[1581/10/88]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Our sovereign lord, with advice of the three estates of this present parliament, has ratified and approved and, by the tenor hereof, ratifies and approves the letter of assignation underwritten made and granted by our said sovereign lord to his dearest cousin and councillor Esme [Stewart], duke of Lennox, earl of Darnley, lord Dalkeith, Tarbolton, and d'Aubigny, etc., high and great chamberlain of this realm, making and constituting him and his heirs his highness's very lawful and undoubted cessioners and assignees in and to certain particular reversions mentioned in the assignation underwritten, and also in and to all and sundry other reversions, obligations, contracts and bonds for making and delivering of reversions for redemption of whatsoever lands and heritages pertaining to the house of Lennox, of before made by whatsoever person or persons to [Matthew Stewart, earl of Lennox], our said sovereign lord's dearest grandfather, or his predecessors, earls of Lennox, and lords and earls of the said lands likewise and in the same manner as they were expressly specified and contained in the said assignation and in the redemption of the lands contained therein, by virtue thereof, after the form and tenor of the said assignation in all points, of the which the tenor follows:
James, by the grace of God, king of Scots, to all and sundry our lieges, to whose knowledge this letter shall come, greeting. Forasmuch as we, having consideration that the earldom of Lennox, lordship and lands of the same, with tenants, tenantries and service of free tenants thereof, advocation, donation and right of patronage of the provostry of the college kirk of Dumbarton, prebendars of the same and all other kirks and chaplainries of the said earldom, the office of the sheriff of the whole sheriffdom of Dunbarton, together with the lordship of Darnley and other lands and baronies which pertain heritably to our most noble progenitors, earls of Lennox, and possessed by them most honourably, and that they have been very necessary, true and profitable servants in all ages and frequent lieutenants to our predecessor kings of this realm and commonwealth thereof, and last possessed by the late Matthew [Stewart], earl of Lennox, lord Darnley, etc., his majesty's grandfather, tutor and regent to our realm and lieges for the time, by whose decease and also by the decease of his highness's late dearest father, Henry [Stewart], king of Scots, the said earldom and lands thereof, with the office and commodities above-specified, are now come and pertain to us as heir to our said late grandfather and father, and that the noble, ancient and faithful name of the said house, together with the profitable and necessary service thereof to the crown and republic of our realm will cease, if remedy be not provided thereof. And to the effect that the noble fame and memory of the said house may continue, the profit and commodity of the friends and dependants thereof, we, minding to restore the said house to such estate as it has been before, rather than to consolidate the revenue thereof to the patrimony of our crown, have, with advice and consent of the lords of our secret council, upon mature deliberation had in the matter, and for love and affection that we have and bear to our dearest and lawful cousin Esme Stewart, lord d'Aubigny, nearest of kin, to succeed to the said earldom of Lennox, lands, living and lordship thereof, who is coming out of the realm of France honourably accompanied, to his great expense, beside the hazard of his life, only to know of our welfare and to attend upon our service, given, granted and conveyed to our said dearest cousin the said earldom and lordship, with all and sundry lands, lordships and offices which pertain to our said late dearest grandfather and our predecessors, as the infeftments thereof purport. And seeing that a great part of the property of the said lands are alienated to diverse persons under reversions for redeeming of the same, so that the profit thereof is and will be but small until the same be redeemed, therefore we, with advice and consent of the lords of our secret council, make, constitute and ordain, and by the tenor hereof, have made, constituted and ordained our said cousin Esme Stewart, lord d'Aubigny and his male heirs, lawfully procreated or to be procreated of his body; which failing, to us and our successors, to return our very lawful, undoubted and irrevocable only cessioners and assignees in and to the reversions particularly after-specified, made for redemption of the lands nominated therein and to the redemption of the same by virtue thereof: that is to say, a reversion made by Patrick Napier of Kilmahew to the late Matthew, earl of Lennox, for redemption of the town and lands of Inchinnan, containing therein the sum of 1,400 merks money, of the date at Houston, 5 April 1567; the reversion made by the said Patrick Napier and Katherine Noble, his spouse, by the said earl of the lands called the easter half of the