XXXVII: Charter of James IV confirming the liberties of the Bishop (1490)

XXXVII. Charter by King James IV. confirming the liberties and privileges granted to the Bishop of Glasgow. Edinburgh, 4 January 1489–90.

[Latin text]

Jacobus Dei gratia Rex Scotorum, omnibus probis hominibus totius terre sue clericis et laicis, salutem. Agere credimur non indigne cum curam solicitam adhibemus vt regni nostri subditi, et presertim prelati et ecclesiastice persone, circa divinum vacent officium, et omnipotenti Deo summo et optimo quotidie famulentur, nostrisque temporibus pacis tranquillitate congaudeant, et per regalem potentiam a noxis tueantur, circaque rem divinam ferventius animentur, cum nostro favore regio, honoribus, pre-eminentiis, dignitatibus et privilegiis multiplicibus attolluntur: Et nos nunc, cum avisamento nostri consilii, certificati existentes quod nonnulli nostri predecessores et progenitores nobilissimi, retroactis temporibus, libere donarunt, concesserunt, infeodarunt et mortificaverunt ecclesie et sedi Glasguensi ac episcopis et prelatis ejusdem diversas terras, redditus, ecclesias, decimas, piscationes et possessiones, cum diversis libertatibus et privilegiis, tam super feodis et forisfacturis quam regalitatibus et aliis libertatibus, quorum donationes et infeodationes optamus et volumus potius renovare et augmentare, quam eis contradicere aut super eisdem disputare: Quapropter, ac pro singulari devotione quam gerimus erga sanctam et individuam Trinitatem gloriosamque Virginem Mariam et beatum confessorem Sanctum Kentigernum patronum dicte ecclesie Glasguensis, in qua canonicus existimus, ac pro specialibus favore et dilectione quos habemus erga reverendum in Christo patrem nostrumque consiliarium dilectum Robertum modernum episcopum et prelatum dicte ecclesie suumque insigne capitulum, quod inter nostri regni collegia secularia primum sibi locum vendicat, ac pro fideli et gratuito servitio nobis per antedictum reverendum patrem multipliciter impenso, approbavimus, ratificavimus, admortizavimus et confirmavimus, et hac presenti carta nostra approbamus, ratificamus, et pro nobis et successoribus nostris admortizamus, et ad manum mortuam pro perpetuo confirmamus omnes et singulas donationes, concessiones, fundationes et infeodationes per quoscumque predecessores aut progenitores nostros inclitissimos, sive alios dominos aut barones vel quascumque alias personas spirituales aut temporales, ante confectionem presentis carte nostre factas predicte ecclesie et sedi Glasguensi ac episcopis et prelatis ejusdem, de quibuscumque terris, annuis redditibus, ecclesiis, decimis, piscationibus et possessionibus, cum feodis, forisfacturis, regalitatibus, immunitatibus ac omnibus aliis libertatibus, privilegiis et commoditatibus quibuscumque, tam infra burgos et villas quam extra eosdem, in omnibus et singulis punctis et articulis, conditionibus et modis ac circumstanciis quibuscumque contentis et specificatis in cartis et evidentiis desuper confectis per ipsum reverendum in Christo patrem suosque successores episcopos Glasguenses; Tenendas, Possidendas et HaENDAS de nobis et successoribus nostris in puram et perpetuam elemosinam, adeo libere et quiete, in omnibus et per omnia, sicut dicte carte et evidentie in se proportant et testantur. Ac etiam, pro causis suprascriptis, dedimus, concessimus, et de novo infeodavimus, ac tenore presentis carte nostre damus, concedimus et infeodamus predictam ecclesiam et sedem Glasguensem, ac dictum reverendum patrem Robertum episcopum Glasguensem, et successores suos episcopos ejusdem, cum feodis et forisfacturis tenentium quarumcumque terrarum, reddituum et possessionum, tam infra burgos et villas quam extra eosdem, dicte ecclesie et sedi Glasguensi spectantium