[1587/7/23]¹

Dissolutioun of the unioun of landis annext for setting of the samyn in fewferme

²Forsamekle as for greit and wechtie considerationis tending to the weill of the croun and of the haill realme thair is divers landis and lordschipis of auld and of lait annext to remane with our soverane lord and his successouris, quhilkis may not be disponit nor annaliit in fee or lyfrent to quhatsumever persoun or personis without the advise of the thre estaitis of parliament and for proffitable and sene causis for the weill of the haill realme; and nevirtheles it hes bene thocht expedient in the dayes of oure soverane lordis maist noble predicessouris that his saidis annext and proper landis suld be sett in fewferme for incress of policie thairupoun and augmentatioun of the rentale, and to the effect that the saidis landis micht be sett in fewferme in maner foirsaid, oure said soverane lordis predicessouris and thrie estaitis of parliament hes bene in use to dissolve the saidis annexationis; and thairfoir oure said soverane lord and thrie estaitis of parliament, finding it now expedient and proffittable for his hienes that divers of the saidis annext landis within sindrie sherefdomes and lordschippis be sett in fewferme for augmentatioun of his yeirlie rentale and for incress of policie as said is, thairfoir thay haif dissolvit and dissolvis the said unioun and annexatioun to the effect abonespecifiet allanerlie, and will that the samin be extendit to the landis underwrittin, quhidder thai be annext to the croun, to the principalitie of this realme or to the kingis secund sone, providing alwayes that albeit the landis of the erldome of Ross and lordschip of Ardmanoch, quhilkis ar appointit to remane with our said soverane lordis secund sone, be sett in fewferme be vertew of this dissolutioun, the samin sall nawayes be annaliit, disponit, nor put away fra oure said soverane lordis secund sone, bot the same landis and proffittis thairof, albeit thai be heirefter sett in fewferme, sall remane in propertie with him efter the forme of the act maid be King James the Thrid, oure soverane lordis maist noble predicessour, and als providing that this present dissolutioun sall stand during the dayes of our said soverane lord that now is allanerlie, sua that quhat landis his hienes in his tyme settis in fewferme to quhatsumevir persoun or personis for augmentatioun of his rentale as said is, the samyn sall abyd with the saidis personis, thair airis and successouris in few and heretage for ever, and efter our said soverane lordis deceis, the annexatioun of the remanent landis not sett in few in his hienes tyme sall returne to the awin nature. Thir ar the names of the landis to the quhilkis this present dissolutioun is and salbe extendit: thay ar to say, the landis of the erldome of Ross and lordschip of Ardmannoch; the landis of the erldome of Orknay, with the ilis pertening thairto; the landis annext to the croun lyand within the schirefdome of Edinburgh and constabularie of Hadingtoun; the freris landis of Abirdene quhilkis wer befoir disponit to George, erle Merschall; the landis and lordschip of Menteth disponit to James, lord Doun; the landis and lordschip of Galloway abone and beneth Cree; the erldome of Marche and the lordschip of Ettrikforrest.