1239
British Library, London
From People of Medieval Scotland
ALex’ dei Gratia Rex Scott’ . Omnibus probis Hominibus Totius terre sue Clericis et Laicis Salutem . Sciant| presentes et futuri nos diuine pietatis intuitu dedisse et concessisse et hac Carta nostra confirmasse . deo et Ecclesie sancte| marie de Melros’ . Et Abbati et monachis ibidem deo seruientibus Quartam partem de Dunscor’ . in valle| de Nyth’ . scilicet illam Quartam partem . que propinquior est terre Canonicorum de Dercungall’ . per rectas diuisas suas| et cum omnibus iustis pertinentiis suis . Tenendam eisdem monachis in Liberam . puram . et perpetuam elemosi-|nam . adeo Libere et Quiete . plenarie et honorifice . sicut aliqua elemosina in regno nostro . ex dono nostro uel| alicuius antecessorum nostrorum Liberius et Quietius . plenius et honorificentius tenetur . et possidetur . Ita ut predicti| Monachi quolibet anno vigilia Sancti Bartholomei apostoli pitantiam habeant . de redditu predicte terre . Testibus .| Magistro Math’ Cancellario . Walt’ OLifard’ . Iust’ Laodonie . Walt’ filio Alani Senescallo . Patricio filio Comitis . Walt’ Cumin .| IngeR’ de Baill’ . HenRico filio Comitis . dauid . Marscallo . Thoma filio Randulfi . dauid Cumin . Apud Belford’ . decimo| octauo die Marcii . Anno regni domini Regis Quintodecimo .
Alexander, by the grace of God king of the Scots, to all worthy men of his entire land, clerk and lay, [sends] greeting. Let present and future know us, for the sake of divine love, to have given, conceded, and by our charter to have made firm, to God, the church of St Mary at Melrose, and to the abbot and monks serving God in that same place, a quarter of Dunscore in Nithsdale, that is to say, that quarter which is nearest the land of the canons of Dercongal, by its right marches and with all its just pertinents; for the same monks to hold in free, pure, and perpetual alms, as freely and quitly, fully and honourably, as any alms in our kingdom from our own gift or of any of our ancestors is held and possessed most freely and quitly, fully and honourably; so that the aforesaid monks should have a pittance every year on the eve of St Bartholomew the apostle from the rent of the said land. As witnesses: Master Matthew the chancellor; Walter Oliphant, justiciar of Lothian; Walter fitz Alan, the steward; Patrick son of the earl; Walter Comyn; Ingram de Balliol; Henry son of the Earl; David the marischal; Thomas son of Ranulf; David Comyn. At Belford on the eighteenth day of March in the fifteenth year of the reign of the lord king.