seu quovismodo spectare valentium, adeo libere, in omnibus et per omnia, sicut ecclesia beatorum apostolorum Petri et Pauli in urbe Romana, seu aliqua alia ecclesia tam infra regnum nostrum quam extra idem, de feodis et forisfacturis in feodatur aut infeodari poterit in futurum: sic quod, quando aliquis dictorum tenentium pro eorum demeritis et criminibus forisfactus fuerit, licitum erit dicto reverendo patri et suis successoribus appropriare et incorporare suis propriis vsibus et ecclesie Glasguensi terras, redditus et possessiones hujusmodi tenentius seu tenentium pro futuro perpetuo, aut easdem aliis tenentibus conferre et donare, si eidem reverendo patri et suis successoribus magis expedire videbitur. Quibus reverendo patri et suis successoribus, vt super eisdem terris, redditibus et possessionibus ad suarum libita voluntatum aliquo modo, ut premittitur, disponere valeant, plenariam potestatem et libertatem tenore presentis carte nostre concedimus et elargimur. Et similiter, quia nobis et dicto nostro consilio intelligere datum est quod baronie de Ancrum, Lillisleaf et Askirk in libera regalitate ex antiquo tenebantur; nos igitur, et pro causis predictis, concessimus et hac presenti carta nostra concedimus prefato reverendo patri, et suis successoribus episcopis Glasguensibus, quod quando aliquis seu aliqui suorum tenentium dictarum trium baroniarum, aut baroniarum de Stobo et Edilstoun, pro suis demeritis et criminibus convicti et justificati fuerint in nostris itineribus justiciarie, curiis gardianorum seu alias quovismodo, predictus reverendus pater et sui successores habebunt et gandebunt eorum eschaetis, denariis et proficuis suorum honorum, quas et que nos aut nostri justiciarii, gardiani seu aliqui alii nostri officiarii de aliquo seu aliquibus dictorum tenentium, in similibus casibus, exigere aut habere poterimus seu poterint in futurum. Ac insuper, si in civitate Glasguensi liberum non habetur tronum, dedimus et concessimus pro causis superius expressatis, et tenore presentis carte nostre damus et concedimus dicto reverendo patri, et suis successoribus episcopis Glasguensibus, liberam facultatem et plenariam potestatem ac libertatem quod fieri faciant, habeant, teneant et possideant liberum tronum in dicta civitate pro perpetuo, ac constituant et ordinent custumariurn, tronatorem et elericum cokkete in eadem, vt omnes mercancie et bona, civibus et tenentibus civitatis et baronie de Glasgu pertinentia, ibidem tronentur ponderentur et custumentur; et dictus reuerendus pater et sui successores habeant, gaudeant et possideant suis propriis vsibus et proficuis custumas dictarum mercanciarum et bonorum, per suos custumarium et factores levandas et percipiendas; et super hujusmodi mercanciis et bonis que ponderate et custumate fuerint cokketas dari faciant, et exinde dicti cives et tenentes liberi erunt de omnibus aliis custumis de dictis suis bonis in omnibus aliis villis, portubus et locis infra regnum nostrum exigendis aut solvendis, ostendendo dictas cokketas quas recipi et admitti volumus et mandamus in perpetuum. Concessimusque, et hac presenti carta nostra concedimus, eidem reverendo patri et suis successoribus episcopis Glasguensibus ut habeant, teneant et possideant, pro perpetuo, predictam civitatem Glasguensem cum omnibus aliis libertatibus, privilegiis, juribus et commoditatibus ad eandem spectantibus, seu spectare valentibus, et cum omnibus et similibus privilegiis et juribus cuicumque communitati sive burgo cujuscumque episcopatus vel cuicumque episcopo infra nostrum regnum datis et concessis. Necnon volumus et concessimus, et tenore presentis carte nostre concedimus prefato reverendo patri, et suis successoribus episcopis Glasguensibus, ut sint liberi in perpetuum de solutione