[1581/10/78]¹

Ratification of the burgh in barony of the town of Portsoy, with certain other privileges

Our sovereign lord, with advice of the estates of this present parliament, has ratified, approved and confirmed and, by the tenor of the said act, ratifies, approves and confirms the charter and infeftment granted by [Mary], his highness's dearest mother, under his great seal, making, constituting and confirming the town of Portsoy in free burgh of barony, of the which charter the tenor follows:

Mary, by the grace of God, queen of Scots, gives greetings to all good men throughout her land, both clergy and laity. Be it known that, with the advice and consent of our dearest kinsman and tutor James [Hamilton], earl of Chatelherault, earl of Arran, lord Hamilton, protector and governor of our realm, for good government and edification in the town of Portsoy belonging hereditarily to Sir Walter Ogilvie of Boyne and lying next to the sea, within our sheriffdom of Banff, on account of the welcome and hospitality shown to our lieges who come to the said town by sea or land, and for the common utility, elegance and good government of our realm, and also in return for the good, loyal and gracious service given to us by the said Walter, we have made, elevated and created, and do hereby make, elevate and create the said town of Portsoy, with its pertinents, lying in the thanage of Boyne, within our said sheriffdom of Banff, into a free burgh and barony in perpetuity, with free and full power, facility and licence to the inhabitants of the said burgh, present and future, to buy and sell within it wines, wax, cloth, wool, linen both broad and narrow, and each and every kind of merchandise, and of holding and having bakers, brewers, butchers, fishmerchants, and all other trades necessarily applying to a free burgh and barony. We also grant that in the said burgh there shall be free burgesses who for all time to come will have full authority to choose bailies of the said burgh and all other officials necessary for its government, this together with the authority to the burgesses and inhabitants of the said burgh to hold and have in perpetuity in it a market cross, and a market every week on Wednesday, with a free fair on the day of St Michael the Archangel [29 September], for a week; also in terms of receiving, intromitting and disposing of all the tolls, customs and dues pertaining to a free fair or which could be considered to pertain to it in any way; also the use and benefit of all the freedoms, authorisations and jurisdictions which pertain, or could validly apply in any way by law or by the customary powers of the crown. The said town of Portsoy, with its pertinents, is to be held and had by the said Sir Walter Ogilvy of Boyne, his heirs and assignees, and the inhabitants of the said burgh, from us and our successors as a free burgh and barony with every single jurisdiction, freedom and concession as said above, in perpetuity, freely, fully, completely, honourably, well and in peace. In testimony of this, we have instructed our great seal to be applied to this present charter of ours. Witnesses were the most reverend father in Christ John [Hamilton], archbishop of St Andrews, our treasurer, our beloved kinsmen Archibald [Campbell], earl of Argyll, lord Campbell and Lorne etc., William [Ruthven], lord Ruthven, [warden] of our privy seal, our beloved familiars Masters Thomas Marjoribanks of Ratho, clerk of our rolls of registry and council, John Bellenden of Auchnoull, our justice clerk, and Alexander Livingston of Dunipace, director of our chancellery. At Edinburgh on 15 November in the year of the Lord 1550, and the eighth year of our reign.