[501] The Sisters of the Sheens, Senys, or Sciennes, were Nuns of the Predicant Order of St. Dominick. Their Convent, consecrated to St. Katherine of Sienna, an erection of so late a date as 1517, was situated a short distance to the south of Edinburgh. The name of the Sciennes, still designates the locality. King James the Fifth, soon after his assuming the government, granted to the "Sisters of the Senys," an annual pension of £24; and from the Treasurer's Accounts, it appears that this sum was continued until 1558, to be paid by the Queen Regent, Mary of Guise. A volume printed for the Abbotsford Club, in 1841, entitled "Liber Conventus S. Katherine Senensis prope Edinburgum," includes the "Constitutiones Sororum," &c., along with the several Charters that could be recovered relating to this Convent. [Sidenote: ADDITIO.] To the Ministeris, and failzeing thairof the Reideris, must be restorit thair manses and thair gleibis; for ellis thei can not serve thair flock at all tymes as thair dewtie is. Yf any gleibe exceid sex aikeris of land, the rest to remane in the possessouris handis, quhill ordour be tackin thairin. THE LORDIS CONDISCENDIS THAT THE MANSE AND YAIRDIS BE RESTORIT TO THE MINISTERIS: AND ALL THE LORDIS CONSENTIS THAT THE MINISTERIS HAVE SEX AIKERIS OF LANDIS, EXCEPT MERSCHEALL, MORTOUN, GLENCARNE, AND CASSILLIS, QUHAIR MANSSES AR OF GRET QUANTITIE.[502] [502] This paragraph is added on the margin of the MS. 1566, and is omitted in all the editions. It affords a proof of the discussion that took place on some of the Heads in the Book of Discipline. The receaveris and collectouris of these rentis and dewiteis must be the Deaconis or Thesauraris appointit from yeare to yeare in everie churche, and that by common consent and fre electioun of the churche. The Deaconis may distribute no part of that whiche is collected, but by commandiment of the Ministeris and Elderis; and thei may command no thing to be deliverit, but as the Churche before hath determined: to wit, the Deaconis shall of the first pay the soumes, either quarterlie, or frome half yeare to half yeare, to the Ministeris whiche the Kirk hath appointed. The same thei shall do to the Schoolmaisteris, Readeris, and Hospitalis, (gif any be,) alwayis receaving acquettances for thair discharge. Yf any extraordinar soumes lie to be delivered, then must the Ministeris, Elderis, and Deaconis consult whethir the deliverance of thei soumes doeth stand with the common utilitie of the Churche or not; and yf thei do universalie aggree and condescend eathir upoun the affirmative or the negative, then becaus thei ar in credit and office for the yeare, thei may do as best seameth unto thame: But yf thair be contraversie amangis thame selfis, the whole Churche must be made privie; and efter that the mater be exponed, and the reasonis hearde; the judgement of the Churche with the Ministeris consent shall prevaill.