alicujus custume quorumcumque bonorum et marcanciarum, videlicet, lane, pellium, coriorum, panni, piscium et aliorum, tam non nominatorum quam nominatorum, custumam debentium, que et quas dictus reverendus pater et sui successores ad aliquas partes extra marinas destinaverit sen destinaverint, aut destinare duxerit seu duxerint, super ipsius aut eorum propriis aventuris, pro emptione victualium, vini, cere, specierum seu aliarum rerum sibi necessariarum, aut pro solutione debitorum dicti reuerendi patris vel suorum successorum, seu pro aliquibus aliis causis necessariis et opportunis, sine quovis obstaculo aut impedimento faciendis in futurum: Tenendas et Habendas omnes et singulas terras, annuos redditus, ecclesias, decimas, piscationes et possessiones quascumque, cum feodis, forisfacturis, regalitatibus et omnibus aliis libertatibus, privilegiis et commoditatibus quibuscumque, tam infra burgos et villas quam extra eosdem, prius datas et mortificatas predicte ecclesie et sedi Glasguensi, ac episcopis et prelatis ejusdem, et nunc per nos approbatas, admortizatas et confirmatas, necnon libertates et privilegia per nos de novo data et concessa, et in hac presenti carta nostra specificata, de et super feodis et forisfacturis, eschaetis, tronis et custumis predictis ac aliis commoditatibus et libertatibus, prout superius est expressum, predicte ecclesie et sedi Glasguensi, et dicto reverendo patri Roberto moderno episcopo ejusdem, et suis successoribus episcopis Glasguensibus, de nobis et successoribus nostris in puram et perpetuam elemosinam ac ad manum mortuam in perpetuum, adeo libere et quiete, in omnibus et per omnia, sicut carte et evidentie prius inde confecte et presens carta nostra nove confirmationis, donationis, infeodationis et admortizationis, vt premittitur, in se plenius proportant et testantur, et ita libere sicut aliqua elemosina cuicumque episcopo vel prelato, aut ecclesie seu sedi episcopali, infra regnum nostrum seu extra idem, datur, conceditur, infeodatur, confirmatur, admortizatur seu possidetur, aut dari, concedi, infeodari, confirmari, admortizari seu possideri poterit qualitercumque in futurum, sine aliqua revocatione aut contradictione nostri aut successorum nostrorum quorumcumque quouismodo super premissis facienda. Que omnia et singula premissa, in singulis suis punctis, membris, articulis, circumstanciis, dependentiis et annexis, modo, ut premittitur, confirmando donamus et donando confirmamus. Reddendo inde, pro perpetuo, dictus reuerendus pater et sui successores episcopi Glasguenses, pro nobis ac predecessoribus et successoribus nostris, orationum suflragia devotarum tantum. In Cujus Rei Testimonium presenti carte nostre magnum sigillum nostrum apponi precepimus. Testibus, reverendis in Christo patribus Georgio episcopo Dunkeldensi, Willelmo episcopo Abirdonensi; dilectis consanguineis nostris, Colino comite de Ergile domino de Campbell et Lord cancelkirio nostro, Patricio comite de Boithuile domino Halis magistro hospitii nostri, Willelmo comite de Erroll domino Hay constabu lario regni nostri, Johanne domino Glammys, Johanne domino Drummond justiciariis nostris, Alexandro Hume de eodem magno camerario nostro, Andrea domino Gray, Laurentio domino Oliphant, Willelmo domino Sancti Johannis thesaurario nostro, venerabili in Christo patri Johanne priore monasterii nostri Sancti Andree nostri secreti sigilli custode; et dilectis clericis nostris magistris Alexandro Inglis archidiacano Sancti Andree, Ricardo Murehed decano Glasguensi rotulorum nostrorum et registri ac concilii clerico, et Archibaldo Quhitelaw subdecano Glasguensi secretario nostro. Apud Edinburgh, quarto die mensis Januarij anno Domini millesimo quadringentesimo octogesimo nono, et regni nostri secundo.

