[1594/4/96]¹

Ratification to Master Peter Young [of Seaton]

Our sovereign lord and estates of parliament, acknowledging and remembering the earnest favour, goodwill and affection ever borne to his highness's service by his trusty councillor Master Peter Young of Seaton, his highness's master almoner, one of the lords of his highness's privy council, who not only at his highness's desire took several journeys from this realm as his highness's ambassador to the realm of Denmark, especially in the month of July the year of God 1586 and in the month of May the year of God 1587, in treating and concluding upon the heads of his majesty's most honourable marriage with his highness's dearest and well-beloved spouse, Anne, now queen of Scots, but also with little warning, at his highness's request, took voyage and accompanied his majesty to the realm of Norway to the solemnisation of the said marriage in the month of October the year of God 1589, and remaining with his highness until the month of December the year of God foresaid that he was directed with his majesty to return within this realm for his majesty's special affairs within the same. Likewise the said Master Peter in the month of April last is directed by his majesty with his highness's special commission as his highness's ambassador to his highness's dearest brother the king of Denmark and sundry princes of Germany for treating and concluding of sundry his highness's affairs, where the said Master Peter is presently to his great charges and expenses. And our sovereign lord, not willing that the said Master Peter shall be in any way hurt by any deed to be done in his highness's present parliament, but rather to make his spouse and bairns sure of all rights and title of whatsoever lands or pensions acquired by him of before, therefore our said sovereign lord, with advice of the said estates, has allowed and by this charter allows all things done by the said Master Peter as ambassador for his highness in his said journeys, his departure, attending and accompanying of his majesty and returning in manner foresaid as most acceptable, good and thankful service done to his majesty for the benefit of his whole realm; and likewise our said sovereign lord, with advice foresaid, in part of recompense of his said service and expenses made in the said voyages, of his certain knowledge, has ratified and approved and by this charter ratifies and approves and for his highness and his successors perpetually confirms the act made in his highness's parliament on 29 July the year of God 1587 ratifying and approving certain gifts of pensions, offices and fees therein mentioned granted to the said Master Peter Young, his spouse and bairns and assignees respectively therein contained, together with the infeftments, charters, precepts and instruments of sasine granted to the said Master Peter, his spouse and their heirs therein contained of the lands of Easter Seaton and shadow half of Dykmontlaw, with the parts, pendicles and pertinents thereof lying within the sheriffdom of Forfar and of all that has followed or may follow thereupon, together also with the gift of pension granted by his highness to the said Master Peter of the mails, ferms, profits and duties of the lands of Wester Seaton occupied by William Auchterlony and sunny half of Dykmontlaw occupied by Andrew Annan, all lying within the lordship of Arbroath and sheriffdom foresaid, together with his highness's promise made to the said Mr Peter for warrandice of the said gifts, infeftments and others foresaid and with all decreets given according thereto; which infeftments, act of parliament, gifts of pension, offices, promises, decreets and others foresaid and all that has followed thereupon in all heads, clauses and circumstances of the same, our said sovereign lord and his estates foresaid, of certain knowledge, ratifies, approves and confirms for his highness and his successors in time coming, and finds and declares that all and sundry the said infeftments, gifts of pension, offices and fees contained therein, act of parliament ratifying the same and others respectively foresaid made and given in manner foresaid are made for just and reasonable causes tending to the benefit of our sovereign lord, his realm and lieges, and therefore decrees and ordains the same to stand in full force, strength and effect in all times coming, and declares that the same, nor none of them, falls nor shall fall under whatsoever his highness's revocations made in this present parliament or at any time preceding the date hereof. And also our said sovereign lord and his estates foresaid decree, statute and ordain that the act made in favour of the ministry of 14 February the year of God 1587 [1588] shall in no way touch nor be hurtful to the said Master Peter nor his foresaids nor be prejudicial to their rights and titles of their pensions above-specified and duties therein contained, but the same to stand in the own strength, force and effect as largely as if the said rights had been made and granted by our sovereign lord after his perfect age of 25 years complete; and declare the same in no way to come under the said act, and ordain the said Master Peter and his foresaids to be answered and obeyed thereof according to their said gifts, notwithstanding the said act. And for his highness's said councillors, their better security of [the]² premises, our said sovereign lord, with advice foresaid, has of new granted and conveyed to his said councillors the foresaid whole rights respectively above-mentioned and ordains the same to be renewed in the most ample form. And further declares, statutes and ordains that no act nor statute made in this present parliament shall hurt or be prejudicial to the said Master Peter, his spouse and bairns in any of their rights foresaid or any other right that they have to any lands, pensions or possessions, but they shall possess the same freely according to their rights notwithstanding any act made heretofore in their prejudice.