XXXII: Charter of James III confirming the City and Barony in free regality (1476)

XXXII. Charter by King James III., granting and confirming to the Bishop of Glasgow and his successors the City and Barony of Glasgow, and the lands called Bishopforest, in free regality, etc. Edinburgh, 15 July 1476.

[Latin text]

Jacobus Dei gratia Rex Scotorum, omnibus probis hominibus tocius terre sue clericis et laicis, salutem. Noueritis quia nonnulli nostri predecessores Scotorum reges diuersas libertates et preuilegia reuerendis in Christo patribus Glasguensis episcopis et ecclesie ac sedi Glasguensis retroactis temporibus libere donarunt et concesserunt, et signanter ciuitatem Glasguensem, baroniam de Glasgw, et terras wlgariter noncupatas le Bischopforest, in meram, puram et liberam regalitatem. Quasquidem donaciones et concessiones per nostros predecessores ut premittitur factas, autoritate et cum auisamento et deliberacione nostri parliamenti, post reuocaciones omnes per nos prius factas de donacionibus illis nobis preiudicia generantibus in nostri tenera etate concessis, nos nunc legittima etate constituti, pro singulari denocione quam gerimus erga beatum confessorem Sanctum Kentigernum dicte ecclesie Glasguensis patronum, in laudem et honorem eiusdem, necnon pro singulari fauore, zelo et dilectione quos habemus erga reuerendum in Christo patrem Johannem episcopum et prelatum eiusdem ecclesie modernum conciliarium nostrum intime dilectum, pro suis meritis et seruiciis gratis atque fidelibus nostro progenitori et nobis longo tempore impensis, approbamus, ratificamus et confirmamus: et eciam, de nouo, autoritate et deliberatione ac consensu dicti nostri parliamenti, damus, concedimus et hac presenti carta nostra confirmamus prefato reuerendo in Christo patri Johanni episcopo Glasguensi, et suis successoribus Glasguensis ecclesie episcopis, pro perpetuo, quod habeant, teneant et possideant, perpetuis futuris temporibus, dictam ciuitatem Glasguensem, baroniam de Glasgw, et terras de Bischopforest, in liberam, puram et meram regalitatem ac unam baroniam: Tenendam et Habendam supradictam ciuitatem, baroniam et terras de Bischopforest, dicto reuerendo patri Johanni et successoribus suis Glasguensis ecclesie episcopis, de nobis et successoribus nostris, in puram et perpetuam elemosinam et in meram, puram et liberam regalitatem seu regaliam ac vnam baroniam pro perpetuo, cum omnibus et bus siue temporalibus quibuscumque, in regno nostro liberius, quietius, integrius aut honorificencius datur et conceditur et donatur. Insuper concessimus, et tenore presentis carte nostre concedimus, dicto reuerendo in Christo patri et successoribus suis, ut habeant, teneant et possideant imperpetuum dictam ciuitatem de Glasgw, cum omnibus libertatibus et commoditatibus ad eandem pertinentibus, ac cum omnibus et similibus preuilegiis cuicumque ciuitati seu burgo cujuscumque episcopatus vel cuicumque episcopo infra regnum nostrum datis et concessis, cum potestate infra eandem ciuitatem, per ipsum episcopum et successores suos, prepositum, balliuos, seriandos et ceteros officiarios, quociens sibi videbitur expediens, pro regimine et gubernacione eiusdem ciuitatis, faciendi et constituendi, ac in et ab eisdem officiis imponendi et remouendi quascumque personas quociens sibi placuerit. Concessimus eciam, et tenore presencium concedimus, eidem reuerendo in Christo patri et successoribus suis, ad constituendum, faciendum et habendum imperpetuum vnum seriandum siue clientem, qui clauam vel virgam argenteam portabit cum armis nostris regiis in fine priore, et armis episcopi ac prelati dicte ecclesie qui pro tempore fuerit in fine subteriore, pro arrestamentis faciendis ac mandatis et preceptis ipsius prelati exercendis infra dictam regalitatem et per omnes alias terras et possessiones sibi episcopo infra suam diocesim pertinentes. Et insuper, cum, auisamento et consensu dicti nostri parliamenti, pro nobis et successoribus nostris approbauimus, ratificauimus et confirmauimus, et per presentes approbamus, ratificamus et confirmamus, omnes et singulas donaciones, concessiones et fundaciones per nos aut predecessores nostros Scotorum reges, siue alios dominos aut barones, vel quascumque alias personas, ante factas episcopis et prelatis ac sedi Glasguensi de quibuscumque terris, redditibus, possessionibus, ecclesiis, patronatus juribus ac commoditatibus, libertatibus et preuilegiis quibuscumque, per ipsum reuerendum in Christo patrem et successores suos tenendas, possidendas et habendas de nobis et successoribus nostris in puram et perpetuam elemosinam, adeo libere et quiete, in omnibus et per omnia, sicut carte et euidencie eis inde confecte proportant et testantur, et ita libere sicut aliqua elemosina cuicumque episcopo uel prelato aut sedi episcopali infra regnum nostrum datur, conceditur infeodatur aut possidetur aut dari, concedi, infeodari vel possidi poterit qualitercumque in futurum. Faciendo inde pro perpetuo idem reuerendus pater in Christo et successores sui ac canonici et capitulum Glasguense, pro nobis et predecessoribus nostris ac successoribus, oracionum suffragia deuotarum tantum. In Cuius Rei Testimonium presenti carte nostre magnum sigillum nostrum apponi precepimus. Testibus, Alexandro duce Albanie gardiano nostro et fratre nostro carissimo; reuerendis in Christo patribus, Jacobo episcopo Dunkeldensi, Willelmo episcopo Orchadensi nostri secreti sigilli custode, Henrico episcopo Rossensi, Andrea domino Auandale nostro cancellario et consanguineo predilecto; dilectis consanguineis nostris Georgio comite de Huntle domino Badienach, Archibaldo comite Angusie, Dauid comite Craufurdie, Colino comite de Ergile magistro hospicii nostri, Willelmo comite de Eroll regni nostri constabulario, Willelmo comite Mariscallo, Thoma domino Erskyne, Jacobo domino Hamyltone, Georgio domino Seton, Roberto domino Lile, Johanne domino Carlill; venerabilibus in Christo patribus Archibaldo abbate Sancte Crucis thesaurario nostro, Georgio abbate de Calco, Ricardo abbate monasterii de Melross, Johanne Culquhoun de eodem milite; dilectis clericis nostris magistris Willelmo Schewess archidiacono Sancti Andree, Alexandro Inglis cancellario Abirdonensi clerico nostrorum rotulorum et registri, et Alexandro Scot clerico nostri consilii. Apud Edinburgh, decimo quinto die mensis Julii anno domini millesimo quadringentesimo septuagesimo sexto, et regni nostri decimo sexto.

