[A1461/3]¹

Letters: public instrument recording protest of James Skene of that Ilk

In the name of God amen. By this present public instrument let it be plainly known to all that in the year of the Lord 1460 [1461], the ninth indiction, on the seventh of March, in the third year of the pontificate of our most holy father in Christ and lord, the lord Pius II, pope by divine providence, in the presence of our most dread prince and lord, the lord James III, most illustrious king of Scots, the underwritten lords, barons, prelates, me as notary public, and the witnesses subscribed, there compeared in person publicly in the parliament held at Edinburgh on the foresaid day, month and year, Alexander Skene, son and procurator of James Skene of that Ilk, in the name of the latter, and declared that all the lands of Ledach, Skene, Kirkton of Skene, Mullbuie and Garlogie, and their mill, with pertinents, lying in the barony of Skene, within the sheriffdom of Aberdeen, belong and appertain to the said James (according to the said Alexander) by hereditary right; that the late most illustrious prince our supreme lord James [II], king of Scots, now deceased, after the recognition of the same lands made at the instance of Janet de Keith, relaxed the same recognition and handed them over to the said Janet as surety, according to the said Alexander, against the laws, rights and statutes of the realm, and to the prejudice, damage and injury of the said James. Therefore the said Alexander, in the name and on behalf of the said James his father, most humbly requested our said supreme lord to put the said James in possession of the said lands, according to the rights, customs and ancient laws of the realm; and protested that the handing over of the said lands to the said Janet de Keith as surety, or whatever things are done or to be done concerning the said lands, do not proceed in prejudice to the said James in future concerning his right of the aforesaid lands, preventing his free regress to the aforesaid lands and profiting from them. Upon all and sundry of which the said Alexander, in the name of his said father, caused the present public instrument to be made for him by me, the notary public underwritten. These things were done at Edinburgh, in the tolbooth thereof, in the year, day, month, indiction and pontificate stated above. Witnesses: reverend fathers in Christ and lords Andrew [Durisdeer], bishop of Glasgow, Thomas [Lauder], bishop of Dunkeld, Thomas [Spens], bishop of Aberdeen, George [Lauder], bishop of Argyll; noble and mighty lords Andrew [Stewart], lord Avondale, chancellor of Scotland, Alexander [Montgomery], lord Montgomery, William [Borthwick], lord Borthwick, John [Lindsay], lord Lindsay of the Byres, Patrick [Hepburn], lord Hailes, Andrew [Gray], lord Gray, Gilbert [Kennedy], lord Kennedy, Alexander Home, Thomas Cranstoun, Robert Semple of Elliston, knights; and Archibald Stewart, with many others especially called and summoned for the above matters.

And I, Thomas Brown, clerk of St Andrews diocese, notary public by apostolic authority, was personally present with the said lords and abovenamed witnesses while all of the recitation and protest of the said Alexander and all and sundry other things were done, said and transacted, as stated above; and I saw and heard those things to be thus said and done, and have recorded it in this public form, written by another's hand as I am occupied with other business; and I have signed it with my usual and accustomed sign and seal, as required, in faith and witness to all and sundry of the above matters.

Thomas Brown