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James, by the grace of God king of Scots, to all good men of all his land, clergy and laymen, greeting. Know that, with the advice and deliberation of all the parliament and our council - having concern and compassion for the spoliation, loss and plundering of a great many ships belonging both to foreigners and to our lieges and subjects, which at various times have been plundered and despoiled by English, Danish and other nations' pirates beyond our water and river of Forth; and considering the immense cost, damage and contempt which thereof arises to us, [and] to our realm, lieges and merchants, such that we desire to provide a suitable remedy - we have given, granted and by the tenor of our present charter give and grant to our dear familiar esquire John Dundas of that Ilk and his heirs all the island and rock of Inchgarvie lying in our aforementioned water of Forth, situated between the Queen's Ferries, with a harbour and ship roads† beside that island, or beside whatever other part of the lands of the said John adjacent to that place, with metages, anchorages, wrak and wair, and with the power for the said John and his heirs to build, construct and erect on high upon the same rock and island of Inchgarvie a castle or fortalice, of whatever height, length and breadth as shall seem most expedient to the said John and his heirs; with iron bolts, ramparts, portcullises, crenellations and machicolations, and with all other reinforcements and fortifications which may be devised or conceived for the keeping of the said castle, with moat and gaol, with the fees and services of constables and doorkeepers, and with all other defences which may be constructed at that place as aforesaid for the keeping and security of whatsoever ships, boats, skiffs and other maritime vessels coming for refuge to the said island or rock, or beyond it, or fleeing from enemy attack, for whatever reason. And for the maintenance of the said castle [or] fortalice, we, with the advice of our said parliament and council, have given and granted, and by the tenor of our present charter give and grant, to the said John and his heirs the privileges, liberties and profits subscribed, namely from such ship, boat or whatsoever other marine vessel fully or partly laden with merchandise, victuals or whatsoever other goods coming to beyond the said castle and rock in the said water for defence, safety and assistance as aforesaid or fleeing [there], for each cask of the cargo of that ship or boat, whatsoever the merchandise goods contained therein, according to the size of and rate for the cask, six pence of the good and usual money of our realm is to be levied and taken by the said John and his heirs, the constables or keepers of the castle at the time, in perpetuity; and in like manner from every unladen and empty ship, boat or skiff coming or fleeing to or beyond the said castle and island in the aforesaid water for safety and assistance as aforesaid, for each cask of cargo which that ship, boat or skiff could carry, if laden, three pence of the aforesaid usual money is similarly to be taken and levied by the same John, his heirs, the constables or keepers of the said castle in perpetuity. With power for the said John and his heirs if necessary to distrain and constrain for those fees and services, and for the levying and taking the same as aforesaid, for the maintenance of the said castle and fortalice, the provision and preparation of machines, gunpowder and arms and other things necessary for the keeping and defence of the said castle, and the ships and boats fleeing thereto, and for the sustenance of the persons keeping the said castle at the time. Having and holding all the aforesaid rock and island of Inchgarvie, the castle and fortalice, with all and sundry the privileges, liberties, profits and services aforesaid, to the said John and his heirs, of us, our heirs and successors in fee and heritage perpetually, freely, quietly, fully, wholly, well and in peace, in and by all things, as aforesaid, without any revocation, impediment or contradiction of any sort being made thereof in future by our heirs or successors to the said John or his heirs. Rendering thence annually the said John and his heirs to us, [our] heirs and successors, one silver penny at the said castle on the feast of St John the Baptist in the month of June [24 June], if such be requested. In witness whereof we have ordered our great seal to be set to our present charter. Witnesses: the reverend fathers in Christ Robert [Blackadder], bishop of Glasgow [and] William [Elphinstone], bishop of Aberdeen; our dear cousins Colin [Campbell], earl of Argyll, lord Campbell and Lorne, our chancellor; Patrick [Hepburn], earl of Bothwell, lord Hailes; John [Lyon], lord Glamis [and] John [Drummond], lord Drummond, our justiciars; Alexander Home of that Ilk, our great chamberlain; William [Knollis], lord St John, master of our household and our treasurer; the venerable fathers in Christ John [Hepburn], prior of St Andrews, keeper of our privy seal; Andrew [Gray], lord Gray; Laurence [Oliphant], lord Oliphant; and our dear clerks Masters Richard Muirhead, dean of Glasgow, clerk of our rolls and register, and of [our] council; and Archibald Whitelaw, subdean of Glasgow, our secretary. At Edinburgh, 14 May 1491, and in the third year of our reign.