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


        BE IT 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.       ROT. 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 THOMSONE   JAMES RIND


The Ludge of Dunfermlinge.

(ROBERT ALISONE one of the masters of Dunfermling)

	The Ludge of	*	*	*

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.
