Schairp studied at the University of St Andrews for the church, but changed careers and became a lawyer.
[5] On 12 July 1593 he acted as proxy for John Maitland of Thirlestane and his wife Jean Fleming when they resigned the barony of Musselburgh to Anne of Denmark.
[6] In 1604 he became involved in a commission to re-draft border law preparatory to the projected union between Scotland and England.
She brought lands at Kinloss, Muirton, and Findhorn and salmon fishing rights in pools called the Stells and Yairs.
[9] When they building at Houston, Margaret Collace wrote to Shairp's secretary in Edinburgh asking about customary payments for the masons.