[Translation]

James, by the grace of God King of Scots, to all good men of his whole land, clerics and laics, greeting. We are believed to act not unworthily when we bestow anxious care that the subjects of our kingdom, and especially prelates and ecclesiastical persons, may have leisure for their divine office, and daily serve Almighty God, the highest and the best of beings, and enjoy peaceful quiet in our times, and be by royal power defended from them that would do them hurt, stirred up to greater zeal in the service of God, when by our royal favor they are raised to honors, pre-eminencies, dignities, and privileges manifold. And now we, with advice of our council, having been surely informed that several of our predecessors and most noble progenitors, in times by gone, have freely gifted, granted, infeft, and mortified to the church and see of Glasgow, and to the bishops and prelates of the same, divers lands, rents, churches, teinds, fishings, and possessions, with sundry freedoms and privileges, as well of fees and forfeiture as of royalties and other freedoms: whose gifts and infeftments we wish, and desire rather to renew and increase than to controvert or raise plea anent them. Wherefor, and for the singular devotion which we bear towards the holy and undivided Trinity, and the glorious Virgin Mary, and the blessed confessor Saint Kentigern, patron of the said church of Glasgow, wherein we are a canon; and for the special favor and love which we bear towards the reverend father in Christ, and our well beloved counsellor, Robert now bishop and prelate of the said church, and his renowned chapter, which holds the chief place among the secular colleges of our kingdom, and for the faithful and thankful service done to us in many ways by the foresaid reverend father, we have approved, ratified, mortified, and confirmed, and by this our present charter approve, ratify, and for us and our successors mortify and in mortmain for ever confirm, all and sundry the gifts, grants, foundations and infeftments made to the foresaid church and see of Glasgow, and to the bishops and prelates of the same, by whomsoever our predecessors or most renowned ancestors, or others lords or barons, or whatsoever other persons, spiritual or temporal, before the making of our present charter, of whatsoever lands, annual rents, churches, teinds, fishings, and possessions, with fees, forfeitures, regalities, immunities, and all other liberties, privileges, and commodities whatsoever, as well within burghs and towns as outwith the same, in all and sundry points and articles, conditions and modes and circumstances whatever, contained and specified in the charters and evidents made thereupon, To Be Held Possessed and Had by the said reverend father in Christ and his successors, bishops of Glasgow, of us and our successors, in pure and perpetual alms, as freely and quietly, in all and by all, as the said charters and evidents in themselves purport and witness. And likewise, for the causes above written, we have given, granted, and of new infeft, and by the tenor of our present charter give, grant, and infeft the aforesaid church and see of Glasgow, and the said reverend father Robert bishop of Glasgow, and his successors, bishops of the same, with the fees and forfeitures of the tenants of whatever lands, rents, and possessions, as well within burghs and towns as without the same, belonging to the said church and see of Glasgow, or that can belong to it in any manner of way, as freely in all and by all as the church of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul in the city of Rome, or any other church, as well within our kingdom as outwith the same, is seized in fees and forfeitures, or can be seized in time to come: so that when any one of the said tenants shall have been forfeited for his misdeeds and crimes, it shall be lawful for the said reverend father, and his successors, to appropriate and incorporate to their own uses, and to the church of Glasgow, the lands rents and possessions of such tenant or tenants for the time to come for ever, or to bestow and gift the same to other tenants, as shall seem most expedient to the same most reverend father and his successors. To the which reverend father and his successors, by the tenor of our present charter, we grant and bestow full power and freedom to dispone upon the same lands rents and possessions at their will and pleasure, in any manner as afore said. And in like manner, because we and our council are given to understand that the baronies of Ancrum, Lilliesleaf, and Askirk were held from of old in free regality, we, therfore, and for the causes aforesaid have granted, and by this our present charter grant to the foresaid reverend father, and his successors bishops of Glasgow, that when any one or several of their tenants of the said three baronies, or of the baronies of Stobo and Edilston, shall for their misdeeds and crimes, have been convicted and executed in our justice-ayres, wardens' courts, or otherwise in any way whatever, the foresaid reverend father and his successors shall have and enjoy their escheats pennies and profits of their goods, which we or our justiciars, wardens or any others our officers can exact or have for the time to come from any one or more of the said tenants in like cases. And