Summary of a petition by [William Lesley] to PF, 1664
Scotland
Scottish schools
The procurator of the Scottish mission [William Lesley] asks for a provision for the schoolteacher [Alexander] Macalister who has been in the Highlands for the last two years; Macalister was initially encouraged by the assurance of the procurator (Lesley), that he would obtain an assignment for him. Since the procurator (Lesley) did not know that Macalister actually went there to teach, he never asked for it and is now requesting some form of subsidy for the toils of the last two years or, if this is not possible, at least for his current work, because he (Macalister) is in great need. At PF meeting of 30 June 1664 the cardinals decided to grant the usual subsidy for the years when he worked as a teacher, although PF did not know about it.
Date discussed 1664-06-30
Additional comments
[William Lesley]
APF SOCG 308, 59r,
1664
Addressed to PF
For the minutes of the PF meeting where this matter was discussed, see:APF ACTA 33, 91r (not in this database).
Original, unsigned and undated
Italian
Latin
Summary
317
Origin: [Rome]
Destination: Rome
Petition on behalf of [William Lesley] to PF, [1666]
Scotland
Petitions for missionary patents
Petition on behalf of the procurator of the Scottish mission [William Lesley] to PF, in which he asks for the renewal of the faculties of the missionaries in Scotland: Giouanni Valchero [John Walker], Gilberto Graio [Gilbert Gray], and Francesco Bianchi [Francis White]. During PF meeting on 20 December 1666 the cardinals decide on extending the faculties for another three years.
Date discussed, 1666-12-20
Additional comments
[William Lesley]
APF SOCG 308, 284r, 285v
[1666]
Addressed to PF
For the minutes of the PF meeting where this matter was discussed, see: APF ACTA 35, 326r, 333r (same information; not in this database).
Italian
Petition
346
Origin: [Rome]
Destination: Rome
Comments by [William Lesley] on letters from the Scottish mission written in 1667
Scotland
Observations from [William Lesley] on the letters of the Scottish mission from the year 1667. His main points are: a) there is a structural lack of priests, mainly caused by the terrible state of the Scottish Colleges, the rectors of which are disobedient; b) the Colleges never call new students from the Highlands, although these would be the most suitable for the mission. This he says, is not strange, as the Jesuits have always neglected the Highlands, and stayed only with the rich and powerful people in the Lowlands. A remedy to these problems, and the same ones occurring in the Scottish monasteries in Germany, is to visit them and to constrain the superiors of the orders to make the rectors obey; and c) the best students are kept from the Scottish mission, as they are made to become Jesuits, convincing them that the vow they made [to go back to Scotland] was not binding.
Additional comments
[William Lesley]
APF SOCG 308, 371r-375v
[1667]
Italian
Notes
361
Origin: [Rome]
Destination:
Petition on behalf of the procurator of the Scottish mission [William Lesley] to PF [1672]
Scotland
CM petitions
Petition on behalf of the procurator of the Scotish mission [William Lesley] to PF. Due to the war with the Netherlands, Scottish missionaries have been living in great poverty, and have even been forced to sell their clothes. Lesley asks for the missionaries to be paid on time, at least before the second half of the year begins. Lesley also asks PF to give Aless'ro Irvino [Alexander Irvin] 50 scudi (the other missionaries are paid this amount), instead of the 40 he currently receives. Lesley has always given him 50 scudi as he does not want him to become unmotivated with his work; however he is now unable to continue paying the difference.
Date discussed: 1673-08-02
Additional comments
[William Lesley]
APF SOCG 440, 564r, 571v
[1672]
Adressed to PF
For the minutes of the PF meeting where this matter was discussed, see: APF ACTA 42, 165r, 189v-191r (not in this database).
The content of this petition is also summarized: APF SOCG 440, 563r-v (database item 775).
