[1592/4/195]¹

Ratification to [John Maitland], lord of Thirlestane, chancellor

²Our sovereign lord and estates of parliament have advisedly seen and considered all and sundry the infeftments and dispositions of the lordships, baronies, lands and others underwritten made to his right trusty cousin and councillor John, lord Thirlestane, chancellor of this realm, and Dame Jean Fleming, his spouse, respectively, their heirs and successors contained in the same: that is to say, the lordship of Musselburgh lying within the sheriffdom of Edinburgh principal; the lordship of Dunbar lying within the sheriffdom of Edinburgh and constabulary of Haddington; the baronies of Stobo and Eddleston lying within the sheriffdom of Edinburgh principal; the barony of Braidwood lying within the sheriffdom of Lanark, with castles, towers, fortalices, manor places, woods, mills, fishings, feu ferms, coal pits, advocation, donation and right of patronage of kirks, prebendaries, chaplainries and hospitals, tenants, tenancies and service of free tenants, with privilege of free regality, all united and annexed to the said lordship of Musselburgh and regality thereof; the lands and barony of Haddington; the lands of Lethington and West Field, with the castle and fortalice thereof; the lands of Ugston with their pertinents; an annualrent of 100 bolls of victual, half wheat, half barley, out of the lordship of Ballencrieff; an annualrent of 10 chalders of victual out of the lands of Markle and Traprain, all lying within the said sheriffdom of Edinburgh and constabulary of Haddington; the lands, lordship and barony of Thirlestane, with the castle, tower and fortalice thereof, with annexes, connexes, parts, pendicles and pertinents of the same and privilege of regality thereof; the heritable bailiary of Lauderdale, with all fees, duties and casualties pertaining thereto lying within the sheriffdom of Berwick, as the said infeftments in themselves at more length purport; which infeftments are made by our said sovereign lord after his perfect age of 21 years and 25 years complete respectively. And also our said sovereign lord and estates, having seen and considered the assignation made by our said sovereign lord to the said John, lord Thirlestane, his heirs and assignees, of the reversion made by the provost, bailies, council and community of the burgh of Edinburgh to [Mary], his late dearest mother, her heirs and successors, for redemption of the superiority of Leith, which infeftments and dispositions, with the former infeftments and resignations whereupon the same proceeded for the true and thankful service done by the said John, lord Thirlestane to his majesty, as well in the public affairs, attendance upon our said sovereign lord's person and the administration of justice within this realm, as in accompanying his majesty to his journey in Norway and Denmark, which was to him very exorbitant, his highness and estates ratify and approve in all points and circumstances thereof, together with the privileges of the regalities foresaid with the erection of the same, in the honour and estate of a lordship of his highness's parliament, to be so possessed, held and enjoyed with the same estate and honour in all time coming. Moreover, our said sovereign lord and estates, of their certain knowledge have declared and declare that the said infeftments, nor any of them falls, nor shall fall under whatsoever of his highness's revocations made in this present parliament, or at any time preceding the date hereof. And further his majesty, with advice foresaid, ratifies and affirms the resignation whereupon the said infeftment of the said lordship of Musselburgh, whereupon the said John, lord Thirlestane, his original infeftment, proceeded, with the exception of the same lands from the general annexation of the kirk lands to the crown made in the parliament held at Edinburgh, 29 July 1587. Moreover, our said sovereign lord, with advice of his said estates, declares that under the name of the parts, pendicles and pertinents of the lordship of Dunbar are, and shall be, comprehended the profits, duties and emoluments of the commons of the kirks of Dunbar of all years bygone and to come, and that the said John, lord Thirlestane, chancellor of this realm, his heirs and successors, had, and shall have, right and title thereto of all years since the said infeftment and also in time coming.