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.
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