St. Mary in the cemetery of the church of Fithkil,
accepted the adverse decision that the chapel belonged to
the parish church and thus, as that church was appro¬
priated, to Inchcolm.
The changed circumstances of the sixteenth century
and the lowering of the prestige of the monasteries account
for the very unusual writ of 1548,4 which records the
excommunication of the Abbey. Not the least significant
details of this document are the docquets declaring that
the sentence of excommunication was promulgated by the
vicars of Dalgety and Aberdour in time of high mass in
their respective churches. It is scarcely conceivable that
this could have happened during the preceding centuries
of the monastery’s career.
The Monastery and the Laity
The laity entered into relations with the monastery in
various capacities : as benefactors, i.e. donors of churches,
lands, annual-rents, etc. ; as neighbouring proprietors;
2 Ibid., Nos. xlii., xlvii.
4 Ibid., No. lxvi.
1 Charters, No. xxxvi.
3 Ibid., No. xxxii.