[1597/11/65]¹

Ratification of the lordship of Dunfermline to the queen's majesty

Our sovereign lord and estates in parliament ratify and approve and for his majesty and his successors perpetually confirm the charter or infeftment under the great seal made and granted by his highness to the right excellent Princess Anne, queen of Scotland, his highness's dearest spouse, and to the heirs lawfully procreated or to be procreated between his majesty and his said dearest spouse, which failing (as God forbid), to his highness's heirs and successors to the crown of this realm whatsoever, of all and whole the monastery and abbacy of Dunfermline lying on both the sides of the water of Forth underwritten, with the erection, creation and incorporation mentioned in the same of the said abbacy and pertinents thereof after-specified in a whole free and temporal lordship in all and sundry points, passes, articles, clauses, immunities, exemptions and privileges therein contained, and wills and declares that the same infeftment and erection foresaid specified in the same infeftment is now and in all time coming shall be as valid and sufficient and of as great efficacy, force, strength and effect to his highness's dearest spouse foresaid, their heirs and successors above-mentioned as if the said infeftment had been given and granted and the abbacy foresaid had been erected in a temporal lordship by his majesty with all advice and consents requisite thereto before the making of the act of annexation of the temporal lands of all prelacies to the patrimony of his highness's crown, which was in the month of [...] the year of God 1687, or that the said abbacy had been specially excepted from the same act notwithstanding thereof or any other act, law, statute or ordinance canon, civil or municipal made or to be made in the contrary; concerning which, his highness, with advice of his said estates, for them and their successors, has dispensed and by this ratification dispenses. And for many great and weighty causes, declares the foresaid act of annexation, nor nothing following or that may follow thereupon, shall be hurtful, prejudicial or in any way derogative to the said infeftment or to any point or article therein contained or to any writ or security whereupon the same proceeded or that has followed or shall follow or proceeded therefrom in any time bygone or to come.