CHARTER GRANTED BY THE MASONS OF SCOTLAND

TO WILLIAM ST CLAIR 0F 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.