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Act in favour of the burgh of Glasgow

Our sovereign lord, being sufficiently informed of the great charges and expenses that the provost, bailies, council and community of the burgh and city of Glasgow has sustained these many years bygone in making of the River Clyde, whereupon the said burgh and city is founded and situated, portable for ships, boats, barks and other vessels for importing and exporting of foreign and homeward commodities, to the great comfort of his majesty's lieges lying within the bounds and sheriffdoms next adjacent thereto, and for advancement and increase of policy of the common welfare of this his highness's kingdom of Scotland, and in mending, repairing and upholding of the bridge of Glasgow over the said river, which is a very profitable means for maintenance of commerce, as likewise of the great care, pains and charges sustained by them in upholding of the great kirk of Glasgow and edifice thereof after the ancient manner and first foundation of the same; and also calling to mind what great and sumptuous charges, care and expenses they have been at lately in building of a tolbooth for administration of justice and other affairs tending to the advancement of the common welfare and decoration of the said kingdom, and in building and repairing of churches within the said burgh and city with steeples answerable thereto, as also of the great care, diligence and expenses sustained by them in building and repairing of certain bridges over rivers and waters in sundry parts where strangers may have commodious travelling to and from his majesty's kingdom of Ireland and other parts within the kingdom of Scotland, not only to the comfort and profit of the lieges of all sorts of these his majesty's kingdoms, but likewise to the great comfort of all strangers and foreigners resorting in these parts. And his majesty, being mindful of these their commendable and common works tending to the common welfare of his majesty's kingdom, and to give them occasion to continue in prosecuting of their good intentions, and for the known good service done to his majesty and his most noble progenitors by the provost, bailies, council and community of the said burgh and city of Glasgow and their predecessors in time past, therefore our said sovereign lord, with consent and advice of the three estates of this present parliament, has ratified, approved and confirmed and, by the tenor hereof, ratifies, approves and confirms all and sundry charters, infeftments, confirmations thereof, gifts, donations, mortifications and all other evidents, writs and securities whatsoever of whatsoever nature, kind and quality the same be made and granted by his majesty or any of his most noble progenitors to and in favour of the provost, bailies, council, and community of the said burgh and city of Glasgow; and in special (without prejudice of the generality foresaid) his majesty, with advice and consent above-specified, has ratified and approved and, by this act, ratifies and approves a charter, gift or donation granted by his highness's most noble progenitor Alexander, king of Scots, of and concerning the liberties and privileges of the said burgh, burgesses and inhabitants thereof, of the date at Maden Castle, 18 June, the 26th year of his reign. Item, another charter granted by King Robert, his majesty's most noble progenitor, confirming the foresaid charter under the great seal, dated 15 November, the 23rd year of his reign. Item, another charter granted by King Robert to the provost, bailies, council and community of the said burgh of Glasgow, confirming the foresaid charter and granting certain new liberties thereto, dated at Scone, 28 July in the 18th year of his reign. Item, another charter granted by Mary, queen of Scots, his majesty's dearest grandmother, to and in favour of the provost, bailies, council and community of the said burgh of Glasgow of certain lands, tenements, kirks, chapels, chaplainries, prebendaries, altarages and others mentioned therein, dated 17 March 1566. Item, another charter granted by his majesty's dearest father of eternal memory under his great seal, ratifying all the former gifts, donations, privileges and others made in favour of the said provost, bailies, council and community, dated at Royston, 8 April 1611. Item, a decreet of parliament pronounced in favour of the said burgh of Glasgow, dated 29 November 1469. Item, his majesty's ratification of the said decreet dated 1 December 1479. Item, an act of secret council in favour of the said burgh concerning their liberties, dated 10 September 1600. Item, an act of interlocutor of the lords of session given in their favour upon 25 July 1607. Item, a decreet of the lords of council and session given in favour of the said burgh upon 4 June 1575 regarding a ladleful of all sorts of corns sold in their market, in all and sundry heads, articles, clauses, conditions and circumstances thereof whatsoever, willing, declaring and ordaining that this present ratification of the particular evidents and writs above-written and generality thereof is, and shall be, as valid, effectual and sufficient to the provost, bailies, council and