[1641/8/299]¹

Ratification to [Alexander Swinton], laird of Swinton

Our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the estates of parliament now presently convened, ratifies and approves in favour of Sir Alexander Swinton, now of that Ilk, a charter granted by his highness's dearest father of worthy memory, King James VI, to the late Robert Swinton of that Ilk and his heirs specified therein of the lands and lordship of Swinton, Meikle and Little Swinton, with houses, buildings, yards, orchards, tofts, crofts, mills, woods, annexes, connexes and kirk lands of the same, all and whole the lands of Cranshaws, with advocation, donation and right of patronage of the kirk of Cranshaws, all united in one barony, with the liberties and privileges contained therein, of the date 26 June 1598, with the sasine following thereupon; together also with a ratification and approbation thereof contained in a disposition made by John Stewart of Coldingham, Francis Stewart, eldest lawful son to the late Francis [Stewart], sometime earl of Bothwell, Harry Stewart, his brother, the late Alexander Cranston of Murieston, Robert Douglas of Blackerston, for himself and as father, tutor and administrator of the law to Elizabeth and the late Grissell Douglas, his daughters, and taking the burden upon him for them of and concerning the superiority of Meikle and Little Swinton and kirk lands thereof in favour of the late John Swinton of that Ilk and his heirs, of the date 24 and 11 days of March and April 1632; together likewise with a decreet of valuation before the commissioners for surrenders and teinds, of the date 29 July 1635, whereby the said commissioners have ratified and approved the process and decreet of valuation given and pronounced by the sub-commissioners of the presbytery of Chirnside, valuing the parsonage teinds of the lands and barony of Swinton, extending to 114 husband lands, to three bolls victual each husband land, two part oats and third part barley of constant rent in common years yearly, and the vicarage teinds of each one of the same husband lands to 10s money yearly; and also the said commissioners for surrenders and teinds determined and ordained the foresaid three bolls of victual and 10s money to stand, continue and endure and to be reputed and held the just, true and constant yearly worth and value of the teinds, parsonage and vicarage respectively, of each husband land of the said 114 husband lands of the barony of Swinton in common years in all time coming, deducting always a fifth part thereof for his majesty's ease, according to the act of parliament, as the said decreet of valuation in the self at more length purports and bears, in all and sundry heads, articles, clauses, circumstances and conditions of the foresaid charter, with the sasine following thereupon, ratification and decreet of valuation respectively above-mentioned; and ordains this ratification to be as valid and sufficient as if the whole tenors and contents of the same charter, sasine, ratification and decreet of valuation respectively foresaid were all inserted at length and word for word herein, albeit the same be not so done; concerning which our said sovereign lord and estates of parliament dispense for ever. And also our sovereign lord and estates of parliament will and declare that the foresaid charter, sasine, ratification and decreet of valuation above-mentioned, and this present ratification thereof, are and shall be sufficient and valid rights to the said Sir Alexander Swinton, now of that Ilk, and to the heirs and successors of the said late Robert Swinton of that Ilk, for holding and possessing of the foresaid lands and lordship of Swinton, Meikle and Little Swinton, and teinds thereof respectively above-specified, with houses, buildings, yards, mills, woods and kirk lands of the same, and all and whole the said lands of Cranshaws, with the advocation, donation and right of patronage of the kirk of Cranshaws, all united in one barony according to the tenor of the said charter, sasine following thereupon, ratification and approbation thereof contained in the said disposition and decreet of valuation respectively above-mentioned in all points, without any question or contradiction to be made to them relating thereto.