[1585/12/67]¹

Ratification in favour of the bairns of [James Meldrum], laird of Seggie

²Our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the three estates of this present parliament, ratifies and approves and, for him and his successors, perpetually confirms the letter of tack and assedation set by our said sovereign lord, with advice of the lords of council, to John and James Meldrum, sons lawful to James Seggie of Meldrum, younger, of all and whole the victual underwritten, assumed out of the places after-specified during the space of their lifetimes, of the which letter of tack the tenor follows:

James, by the grace of God, king of Scots, to the lords of our council, session and exchequer, know you us, understanding the good, true and acceptable service done to us by our trusty and well beloved councillor James Meldrum of Seggie, younger, in times past, and willing to recompense the same in the person of his two sons, James and John Meldrum, for their subsistence at the schools, no occasion being offered to have recompensed their said father otherwise according to our good will borne to him and his demerits in waiting upon our service hitherto, as we are always reminded, whereas the same shall offer the self, therefore setting and for mail letting to James and John Meldrum, sons lawful to the said James Meldrum of Seggie, all and whole the victual assumed out of the places underwritten during the space of their lifetimes, and the one surviving the other, the defunct's part after his decease to accrue to the other being in life, their entry thereto to be and begin at the instant crop and year of God 1585: that is to say, three chalders of barley, nine bolls of meal, seven bolls of wheat, out of the surplus of Haddington assumed upon the kirk of Crail; six chalders of oats out of the surplus of the bishopric of St Andrews, five chalders and six bolls thereof assumed upon Byrehill, and thirteen bolls upon Kilrenny; four chalders of barley out of the surplus of Dunkeld assumed upon the kirk of Cargill; which victual pertained and was conveyed of before to the said James Meldrum of Seggie and now pertains to our sovereign lord and at our disposition by the simple demission made of the title and right thereof in favour of the said John and James Meldrum, his sons aforesaid, with power to them, their factors and servants in their names, to intromit with and take up the said victual and convey thereupon at their pleasure, and, if need be, to call and pursue for that according to the law, with all and sundry commodities, freedoms, etc., freely, quietly, etc., without any revocation; paying therefore yearly the said James and John the sum of £40 to our collector general, present and for the time, at two terms in the year, Whitsunday [May/June] and Martinmas [11 November] in winter, by equal portions; commanding you, the lords of our council, session and exchequer, to grant and direct such letters for answering and obeying of them of the said victual during the space aforesaid as their said father had of before by virtue of his said gift, discharging also our collector general, present and to come, and his deputes, of all intromission therewith during the space above-specified; given under our privy seal at Stirling on 14 September 1585 and of our reign the 19th year; and decree and declare the said letter of tack and assedation to have full strength, force and effect in all time coming, during the years and terms contained therein, so that the said John and James Meldrum may peaceably possess and enjoy the commodities, profits and duties contained in the said tack during the space specified therein without any impediment.