[1641/8/457]¹

Ratification in favour of the burgh of Irvine

Our sovereign lord and estates of parliament ratify and approve the four charters and infeftments and others respectively after-specified, namely: a charter granted by King Robert II to and in favour of the burgh of Irvine and burgesses thereof, giving liberty to them only to use their merchandise and enjoy the same freely within the whole bounds, borders and marches of the whole baronies of Cunninghame and Largs annexed to the liberty of the said burgh, and discharging any others to disquiet them therein, with power also to them and their successors to hold and possess the said burgh in a free burgh, with all privileges and liberties, as freely and honourably as any other burgh within the kingdom, with the liberty of guild and to make guild brethren in manner contained in the said charter, which is of the date 8 April [1372], in the second year of his majesty's reign, and confirmed by King Robert III upon 2 January [1391], the first year of his reign; and another charter of confirmation granted by King James IV to the said burgh of Irvine, bailies and community thereof, ratifying and approving their whole privileges, liberties and immunities whatsoever granted of before to the said burgh, containing a privilege of replegiation² granted to the said burgh for repledging and reducing of whatsoever burgesses or burgess indwellers within the same burgh that shall happen to be attached or arrested to whatsoever court or courts before whatsoever judge or judges to the liberty of the said burgh of Irvine, and that they within the same burgh shall underlie the law by an assize of the neighbours of the same, which charter is dated 8 August 1511, with the whole acts of replegiation granted in favour of the said burgh of Irvine by virtue of the said charter; another charter under the great seal granted by the late King James VI, with advice and consent of his highness's regent for the time, to the said burgh of Irvine and their successors, of all and whatsoever lands, houses, tenements, buildings, kirks, chaplainries, yards, orchards, annualrents and others whatsoever which pertained to whatsoever chaplainries, altarages, prebendaries, chapels or colleges within the said liberty of the said burgh of Irvine, and six bolls of multure or sucken which pertained to the Carmelite friars of the said burgh and were uplifted by them out of the lands of Ormesheuche, Reddinghill and Hoillhouse, lying within the bailiary of Cunninghame, and all other annualrents whatsoever pertaining of before to the said friars within the said burgh and liberty thereof, dated 8 July 1572; another charter of confirmation under the great seal granted by the said late King James VI ratifying and approving all and whatsoever infeftments and charters granted by his majesty and his highness's predecessors regarding the erection and creation of the burgh of Irvine in a free burgh royal, with all liberties, immunities, privileges and commodities whatsoever contained therein, which charter contains a clause of novodamus in favour of the said burgh of Irvine and their successors of all and whole the burgh of Irvine, with the lands and tenements lying within the same, the lands called the Burrowelandis, alias Montaber, Gallowemure, Knodgerhill, Newemure, Hiemure, Guildielandis, Weirisholme, Inner and Outer Boigfauldis, with the whole pasturage or wards, meadows, acres and commonties within the said burgh, with all and sundry other lands, annualrents, mills, multures, fishings and others whatsoever pertaining to the said burgh, with all seaports or harbours or bulwarks pertaining thereto, with all customs, anchorages, privileges and liberties belonging to the same, with power also to the provost and bailies of the said burgh and their successors to keep and hold justice and sheriff courts within the liberties of the said burgh to punish malefactors according to the laws of this realm, and to convey upon their escheats to the use of the said burgh, with the privilege of yearly fairs and weekly markets in manner specified in the said charter, which is of the date 1 May 1601, with all that has followed or may follow upon the said four charters, to be held in manner respectively specified in the said four charters and infeftments, in all and sundry the heads, points, articles, clauses, circumstances and conditions contained in the said four charters, and after the forms and tenors thereof in all points. And our sovereign lord and estates of parliament decree and ordain that this present ratification thereof is and shall be as valid and of as great force, strength and effect to the said burgh of Irvine and their successors as if the said four charters and infeftments were at length inserted word for word herein, concerning which, and with all other defects and imperfections and objections whatsoever which may be proposed or objected against the said four charters and infeftments or any of them, our said sovereign lord and estates of this present parliament dispense for ever.