[1641/8/280]¹

Ratification to [John Shaw], laird of Greenock

Our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the three estates of this present parliament, ratifies, approves and for his highness and his successors perpetually confirms the charter and infeftment made and granted by our said sovereign lord, for himself and as father and lawful tutor, administrator and governor of the law to his highness's dearest son Charles, Prince of Scotland and Wales, Duke of Rothesay, Albany, Cornwall and York, superior of the lands underwritten, to his highness's beloved John Shaw of Greenock and Helen Houston, his spouse, and longest liver of the two, in conjunct fee, and the male heirs lawfully procreated or to be procreated between them, which failing, to the said John Shaw, his male heirs and assignees whatsoever heritably, of all and whole the lands of Wester Greenock Shaw with the old castle site, castle, tower and fortalice and manor place, new built bounds, places, orchards and yards of the same, with the mill thereof and their pertinents whatsoever; and of all and whole an annualrent of 50s yearly to be uplifted and taken at two terms in the year, Whitsunday [May/June] and Martinmas [11 November] in winter, by equal portions, out of all and whole the lands of Johnstone, with the pertinents, lying within the sheriffdom of Renfrew; and also of all and whole the lands of Drumelling and Spango Cunningham, with the woods of the same, and that part of the mill of Spango, mill lands, astricted multures and other multures thereof, with all and sundry the pertinents, except the three shilling, four penny land of the said lands lying on the east part of the lands and messuage sometimes occupied and possessed by John Ewing, all lying within the said sheriffdom of Renfrew, which infeftment is granted upon the said John Shaw's resignation; together likewise with the new gift and donation contained therein made and granted by our said sovereign lord, for himself and as father and administrator to his highness's said dearest son, the prince, with consent of his highness's principal treasurer and treasurer depute within this kingdom of Scotland for the time, to the said John Shaw, his spouse and their foresaids, of the lands and others particularly above-specified with the new erection contained in the said charter to the said John Shaw, his spouse and their foresaids of the town or village of Greenock in a free burgh of barony, to be called now and in all time coming the burgh of Greenock, with all privileges, liberties and immunities at length mentioned and contained in the said charter to be held of his highness's said dearest son Charles, prince and stewart of Scotland, and his successors, in fee and heritage and free barony for ever for service of ward and relief, as the said charter under his highness's great seal of the date at Greenwich, 5 June 1635 at more length bears; with the precept of sasine following upon the said charter under his highness's quarter seal of the date of the said charter, together also with the instrument of sasine following upon the said precept given to the said John Shaw and his spouse of the lands and others foresaid of the date 9 September 1635 under the note and subscription of Thomas Niven, notary public, in all and sundry the heads, points, clauses, articles, circumstances and conditions contained in the said charter, precept of sasine following thereupon and sasine following upon the same, and after the forms and tenors thereof in all points, to have been from the beginning, to be now and in all time coming good, valid and sufficient evidents and securities, according to the tenors thereof, to the said John Shaw, his spouse and their foresaids for their heritable and peaceable holding, enjoying and possessing of the forenamed lands and others particularly above-specified, with the pertinents contained therein perpetually in all time coming, as their own proper heritage, according to their said rights thereof hereby ratified in all points in time coming as said is. And declares this present ratification to be as valid and effectual as if the foresaid charter, precept and instrument of sasine were word by word inserted herein, albeit the same be not so done, concerning which, our sovereign lord and estates of parliament have dispensed and hereby dispense for ever.