[1579/10/17]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Concerning the supplication given in by Jean Dishington, youngest daughter and one of the two heirs of the late Paul Dishington, fiar of Ardross, making mention that where after the decease of her said late father, her ward and marriage came to the disposition of the late James [Hamilton], duke of Chatelherault, earl of Arran, lord Hamilton, protector and governor of this realm for the time, who also obtained possession of her person, being then an infant; and before she had discretion or conference with her friends to choose an agreeable party, she was married to Gavin Hamilton, sometime of Raploch, by the space of 15 years since, long before any crime committed by him, with which he is now charged. Nonetheless, upon the occasion of his unhappy being at Stirling the time of the decease of our said sovereign lord's dearest grandfather, her said husband is now fugitive, his living and all the portion of land which fell to her by decease of her said late father has come in our said sovereign lord's hands, the said Jean lately falling to a small portion thereof by composition by the advice of friends, namely, the mains of Kirkpottie, with mill thereof, the lands of Tollennoquheis and Dewglie, with the mill thereof, as the decreet arbitral and contract of division bears, upon the which she presented her supplication to our said sovereign lord and lords aforesaid, whereof she received his gracious answer ordaining her to produce the said decreet arbitral and contract of division before his highness's advocate to be seen and considered, that it being known in particular what lands should appertain to her properly, thereby our said sovereign lord, with advice of the lords aforesaid, would of mercy and piety assign the same to her for her lifetime, how soon the same should become in his highness's hands. According to the which ordinance, she produced the said decreet and contract to his majesty's advocate, who has considered them at length, and thereby understands the lands aforesaid to appertain to her properly, as he being required will manifest to his highness most humbly, therefore beseeching his majesty to have consideration of her former supplication and deliverance given thereupon, and that his highness of his mercy and piety will assign the said lands of her said late father's living pertaining to her properly as said is, and profits thereof for all the days of her lifetime, to her sustentation, that has come of honest parents, and to grant her power by herself and her procurators in her name to stand in judgement, and to pursue and defend all actions concerning her properly, especially toward her security of the said lands and that without consent of her said husband, notwithstanding his inability to authorise her in her said pursuit or defence, and to make an act of parliament thereupon, and his highness and his estates to interpose their authority thereto for the said Jean's better security, as at more length is contained in the said supplication. Which being seen and considered by the king's majesty and estates aforesaid, our sovereign lord, of his special mercy, clemency and piety, with advice of his said three estates of this present parliament, has assigned and assigns to the said Jean the said lands of Kirkpottie, with the mill, lying within the sheriffdom of Perth, and the lands of Dewgleis and Tollennoquheis, with the mill thereof, lying within the sheriffdom of Kinross, with all their houses, places, mills, parts and pendicles thereof, which were one part of her said late father's living pertaining to her in division and profits thereof for all the days of her lifetime, to her sustentation, who is become of honest parents. And further, our said sovereign lord, with advice aforesaid, gives and grants full power and licence to the said Jean that she may, by herself and her procurators in her name, stand in judgement before whatsoever judge or judges within this realm, and pursue and defend all actions concerning her properly, especially toward her security of the said lands during her lifetime as said is, and that without consent of her said husband, notwithstanding his inability, and authorises the said Jean in her said pursuit and defence; and for her better security, our said sovereign lord and estates aforesaid have interposed and interpose their authority thereto, providing that the said Jean behaves herself as a loyal and obedient subject to our sovereign lord and that she in no way reset, supply, assist or communicate with any declared or that hereafter happen to be declared traitors, as culpable and guilty of the murders perpetrated in the persons of [Matthew Stewart, earl of Lennox], our said sovereign lord's dearest grandfather, and [James Stewart, earl of Moray], uncle, his highness's regents for the time, and ordain letters to be directed to make publication hereof, if need be, in the appropriate form.