community of the said burgh of Glasgow and their successors for ever in judgement and outwith as if they and every one of them were at length, word by word, engrossed and inserted herein. And further, our said sovereign lord, with advice and consent foresaid of his estates of parliament, ratifies and approves all and whatsoever gifts, rights and securities made and granted in favour of the provost, bailies, council and community of the said burgh by his majesty's predecessors or by whatsoever other person or persons of whatsoever kind and quality the same be of, of and concerning the tron of the said burgh, river and bridge of the same, tolls and customs thereof uplifted by them and whereof they and their predecessors are, and have been, in use and possession these many years past for maintenance of their bridge over the said River Clyde, and declares that their ancient possession of the customs thereof shall be as sufficient as if the gifts or donations granted to their predecessors of the same were produced in this present parliament, and generally ratifies and approves all and whatsoever other charters, infeftments, confirmations thereof, gifts, donations, mortifications and all other evidents and writs whatsoever made and granted by his majesty or any of his most noble progenitors, kings, queens, princes and stewarts of Scotland, their regents, governors and protectors of this kingdom for the time to, and in favour of, the provost, bailies, council and community of the said burgh of Glasgow, burgesses and inhabitants thereof, of and concerning all and whatsoever lands, houses, buildings, tenements, annualrents, dignities, offices, liberties, privileges, kirks, chapels, chaplainries, altarages, prebendaries, duties and annualrents whatsoever belonging thereto, trons, waters, rivers, bridges and customs belonging to the same, admitting, declaring and ordaining that this present ratification and generality thereof is, and shall be, as good, valid and sufficient to them and their successors in all time coming as if every particular writ and evident granted to them thereupon were particularly and at length word for word engrossed and inserted herein; concerning which, and with all that may be objected there against, his majesty and estates foresaid of this present parliament have dispensed and, by this act, dispense for ever, with express declaration always, likewise our said sovereign lord and estates foresaid by this present act declare, statute and ordain that the charters, infeftments, acts, decreets and other rights and securities, specially and generally above-mentioned, granted to the said burgh of Glasgow with this present ratification thereof, shall in no way be prejudicial nor hurtful to his majesty's dearest cousin and councillor James [Stewart], duke of Lennox, his heirs and successors, regarding the heritable right and infeftment of the office of bailiary and justiciary of the barony and regality of Glasgow and all the parts thereof, as well within as outwith the burgh of Glasgow, but that, notwithstanding of the said charters, infeftments and other rights specially and generally above-mentioned, and this present ratification thereof, his highness's said dearest cousin and councillor James, duke of Lennox, his heirs and successors shall possess, enjoy, use and exercise the said office of bailiary and justiciary of the barony and regality of Glasgow above-written and all the parts thereof as well within as outwith the burgh of Glasgow, and shall uplift and intromit with the fees, casualties, commodities and duties belonging to the said office of bailiary and justiciary of the said barony and regality of Glasgow likewise and as freely in all respects as if the charters, infeftments and other rights specially and generally above-mentioned, and this present ratification thereof, had never been made nor granted, as likewise with this express declaration: likewise our said sovereign lord and estates foresaid, by this present act, and also with consent of the provost and one of the bailies of the said burgh, in name of the remaining whole council and community of the said burgh of Glasgow, declares, statutes and ordains that the charters, infeftments, decreets, acts, possessions and other rights and securities specially and generally above-mentioned, granted to the said burgh of Glasgow with this present ratification thereof, shall in no way be hurtful nor prejudicial to the right reverend father Patrick [Lindsay], archbishop of Glasgow and his successors regarding his and their right of the election and nomination of the magistrates of the burgh of Glasgow, nor regarding the right of any lands, teinds, privileges, liberties or others whatsoever pertaining to the archbishop of Glasgow and his successors. And lastly with express declaration that this present ratification shall be in no way prejudicial to the liberties, privileges and immunities of the University of Glasgow, but that the same shall be reserved to them with the lands, tenements, yards and others appertaining thereto according to the ratification granted to them in this present parliament and to the declarations and reservations expressed in the same ratification and no otherwise.