further, if in the city of Glasgow there be not had a free tron, we have given and granted, for the causes above exprest, and by the tenor of our present charter give and grant to the said reverend father, and his successors bishops of Glasgow, free faculty and full power and liberty to cause to be made, and to have hold and possess a free tron in the said city for ever; and to appoint and ordain a troner of the customs, and clerk of the cocket in the same, that all merchandise and goods that pertain to the citizens and tenants of the city and barony of Glasgow may be there troned, weighed and customed; and that the said reverend father and his successors may have, enjoy and possess, to his and their own use and profit, the customs of the said merchandise and goods, to be uplifted and taken by their customers and factors; and on such merchandise and goods as shall have been weighed and customed, they shall cause to be given cockets; and thence forward the said citizens and tenants shall be free of exaction or payment of all other customs on their said goods in all other towns, ports and places within our kingdom, on their showing the said cockets, which we will and command to be received and admitted for ever. And we have granted, and by this our present charter grant to the same reverend father and his successors, bishops of Glasgow, to have hold and possess for ever the foresaid city of Glasgow, with all other liberties, privileges, rights and commodities belonging or that can belong to the same, and with all and the like privileges and rights given and granted to any community or burgh of any bishopric, or to any bishop within our kingdom. Likewise we will and have granted, and by the tenor of our present charter grant, to the foresaid reverend father and his successors, bishopsof Glasgow, to be free for ever of paying any custom on goods and merchandise, to wit, wool, skins, hides, cloth, bread, fish, and other things, as well not named as named, from which custom is due, which the said reverend father and his successors shall have sent to any parts beyond sea, or shall mean to send, on his or their proper ventures, for the buying of victuals, wine, wax, spiceries, or any other things needful to them, or for the payment of the debts of the said reverend father or his successors, or for any other needful and proper causes whatsoever, without any let or hindrance to be made in time to come. To Have and to Hold all and sundry the lands, annual rents, churches, teinds, fishings, and possessions whatsoever, with fees, forfeitures, regalities, and all other liberties, privileges and commodities whatever, as well within burghs and towns as without the same, formerly given and mortified to the foresaid church and see of Glasgow, and to the bishops and prelates thereof, and now by us approved mortified and confirmed; as also the liberties and privileges by us of new given and granted, and in this our present charter specified, of and upon the fees and forfeitures, escheats, trons, and customs foresaid, and other commodities and liberties as is above set forth, to the foresaid church and see of Glasgow, and to the said reverend father Robert, now bishop of the same, and his successors bishops of Glasgow, of us and our successors, in pure and perpetual alms and in mortmain for ever, as freely and quietly, in all and by all, as the charters and evidents thereupon made, and our present charter of new confirmation, gifting, infefting, and mortification, as before said, in themselves most fully purport and witness; and as freely as any alms to any bishop, or prelate, or church, or bishop's see, within our kingdom or outwith the same, is given, granted, infeft, confirmed, mortified or possessed, or can be given, granted, infeft, confirmed, mortified or possessed in any manner of way in time to come, without any revocation or challenge of us or our successors whomsoever upon the premises, in any manner of way. All and sundry which premises, in their several points, members, articles, circumstances, dependencies and annexes, in manner as aforesaid, confirming we gift, and gifting confirm. Rendering therefor for ever the said reverend father, and his successors bishops of Glasgow, only the offering of devout prayers for us and our predecessors and successors. In Witness Whereof we have commanded our great seal to be affixed to our present charter. Witnesses, the most reverend fathers in Christ, George bishop of Dunkeld, William bishop of Aberdeen; our well beloved cousins, Colin earl of Ergile lord of Campbell and Lorn our chancellor, Patrick earl of Boithvile lord Halis master of our household, William earl of Errol lord Hay constable of our kingdom, John lord Glammys, John lord Drummond, our justiciars; Alexander Hume of that ilk our great chamberlain, Andrew lord Gray, Laurence lord Oliphant, William lord St John our treasurer; the venerable father in Christ, John prior of our monastery of St Andrews keeper of our privy seal; and our well beloved clerks, Masters Alexander Inglis archdeacon of St Andrews, Richard Murehed dean of Glasgow, clerk of our rolls, register and council, and Archibald Quhitelaw sub-dean of Glasgow our secretary. At Edinburgh, the fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand four hundred and eighty nine, and of our reign the second.