Ratification in favour of Sir Richard Graham

Our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the estates of this present parliament, ratifies and approves and, for his highness and his successors, perpetually confirms the charter and infeftment made and granted by his majesty under his highness's great seal to his majesty's trusty and well-beloved servant Sir Richard Graham, knight, therein styled Richard Graham, servant to [George Villiers], duke of Buckingham, his heirs and assignees whatsoever heritably, of all and whole the lands of Auchinbedrige formerly possessed by the late Ninian Armstrong and his sons, the lands of Allfornoch, Respetedge, Stannaries, Conhesleyes and Pockeskeene, being a ten merk land, lying within the earldom of Nithsdale, lordship of Maxwell, by annexation within the stewartry of Annandale and sheriffdom of Dumfries, containing therein a new gift with a clause naturalising and devising the said Sir Richard and his heirs contained therein, and making them able to succeed to any lands or conquest any lands within whatsoever part of this kingdom of Scotland in the same way and as freely as if he had been born within this kingdom, and making him and his said heirs free denizens and natural Scotsmen forever, and giving power and licence to enter to whatsoever lands within this kingdom by brieves out of his majesty's chancellery, notwithstanding of whatsoever acts or constitutions in the contrary, as at more length is contained in the said charter, of the date at Whitehall, 17 February 1627, and of his majesty's reign the third year, in all and sundry heads, points, passes, articles, clauses, conditions, provisions and circumstances whatsoever contained therein with all that has followed or that may follow thereupon, willing and granting and for his majesty and his successors, with advice and consent foresaid, determining and ordaining that this present general ratification shall be as valid, sufficient and effectual to the said Sir Richard Graham and his foresaids for possessing and enjoying of the said lands and others with their pertinents above-named, as their proper heritage, at their pleasure in time coming in the same way as if the foresaid charter and infeftment, with the precept and instrument of sasine following thereupon, were at length word by word engrossed and inserted herein, concerning which his majesty, with advice and consent foresaid, has dispensed and, by this ratification, for his highness and his successors, dispenses for ever, saving and reserving always to his majesty and his successors the blench duties due and customary to his highness and his predecessors contained in the said infeftment before this present ratification.

  1. NAS, PA2/22, f.353v-354r. Back