[1579/10/18]¹

Act in favour of Dame Margaret Lyon, countess of Cassilis

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.