Charter of Mr Thomas Ramsay, minister at Foulden, and his spouse of Nether Mordington

[NAS C2/55/2 no. 245, dated 13.9.1636]

Note that it is the tenendas clause (which begins 'Tenendas' or 'To be held') which defines the tenure by which the land was held.

Charles, by the grace of god, king of Great Britain, France and Ireland and defender of the faith, to all good men of all
his land, cleric and lay, greeting. Know ye that we, with advice and consent of our beloved cousin and counsellor, John,
earl of Traquair, lord Linton and Caberston, our Lord Treasurer, Keeper of our Exchequer Rolls and Collector
... within our kingdom of Scotland, and the other Lords Commissioners of our Exchequer of
our said kingdom, have granted, conceded, disponed and by this our present charter confirmed, and by the tenor hereof give, concede, dispone and
for us and our successors for ever confirm, to our lovits Mr Thomas Ramsay, minister at the church
of Foulden, and Helen Kellie, his spouse, and the longest liver of them, in conjunct fee, and to the heirs lawfully begotten
or to be begotten between them, whom failing, to the lawful and nearest heirs and assignees of the said Mr Thomas
whomsoever, heritably and irredeemably, All and whole the town and lands of Nether Mordington, with the manor and mill
sometime built upon them by the said Mr Thomas, with the houses, buildings, gardens, doocot, tofts, crofts and pertinents
thereof, lying within our sheriffdom of Berwick; Which formerly pertained in property to the said Mr
Thomas, holding immediately of our beloved cousin and counsellor, William, earl of Morton, lord Dalkeith and
Aberdour, then superior thereof; Together with right of superiority of the said town and lands, with the manor place and mill
thereof, houses, buildings, gardens, orchards, doocots, warrens and their pertinents; Together with right and privilege
of regality of the said town and lands of Nether Mordington, with the manor place and others foresaid, with the privileges, casualties,
profits and benefits thereof, within all the bounds, limits and borders thereof, to the effect that the said Mr Thomas and his
foresaids may peacefully possess, enjoy and have use of the said town and lands of Nether Mordington, with the manor place, mill
and others foresaid, and the property and superiority vested in their persons, in free regality, perpetually, in all time
coming; Which said town and lands of Nether Mordington, with the manor place, mill and others foresaid, as far as the superiority
thereof is concerned, together with the right of regality, privileges and casualties thereof, pertained formerly to our said
beloved cousin and familiar counsellor, William, earl of Morton, and to our beloved
cousin, Robert, lord Dalkeith, his eldest son, or either of them; and the property of the said town and lands,
mill and others foresaid pertained formerly to the said Mr Thomas Ramsay and his spouse, holding heritably
of the said earl of Morton as said is; and which they, by their procurators and letters patent specially
constituted to this effect, purely and simply, per fustim et baculum, as is the custom, have resigned, renounced, delivered
and given up, from them and their assignees and successors, into the hands of the said Commissioners of our Exchequer who have power
and commission to receive resignations and to grant new infeftments, as if into our hands, immediate
superior thereof of the said earl of Morton and his son or either of them; In favour of the said Mr Thomas Ramsay,
his spouse and their foresaids, to this effect, that the superiority and property of the said lands, mill, with manor place and others foresaid
may be united in their persons and may remain with them, heritably and irredeemably, forever; and for this new infeftment
by us to the said Mr Thomas Ramsay, his spouse and their foresaids, of the foresaid lands, mill and others foresaid, and of the right and privilege
of regality within them and all the bounds thereof, under our great seal in manner used and wont, as effeirs, given
and conceded; as authentic instruments taken thereon in the hands of George Mack, writer to our signet, more fully bear;
