[1593/4/46]¹

²Annexation of the abbey of Dunfermline to the crown

Item, because it is understood that the poverty of the crown is the special cause of the poverty of the realm and inhabitants thereof, and that the patrimony of the crown, being augmented, is the great prosperity and profit both of the king's grace and to his lieges, therefore our sovereign lord, with consent of his estates, unites, annexes and incorporates to the crown of this realm to remain therewith as proper annexed patrimony and property thereof in all time coming and with our sovereign lord and his successors for ever all and whole the lands, lordships, baronies, mills, multures, woods, copses, parks, fishings, towns, villages, burghs, regality, baronies, annualrents, tenements, reversions, customs great and small, feu ferms, places, houses, buildings, castles, towers, manor places, yards, orchards, kirks, teinds great and small, fruits, rents, emoluments and all and sundry other commodities and profits whatsoever, tenants, tenancies and service of free tenants, as well as to burgh as to land, which in any manner of way pertained or may pertain to the abbacy or monastery of Dunfermline, lying upon the north side of the water of Forth only, to be in all times hereafter repute and held the property and patrimony of the crown, to remain therewith in all time coming after the form, tenor and order of the acts of annexation made in the time of our sovereign lord's predecessors, King James II and King James V, and according to all the clauses, conditions and circumstances thereof, which in all points are held and understood as expressed and specially contained in this present act in all time hereafter. It is likewise declared by our said sovereign lord and his said estates that in the said annexation of the temporal lands of the foresaid abbacy of Dunfermline, lying upon the north side of the water of Forth, are in no way comprehended the baronies of Burntisland, alias Wester Kinghorn, and Newburn, with annexes and connexes thereof, which pertained to the said abbacy of Dunfermline of before, and lies upon the north side water of Forth, and wherein Sir Robert Melville of Murdocairnie, knight, and Sir Robert Melville, his eldest son and apparent heir, and Andrew Wood of Largo were infeft respectively. And further, our said sovereign lord and his said estates will and declare that the said baronies, with their annexes and connexes, shall remain in all time coming as separate baronies and in no way to be comprehended in the said annexation, with special provision that all the teinds of the said lands and lordship of Dunfermline shall be understood by virtue of this act annexed to the crown after the form and tenor of the said general act of annexation made in the year of God 1587; and also all the teinds of the remaining prelacies and kirklands of this realm are annexed to the crown. It is always declared by our said sovereign lord and his estates of parliament that the lordship and barony of Musselburghshire, with annexes and connexes, free regality, parts and pendicles of the same, are not comprehended in the said annexation, nor shall not be comprehended in any annexation to follow hereafter, because the said lordship and barony, with annexes, connexes, free regality, parts and pendicles of the same, being a part of the patrimony of the said abbacy of Dunfermline, was excepted out of the first general annexation of the kirklands to the crown; and John [Maitland], lord Thirlestane, chancellor to our said sovereign lord, and Dame Jean Fleming, his spouse, for them and their heirs, were heritably infeft therein, which lordship and barony they have lately resigned in our said sovereign lord's hands for infeftment of liferent thereof given to the queen's majesty for all the days of her highness's lifetime, and for another infeftment of the heritable fee thereof given to the said John, lord Thirlestane, chancellor foresaid, his said spouse and their male heirs and of tailzie heritably. Which infeftments our said sovereign lord, with advice and consent of his foresaid estates, ratifies and confirms by this act and for his highness and his successors wills and grants that the same stand in full force, stead and effect in all time hereafter; and ordains the said new infeftment given to the said John, lord Thirlestane, his spouse and their heirs foresaid to be inserted in the books of parliament if need be.