Mains of Inchinnan, containing the sum of 900 merks, of the date at Kirkmahew, 6 July 1570; a reversion made by John Cunningham of Drumquhassle to the said late earl of all and whole the forty shilling land of Dormondside, containing the sum of 200 merks money, of the date at Glasgow, 13 May 1567; a reversion made by Annabella Campbell, lady of Auchinleck, to John, earl of Lennox, of the lands of the mill of Tarbolton and other lands contained therein, containing the sum of 500 merks, of the date at Edinburgh, 15 February 1515 [1516]; a reversion made by Master John Porterfield of that Ilk, and Jean Knock, his spouse, to Matthew, earl of Lennox, of the lands of the mains of Darnley and Netherton, containing the sum £600, of the date at Glasgow, 12 July 1570; a reversion made by William Edmonstone of Duntreath to the said late Matthew, earl of Lennox, of the lands of Balloch, with the mill thereof, containing the sum of 1,000 merks, of the date at Glasgow, 20 January 1566 [1567]; a reversion made by James Galbraith of Culcreuch to Matthew, earl of Lennox, of the friar lands of Fintry, containing the sum of 800 merks, of the date at Glasgow the [...] day of [...] 1570; a reversion made by John Semple of Fulwood to John, earl of Lennox, of the lands of commonside and new ward of Inchinnan, containing the sum of £72, of the date at Inchinnan, on 12 October 1523; a reversion made by Patrick Denniston of Dalmair and Catherine Colquhoun, his spouse, to Matthew, earl of Lennox, of the lands of two Tullychquhonis, containing the sum of 380 merks, of the date at Dumbarton, 19 July 1543; a reversion made by Walter Douglas of Kaistoun and Elizabeth Maxwell, his spouse, to the said Matthew, earl of Lennox, of the lands of the mains of Crookston, containing the sum of 500 merks, of the date at Linlithgow, 1 August 1570; a reversion made by Thomas Crawford of Jordanhill to Matthew, earl of Lennox, of the forty shilling land of the grange and new mains of Inchinnan, containing the sum of 300 merks, of the date at Houston, 21 April 1567; a reversion made by Margaret Cunningham, lady Craigends, to Matthew, earl of Lennox, of the lands of Greensidehaugh, containing the sum of 400 merks, of the date at Glasgow, 14 July 1570; a reversion made by Mungo Lindsay of Bonhill to the said Matthew, earl of Lennox, of the lands of Tulliquhonelindsay, containing the sum of 140 merks, of the date at Dumbarton, 19 July 1543; a reversion made by Robert [Lyle], lord Lyle to John, lord Darnley, his heirs of line or tailzie and their heirs or assignees, of all and whole the lands of Lonebank, Heukheid, Rylands, Falhoip, with common pasture in the hill of Drumclog, with their pertinents, lying within the barony of Strathaven and sheriffdom of Lanark, with the annualrent of one chalder of meal yearly to be uplifted of the mains of Inchinnan, according to an appointment contained in the said reversion, containing the sum of 1,200 merks, of the date 14 December 1571; a reversion made by Robert Lekprevick, son to the late Robert Lekprevick, to Matthew, earl of Lennox, of the half of his lands of Kendisheid, extending to a thirteen shilling land of old extent, with the pertinents, lying within the sheriffdom of Renfrew and lordship of Darnley, containing the sum of 80 merks, to be delivered in the kirk of Paisley, of the date 30 April 1504; a reversion made by James Hamilton of Shawfield to the said Matthew, earl of Lennox, lord Darnley, etc., for redemption of a fourth part of all and whole the lands of Linbank, with the pertinents, lying within the west bank end of the same, in the lordship of [...], barony of Strathaven and sheriffdom of Lanark, containing therein the sum of 65 merks, of the date at [...] the [...] day of [...] the year of God [...]; a reversion made by Master John Campbell, treasurer to the late King James V of good memory, to John, earl of Lennox, lord Darnley, of all and whole the ten pound land of Craigthrostane, with the pertinents, lying in the earldom of Lennox, containing the sum of 300 merks, of the date 6 May 1573; a reversion made by Matthew Wallace of Craigie to Matthew, earl of Lennox, of the lands of Linbank, with the pertinents, containing the sum of 300 merks, under the said Matthew's seal and subscription, of the date 24 September 1598†; a reversion made by Robert Crichton of Kinnoul, son to Robert Crichton of Sanquhar, to John, lord Darnley of the lands called Meikle Kip, given in name of tocher with Marion Stewart, daughter to the said lord, upon the sum of 500 merks, lying in the barony of Strathaven and sheriffdom of Lanark, of the date 5 June 1572; a reversion made by Archibald [Campbell], earl of Argyll, etc., to Matthew, earl of Lennox, of all and whole the lands of Gairlochead, extending to forty merk land of old extent, with the pertinents, containing the sum of 200 merks, with a letter of tack, etc., under his seal and subscription, of the date the [...] day of [...] 