XLVIII. Confirmation by Gavin, Archbishop of Glasgow, of the Charter Number xlvii. Glasgow, 15 May 1529.

[Latin text]

Vniuersis et singulis sancte matris ecctesie filiis presentes literas inspecturis, visuris, lecturis, pariter et audituris, Gauinus miseratione diuina archiepiscopus Glasguensis, salutem in eo qui est omnium vera salus. Ea que pro ecclesiarum omnium et presertim nostre ciuitatis decore et venustate, ac personarum quarumlibet in illis diuinis laudibus insistentium commoditate, prouide facta et ordinata fuisse dicuntur; ilia presertim, per que diuinus cultus ac ministrorum numerus ad Dei laudem in eisdem augmentum suscipiant, libenter cum a nobis petitur ordinarie auctoritatis munimine roboramus. Sane pro parte venerabilis confratris nostri magistri Jacobi Houstoun subdecani nostre ecclesie Glasguensis nobis nuper exhibita petitio continebat quod alias honorabiles viri nostrique dilecti, videlicet, Robertus Steuard de Mynto prepositus, Georgius Burell et Jacobus Wilsoun balliui, ac etiam consules et communitas ciuitatis nostre Glasguensis, ad hoc in pretorio nostre ciuitatis vnanimiter congregati, vnanimi consensu et assensu ad laudem gloriam et honorem summe et indiuidue Trinitatis, Patris, videlicet, et Filii et Spiritus Sancti, ac beatarum Marie semper Virginis et Anne matris eius, in augmentationem diuini cultus et capellanorum per eundem magistrum Jacobum subdecanum exponentem in sua noua ecclesia beatarum Marie et Anne predictarum dedicata et per eum sumptibus suis et impensis a solo edificata, constructa et reparata, inque via publica Sancte Tenew nuncupata infra ciuitatem nostram Glasguensem situata, inibi perpetuis futuris temporibus Domino Deo altissimo famulaturorum, vberiorem in vite necessariis sustentationem, nostro tamen et venerabilium fratrum nostrorum decani et capituli dicte nostre ecclesie desuper ad hoc expresso accedente consensu, Deo, Marie Virgini et Anne beatis, exponentique fundatori et octo capellanis predictis inibi per eundem fundatorem Deo altissimo perpetuis futuris temporibus famulaturis impositis et institutis; totas et integras illas sexdecim acras terrarum mori communis Furcarum, wlgariter le Gallow Mure nuncupati, jacentes ex parte orientali dicte nostre ciuitatis, per prepositum, balliuos, consules et communitatem predictos diuisas, limitatas, bondatas et mensuratas, vnicuique octo capellanorum predictorum et eorundem successoribus imperpetuum duas acras distribuendas et assignandas ad voluntatem et dispositionem dicti magistri Jacobi subdecani exponentis; prout iacent in longitudine et latitudine, dederunt, concesserunt, et per eorum cartam in puram et perpetuam elimosinam donarunt. Reddendo propterea et faciendo inde annuatim subdecanus exponens fundator et octo capellani predicti suique successores imperpetuum et perpetuis futuris temporibus, nobis, successoribus et capitulo nostris, ac preposito, balliuis, consulibus et communitati predictis et eorum successoribus orationum suffragia deuotarum tantum, prout in carta pergaminea dictorum prepositi, balliuorum, consulum, et communitatis dicte nostre ciuitatis, suo sigillo communi cera rubea albe impressa roborata, sub data apud ciuitatem nostram. Glasguensem quarte diei mensis Maii, anni Domini millesimi quingentesimi vigesimi noni, desuper confecta plenius continetur; et sicut eadem subiungebat petitio, si datio, concessio et donatio sexdecim acrarum predictarum, per prepositum, balliuos, consules et communitatem predictos, vt premittitur, facte, per nos eorundem in spiritualibus et temporalibus immediate dominum superiorem et ordinarium confirmarentur et approbarentur; per hoc plurimum decori dicte ecclesie beatarum Marie et Anne predictarum, et octo capellanorum predictorum statui, quieti et vtilitati plurimum consulerentur. Quare pro parte dicti subdecani exponentis nobis fuit humiliter supplicatum vt concessionem, dationem et donationem sexdecim acrarum predictarum et singula in carta predicta contenta pro illorum subsistentia firmiori ordinaria auctoritate approbare, ratificare et confirmare, aliasque in premissis oportuna providere dignaremur. Nos igitur huiusmodisupplicacionibus tanquam justis et racionabilibus inclinati, concessionem, dationem et donationem predictas ac cartam antedictam desuper confeotam, ac prout illas concernunt, omnia et singula in carta huiusmodi contenta, dummodo concessio, diuisio, limitatio et mensuratio sexdecim acrarum predictarum iter publicum itinerantibus et tenentibus terrarum nostrarum de Burrowfeild dictis acris adiacentium ex vna parte accedendi ad ciuitatem nostram Glasguensem et recedendi ab eadem aliquatinus non impediant, ordinaria auctoritate, ac omnibus melioribus modo, via, forma, jure et causa quibus melius et efficacius possumus et debemus, de expresso consensu et assensu venerabilium fratrum nostrorum dominorum decani et capituli nostri predictorum, propter hoc in eorum generali Penthecostali consilio legitime congregatorum, tenore presentium approbamus, ratificamus et confirmamus, ac perpetue firmitatis robur obtinere et inuiolabiliter obseruari debere decernimus; omnesque et singulos tam iuris quam facti defectus, si qui forsan interuenerint in eisdem, prefata auctoritate supplemus. In quorum omnium et singulorum fidem et testimonium premissorum presentibus manu nostra subscriptis sigillum nostrum rotundum, vnacum sigillo communi dicti capituli nostri, in signum expressum consensus et assensus predictorum, est appensum, apud ecclesiam nostram metropolitanam Glasguensem, die Sabbati in vigilia Penthecostes, videlicet, decima quinta mensis Maii, anno Domini millesimo quingentesimo vigesimo nono et nostre consecrationis anno quarto.

Gauinus, Glasguensis Archiepiscopus.

[Translation]

To all and sundry sons of holy mother Church who shall inspect, see, read, and hear the present letters, Gavin by the mercy of God archbishop of Glasgow, greeting in him who is the true salvation of all men. Whatsoever things are for the embellishment and decoration of all Churches, and especially of our city, and for the comfort of such persons as attend upon the praise of God in them, are reckoned to be prudently done and ordained; in particular those whereby the worship of God and the number of ministers receive increase to the praise of God in the same, we gladly fortify with the support of our ordinary authority, when we are asked therto. There was lately presented to us a petition on the behalf of our venerable brother master James Houstoun subdean of our church of Glasgow, which bore that at another time honourable men and our well-beloveds, to wit, Robert Steuard of Mynto provost, George Burell and James Wilsoun bailies, and also the councillors and community of our city of Glasgow, to that end unanimously assembled in the tolbooth of our city, with unanimous consent and assent to the praise, glory and honor of the most high and undivided Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Ghost, and Saint Mary ever Virgin and Saint Ann her mother, for increase of the worship of God, and the better sustentation with the necessaries of life of the chaplains in the new Church of Saints Mary and Ann foresaid, dedicated by the said master James, subdean, the petitioner, and built from the foundation, erected and repaired by him on his own charges and expenses, and situated in the public street called St Tenews Wynd within our city of Glasgow, therein in all times to come for ever to serve the Lord God Most High; with the consent also of our venerable brethren the dean and chapter of our said Church thereanent expressly conceded; have given, granted, and by their Charter in pure and perpetual alms have gifted to God, St Mary the Virgin and St Ann and to the petitioner and founder, and eight chaplains foresaid, put and appointed therein by the said founder to serve God Most High in all times to come for ever, All and whole those sixteen acres of land of our common moor commonly called the Gallow Mure, lying on the east side of our said city, marched, limited, bounded, and measured by the foresaid provost, bailies, councillors and community, as they lie in length and breadth, two acres thereof to be distributed and assigned to each one of the foresaid eight chaplains and their successors for ever, at the will and disposal of the said Master James, subdean, the petitioner. Paying and making therefor yearly the subdean petitioner and founder, and the foresaid eight chaplains and their successors for ever and in all times to come, to us, our successors and chapter, and the provost, bailies, councillors and community foresaid, and their successors, suffrages of devout supplications only, as is more fully contained in the parchment charter made thereupon of the said provost, bailies, councillors and community of our said city, confirmed with their common seal impressed with red wax upon white, under date, at our city of Glasgow, the fourth day of the month of May, the year of God, one thousand five hundred and twenty nine: and like as is subjoined in the same petition, that if the gift, grant, and donation of the foresaid sixteen acres, made by the foresaid provost, bailies, councillors and community, as aforesaid, were confirmed and approved by us their immediate lord superior and ordinary in things spiritual and temporal; thereby the honor of the said church of St Mary and St Ann foresaid, and the state, quiet and weal of the foresaid eight chaplains would be very much furthered: Wherefor on behalf of the said subdean, the petitioner, it was humbly besought of us, that we would deign to approve, ratify and confirm by our ordinary authority the grant, gift and donation of the foresaid sixteen acres, and the sundry things contained in the foresaid charter for their better sustentation, and provide otherwise what was meet in the premises. We therefore being well disposed towards the said supplication as right and reasonable, by our ordinary authority, and in all the best manner, way, form, right and cause which we best and with most effect can and ought, with express consent and assent of our venerable brethren, the foresaid Sirs the dean and our chapter lawfully assembled for that effect, in their general Whitsunday council, by the tenor of these presents approve, ratify and confirm the foresaid grant, gift and donation, and the charter foresaid made thereupon, and all and sundry the contents of such charter so far as concern them, and decern that the same have the force of perpetual strength and ought to be inviolably observed; provided the grant, marching, limiting, and measuring of the foresaid sixteen acres do not in any wise prejudice or impede a public way to travellers, and the tenants of our lands of Burrowfield adjacent to the said acres on the one side, going to our city of Glasgow and returning therefrom; and by our foresaid authority, we supply all and sundry defects as well of right as of fact, if any happen to be therein. In faith and witness of all and sundry which premises, our round seal, together with the common seal of our said chapter, in token of their express consent and assent aforesaid, is appended to these presents, subscribed with our hand, at our metropolitan church of Glasgow, the Saturday on the eve of Whitsunday, to wit, the fifteenth day of the month of May, the year of God, one thousand five hundred and twenty nine, and of our consecration the fourth year.

Gavin, Archbishop of Glasgow.