[1641/8/294]¹

Ratification to Master James Baird

Our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the three estates of this present parliament, ratifies and approves and, for his highness and his successors, perpetually confirms the charter and infeftment, with the precept of sasine contained therein and instrument of sasine following thereupon, made and granted by James Crichton of Frendraught to his highness's beloved Master James Baird, advocate, and Bethia Dempster, his spouse, and to the longest liver of the two, in liferent during all the days of their lifetime, and to Master John Baird, their eldest lawful son, designed for the time John Baird, his heirs and assignees whatsoever heritably in fee, of all and whole the lands of Fiddesbeg, alias Little Fiddes, with the houses, buildings, yards, parts, pendicles and pertinents thereof, lying within the parish of Foveran and sheriffdom of Aberdeen, to be held of the said James Crichton of Frendraught, his heirs and assignees, for yearly payment of the particular duty of £4 at length mentioned and contained in the said charter, as the same charter containing precept of sasine therein of the date 3 December 1630, with the instrument of sasine following thereupon, under the note and subscription of William Cordenar, notary public, at more length bears, in all and sundry the heads, points, clauses, articles, circumstances and conditions contained in the said charter and precept of sasine therein engrossed and instrument of sasine following thereupon, and after the forms and tenors thereof in all points, to have been from the beginning, to be now and in all time coming in themselves good, lawful and perfect evidents and securities to the said Master James Baird and Bethia Dempster, his spouse, and the said Master John Baird, their son, his heirs and assignees foresaid, for their heritable and peaceable holding, enjoying and possessing of the said lands of Little Fiddes, with the pertinents thereof, in all time coming, according to the tenors of the said rights hereby ratified, without contradiction, quarrel or question to be made against the same. Moreover, our said sovereign lord, with consent foresaid, has determined and declared and, for his highness and his successors, perpetually statutes and ordains the said charter and infeftment, containing precept of sasine therein and sasine following thereupon in manner foresaid, to be a valid, lawful, heritable and real right and security to the said Master James Baird, his said spouse, son and his foresaids, and to each one of them respectively for their own parts, and to the said Master John Baird, their son, his heirs and assignees, for peaceable holding and possessing of the said lands of Little Fiddes, with their pertinents, heritably and perpetually in all time coming, as their own proper heritage notwithstanding of whatsoever defect or imperfections that in any way hereafter may be alleged or objected against the same de jure or de facto, either by his highness or by his successors, or any other person or persons that in any way may claim or pretend right thereto in any time coming, according to the tenors thereof as said is; concerning which, our said sovereign lord, for his highness and his successors, has dispensed, and by this ratification dispenses for ever.