OS1/25/3/42

Continued entries/extra info

[Page] 42
ABERNETHY [Continued]
About the year 1240 the altarage of the Church with lands of Pittenlower and a moriety of those
of Balloch were transferred to the bishops of Dunblane; and in return the bishop engaged to pro
-vide for the service of the Church of Abernethy; to establish a vicar in his own Catherdral in the name
of the abbot and monastery of Arbroath; to enrol Abernethy among the prebendal Churches of the diocese
and to instal the abbot of Arbroath as a prebendary or Canon, with a manse. and privileges similar
those of other Canons. At last, the fate which sooner or later overtook all the Culdee institutions, came upon Abernethy
also in 1273, when the ancient monastery became a priory of canons regular, and a cell of Inchaffray, from which place
came the new order of priests. It would appear, that, in process of time, the priory of Canons regular became a provost
or college of secular priests. Forbes says, that the provostry was founded at Abernethy by the Earl of Angus ; and
Sir James Balfour speaks of Abernethy as a collegiete church with eight prebends, by Henry Lord Abernethy
the nobleman, perhaps, who is mentioned in 1455, in the Paliamentary forfeiture of the Douglases. It might have been
expected that the provostry had been the work of an Earl of Angus, probably of the Earl George, who, receiving a great part
of the forfieted estates of the Earl of Douglas in 1457, was one of the first subjects in Scotland, both in power and popular
and rendered the Douglases of Angus formidable to the throne as well as to civil liberty. But, be that as it may, we hear
more of Cannons regular in this district; and there is every reson to believe that, for avery considerable period before the
Reformation, Abernethy was a collegiate church, at the head of which was a provost. In a charter of privileges given
to the town of Abernethy, of the date 23rd. August 1476, and by which charter the government of Abernethy was and
continues to be vested in two bailies and fifteen councillors, one of the witnesses is John Frizzel or Fraser, who is designated
provost of the collegiate church of Abernethy.- The Common Seal of the Collegiate Church or establishment at Abernethy
of which a foc simile or plate is given in Jamieson history of the Culdees was as follows; Obverse, a shield of
in a Shield gule; a lion rampant, surmounted by a bend dexter argent; Legend Sig. Commune Collegii de Abernethy
Reverse, an abbess, probably representing St. Bridget ( the supposed tutefor saint concerning whom there are traditions) in a veil
holding a Crozier in her right hand, and at her right hand is a small figure of a bull deer or such other animal, &c
New Stat. Acct. [Statistical Account] of Perthshire