[1641/8/289]¹

Ratification to Master John Skene

Our sovereign lord and estates of this present parliament have ratified, approved and confirmed and, by the tenor hereof, for his highness and his successors, ratify, approve and confirm the charter and infeftment granted by his majesty under his highness's great seal, of the date at Whitehall, 24 March 1630, to his highness's beloved Master John Skene, one of the ordinary clerks of the college of justice, his heirs and assignees whatsoever heritably and irredeemably, without any reversion, redemption or regress, of all and whole the lands and barony of Hallyards, comprehending therein all and sundry the lands of Hallyards with the principal messuage, manor place, houses, buildings, yards, orchards, meadows and all their pertinents, and also all and sundry the lands and mains of Hallbarns, with their pertinents, together with the teind sheaves and other teinds, rents, fruits and emoluments, as well parsonage as vicarage, of the said lands of Hallyards and Hallbarns respectively therein included, which were never separated from the stock and all their pertinents lying within the barony of Listoun and sheriffdom of Edinburgh as for the principal; and also of all and whole the lands and barony of Libberton, comprehending therein all and sundry the town and lands of Libberton and eight oxengate of land of Muirhouse, with the tower, fortalice, manor place, houses, buildings, yards, orchards and other parts and pendicles of the said lands of Libberton, mill thereof, mill lands, multures and sequels of the same, outsets, annexes, connexes, dependencies, tenants, tenancies, service of free tenants thereof, and all their pertinents, extending in the whole to a forty pound land of old extent; and also all and whole the town and lands of Quothquan and Cormiston, with the mill of Quothquan, mill lands, multures and sequels thereof, commonties, parts, pendicles and all their pertinents, all lying within the lordship and barony of Carnwath and sheriffdom of Lanark, and that in special clause of warrandice and security to the said Master John Skene and his foresaids of all and sundry the said lands of Hallyards and Hallbarns respectively, with the teinds, teind sheaves thereof and others respectively with their pertinents foresaid, under the conditions and provisions always in manner specified in the said infeftment, to be held of our sovereign lord and his highness's successors, namely: the said lands of Hallyards and Hallbarns, with the teinds included, conveyed as principal in feu ferm and free barony for ever, for payment of a yearly feu duty of 100 merks money of this realm, and the said lands of Libberton, Muirhouse, Quothquan and Cormiston, with their mills, conveyed in warrandice in a free barony, called the barony of Libberton, for payment of a yearly blench duty of a pair of red hose in manner contained in the said infeftments, with the precepts and instruments of sasine following thereupon, in the whole heads, clauses, articles and conditions thereof. And his majesty and estates will and declare that this ratification shall be as valid and effectual as if the said charter, precepts and instruments of sasine were inserted word by word, concerning which his majesty and estates by this ratification dispense. Moreover, our said sovereign lord and estates of this present parliament will and grant and, for his highness and his successors foresaid, declare, decree and ordain that the said charter, infeftment, precept of sasine, with the sasine following thereupon and this present ratification thereof, are and shall be sufficient rights and securities to the said Master John Skene, his heirs, successors and assignees for their peaceable possessing, holding and enjoying of the said lands and baronies, both principal and warrandice respectively above-specified, with the teind sheaves, as well parsonage as vicarage thereof, included, and others above-specified, with their pertinents, heritably in manner contained in the said infeftment at their pleasure in all time coming, and according to the foresaid charter and infeftment in all points, notwithstanding of whatsoever objections may be made in the contrary, which his majesty and estates renounce for ever.