Original
Italian
Letter
776
Origin: [Rome]
Destination: Rome
Petition on behalf of [William Lesley] to PF, [1677]
Scotland
Other religious orders
Other secular missionaries
Petition on behalf of the procurator of the Scottish mission [William Lesley] to PF. In the letter he mentions several abuses in the Scottish mission, and advises PF to send Alexander Lesley as a visitor to the mission. The notes of the meeting of 16 March 1677 show that the pope did indeed choose Alexander Lesley as a visitor, and state that he should be sent with an instruction from the secretary and 100 scudi for his expenses.
Date discussed 1677-03-16
Additional comments
[William Lesley]
APF SOCG 462, 592r-595r, 596v, 597v
[1677]
Addressed to PF
For the minutes of the PF meeting where this matter was discussed, see: APF ACTA 47, 52r, 65v-66v (database item 675).
Italian
Latin
Petition
659
Origin: [Rome]
Destination: Rome
Report about the mission in Scotland by [William Lesley], [1678]
Jesuits
Mission reports
Petitions for faculties
Scotland
Scottish Catholics abroad
Visitation
Relation on the mission in Scotland. The covered subjects are the following: a) archbishoprics and bishoprics; b) the place of residence of the missionaries; c) the residence of the prefect of the mission; d) the universities; e) the Catholics usually live in the mountain areas and in the islands. It would be wise to send more missionaries to these regions; f) there is not even one Catholic bishop in Scotland, it is advised to send a bishop to Scotland once every seven years; g) there are many regular priests in Scotland, especially Jesuits; h) there are many regular and secular Scottish priests outside Scotland in the Colleges, who are actually obliged to work for the mission but who are not able to, or do not want to go back; i) there are many youths in Scotland suited for study, and they should be sent to the Colleges outside the country; j) the Catholics should not send their children to Protestant schools; k) the school teachers need more money; l) the school teachers could also help as priests during festivities; m) there are four overseas Colleges for the Scottish youth, but they should be inspected better by the nuncio or the bishops; n) especially the College in Rome should be visited; o) the students should be carefully selected so that the most talented will be send to the Colleges; p) there should be appointed someone who would make sure that the decrees are followed in the Colleges; q) the students should first be send to the missionaries since they do not learn missionary activities in the College; r) there are relatively few missionaries compared to the amount of Catholics, therefore more should be sent; s) there is a shortage of chalices and other Holy objects, it is asked whether they could send more; t) money is also needed for books; u) there is often not enough money for the priests in Scotland; v) to persuade the students to go to Scotland, they should be given the promise that when they get old or fall ill they will be taken care off; w) the faculties of the missionaries should be limited; x) cases of conscience; y) the prefect of the mission should be able to give dimissory letters, or there should be send a bishop who could do this; z) in the Collegio Urbanothere are two or three youths from outside the mountains; aa) there should be a visitation to the mission in Scotland; ab) maybe there should be a superior general of the mission; ac) they ask for a hospital in Dieppe or Caen; ad) they ask to give the prefect the power to appoint a vice prefect; ae) they ask to give the prefect the power to give faculties to priests; af) Pope Urban had given the mission a subsidy, and they would like to have another subsidy or fund; ag) questions about absolution for the students of the Colleges, of whom the greater part has been a heretic at some moment in their lives; ah) translation of books; and ai) translation of the compendium of Baronius in English.
Additional comments
The identity of the creator is rather vague but William Lesley seems the most likely candidate. He was the procurator in Rome of the Scottish mission. This same file (APF Scozia vol. 1) also contains another relation that he worked on and some letters from his hand. Moreover at some point the text says "Per parte poi del Procuratore/ della Miss’ne." So it seems that he has at least something to do with it. It is also possible that the report was written around the same time as the other report, in 1678
[William Lesley]
APF SC Scozia vol.1, 573r-580v
[1678]
Adressed to the Congregazione particolare
Original; draft
Italian
Report
744
Origin: [Rome]
Destination: