William St Clair of Roslin Charters

1601-1628

CHARTER GRANTED BY THE MASONS OF SCOTLAND TO WILLIAM ST CLAIR OF ROSLlN IN 1601.

Be it kend till all men be thir present letters ws Deacons Maistres

and freemen of the Masons within the realme of Scotland with express

consent and assent of Wm Schaw Maister of Wark to our Souane Lord

ffor sa meikle as from aige to aige it has been observit amangis

that the Lairds of Rosling has ever been Patrons and Protectors of

us and our priviledges likeas our predecessors has obey'd and

acknowledged them as Patrones and tectoris while that within thir

few years throwch negligence and sleuthfulness the samyn has past

furth of vse whereby not only has the Laird of Rosling lyne out of

his just rycht but also our hail craft has been destitute of ane

patron and protector and overseer qlk has genderit manyfauld

corruptions and imperfections, baith amangis ourselves and in our

craft and has given occasion to mony persones to conseve evill

opinioun of ws and our craft and to leive off great enterprises of

policie be reason of our great misbehaviour wtout correction whereby

not only the committers of the faults but also the honest men are

disapoyntit of their craft and ffeit. As lyikwayes when divers and

sundrie contraversies falls out amangis ourselfs thair follows great

and manyfald inconvenientis through want of ane (Patron and

Protector) we not being able to await upon the ordinar judges and

judgement of this realme through the occasioun of our powertie and

langsumness of process for remeid qrof and for keeping of guid

ordour amangis us in all tymes cumyng, and for advancement of our

craft and vocatioun within this realme and furthering ofpolicie

within the samyn We for ourselves and in name of our haill

bretherene and craftismen with consent foresaid agrees and consents

that Wm Sinclar now of Rosling for himself & his airis purchase and

obtene at ye hands of our Souane Lord libertie fredome and

jurisdictioun vpone us and our successors in all tymes cummyng as

patrons and judges to us and the haill fessoris of our craft wtin

this realme quhom off we have power and commission sua that

hereafter we may acknawlege him and his airis as our patrone and

judge under our Souerane Lord without ony kind of appellation or

declynyng from his judgement with power to the said Williame and his

airis to depute judges ane or mae under him and to use sick ampill

and large jurisdictione upon us and our successors als weill as

burghe as land as it shall pleise our Souerane Lord to grant to him

& his airis.

William Schaw, Maistir of Wark.

Edinburgh - Andro Symsone   Jhone Robesoune

St Androse   -     *        *        *        *        *        *        *

Hadingtoun   - P. Capbell takand ye burdyng for Jon. Saw,   J.

Vallance      William Aittoun

Achiesone Heavin - Georg Aittoun   Jo. Fwsetter     Thomas Petticrif

Dunfermling -   Robert Pest

Thomas Weir mason in Edr. Thomas Robertsoun wardane of the Ludge of

Dunfermling and Sanct Androis and takand the burding upon him for

the brethren of the Mason Craft within they Lwdges and for the

Commissioners efter mentionat viz. David Skowgall Alexander Gilbert

and David Spens for the Lwdge of Sanct Androis Andrew Alisone and

Archibald Angous Commissionaris for the Lwdge of Dwmfermling and

Robert Baize of Haddington with our handis led on the pen be the

notaris underwritten at our commandis because we can nocht write.

Ita est Laurentius Robertsoun notarius publicus ad praemissa

requisitus de specialibus mandatis dict. personarum scribere

nescien. ut aseruerunt testan. manu mea propria.

(Ita est) Henricus Banna(Tyne) connotarius ad premissa (de mandatis)

antedictarum personarum (scribere nescientium ut aseruerunt teste)

manu mea propria.

CHARTER GRANTED BY THE MASONS OF SCOTLAND TO SIR WILLIAM ST CLAIR IN 1628.

Beit kend till all men be thir present letters ws the Deacones

Masteris friemen of the Maissones and Hammermen within the kingdome

of Scotland That forsameikill as from aidge to aidge it has been

observet amangis us and our predecessors that the Lairdis of Rosling

has ever been patrons and protectors of us and our priviledgis

Likeas our predecessors has obeyit reverencet and acknowledget them

as patrons and protectors qrof they had letters of protection and

vtheris richtis grantit be his Maties most noble progenitors of

worthy memorie qIkis with sindrie vtheris of the Lairdis of Rosling

his writtis being consumet and brunt in ane flame of fire within the

Castle of Rosling in an ..... The consumation and burning qrof being

clearly knawin to us and our predecessors deacons maisteris and

freemen of the saidis vocations, and our protection of the samyn and

priviledgis thereof (be negligence) and slouthfulness being likely

to pass furth of us where throw not only wald the Lairdis of Rosling

lyne out of their just richt but also our hail craftis wald haifbene

destitute of ane patrone protector and oversear quhilk wald engenner

monyfald imperfectionis and corruptionis baith amangis ourselves and

in our craft and give occasione to mony persones to conceive evill

opinioun of us and our craft and to leave af many and grit

enterpryces ofpolicie whilk wald be vndertaken if our grit

misbehaviour were suffered to goe on without correctioun   For remeid

qrof and for keeping of good ordour amangis us in all time coming

and for advancement of our craft and vocation within his Hienes

kingdom of Scotland and furdering of policie yaireintill the maist

pairt of our predecessors for themselves and in name and behalfe of

our bretherene and craftsmen with express advice and consent of

William Schaw Maister of Wark to Hienes umqle darrest father of

worthy memorie all in ane voce agreit consentit and subseryvet that

William Sinclar of Rosling father to Sir William Sinclar now of

Rosling for himself and his airis should purches and obtain at the

hands of his Majestie libertie freedome and jurisdictioun upon us

and our predecessors deacons maisteris and freemen of the saidis

vocation, as patrones and judges to us and the haill professors

thereof within the said kingdom qrof they had power and commission

sua that they and we micht yairafter acknowledge him and his airis

as patrone and judge under our Soverane Lord without any kind of

appellation or declinatour from thair judgement forever, as the said

agreement subscryvet be the said Mr of Wark and our predecessors at

mare length proportis   In the whilk office priviledge and

jurisdictioun over us and our said (voca)tioun the said William

Sinclar of Rosling ever continuit to his going to Ireland qr he

presently reamanes sen the quhilk (time) of his departure furth

ofthis realme there are very many corruptiounes and imperfectiounes

risen and ingennerit baith amangis ourselfis and in our saidis

vocatiounes in defect of ane patrone and oversear over us and the

samyn   Sua that our saidis vocatiounes are altogether likely to

decay And now for safety thereofwe having full experience of the

efauld good skill and judgement whilk the said Sr William Sinclar

now of Rosling has in our said craft and vocatioun and for

reparation of the ruines and manifold corruptiounes and enormities

done be unskilfull persones thereintill WE all in ane voce have

ratified and approven and be thir presentis ratifies and approves

the foresaid former letter ofjurisdictioun and libertie made and

subr be our brethrene and his Hienes umqle Mr of Wark for the time

to the said Williame Sinclar of Rosling father to the said Sr

William whereby he and his airis are acknowledget as our patrone and

judge under our Soverane Lord over us and the haill professors of

our said vocatioun within this his Hienes kingdom of Scotlande

without any appelation or declinator from their judgements in ony

(time hereafter) forever   And further we all in ane voce as said is

of new have made constitute and ordainit and be thir presentis makis

constitutes and ordanes the said Sir William Sinclar now of Rosling

and his airis maill our only patrones protectors and overseers under

our Soverane Lord to us and our successors deacons maisteris and

freemen of our saidis vocatiounes of Masons hammermen within the

haile kingdome of Scotland and of our haille priviledges and

jurisdictiounes belonging thereto wherein he his father and their

predecessors Lairdis of Rosling have been in use of possessioun thir

many aidges bygain with full power to him and them be themselves

thair wardens and deputis to be constitute be them to affix and

appoint places of meeting for keeping of good ordour in the said

craft als oft and sua oft as need shall require all and sundry

persones that may be knawin to be subject to the said vocatioun to

be called absentis to amerciat transgressuris to punish unlawes

casualities and vtheris duties whatsomever pertaining and belonging

or that may fall to be pait be whatsomever persone or persones

subject to the said craft to aske crave receive intromet with and

uplift and the samyn to their own proper use to apply deputtis under

them in the said office with clerkis seruandis assisteris and all

other officers and memberis of court needfull to make create

substitute and ordain for whom they shall be holden to answer all

and sundry plentis actions and causes pertaining to the said craft

and vocation and against whatsomever person or persones professors

thereof to hear discuss decerne and decyde acts duties and sentences

thereupon to pronunce   And the samyn to due execution to cause be

put and generallie all and sundrie other priviledges liberties and

immunities whatsomever concerning the said craft to doe use and

exerce and cause to be done and exercet and keipit siklyke and als

freely in all respects as any vyeris thair predecessors has done or

might have done themselves in anytime bygane freely quietly well and

in peace but any revocatioun obstacle impediment or again calling

quhtsomevir.

In witness of the qlke thing to thir presenttis wtin be Alexander

Aikinheid servitor to Andrew Hay wrytter we have subt thir nts with

our handis at . .

The Ludge of Edinburgh. - William Wallace decon    John Watt   Thomas

Patersone

The Ludge of Glasgow. - John Boyd deakin.        Robert Boyd ane of

the mestres.

Hew Douok deikon of the Measounes and Vrichtis off Ayre and George

Lid(ell) deacan of quarimen and nov quartermaster.

The Ludge of Stirlinge. - John Thompsone    James Rind

The Ludge of Dunfermlinge. - (Robert Alisone one of the masters of

Dunfermling)

The Ludge of Dundee. - Robert Strachoune master Robert Johnstone Mr

of (-) David Mesone Mr of (-)

Thomas Fleming wardane in Edinburgh and Hugh Forrest with our hands

att the pen led be the notar under subd for us at our command

because we cannot wryt.   A. Hay notarius asseruit.

Robert Caldwell in Glasgow with my hand at the pen led be the notar

under subscrywand for me because I cannot writt myself. J. Henrysone

notarius asseruit.

I John Serveite Mr of ye Craftis in Stirling with my hand att ye pen

led be the notar under subscryvand for me because I cannot writt J.  

Henrysone notarius asseruit.

I John Burne ane of the mris. of Dumfermling with my hand att the

pen led be the notar under subscrywand for me at my command because

I cannot writ myself.   J. Henrysone notarius asseruit.

David Robertson ane of ye mesteris Andrew Welsone master and Thomas

(W)elsone varden of the sed Ludg of Sant Androis Andrew Wast and

David Quhyit maisteris in Dundee with our hands att the pen led be

the notar under subscryvand att our commands because we cannot

writt.   Thomas Robertson notarius asseruit.