St. Clair Charters
First Charter 1601
Second Charter 1628
CHARTER GRANTED BY THE MASONS OF SCOTLAND
TO WILLIAM ST CLAIR OF ROSLIN IN 1601Be 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 RobesouneSt 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 1628Beit 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.
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