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One way in which spouses provided for each other was by holding land in conjunct fee – by this tenure the surviving spouse continued to hold a property after the first spouse’s death. Here a wife has  inherited a property from her father and then resigns it so that it can be granted back to her husband and her in conjunct fee.  Documents such as this one are also useful as sources for the evidence of the physical appearance of properties, as well as their location – here beside the tolbooth (the town hall). Note that the year began on 25 March until 1600 so the date in the document is given as 1518 but in modern style would be 1519.

1519 Possessio Elene Claue

Memorandum that the xij day of the monetht of Februar the year of God jm vc xviij the quhilk day it was fund be ane inquest that Elen Clauy the spovs of Robert Prud was nerast and lauchfull air to Symon Clauy hir fadir of ane hovs contenand ane hall and chalmer abovne and ane wolt beneitht the said hovs, and ane bakhovs of twa hovs hecht wytht fre isch and entra at the foryet to the said bakhovs lyand behind the tolbutht of the said burch betuix the landis of Schir Johne Moffat mastir of the grammar scovll on the northt part David Colstone one the west part. And thane the said Elene raquirit Williem Spittaill ane of the balleis of the said burcht that he wald of his office gif hir heretabill stait saising and possessioune of the forsaid part of tenement as scho that was fund be ane inquest nerrast air to the said vmquhill Symon Clauy hir fadir. Thane the said ballie past to the said tenement and stanand vpone the grund of the samy gaif heretabill stait saising and possessioune of the forsaid part of tenement to the said Elene as nerrast and lauchfull air to the forsaid wmquhill Symon hir fadir. And than incontinent the said Elene resignit the forsaid part of hir tenement wytht the pertinens in the said Williem Spittail ballie hand be erd and stane for heretabil stait saising and possessioune and coniunctfeftment of the said part of tenement wytht the pertinens to be gvein to [the] forsaid Robert Provd and Elene Clauy and to the airis to be gottin betuix thame. Eftir the quhilk resignatioune the said Williem Spittaill gaif heretabill stait saising possessione and coniunctfeftment of the forsaid part of tenement witht the pertinens to the saidis Robert and Elene. And tham in veray real actual and corporal possession and coniunctfeftment of the forsaid part of tenement witht the pertinens the said ballie inducit and inuestit eftir the mynd entent and will of the said Elene be deliueryng of erd and stane in the handis coniunt of the saidis Robert and Elene befor thir witnes thai are to say Schir Johnne Clauy Schir James Allansone chaplains Rob Lamb Johne Watson Dauid Atyin and Williem Movbray seriandis witht vderis diuers and money

The Burgh Records of Dunfermline, ed Erskine Beveridge. Edinburgh: William Borwn, 1917, 298