Chapter XV: The Burgh
The Abbot's Charter was as follows:—
To all and sundry who may see or hear this indented Charter, George Shaw, Abbot of the Monastery of Paisley, and Convent of the same place, of the Order of Clugny, and diocese of Glasgow, wisheth salvation in the eternal God. Be it known to your university, that forasmuch as we have the village of Paisley made and erected by our most excellent Lord the King into a free burgh, to us and to our successors, as is fully contained in a Charter granted thereupon, under his Majesty's great seal, therefore we, having diligently considered the premises, always providing for, and wishing the utility of, our said Monastery, with advice and consent of our whole chapter, chapterly convened, to have given, granted, set, and in feu farm let, and by this our present Charter to have confirmed, and hereby grant, and in feu farm let, and by our present charter to have confirmed to our lovites, the Provost, Bailies, Burgesses, and community of Paisley, All and Whole our said burgh in barony, with the pertinents lying in our regality of Paisley, within the Sheriffdom of Renfrew, within the bounds and limits underwritten, namely—Beginning at the end of the Bridge of Paisley, upon the water of Kert, and extending by the King's highway towards the west to the vennel opposite to the Welmedow, and from thence equally ascending towards the north by the dyke of the lands of Oxschawside to the wood of Oxschawe, betwixt the said wood, as also the passage to the common of the said burgh, and the broom dyke which extends by the lands of Snawdon, from the common Of the said burgh to the water of Kert on the north, and the said water of Kert ; as also the torrent of Espedair on the east part, and the mustard yard and way extending on the south part of the house of John Murray, and so by the hedge extending above the west end of the Whitefauld on the south part, and the said Whitefauld ; as also a part of the common of the said burgh ; and said Wellmeadow and ditch of the said lands of Oxschawside on the west part upon the one side, and the other for erecting and building tenements, mansions, and yards, to said Provost, Bailies, Burgesses, and Community, as is specially assigned, or hereafter shall be assigned to every one of them by us and our said Convent, by our charter of feu farm, together with certain acres of the nearest lands lying within the limits and bounds aforesaid, assigned or to be assigned to every tenement, mansion, and yard, according to the terms of our said charter, made or to be made thereupon : moreover, we annex and incorporate the toft, house, building, mansions, yards, and land of Seedhill to the liberty and privilege of our said burgh in barony of Paisley, to be possessed perpetually in all times hereafter: as also we have given, granted, set, and in feu farm let, and such like given, granted, and set, and in feu farm let, to the said provosts, bailies, burgesses, and community of our said Burgh of Paisley and their successors, for the time being, our lands underwritten : whereof, one part of the lands lies at the west end of our said burgh towards the south, betwixt the lands of Calsaysid and the lands of Thomas Leich, called le bank, on the east part, and the lands of Castlehed ; also, the lands of Sir Henry Mous, John Whiteford, and le Stobis of Ricardsbar, on the south parts, and end of the ward called the bodum of the ward, on the west part, and the tail of the Brumlandis, as also Welmedow, and the croft of the Prior on the north part ; and the other part of the said lands lies on the north part of the said burgh, between the lands of Oxschawhead and the wood of Oxschawe, as also the croft of Robert Cavers, called le Sclattbank, on the south part; and the lands of Snawdon and water of Kert, as also le holmine of Waxdmedow, on the east part ; and the marchdyke of Inch and the common moss of Paisley on the north part; and the said moss on the west part upon the one side and the other, for the convenience of the said burgh for ever, to be possessed for the common pasturage of the cattle of the said provost, bailies, burgesses, and community. And also we have given and conceded free license and power to the said provost, bailies, burgesses, and community, and their successors for ever, for gaining and taking their fuel from any of our peatries of Paisley, for sustaining the said provost, bailies, burgesses, and community, and for gaining and taking stones from our quarries for the construction and building of the said burgh as often as it will please them, provided we have what is necessary for ourselves in these peatries and quarries when we please. And if the said provost, bailies, burgesses, or community, shall find or gain a coal pit or coal pits in their said common of the said burgh, we will and order that we and our successors shall thence have our necessaries, making payment of our part of the expenses of gaining the said coal pit, or coal pits, as the said provost, bailies, and community of the said burgh pay for their part thereof; or are willing to pay.