[1592/4/154]¹

Ratification to John Gibb, valet of his majesty's chambers

²Our sovereign lord, remembering the long, good, true and faithful service done to his majesty, as well in his highness's minority as majority, by his grace's daily servant John Gibb, one of the valets in his grace's chambers, and willing to give him the better occasion to continue therein in time coming, with advice and consent of the estates of this present parliament and whole body of the same, ratifies, approves and, for his majesty and his successors, perpetually confirms the letters of constitution and ordination made and granted by our sovereign lord and lady, with an express consent and assent to the said John Gibb and James Gibb, his son and apparent heir, and the longest liver of the two successively, during all the days of their lifetimes, making, constituting and ordaining them keepers of the place and yards of Dunfermline, as well vacant by decease of the late Robert [Pitcairn], commendator of Dunfermline, and monks departed this present life, or when the same shall fall vacant by decease of any of the monks, present possessors thereof, and giving to them and each one of them the office thereof for all the days of their lifetimes, with power to the said John Gibb and James, his son, and each one of them, to make deputes for keeping of the foresaid place and yards for whom they shall be held to answer. And for keeping of the which place and yards, and using of the office thereof, our said sovereign lord and lady gave, granted, conveyed and specially assigned to the said John and James, and the longest liver of the two during their lifetimes, all and whole the feu mails of the town and lands of Masterton, with the pertinents, being a part of the patrimony of the said abbacy of Dunfermline, together with the whole teind victual, teind straw extending to forty threaves, kanes, reek fowls,³ customs and other duties whatsoever, whereof the feuars and possessors of the foresaid town and lands have been in use of payment to the commendators of the said abbacy and their chamberlains in their names since the setting of the same lands in feu, to be paid to the said John and James, and each one of them respectively during their lifetimes, at the terms of payment used and wont at the crop and year of God 1591, and so forth yearly in time coming during the spaces respectively above-specified, whole points, articles, clauses, conditions and circumstances whatsoever mentioned in the said letters of constitution and ordination, as in the same under the privy seal of the date at Holyroodhouse, 18 March 1591 [1592], is at more length contained; and wills and declares and, for his highness and his successors, with advice and consent foresaid, decrees and ordains that the said letters of constitution and this his majesty's ratification granted thereupon is, and shall be, sufficient right and title to the said John Gibb and James, his son, and the longest liver of them, during their lifetimes, for using and exercising of the foresaid office, intromitting with and uplifting of the feu mails, teind victual, teind straw, kanes, reek fowls, customs and other duties respectively above-mentioned, specially conveyed and assigned thereof, without any claim, question or contradiction to be made or moved by the said John and James, or any of them during the space above-specified.