That the money and victuals assigned in time past for keeping of the castles of Edinburgh, Dumbarton, Stirling and Blackness shall remain and abide with the captains and keepers thereof

Forasmuch as the castles of Edinburgh, Dumbarton, Stirling and Blackness, being four of the chief strengths of this realm most necessary to be kept, as well for our sovereign lord's service as his residence within the same at times convenient, as for the guard and keeping of prisoners and warders charged for their offences to remain within the same, which castles cannot be safely kept to his majesty's benefit and welfare of his realm but by his subjects and servants of such fame, sincerity and credit as his highness esteems worthy to discharge their duty in that behalf, who are in no way able to do the same without sufficient rent and living, whereupon the persons continuously attending upon the said charge and service may be maintained; therefore, our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the three estates of this present parliament, has statute and ordained and, by the tenor hereof, statutes and ordains that all the money and victuals assigned and given before for keeping of the said castles, and whereof the captains and keepers of the same respectively have been in possession by the space of five years preceding the date of this act, shall in time coming remain and abide with the captains and keepers thereof for sustaining of the charges of their offices: that is to say, to the said castle of Edinburgh, 1,200 merks to be paid monthly out of the customs of the tron of Edinburgh and out of the surplus of the thirds of benefices; the whole third of the wheat of the archbishopric of St Andrews, seven chalders, two bolls, three firlots, one peck; the rest of the third of the wheat of the abbey of Scone, three bolls; the whole third of the wheat of the priory of Charters, two chalders, five bolls, three part bolls; the whole third of the wheat of Lindores, three chalders, four bolls, three firlots, three pecks; the whole third of the wheat of the kirk of Monifieth, one chalder, three bolls, third part boll; out of the third of the barley of the archbishopric of St Andrews, eight chalders, five bolls, three part pecks; out of the third of the barley of the abbey of Scone, one chalder, two bolls, one firlot, two part pecks; out of the third of the barley of the priory of Charterhouse, three chalders, three bolls, one peck, three part pecks; out of the third of the barley of the abbey of Lindores, six chalders, nine bolls, one firlot; out of the third of the barley of the abbey of Arbroath, one chalder, nine bolls, three firlots, two parts peck; out of the third of the barley of the bishopric of Dunkeld, four chalders, thirteen bolls, three parts boll; the third of the meal of the archbishopric of St Andrews, four bolls; out of the third of the meal of the abbey of Scone, eleven bolls, one firlot; the whole third of the meal of the priory of Charterhouse, two parts boll; out of the third of the meal of the abbey of Lindores, four chalders, eleven bolls, three firlots, two pecks; out of the third of the meal of the bishopric of Dunkeld, four chalders; the third of the peas and beans of the archbishopric of St Andrews, one boll, three parts boll. To the castle of Dumbarton, the mails, ferms, profits and duties of the lands of Cardross and Meikle Cumbrae; the pension of the ferm mail of Kirkpatrick; the customs of Dumbarton and 550 merks out of the surplus of thirds of benefices. To the said castle of Stirling, the feu mails of the lordships of Stirlingshire, Menteith, Brechin and Navar. To the said castle of Blackness, the money and victuals of the lordship of Linlithgowshire, according to the gift made thereupon. And if any part of the money and victual before assigned to the keeping of the aforesaid castles, and whereof the keepers and captains for their service have been in possession, allowed in our sovereign lord's exchequer by the said space of five years past, be conveyed, given and assigned or hereafter shall happen to be conveyed, given or assigned to whatsoever other person or persons, for terms long or short, except to the said captains and keepers now present or which shall happen to be for the time, our said sovereign lord, by advice and consent aforesaid, revokes, annuls and discharges the same, and also decrees and declares that the said gifts, assignations and dispositions whatsoever made contrary to the tenor of this act always and in all times coming shall be of no value, force nor effect with all that may follow thereupon.

  1. NAS, PA2/13, ff.15v-16r. Back