[1607/3/28]¹

Act in favour of [Archibald Campbell], earl of Argyll, of 20 chalders of victual of the feu ferms of Kintyre

17. Our sovereign lord and estates of this present parliament, remembering and perfectly understanding the good, true and thankful service done by his highness's right trusty cousin and councillor Archibald, earl of Argyll, lord Campbell and lord justice general of this realm of Scotland, not only in his highness's private and particular affairs, but also in the public affairs greatly tending to the common good, peace and tranquillity thereof and lieges of the same, in the faithful and diligent discharging of diverse and sundry great commissions wherein he was employed by his majesty for repressing of the insolence of the barbarous people and broken men of the highlands of this realm and conforming of them to his majesty's obedience and laws, and specially against that insolent and wicked race and name of the Glengregor, notorious villains and malefactors, and in the bringing in of the laird of MacGregor with a great number of the principal of that name who were worthily executed to the death for their transgressions, and in the reducing of a great number of others of that clan and their associates to his highness's obedience; which service is sufficiently tried, verified and known to his highness and whole estates of this present parliament to have been very profitable to his majesty, this realm and lieges thereof, in the which service the said Archibald, earl of Argyll has sustained and disbursed great charges and expenses known to his majesty and estates foresaid. In recompense of the which service, his majesty, with advice of the estates of this present parliament, has dissolved and, by this act, dissolves from his highness's crown and patrimony thereof all and sundry the feu ferms underwritten due to his highness for the lands after-specified, namely: 66 stones of meal and 12 bolls of malt for the twelve merk land of Auchincorse; 94 stones of meal for the nine merk land of Bar; 126 stones of meal and 64 bolls of malt for the seventeen merk land of Killonane; 6 stones of meal for the four merk land of Craig; 184 stones of meal, 64 bolls of malt for the twelve merk land of Carskey; 82 stones of meal for the five and a half merk land of Polliwilline; 90 stones of meal and 10 bolls of malt for the seven merk land of Kildavie and Glenmucklach; and 186 stones of meal and 64 bolls of malt for the twelve merk land of Machrimore, all lying within the lordship of Kintyre and sheriffdom of [...], and pertaining to his majesty as a part of his highness's property annexed of old to the patrimony of his highness's crown; which lands were set in feu ferm heritably by his majesty, with consent of [David Murray, lord Scone], his highness's comptroller, to the said Archibald, earl of Argyll and his male heirs for the yearly payment of the feu ferm victual above-written, together with certain other mails, ferms, kanes and duties mentioned in the infeftment granted to him thereupon under the great seal of the date at Edinburgh, the [...] day of [...] last; of the which meal above-written nine stone weight is esteemed by his majesty's comptroller to extend to a boll of meal, and the same being accounted together in bolls extends to six chalders, ten bolls of meal, likewise the malt above-specified being calculated together extends to 13 chalders, six bolls of malt, and the foresaid meal and malt being all calculated together, extends in the whole to 20 chalders of victual, to the effect that the same feu ferms of the lands above-specified may be conveyed heritably to the said Archibald, earl of Argyll and his male heirs foresaid, to be held of his highness and his successors in free blench for payment of one penny yearly at the feast of Whitsunday [May/June], if it be asked, only. Moreover, our said sovereign lord, with advice foresaid, declares that this act with the infeftment to follow hereupon shall be a sufficient right and security to the said Archibald, earl of Argyll and his foresaids for possessing, enjoying and conveying upon the said feu ferms yearly in all time coming, discharging his highness's comptrollers, factors and chamberlains, present and to come, of all troubling or molesting of the said Archibald, earl of Argyll and his foresaids or the tenants and possessors of the said lands for the feu ferms thereof above-mentioned in any time hereafter. And further, his majesty with advice foresaid, declares that this act nor the infeftment to follow hereupon shall in no way be hurtful nor prejudicial to the foresaid infeftment granted to the said Archibald, earl of Argyll of the property of the lands above-specified, but he and his foresaids shall possess and enjoy the same perpetually in all time coming for the yearly payment to his highness and his successors, their comptrollers, factors and chamberlains of the silver mails, kanes and other duties (except the foresaid 20 chalders of meal and malt appointed by the tenor hereof to remain with the said Archibald, earl of Argyll and his foresaids heritably in all time coming) due to his majesty and his foresaids for the lands above-written, and contained in the infeftment thereof above-mentioned only; and ordains an infeftment to be completed hereupon to the said Earl of Argyll and his foresaids in the appropriate form.