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1553 document signed by James Duke of Chastlerault

1553, Document
1553 document signed by James Duke of Chastlerault
1553 document signed by James Duke of Chastlerault
1553 document signed by James Duke of Chastlerault
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Category
Museums & Galleries Item
Item no
50636
Title
Document dated 1553, signed by James Duke of Chastlerault, stating that Mary Queen of Scots has gifted a portion of the sands at Leith for the building of a bulwark.
Description
Document detailing the gift by Mary Queen of Scots, and undersigned by James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Châtellerault, 2nd Earl of Arran for the building of a bulwark, 28th July 1553. One side of text in black ink with the word "Regina" ('queen') at the top, and signed in a different hand with an illegible signature (possible Hamilton's). Below the signature is a wax seal with a tied string around it. On the back are various handwritten notes and numbers (probably much later), a round sticker with the number 55 written on in black ink. Also written in writing is a description of the content of the document. This appears to be late-17th or 18th century writing and states; "Gift undersignet Granted by / Queen Mary and subscribed by / James Duke of Chastlerault the / Governour of the realm 28 July / 1553 to the Toun of Edinburgh of sa meikle of the ground / And sands in with the flood mark / As exrendes to 40 ells in bredth on / The south side of the shoar of Leith . An / In length as the sea ebbs for bigging / An bulwark of stane and lime so far / As they may win within the flood / Mark. And to make dikes and […] / For safety thereof and keeping of / Timer & […] necessaries therefor De- / Cerning that the Toun shall inuire(?) no / Danger therethrough. And that Her / Majte shall not pursue[…] therefore / Nor for reduction hereof And that, this / Gift shall of a as great effect as a / Charter & investments under the great seal".
Date
1553
Type
Accession number
HH162