Moreover we, with advice and consent foresaid, by the tenor of this our present charter, dissolve the said town and lands of Nether Mordington
with the manor place, mill, houses, buildings, garden, doocot, tofts, crofts and pertinents thereof, with regality and privilege
thereof, from the lordship and regality of Dalkeith, to which they were formerly united and annexed, that the said Mr Thomas, his spouse and
their foresaids may enjoy and possess them in all respects, just as the said earl possesses and enjoys, and his successors and others will possess and
enjoy the said lordship and regality of Dalkeith*; To be held and had All and whole the foresaid
town and lands of Nether Mordington, with the manor place and mill sometime built upon them by the said Mr Thomas
Ramsay, with the houses, buildings, gardens, doocot, tofts, crofts and all their pertinents, lying as above, together with right of superiority
and regality of the said town and lands, privileges, casualties, profits and benefits thereof, within all their bounds, limits and borders,
by the said Mr Thomas Ramsay and Helen Kellie, his spouse, and the longest liver of them, in conjunct fee, and the heirs
lawfully begotten or to be begotten between them, whom failing, by the heirs or assignees of the said Mr Thomas whomsoever,
heritably and irredeemably, as said is, of us and our successors, in free blench ferm and free regality and heritage, for ever,
by all their right ancient bounds and divises, as they lie in length and breadth, in houses, buildings, woods, plains,
moors, marshes, ways, paths, waters, ponds, streams, meadows, parks and pasturages, mills, multures and their sequels, hawkings,
huntings, fishings, peats, turfs, coals, coalworks, rabbits, warrens, doves, doocots, smithies,
barns, brewhouses and whins, woods, groves and copses, wood, timber, quarries, stone and lime, with courts and their issues,
hereyeldis, bludewitis and merchetis of women, with common pasture and free entry and exit and with all other liberties,
commodities, profits, easements and their rightful pertinents whatsoever, as well not named as named, as well under the earth as above
the earth, far and near, pertaining to the said lands with their pertinents, or in any manner able to pertain thereto in the future, freely, quietly,
fully, wholly, honourably, well and in peace, without any revocation, contradiction, impediment or obstacle; Rendering
therefor annually the foresaid Mr Thomas Ramsay and Helen Kellie, his spouse, their heirs and assignees foresaid, to us and our successors,
for the said town and lands of Nether Mordington, with the manor place, mill, houses, buildings, gardens, doocot, tofts, crofts and
pertinents thereof, lying as above, with right of superiority and regality of the said town and lands, with privileges and casualties,
within all their bounds, one penny usual money of our said kingdom of Scotland at the term of Whitsunday, upon the ground of the said lands
in name of blench ferm, if it be asked only, for all other honour, exaction, requirement, demand or secular service which may be justly exacted from
the foresaid lands with their pertinents, or in any way required; In witness whereof we have ordered our great seal to be appended to this our
present charter; Witnesses as in other preceding charters of the same date; At Edinburgh, the thirteenth day
of the month of September, AD 1636, and the twelfth year of our reign.

* This form of words which states that A is to enjoy the same rights/liberties/privileges as B, his predecessor, was a normal method of ensuring what it is clearly intended to ensure - that a successor in title to a property would enjoy exactly the same rights as his predecessor. See Grant. A, 'Franchises North of the Border: Baronies and Regalities in Medieval Scotland', p. 16, which refers to a charter of William I in about 1178 granting the lordship of Garioch to his brother, David, Earl of Huntingdon, to be held 'as freely and as fully' as William himself had ever held the territory (RRS, ii, 205). As a result, the lorship of Garioch was subsequently held in free regality even though there was no mention of holding 'in liberam regalitem' in the charter (p. 30-31).

