Letters addressed by the apostolic see to the prior of Beauly and to the precentor of the diocese of Caithness, narrating a petition to Pope Clement VII by the abbot [Donald Denune] and the convent of the monastery of Ferne of the Premonstratensian Order, in the diocese of Ross, against an alleged usurpation and spoliation of teinds made by James, bishop of Ross, they being absolved from payment of such teinds, from which spoliation the abbot, etc., desire to be relieved and the bishop to be interdicted; also a petition detailing the circumstances how, in October 1525, on a certain day James [Hay], bishop of Ross, sent armed men to the monastery to usurp the teinds, and, in the absence of the abbot, certain monks or canons of the monastery, coerced by fear of the bishop and the armed men, entered into an agreement by which inter alia they promised to pay yearly a certain quantity of grain; and when the abbot was certified of this agreement, knowing it to be very unjust, especially when the said monks had no mandate from him to make the agreement and could not make it without his express assent, he was on that account unwilling to observe it, nor was he now willing, as from time immemorial the monastery was exempt from payment of such teinds; and because the bishop had caused the promisers to be cited before his court, and threatened to excommunicate them for violation of the agreement, while they are not divided from his jurisdiction, the abbot, Donald Dunune, and the convent pray that the whole question may be removed to a separate court. In answer to which petition the prior and archdeacon are directed and empowered to free from excommunication the foresaid promisers, David Denone, Donald Watterson, Michael Smyth, William Allanson, John Donaldson, William Androson, John Adamson, and John Robertson, and restore them to the unity of mother church, etc. Dated at Rome, in the third year of Pope Clement VII, 23rd March 1526.