[1641/8/414]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the estates of parliament, ratifies, approves and perpetually confirms the charters, infeftments and other rights granted by his majesty's predecessors in favour of the burgh of Brechin, erecting the same in a free burgh royal with the privileges contained therein, and specially the charter and infeftment granted by King James III, his majesty's great-great-grandfather's father, under the great seal, bearing that the same was and is a free burgh royal and paid their taxes and contributions with other free burghs as is usual, and therefore gave to the provost, bailies, council and community of the said burgh then present and to come the particular customs, rights and privileges mentioned in the said charter and infeftment, which is dated at Brechin, 28 April 1488. And also ratifies and approves the charter and infeftment granted by King James VI, his majesty's father of blessed memory, under the great seal, to the said provost, bailies, council and community of the said burgh of Brechin, then present and to come, and to the hospital of the said burgh, of the whole lands, tenements, houses, rents and others whatsoever pertaining to whatsoever prebendary, altarage or other chaplainry whatsoever founded within the said burgh and liberties thereof wherever the said rents due thereto lies, dated at Leith, 20 June 1572, in all and sundry heads, articles, clauses and circumstances thereof, and wills and grants and, for his majesty and his successors, with advice and consent foresaid, decrees and ordains that this present confirmation is and shall be as effectual and valid to the said burgh of Brechin, provost, bailies, council and community thereof and their successors in all time coming as if the foresaid charters, infeftments and other rights respectively foresaid were word by word inserted herein; concerning which, and with all defects and inconveniences that may follow thereon, his majesty, with consent foresaid of the estates of parliament, has dispensed and by this ratification dispenses for ever. And further his majesty, with advice and consent foresaid, of new gives, grants and conveys to the provost, bailies, council and community of Brechin, now present and their successors in all time coming, all and whole the said burgh of Brechin, with the whole privileges, liberties and immunities thereof, and all and sundry the foresaid lands, tenements, houses, customs, rents and others respectively above-specified, with the pertinents, and wills and grants that the full and only liberty of electing and choosing of their provost, bailies, dean of guild, treasurer and council of the said burgh in all time coming shall pertain to the said burgh, according to the use, privilege and custom of other free burghs within this kingdom, notwithstanding of whatsoever power, privilege and liberty which the bishops of Brechin for the time had or pretended in the election and choosing of any of the bailies or magistrates of the said burgh at any time bygone, which power and privileges of the said bishops his majesty, with consent foresaid, declares to be null and abolished, reserving always to Patrick Maule of Panmure and his heirs the choosing of one of the bailies of the said burgh who shall be constable and justiciary therein as is usual yearly in time coming, according to the contracts and indentures passed between the said Patrick Maule and the said burgh of Brechin relating thereto and in manner and upon the conditions mentioned therein, which his majesty, with consent foresaid, ratifies and approves in the whole clauses and circumstances thereof; and also gives to the said burgh of Brechin, provost, bailies, council and community thereof present and to come full and free power, privilege and liberty as bailies to his majesty and his successors to receive resignations of whatsoever houses, tenements, ruids and acres of land within the said burgh, liberty and territory thereof, which were held of before of whatsoever bishop, prelate, chapter and other ecclesiastic person whatsoever at any time bygone, and to give sasine thereupon in the same way as of any other houses and tenements held of his majesty in free burgage in due and competent form, and also to give and grant sasines to the heirs of the last deceased vassals of the same by hesp and staple according to the use and custom of burgh, which his majesty, with consent foresaid, declares to be lawful, valid and sufficient to the receivers.