1509; a reversion made by Isobel Maxwell, lady Porterfield, under her seal and subscription, to John, earl of Lennox, lord Darnley, of the lands of Roseisle in Inchinnan, containing the sum of 100 merks, of the date 28 April 1550; a reversion made by James Stewart of Neilstonside to Matthew, earl of Lennox, of the third of the lands of Funningisneilstoun, upon the sum of 1,200 merks money, of the date 4 June 1504; a reversion made by Andrew Lindsay of Thornton and Janet Pollock, his spouse, to John, earl of Lennox, lord Darnley, for redemption of the five merk land of old extent of Over Darnley, upon the sum of £86 13s 4d of the money of Scotland, of the date [...] June 1573; a reversion made by James Stewart of Tweedie to John, earl of Lennox, lord Darnley for redemption of all and whole the forty shilling land of Linkype, lying in the barony of Avondale and sheriffdom of Lanark, upon the sum of 120 merks, of the date at [...] the [...] day of [...] years; a reversion made by Alan Stewart of Craighall and Margaret Stewart, his spouse, to John, earl of Lennox, of all and whole the lands of Damshot, with the pertinents, containing the sum of £1,200, of the date 31 August 1520; a reversion given by John Colquhoun of Luss, knight, to John, earl of Lennox, lord Darnley, for redemption of the forty shilling land of Doverling, with the pertinents, upon the sum of £71 14s, of the date 15 March 1516 [1517]; another reversion made by the said John Colquhoun of Luss, knight, to the said Matthew, earl of Lennox, for redemption of all and whole the mill of Auldoneill, with the mill land, houses and buildings in Lower Rowallan, with the multures, sequels, profits and knaveships of the said mill, containing the sum of 80 merks, of the date 12 October 1507; a reversion made by the said John Colquhoun to the said John, earl of Lennox, for redemption of the lands of Mawmuir, Mawbeg, Blair, Wadden, Forlincarrie and the Strone, extending to a twenty-two merk land of old extent, with the pertinents, upon the sum of 600 merks, of the date 15 August 1523; another reversion made by the said John Colquhoun of Luss, knight, to John, earl of Lennox, lord Darnley, etc., for redemption of the lands of Auchingauch, with the lairg, extending to an eight merk land and one half, and all and whole the lands of Auchinvennalmoir, extending to a five merk land, all and whole the lands of Skukadow and Blairhannane, extending to thirty shilling land of old extent, upon the sum of 300 merks, of the date 19 August 1523; a reversion made by the said John Colquhoun of Luss, knight, to the said John, earl of Lennox, lord Darnley, for redemption of the lands of Letterwaldmoir, Stukindaff and Doverling, extending to a fifteen merk land, upon the sum of 600 merks, under the seal and subscription of the said laird, of the date 7 January 1523 [1524]; another reversion made by the said John Colquhoun of Luss, knight, to the said Matthew, earl of Lennox, for redemption of all and whole the lands of Letterwald and Stukindaf, with the pertinents, upon the sum of 280 merks money, of the date 4 May 15[...] years; a reversion given by Robert Crichton of Sanquhar, knight, to John, lord Darnley for redemption of the mains of Tarbolton, upon the sum of 400 merks, of the date 1 June 1572; an obligation of reversion given by John Stewart of Halrig to the said John, earl of Lennox, for redemption of the lands of Over Darnley, upon the sum of 115 merks, under the said John Stewart's hand writing, of the date 11 June 1522; a reversion given by James Blair to John, earl of Lennox, lord Darnley of the [...] merk land of Dreghorn, lying in the lordship of Cunninghame and sheriffdom of Ayr, upon the sum of £50, under the said James's seal and subscription, of the date of 26 March 1505; an obligation made by John Campbell of Lundie to the said Matthew, earl of Lennox, containing a reversion for redemption of the lands of Craigthrostane, of the sum of 300 merks contained in the reversion, and 200 [merks] for the tacks, under the said earl and John Campbell's hand writing, of the date at Edinburgh, 20 January 1564 [1565]; a reversion under form of instrument made by John [Cathcart], lord Cathcart to the said Matthew, earl of Lennox for redemption of the lands of Drumley and Rigwaldhill, upon the sum of 340 merks, under the sign and subscription of John MacNapill, notary chaplain, of the date at Linlithgow, 22 September 1506; a reversion made by Alexander Lindsay of Dunrod to the said John, lord Darnley, etc., for redemption of the ten merk, ten shilling land of Dreghorn, with the pertinents, upon the sum of 300 merks, under the said Alexander's seal, of the date of 2 August 1472; a reversion given by Matthew Campbell of Killeith to the said Matthew, earl of Lennox, for redemption of the lands of Newmains, containing the sum of 120 merks, of the date 12 December 1508; a reversion given by Quentin Shaw of [...] for redemption of a part of the town of Dreghorn, with the pertinents, to the said John, earl of Lennox, containing the sum of £100, of the date [...] 