[Translation]

James, by the grace of God King of Scots, to all good men of his whole land, clerics and laics, greeting. Know ye, that several of our predecessors, kings of Scotland, freely gave and granted sundry liberties and privileges to the reverend fathers in Christ the Bishops of Glasgow, and to the church and see of Glasgow, in times past, and particularly the city of Glasgow, barony of Glasgow, and the lands commonly called the Bishopforest, in unmixed, pure and free regality. Which gifts and grants made by our predecessors, as is premised, we, by authority and with advice and deliberation of our parliament, after all the revocations by us previously made of those gifts granted by us to our prejudice during our tender age, being now of lawful age, for the singular devotion which we bear towards the blessed confessor Saint Kentigern, patron of the said church of Glasgow, in praise and honour of the same, as also for the singular favour, zeal and love which we have towards the reverend father in Christ John now bishop and prelate of the said church, our dearly beloved counsellor, for his merits and free and faithful services rendered to our father and to us for a long time, approve, ratify and confirm; and also, of new, by authority and with deliberation and consent of our said parliament, give, grant and by this our present charter confirm to the foresaid reverend father in Christ John bishop of Glasgow, and his successors bishops of the church of Glasgow, for ever, to have, hold and posses in all time coming the said city of Glasgow, barony of Glasgow, and lands of Bischopforest, in free, pure and unmixed regality as one barony. To have and to Hold the above mentioned city, barony, and lands of Bishopforest, to the said reverend father John, and his successors bishops of the church of Glasgow, of us and our successors in pure and perpetual alms, and in unmixed pure and free regality or royalty as a barony for ever, with all and sundry commodities and profits pertaining to the said city, barony and lands, in woods,singulis commoditatibus et proficuis dictis ciuitati baronie et terris pertinentibus, in boscis, planis, moris, merresiis, viis, semitis, aquis, stagnis, riuolis pratis. pascuis et pasturis, molendinis, multuris, et eorum sequelis, aucupacionibus, venacionibus, piscacionibus, petariis, turbariis, carbonariis, brueriis et genestis, lapicidiis, lapide et calce, fabrilibus, brasinis cum curiis et earum exitibus, herizeldis, blwdewitis, eschaetis et marchetis mulierum, libero introitu et exitu, cum homagiis, cum libera foresta et warenna, cum feodis, forisfacturis, cum itineribus iusticiarie et camerarie et eorum exitibus, eschaetis et amerciamentis, ac cum potestate justiciam fieri et ministrari faciendi de quatuor punctis juris nostre corone reseruatis, videlicet depredacione, raptu mulierum, incendio et murthro, ac cum sok, sak, tholl, them, infangtheif, outfangtheif, hamesukkin et precogitata felonia, cum tenentibus tenandriis et libere tenentium seruiciis, cum juribus patronatus et advocacionibus ecclesiarum, ac cum capella [ad] breuia deliberanda, et cum omnibus aliis et singulis libertatibus, commoditatibus et asiamentis ac iustis pertinenciis quibuscumque, tam non nominatis quam (non) nominatis, ad regalitatem seu regaliam et baroniam spectantibus, seu quouismodo juste spectare valentibus in futurum, et adeo libere, quiete, plenarie, integre, honorifice, bene, et in pace, in omnibus et per omnia, sicut aliqua regalitas seu regalia aut baronia cuicumque ecclesia aut personis ecclesiasticis, spirituali plains, muirs, marshes, ways, paths, waters, ponds, streams, meadows, grazings and pastures, mills, multures and their sequels, hawkings, huntings, fishings, peat, turf, coals, heath and broom, quarries, stone and lime, forges, malt kilns, with courts and their issues, hereyelds, bloodwites, escheats and marchets of women, with free ish and entry, with homages, with free forest and warren, with fees, forfeitures, with justice and chamberlain aires and their issues, escheats and amercements, and with the power of executing and administering justice, reserving the right of executing it as regards the four pleas of our crown: videlicet, robbery, rape, fire-raising and murder, and with sok, sak, tholl, theam, infangthief, outfangthief, hamesucken and felony