1676 Sasine

The following information has been supplied by Dave Thomson - son of TD Thomson.

The 1676 sasine that has been a part of our family's collection of documents. As I mentioned, there "Hill House" had been our family home for about 180 years until I painfully had to put it up for sale, and I'm intrigued to try to get hold of the deeds as to when the house was built with a list of its owners. What intrigues me about the document I have is what it's association could be with our family and our land.

Transcription of Photograph of the Sasine

The first few lines are in Latin and translated read:

In the name of god amen by this present instrument that on the 16 day of April 1676 in the 28th year of the reign of Charles the 2nd by the grace of God King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, defender of the faith.

The q[uhil]k day In p[rese]nce of me not[ar] publick undersubscrive and & witnesses afternamed ane honest man named John Purvis designd sone to James Purvis in Coldinghame

Compeared alsoe Mr John Browne Eldest lawfull sone to Thomas Browne portio[ne]r in Eymouth Bailyie specially constitute to John Hopper portio[ne]r of Coldinghame

The s[ai]d John Purvis haveing & holding in his hands ane Bond conteining ane precept of seasine granted be the s[ai]d John Hopper wherein the s[ai]d John Hopper sells analies & dispones to the s[ai]d John Purvis his aires and assignays All & haile ane house and yeard with the pertinents th[air]to belonging p[rese]ntly possest be James Purvis his father Bounding and lying within the toune & territorie of Coldinghame Baronie th[ai]rof & S[he]reffedoome of Barwick (Redeemeable alwayes & under Reversione by pay[men]t of the soume of fortie pound Scots be the s[ai]d John Hopper & his successors q[uha]tsumevir).

For the pay[men]t of ane dayes work in harvest and two kaine fouls yearly as the s[ai]d bond & wadset beareing several oth[e]r clauses w[i]th absolute warrandice in itselfe at more lenth bears and there upon the ground of the s[ai]d yeard & house the s[ai]d John Purvis exhibite & produced to the s[ai]d Mr John Browne Bailyie in that part the fors[ai]d Bond Requyreing him to put the samine to all dew & law[fu]ll execu[tio]une conforme to the tenor of the s[ai]d Bond & precept of seasine th[ai]rin conteind who Receaved the s[ai]d Bond in his hand & p[rese]nted the samine to me not[ar] publick under sub[scriveand to be Red & explaind be me to the witnesses afterspe[cife]it then p[rese]nt according to the tenor of the s[ai]d precept th[ai]rin conteind as Follows And to the effect the said John Purvis & his fors[sai]ds may obteine themselves infeft & seased in all and haile the s[ai]d house & yeard with pertinents to be holden of me and my successors in maner fors[ai]d.

Witt yee me to have made & constitute Mr John Browne Eldest lawfull sone to Thomas Browne portio[ne]r of Eymouth And ilk ane of them my Bailyies in that part con[junct]ly & se[ver]ally giveand grantand & committand to them and ilk ane of them as s[ai]d is my full power for me & upon my behalfe & name to passe to the ground of the s[ai]d house & yeard and there give heritable staite & seasine corporall actuall & Reall possessione of all & haile the fors[ai]d house and yeard w[i]th the pertinents be deliverance of Earth & Stone Conforme to the tenor of thir p[rese]nts in all poynts and this on nowayes yee live undone to the doing q[uhai]rof I Committ to yow con[junct]ly & se[ver]ally as s[ai]d is my full power & commissione But prejudice alwayes to me & my fors[ai]ds of the benefite of Redemptione Conforme to the Reversione abovewritten for th[a]t effect In witnes q[uhai]rof I have written & sub[scryvi]t these p[rese]nts Att Coldinghame the sixth day of Aprill Jaj vj ct seaventie six years

Before thir witnesses Mr John Browne sone to Thomas Browne portio[ne]r of Eymouth & John Weild not[ar] th[ai]r sic sub[scrivitur JHopper JoBrowne witnes John Weild witnes After Reading & explaineing of the s[ai]d bond of wadset and precept of seasine abovementionate the s[ai]d Mr John Browne be vertue of office of Bailyerie Committed to him gave heritable staite & seasing actuall

Reall & corporall possessione of the s[ai]d house & yeard Lyand possest as s[ai]d is To the said John Purvis for himselfe be deliverance of Earth & Stone of the ground of the s[ai]d yeard & house w[i]th the pertinents after the forme & tenor of the s[ai]d bond & precept of seasine th[ai]rin conteind in all poynts who accepted of the samine Upone which all & sundrie the premisses the s[ai]d John Purvis asked & tooke instruments in the hands of me not[ar] publick under subscriveand day month yeare of God & of our soveraigne Lords Reigne abovespe[cife]it Thir things were done upon the south syd of the s[ai]d house betwixt ane & two hours in the afternoone In p[rese]nce of David Greirsone in Coldinghame Thomas Achesone masone in the Law Francis Johntoune seaman in Coldinghame & John Hunter allies {alias} Shellin th[ai]r witnessis spe[ci]allie called requyred & desyred in the premisses

It ends with the docquet of the John Weild, the notary public, by John Weild, notary public within the diocese of Edinburgh.

This is written in Latin took a specific form which was used by all notaries.

And I indeed John Weild, clerk of the diocese of Edinburgh, admitted and created by royal authority and by the lords of council according to the tenor of the act of parliament, because I was personally present together with the forenamed witnesses at all and sundry the above while they were being acted, said and done, and I saw all and sundry the premises so done and knew and heard them so said and took a note of them and therefore I have completed thereon this present public instrument, faithfully written by my hand and reduced it to public form and signed it with my usual hand customary sign, name and surname in faith and testimony of all an sundry the above, being asked and required

(Note: this sasine was recorded in the Particular Register of Sasines for Berwickshire (RS19/3 f.382ff) on the 27 April 1676)