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Ratification in favour of the burgh of Whithorn

Our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the estates of this present parliament, has ratified and approved and, for his majesty and his successors, perpetually confirmed, likewise his majesty, by the tenor of this present act, with advice and consent of the said estates, ratifies, approves and confirms the gift, infeftment and confirmation granted by his majesty's most noble progenitor King James IV of worthy memory, in favour of the burgesses and inhabitants of the burgh of Whithorn, whereby he not only ratified three charters given by his most noble progenitors King Robert [the Bruce] and King David Bruce of good memory, whereby the said town of Whithorn was made, created and confirmed a free burgh with markets every week and public fairs once in the year, with all other privileges of a free burgh, with the small customs and others contained therein pertaining to the port and isle of Whithorn, but also the said King James IV has of new made, created and of new infeftment confirmed the said town of Whithorn and bounds thereof in a free burgh called the burgh of Whithorn forever in all time coming, willing also and granting that the burgesses and inhabitants within the said burgh present and to come should be as free in all time coming as any other burgesses of any of his majesty's free royal burghs, and that they shall have and possess within the said burgh market crosses and market days every Saturday weekly, as also fairs² yearly at the feast of St Peter in the month of June, and that for the space of eight days, with the customs, privileges and all other liberties pertaining to a free fair or may be known to pertain thereto in any time coming. And with power to pack and peel within the said burgh their merchandise and goods, and also to load and unload the said merchandise and goods in ships at the said isle and port of Whithorn as the port and station of ships belonging to the said burgh, with all privileges pertaining to the said port, and with power to buy and sell within the said burgh wine and wax etc., and to have bakers, brewers etc., and with power yearly to the burgesses and inhabitants within the said burgh to elect and choose provost, bailies, serjeants and other officers necessary for governing of the said burgh, with all and sundry other privileges belonging to a free burgh, as freely as any other free burgh within this realm holds, possesses or is infeft into, as in the said gift, infeftment and confirmation, dated at Edinburgh, 1 May 1511, at length is contained. Together also with another ratification granted in the parliament held at Edinburgh, 18 June 1515, by the which [John Stewart, duke of Albany], lord governor, with advice of the lords of parliament then being present, ratified and approved the said confirmation made by King James IV of good mind, of the privilege granted to the said burgh of Whithorn, making the same a free burgh of the date foresaid as a ratification granted under the testimony of his majesty's great seal, ratifying the said act of parliament, of the date 27 July 1518 likewise at length bears, in the whole heads, articles, clauses, circumstances and conditions thereof. And hereby our said sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the said estates, wills and grants that this present ratification is and shall be as valid and to have as great force, strength and effect to the burgesses and inhabitants of the said burgh of Whithorn for possessing of their liberties contained in their said infeftments and rights and according thereto as if the said charter and confirmation following thereupon were at length inserted herein, concerning which, and all defects and objections that may be proposed in the contrary, our said sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the said estates, dispenses for ever.