Here is the Latin

Carolus dei gratia Magne Britannie Francie et Hibernie rex fideique defensor Omnibus probis hominibus Totius
terre sue clericis et laicis Salutem Sciatis nos cum avisamento et consensu predilecti nostri consanguinei et consiliarii Joannis
comitis de Traquair domini Lintoun et Caberstoun magni nostri thesaurarij computorum nostrorum rotulatoris et collectoris
novarum[?] nostrarum ...ationum[?] infra regnum nostrum Scotie Ac reliquorum dominorum commissionariorum nostri scaccarij eiusdem
regni nostri* Dedisse concessisse disposuisse et hac presenti carta nostra confirmasse Tenoreque eiusdem dare concedere disponere ac
pro nobis et successoribus nostris pro perpetuo confirmare dilectis nostris Magistro Thome Ramsay ministro Apud ecclesiam
de Foulden et Helene Kellie sue sponse eorumque alteri diutius viven. in conjuncta infeodatione et heredibus inter ipsos legitime pro-
creatis seu procreandis Quibus deficientibus legitimis et propinquioribus heredibus et assignatis dicti Magistri Thome
quibuscunque hereditarie et irredimabiliter Totam et integram villam et terras de Nethar Mordingtoun cum manerie et molendino
super easdem per dictum Magistrum Thomam nuper edificat. Cum domibus edificijs hortis columbario toftis croftis et pertinentiis
earundem jacen. infra vicecomitatum nostrum de Bervick Quequidem pertinuerunt in proprietate prius ad dictum Magistrum
Thomam immediate tent. de predilecto nostro consanguineo et consiliario Willielmo Comite de Mortoun domino Dalkeith et
Abirdour tunc superiore earundem Unacum jure superioritatis dictarum ville et terrarum Cum maneriej loco et molendino
earundem domibus edificijs hortis pomarijs columbarijs cunicularijs et suis pertinentiis Unacum jure et privilegio
regalitatis dictarum ville et terrarum de Nathir Mordingtoun Cum manerie loco alijsque predictis cum privilegijs casualitatibus
proficuis et divorijs[?] earundem infra omnes bondas limites et metas earundem ad effectum ut dictus Magister Thomas eiusque
predict. pacifice possidere gaudere frui possint dictis villa et terris de Nather Mordingtoun Cum maneriej loco molendino
alijsque predictis et proprietate et superioritate in eorum personis consolidat. in libera regalitate imperpetuum omni tempore
futuro Quequidem dicte villa et terre de Nathir Mordingtoun Cum maneriej loco molendino alijsque predictis quo ad superio-
-ritatem earundem attinet[?] unacum jure regalitatis privilegijs et casualitatibus earundem antea pertinuerunt ad dictum
predilectum nostrum consanguineum et familiarem consiliarium Willielmum comitem de Mortoun Et ad predilectum nostrum
consanguineum Robertum dominum Dalkeith eius filium natu maximum aut eorum quemlibet Et proprietas dict. ville et terrarum
molendini aliorumque predictorum perprius pertinuit ad dictum Magistrum Thomam Ramsay et eius sponsam hereditarie tent.
de dicto comite de Mortoun ut dictum est Et quas per eos eorumque procuratores in patentibus literis eorum nominibus specialiter
constitut. ad hunc effectum pure et simpliciter per fustim et baculum ut moris est resignaverunt renunciaverunt delibera-
verunt et sursum reddiderunt ab ijs eorumque assignatis et successoribus in manibus dictorum commissionariorum nostri scaccarii potestatem
et commissionem haben. resignationes recipiendi et nova infeofamenta desuper concedendi tanquam in manibus nostris immediatis
superioribus earundem dicti comitis de Mortoun ejusque filij aut eorum alterius Jn favorem dict. Magistri Thome Ramsay
sue sponse eorumque predictorum ad hunc effectum ut superioritas et proprietas dict. terrarum molendini cum maneriej loco alijsque predictis
consolidari possint in eorum personis et cum ijs remaneant hereditarie et irredimabiliter imperpetuum Et per hoc nostro novo infeofamento
per nos dict. Magistro Thome Ramsay eius sponse eorumque antedictis de predictis terris molendino alijsque predictis Et de jure et privi-
legio regalitatis infra easdem et omnes bondas earundem sub nostro magno sigillo in debita et competenti forma ut congruit desuper dan.
