[1621/6/123]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Our sovereign lord and estates of parliament, having seen and considered an act made at Edinburgh, 26 October 1619, by John [Spottiswood], archbishop of St Andrews and the remaining brethren of the synodal assembly on the south of the Forth within the diocese of St Andrews, in favour of James Winram of Liberton, whereof the tenor follows: At Edinburgh, 26 October 1619. Regarding the supplication given to the Archbishop of St Andrews and remaining brethren of the synodal assembly on the south of the Forth and within the diocese of St Andrews by the minister and parishioners of the kirk of Liberton, making mention that they, having consideration of the decay of the north aisle of the said kirk and that the same is become ruinous in respect no persons claim right thereto and has lain ruinous these 32 years past, have resigned all right they have to the same in favour of James Winram of Liberton, keeper of our sovereign lord's signet, his heirs and successors, with power to build, repair, bury therein and to decorate the same for himself, his bairns and household only, as an act of session of the said kirk at length bears, which act of session is ratified and approved by another act of the presbytery of Edinburgh; and in consideration the said aisle will extend in quantity to the third part of the said kirk and that £1,000 will not repair the same as ought to be and, therefore, humbly beseeching his lord to ratify and approve the said two acts, with power to the said James, his heirs and successors to build, repair, bury therein and decorate the same aisle and appropriate the same to himself and his foresaids only by whatsoever other acts requisite, and they to be free of the reparation of the body and choir of the said kirk and steeple, he and his successors maintaining and upholding the said aisle in all time coming, as the said supplication in the self at length bears. Which supplication being at length read and considered, compeared Master William Struthers, minister at Edinburgh and moderator of the brethren of the exercise of Edinburgh, and produced their register containing a visitation made by them upon 12 October last of the kirk of Liberton, in the which visitation it was complained to them that the north aisle pertaining to James Winram and given to him by the whole heritors, minister, elders, deacons and session of the kirk of Liberton, according to an act made thereupon upon 26 July 1619, and of the which act the tenor follows: The which day, the gentlemen of this parish being convened with the minister and elders to take order regarding the repairing of the kirk and steeple, and finding the whole roof of the kirk of the steeple and north aisle to have need of a full and total reparation, so that the expenses to be incurred thereupon should draw to great charges hardly to be done by the parish, advised to make an offer of an heritable right of the north aisle to James Winram of Liberton and his heirs to sit and bury there on condition they should be bound to repair and maintain the same in all time coming. Which offer being made to the said James, he accepted thereof; whereupon the gentlemen, minister and elders all in one voice ordained an act to be made and inserted in their books for a perpetual memorial of the said James's and his heirs' right to the aforesaid aisle and of their obligation to repair and maintain the same in all time coming; and so the said matter was remitted to the said archbishop and synod to be confirmed by them. And because the said James Winram was to edify and build the said north aisle according to the act aforesaid, they declared the said James, his heirs and successors in all time coming to be free of all stents to be collected or imposed upon them in any time coming for helping and repairing of the body of the said kirk and steeple, and desired the said James to repair the said north aisle; and that the said James then answered that he was content to do the same upon condition that the act of his right was ratified by the archbishop and synod. The said John, archbishop of St Andrews and the whole brethren of the ministry and synod all in one voice ratified and approved the said two acts in all the points and heads of the same and by their act and ordinance of synod gave power to the said James Winram, his heirs and successors to appropriate the same to himself and his foresaids as his own proper heritage and aisle in all time coming, and ordain him to build, repair and edify the same by placing of seats and desks therein for him and his aforesaid families, servants and familiars to sit therein in time of divine service and to be their burial place for him and his foresaids only, and declare him to be free of all stents that may be imposed upon him or his foresaids or collected for reparation of the body of the kirk, choir and steeple, he and his successors maintaining the said aisle in all time coming. Extracted out of the register of the acts of the synod assembly on the south of the Forth by Master Edward Marshall, clerk of the same. It is thus subscribed, Master Edward Marshall. Have ratified and approved and, by the tenor hereof, ratify and approve the said act of the said synodal assembly confirming the aforesaid two acts, one of the session of the kirk of Liberton and the other of the presbytery of Edinburgh, expressed and contained therein, in all and sundry heads, points, clauses and articles therein expressed.