[1607/3/45]¹

Ratification in favour of [David Lindsay], laird of Balcarres

34. Our sovereign lord and estates of this present parliament, calling to remembrance the good, true and thankful service done to his majesty and in the public affairs of the realm of Scotland by his highness's late faithful and familiar councillor Master John Lindsay of Balcarres, sometime his majesty's secretary and one of the senators of his highness's college of justice, to the profit and commodity of his majesty's estate, royal and common welfare of his said realm; therefore, and for other good causes and considerations moving his majesty and estates foresaid hereto, they have ratified, approved and confirmed and, by the tenor hereof, ratify, approve and confirm a charter and infeftment (which the said estates have now seen, read and considered and perfectly understand), made and granted by our said sovereign lord under his great seal of the date at Holyroodhouse, 5 February 1603, to David Lindsay, now of Balcarres, eldest lawful son now alive and heir to the said late Master John, and to the said David's nearest and lawful male heirs whatsoever bearing and for to bear the arms and surname of Lindsay, of all and sundry the lands of Balneil, Easter Pitcorthie, Wester Pitcorthie and Lichtownislandis of Inverdovat, all and whole the lands and mill of Balcarres, and whole the lands of Balmaken and lands of Nether Cummerlandis, with their manor places, fortalices, houses, buildings, yards, coals, coal pits, pasturages, commonties, liberties, pertinents and others specified in the said charter, of all and sundry the lands and mill above-written, together with the advocation, donation and right of patronage of the parish kirk of Kilconquhar, parsonage and vicarage of the same, with the privileges and liberties thereof, all lying within the sheriffdom of Fife, which by virtue of the said charter were united, annexed and incorporated in a whole and free barony to the said David Lindsay and his foresaids, called and to be called in all times coming the barony of Balcarres, to be held of our said sovereign lord and his successors in free heritage, feu ferm and blench ferm respectively, and in free barony forever, as the said charter made and granted thereupon containing sundry other heads and articles more fully purports, together with the procuratories and instruments of resignation and demission therein mentioned whereupon the said charter proceeded, and also the instruments of sasine following thereupon given and granted to the said David Lindsay of all and sundry the said lands, barony and others above-rehearsed, in all and sundry their heads, clauses, articles and contents of the same, after the forms and tenors thereof in all points, to the effect the said David Lindsay and his male heirs foresaid may peaceably hold, enjoy, possess, set, use and convey at their pleasure all and sundry the said lands, barony, mill and others whatsoever above-specified comprehended therein; together with the foresaid advocation, donation and right of patronage of the forenamed parish kirk of Kilconquhar, parsonage and vicarage thereof, with all and sundry privileges and commodities appertaining thereto, as their own proper lands, rents and heritage in all time coming, in manner contained in the said charter and infeftment made thereupon. And to that effect our said sovereign lord, for his majesty and his said successors and the estates foresaid, with one consent, has dissolved and disunited and, by the tenor of this present act of parliament, dissolves and disunites the forenamed parish kirk of Kilconquhar, parsonage and vicarage of the same, with all and sundry teind sheaves, other teinds, manses, glebes, rents, profits, emoluments and others whatsoever thereof pertaining thereto of before, with the foundation of the same, from the abbacy and priory of North Berwick and patrimony thereof in all times coming and, by the tenor of this present act, erects in a rectory and parsonage by the self and to be called in all time coming the parsonage of Kilconquhar; and the said advocation, donation and right of patronage thereof shall appertain heritably to the said David Lindsay and his foresaids as united, annexed and incorporated in and to the said barony of Balcarres in all times coming; and declares that this present ratification and confirmation of the foresaid charter and infeftment shall be as valid and effectual in all respects to the said David Lindsay and his foresaids as if the same charter were word by word at length inserted herein, without prejudice always to [George Gledstanes], archbishop of St Andrews and his successors, their rights of the superiority of the lands of Wester Pitcorthie and Balmaken held of them, whereunto this present ratification shall in no way be extended nor prejudicial.