et conceden. Prout autentica instrumenta in manibus Georgij Mack scribe signeti nostri desuper suscepta latius proportant
Jnsuper nos cum avisamento et consensu predict. tenore presentis carte nostre dissolvimus dictas villam et terras de Nethar Mordingtoun
cum manerie loco molendino domibus edificijs horto columbario toftis croftis et pertinentiis earundem cum regalitate et privilegio
earundem a dominio et regalitate de Dalkeith ad quod edem ante unite et annexate fuerunt ut dict. Magister Thomas eius sponsa et
eorum predicti eisdem fruantur et possideant jn omnibus respectibus sicuti dict. comes eiusque successores ceteris terris dict. dominii
et regalitatis de Dalkeith fruitur et possidet vel fruentur et possidebunt Tenen. et haben. Totam et integram predictas
villam et terras de Nathir Mordingtoun cum maneriej loco et molendino nuper super eisdem edificat. per dictum Magistrum Thomam
Ramsay cum domibus edificijs hortis columbario toftis croftis et omnibus earundem pertinentiis jacen. ut supra unacum jure superioritatis
et regalitatis dictarum ville et terrarum privilegiis casualitatibus proficuis et divorijs[?] earundem infra omnes suas bondas limites et metas
memoratis Magistro Thome Ramsay et Helene Kellie eius sponse eorumque alteri diutius viven. in coniuncta infeodatione et heredibus
inter ipsos legitime procreatis seu procreandis Quibus deficientibus heredibus seu assignatis dicti Magistri Thomas quibuscunque
hereditarie et irredimabiliter ut dictum est de nobis et successoribus nostris in libera albafirma et libera regalitate ac hereditate imperpetuum
per omnes rectas metas suas antiquas et divisas prout jacen. in longitudine et latitudine jn domibus edificijs boscis planis
moris marresijs vijs semitis aquis stagnis rivolis pratis pascuis et pasturis molendinis multuris et eorum sequelis aucupationibus
venationibus piscationibus petarijs turbarijs carbonibus carbonarijs cuniculis cunicularijs columbis columbarijs fabrilibus
brasinis bruerijs et genistis silvis nemoribus et virgultis lignis tignis lapicidijs lapide et calce cum curijs et earum exitibus
hereyeldis bludwitis et mulierum merchetis cum communi pastura liberoque introitu et exitu ac cum omnibus alijs et singulis libertatibus
commoditatibus proficuis asiamentis ac justis suis pertinentiis quibuscunque tam non nominatis quam nominatis tam subtus terra quam supra
terram procul et prope ad predictas terras cum pertinentiis spectantibus seu juste spectare valentibus quomodolibet in futurum libere quiete
plenarie integre honorifice bene et in pace sine aliquo revocatione contradictione impedimento aut obstaculo aliqualj Reddendo
inde annuatim prefat. Magister Thomas Ramsay et Helena Kellie eius sponsa heredes sui et assignati predicti nobis et successoribus nostris
pro dictis villa et terris de Nathir Mordingtoun Cum maneriej loco molendino domibus edificijs hortis columbario toftis croftis et
pertinentiis earundem jacen. ut supra Cum jure superioritatis et regalitatis dictarum ville et terrarum cum privilegijs et casualitatibus
infra omnes bondas eiusdem unum denarium usualis monete dicti regni nostri Scotie in die festo Pentecostes super solo dictarum terrarum nomine
albefirme si petatur tantum Pro omni alio onore exactione questione demanda seu servitio secularj que de predictis terris cum
pertinentiis per quoscunque juste exigi poterint quomodolibet vel requiri Jn cuius rei Testimonium huic presenti carte nostre magnum
sigillum nostrum apponi precepimus Testibus ut in alijs cartis consimelis date precedentibus Apud Edinburgum decimo tertio die
mensis Septembris Anno Domini millesimo sexcentesimo trigesimo sexto Et anno regni nostri duodecimo.