1475; a reversion made by John Walkinshaw of that Ilk, to the said John, earl of Lennox, for redemption of certain parts of lands lying in Inchinnan, upon the sum of £60, of the date 21 October 1522; a reversion given by Robert, lord Lyle to the said Matthew, earl of Lennox, for redemption of the town and lands of Inchinnan and the lands of the park of Inchinnan, with the lands of Wrightland Rassell, containing the sum of 300 merks, of the date 30 January 1506 [1507]; a reversion made by Robert Crichton of Sanquhar to John, lord Darnley, for redemption of the lands of Ardley, Regaldhill and mains of Tarbolton, containing the sum of 400 merks, of the date of 1 June 1572; a reversion by appointment bearing at what time the Earl of Lennox pays to the Lord Cathcart, his heirs, executors or assignees, the sum of 200 merks, that then the said lord shall renounce and give over the lands of Drumley and Rashbaldhill, under the said earl and lord's subscription, of the date at Linlithgow, 22 September 1506; a reversion given by Malcolm Maxwell to Matthew, earl of Lennox, for redemption of the five pound land of Henderston Easter, upon the sum of 150 merks, under the said Malcolm's seal and subscription, of the date 22 July 1513; a reversion given by Archibald, earl of Argyll, lord Campbell and Lorne, etc., to Matthew, earl of Lennox, for redemption of the fifty shilling land of Craigneilston, containing the sum of 250 merks, under the said earl's seal and subscription, of the date 5 February 1509 [1510]; another reversion given by the said Earl of Argyll to the said Earl of Lennox, for redemption of the fifty shilling lands of Craigneilston, upon the said sum; a reversion made by Dame Margaret Cunningham, lady Luss, for redemption of an annualrent of 24 bolls of meal, containing the sum of 300 merks, to the said Matthew, earl of Lennox, of the date at Glasgow, [...]; a reversion made by Patrick Maxwell of Newark to the said Matthew, earl of Lennox, for redemption of the five pound land of Faslane, containing therein the sum of 400 merks, of the date at [...], the [...]; a reversion made by the late William Stirling to [...], earl of Lennox for redemption of the park of Inchinnan, upon the sum of [...] money, of the date at [...], the [...]; a reversion made by [...] to the late [...], earl of Lennox for redemption of the lands of Bellenkinnow, with the pertinents, containing therein the sum of [...] money aforesaid, of the date at [...], the [...]; and also to all and sundry other reversions, obligations, contracts and bonds for making and delivering of reversions, for redemption of whatsoever lands and heritage pertaining to the said house and earldom of Lennox of before made by whatsoever person or persons to our said dearest grandfather or his predecessors, earls of Lennox, lords and earls of the said lands likewise and in the same manner as and they were expressly specified in our present assignation, promising by the word of the king that how often any knowledge comes to us of any other reversions of any part of the said lands, that we shall make new special assignation of the same to our said dearest cousin Esme Stewart, lord d'Aubigny and his heirs, according to this our present assignation, turning and transferring from us and all others our assignees in our said dearest cousin Esme, lord d'Aubigny, and his male heirs above-written, lawfully procreated or to be procreated of his body, heritably all right, title, interest or claim of right that we or our predecessors had, have or in any way may have in and to the said reversions, bonds, contracts and obligations for making of reversions, as well expressed as not expressed as said is, so that the said Esme, lord d'Aubigny, and his heirs aforesaid, may make warning to receive the sums contained in each one of them severally or at once, and consign the same with the letters of tack mentioned in them, and use the same after the tenor thereof for reduction of the lands therein contained, and thereafter call and pursue for lawful redemption of the lands, mills, woods and fishings contained in the said reversions as appropriate of the law, decreets thereupon to obtain and put the same to due execution in all points at their pleasure, and generally all other and sundry things to do, use, frequent and exercise that we might have done as heir aforesaid, concerning the redemption of the said lands by virtue of the reversions aforesaid, and to use the redemption of the same in all sorts as freely as we or our predecessors to whom the same were made might have done in any time bygone before the making of these our letters, freely, quietly, etc., without any revocation, etc., providing always that the said Esme, lord d'Aubigny, and his male heirs above-written, lawfully procreated or to be procreated of his body, shall use this present assignation for redemption of the lands above-written to the good and commodity of the said house of the Lennox, and in no way to sell, make disposition or renounce the said reversions or any part thereof, interdicting himself from there by this act. Given under our privy seal at our castle of Stirling, on 5 March 1579 [1580], and of our reign the 13th year.