[1641/8/415]¹

Ratification in favour of the town of Lanark

Our sovereign lord and estates of parliament ratify, approve and confirm to and in favour of the provost, bailies, dean of guild, treasurer, council and community of the burgh of Lanark and their successors the charter of confirmation, with the new gift and disposition contained therein, precept and instrument of sasine following thereupon made, given and granted in their favour by our said sovereign lord, under his highness's great seal, with advice and consent of his majesty's treasurers principal and depute and other lords of his highness's exchequer of the kingdom of Scotland, his majesty's commissioners, of the date at Whitehall, 20 February 1632, whereby his majesty, with consent foresaid, ratified, approved and confirmed the charters, infeftments and other rights, titles and securities particularly and generally mentioned therein, made, given and granted by his highness's predecessors of worthy memory to the said provost, bailies, council and community of the said burgh of Lanark and their successors of all and whole the same burgh, with the lands, houses, buildings, tofts, crofts, infields, outfields, common pasturages, mosses, muirs, marshes, peat-pots, woods, fishings, coal pits, coals, altarages, advocations, donations, presentations, privileges, liberties, offices and others particularly and generally expressed therein; and also of new gave, granted and conveyed to the said provost, bailies, council and community of the said burgh of Lanark and their successors all and whole the same burgh, with all and sundry lands, houses, buildings, yards, tofts, crofts, infields, outfields, common pasturages, mosses, muirs, peat-pots, marshes, woods, fishings of salmon and other fishings, coals, coal pits, quarries, lime, limestone, office of sheriffship, privileges, liberties and others particularly and generally mentioned and contained in the said charter, to be held of our said sovereign lord and his highness's successors in a free burgh royal forever, for payment yearly of 6 merks sterling money, as being the old burgh mail, and with service of burgh used and wont; and for the friar lands, altarages and others expressed in the said charter, the sum of 2 merks usual money of Scotland in name of feu ferm, as in the said charter, precept and instrument of sasine following thereupon at more length is contained in all and sundry heads, articles, clauses, conditions and circumstances whatsoever mentioned and contained in the said charter, precept and instrument of sasine following thereupon. Moreover, our said sovereign lord and estates of parliament will and grant and, by this ratification, decree and ordain that the said act of ratification and generality thereof is and shall be of as great value, force, strength and effect to the said provosts, bailies, council and community of the said burgh of Lanark and their successors as if the said charter, precept and instrument of sasine following thereupon were all at length word by word engrossed and inserted herein; concerning which, and with all other objections, defects and imperfections that may be proposed or alleged against the validity of the said charter, precept and instrument of sasine, or of this ratification thereof, our said sovereign lord and estates of parliament have dispensed and by this ratification dispense for now and ever.