aforethought, with tenants tenandries and services of free tenants, with rights of patronage and advocation of churches, and with chapel for serving brieves, and with all other and singular liberties commodities and easements and just pertinents whatsoever, as well not named as named, belonging or which may hereafter justly belong in any manner of way to a regality or royalty and barony, and as freely, quietly, fully, wholly, honourably, well and in peace, in all and by all, as any other regality or royalty or barony is most freely, quietly, wholly or honourably given granted and gifted to any church or persons ecclesiastical spiritual or temporal whomsoever in our kingdom. Moreover we give and by the tenor of our present charter grant to the said reverend father in Christ and his successors, to have hold and possess for ever the said city of Glasgow, with all liberties and commodities belonging to the same, and with all and like privileges given and granted to any city or burgh of any bishopric whatsoever, or to any bishop within our kingdom; with power to the said bishop and his successors to make and constitute within the same city, a provost, bailies, sergeants and other officers, as often as it shall seem to him expedient, for the rule and government of the same city, and of appointing and removing any person to and from the said offices as often as he shall please. We have granted also, and by the tenor of these presents grant, to the same reverend father in Christ and his successors the right to appoint, make and have for ever a sergeant or officer, who shall carry a silver mace or wand with our royal arms on the upper end, and the arms of the bishop and prelate of the said church, who shall be for the time, on the lower end, for making arrestments and executing the mandates and precepts of the prelate himself within the said regality and through all the other lands and possessions belonging to the bishop himself within his diocese. And further, with the advice and consent of our said parliament, we, for us and our successors, have approved, ratified and confirmed, and by these presents approve ratify and confirm all and sundry gifts grants and foundations already made by us or our predecessors kings of Scotland, or any others lords or barons, or by any other persons, to the bishops and prelates and see of Glasgow, of whatsoever lands, rents, possessions, churches, rights of patronage, and commodities, liberties and privileges whatsoever, by the said reverend father in Christ and his successors to be held possessed and had of us and our successors, in pure and perpetual alms, as freely and quietly, in all and by all, as the charters and evidents thereupon made to them purport and witness, and as freely as any alms to any bishop or prelate or bishop's see within our realm is given granted held in feu or possessed, or can be given, granted, held in feu or possessed in any manner of way in time to come. Performing therefor, for ever, the said reverend father in Christ and his successors, and the canons and chapter of Glasgow, the offering of devout prayers only, for us and our predecessors and successors. In Witness Whereof we have commanded our great seal to be affixed to this present charter. Witnesses, Alexander, Duke of Albany, our guardian and dearest brother; the reverend fathers in Christ, James bishop of Dunkeld, William bishop of Orkney keeper of our privy seal, Henry bishop of Ross; Andrew lord Avandale our chancellor and well-beloved cousin; our beloved cousins George earl of Huntly lord Badenoch, Archibald earl of Angus, David earl of Crawford, Colin earl of Argyle master of our household, William earl of Errol constable of our kingdom, William earl Marshall, Thomas lord Erskyne, James lord Hamilton, George lord Seton, Robert lord Lile, John lord Carlil; the venerable fathers in Christ, Archibald abbot of Holyrood our treasurer, George abbot of Calchow, Richard abbot of the monastery of Melrose; John Colquhoun of that ilk, knight; our beloved clerks, Masters William Schewes archdeacon of St Andrews, Alexander Inglis chancellor of Aberdeen clerk of our rolls and register, and Alexander Scott clerk of our council. At Edinburgh, the fifteenth day of the month of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand four hundred and seventy-six, and of our reign the sixteenth.