[1579/10/18]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Concerning the supplication given in by Dame Margaret Lyon, countess of Cassilis, making mention that where it pleased our sovereign lord of piety and compassion to give and grant to her, her heirs and assignees not being of the blood nor surname of John Hamilton, sometime commendator of Arbroath, now her spouse, the escheat of all and sundry goods, gear, jewels and garments properly pertaining to his own person, as also of all and sundry mails, ferms, kanes, customs, rents, duties of all lands, lordships, baronies, mills, woods, fishings, tacks, steadings, rooms, possessions, as well of lands as others, and debts whatsoever which properly pertained to her by reason of conjunct fee, liferent, terce, tack, assedation or otherwise, by whatsoever right or title acquired by her before the contracting of marriage with the said commendator and not being of his living, and now pertaining to our sovereign lord and being in his highness's hands by reason of escheat for the cause aforesaid, or any other cause or occasion preceding the date of the said letters of gift of all years and terms bygone resting owed, and likewise of all years and terms to come during his highness's will, with power and certain privileges especially expressed in the said gift, as the same of the date at the castle of Stirling, 28 June 1579, and of his highness's reign the twelfth year, at more length bears, most humbly requiring the same gift to be confirmed and his majesty's grace and favour therein contained to be continued to her during her lifetime by his highness, with advice of his estates in this present parliament. In respect whereof, our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of his said three estates, of his mere mercy, grace and favour, ratifies and confirms the said gift and disposition made to the said Dame Margaret in manner and to the effect above-written in all points, privileges, passes, clauses and contents thereof, and by the tenor hereof gives, grants and conveys the same of new to her during her lifetime, and declares that this present act, ratification and disposition aforesaid shall stand as a law and be viable in full effect and force for her security of the said gift and all things pertained therein during her lifetime as said is, providing that the said Dame Margaret in no way, by herself nor with another intervening person, reset, supply nor fortify any his highness's rebels which are declared, or shall happen hereafter to be declared, culpable and guilty of the murders of [Henry Stewart, lord Darnley], his majesty's late dearest father, [Matthew Stewart, earl of Lennox], grandfather, and [James Stewart, earl of Moray], uncle, his regents for the time, and ordains letters of publication to be directed hereupon, if need be, in the appropriate form.
[1579/10/19]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Concerning the supplication given in by Margaret Cunningham, widow of the late James Cochrane of Barbachlaw and now spouse to James Muirhead of Lauchope, making mention that where marriage was completed between the said James Muirhead and her, she having no knowledge of any crime or offence done by him against our sovereign lord's authority or laws in any way, and now being summoned amongst certain others for certain crimes laid to their charge pertained in the summons of treason directed thereupon, such is the rigour of the law that the said Margaret will be excluded from the small rent and living pertaining to her through her said late first husband if the forfeiture proceeds against the said James, her last spouse, to her utter ruin, unless our sovereign lord's piety and mercy be extended towards her; and seeing she is innocent of all the crimes laid to the said James, her spouse, she has assured hope and confidence in his majesty's clemency and favour to be shown to her, as has been already extended to others being in the like misery and calamity, since she has no other thing to live on but that small rent pertaining to her said late first husband; therefore beseeching our said sovereign lord and lords of articles to have consideration hereof and of this her miserable state, and to take such good order as she may peaceably enjoy and have the use of all lands and possessions pertaining to her properly by decease of her said late spouse, with the goods and plenishing being therein, during her lifetime, to her necessary use and sustentation, and that she be not prejudiced nor hurt in the possession and using thereof through the forfeiture to be led against her said spouse, and to cause an act to be made thereupon as is appropriate, with provision and condition that the said James, her spouse, shall in no way be helped by her said living, and that she shall in no way reset, supply, assist nor communicate with any declared or that hereafter shall happen to be declared traitors, as culpable and guilty of the murders perpetrated in the persons of [Henry Stewart, lord Darnley], our sovereign lord's late father, and [Matthew Stewart, earl of Lennox and James Stewart, earl of Moray], his two regents, as at more length is contained in the said supplication. Which being seen and considered by the king's majesty, with advice of the three estates of this present parliament, decrees and declares that the said Margaret Cunningham shall peaceably enjoy and have the use of all lands, rents and possessions pertaining to her properly by the decease of the said late James Cochrane, her spouse, with the goods and plenishing being therein during her lifetime to her necessary use and sustentation, and that she be not prejudiced nor hurt in the enjoyment and use thereof through the forfeiture led against the said James Muirhead, sometime of Lauchope, providing that the said Margaret behave herself as a loyal and obedient subject to our sovereign lord and that she in no way reset, supply, assist or communicate with any declared or that hereafter shall happen to be declared traitors, as culpable of the murders perpetrated against the persons of our sovereign lord's dearest grandfather and uncle, his highness's regents for the time.