[1641/8/438]¹

Ratification in favour of [Archibald Campbell], lord Lorne

Our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the estates of this present parliament, ratifies and approves the contract passed between his sacred majesty, with consent of his highness's high treasurer and other lords of his majesty's exchequer of this kingdom, his highness's commissioners, on the one part, and the late Archibald [Campbell], earl of Argyll, lord Campbell and Lorne, for himself and in name and on behalf of Archibald, then master of Lorne and now lord Lorne, his grandson, on the other part, of the date at Windsor and Edinburgh, 4 October and 28 November 1636, registered in the books of exchequer upon the same 28 November, whereby and in respect of the bygone services of the said late Earl of Argyll in repressing of the barbarous races of the Clangregor and Clandonald, and of the services of Archibald [Campbell], now earl of Argyll, father to the said Archibald, now lord Lorne, in repressing of the clan of MacIain, and apprehending that notable sorner called Gilroy, and of the other onerous and weighty causes particularly mentioned in the said contract, his majesty, with consent foresaid, ratified the former infeftments granted by his majesty's late dearest father of blessed memory or his majesty himself to the said late Archibald, earl of Argyll, and to James [Campbell], lord Kintyre, his son, of the lordship and barony of Kintyre, comprehending the isle of Jura and other isles, lands, fishings and others particularly mentioned therein, to be held feu of his majesty for payment of the feu ferm duties contained in the said infeftments. And also ratified another infeftment granted to them of twenty chalders of victual of the said feu ferms to be held blench for payment of one penny, with the acts of parliament and acts of exchequer whereupon the said infeftments proceeded, and which also contain diverse other clauses conceived in favour of the said Archibald, then master and now lord Lorne, his male heirs and assignees, together with the charter under the great seal following upon the said contract and upon the resignation of the said James, lord Kintyre in favour of the said Archibald, then master and now lord Lorne, his male heirs and assignees whatsoever foresaid, of all and whole the said lordship and barony of Kintyre, comprehending the said isle of Jura and other isles, lands, fishings and others particularly therein expressed with the said twenty chalders of victual of the said feu ferms, of the date at Hampton Court, 12 December 1636, and the precept and instrument of sasine following upon the said charter, in all and sundry heads, clauses, articles and conditions contained therein, after the forms and tenors thereof in all points; and declares this present general ratification of the same to be as valid, effectual and sufficient in all respects, as if the same were at length and word [by word] inserted herein, dispensing hereby with the not inserting thereof. And also for implement of that part or clause of the said contract regarding the dissolution underwritten, his majesty, with consent of the estates of this present parliament, for the services respectively foresaid and for the new augmentation of his majesty's rental in the sum of 600 merks money of this realm of Scotland yearly, according to the said contract, of new dissolves the said lordship and barony of Kintyre, comprehending the foresaid isle of Jura and other isles, lands, fishings and others above-specified from his majesty's crown and patrimony thereof, to the effect that the said Archibald, now lord Lorne, and his foresaids may be infeft therein, to be held of his majesty and his successors in feu ferm for payment of the old feu duties, with the augmentation of the said yearly duty of 600 merks money foresaid, with the deduction always of the said twenty chalders of victual in manner at length specified in the said contract and infeftments foresaid; and also of new dissolves the said twenty chalders of victual from his majesty's crown and patrimony thereof to the effect that new infeftment of the same may be given to the said Archibald, now lord Lorne, and his foresaids, to be held of his majesty and his successors in free blench for payment also of one penny in manner also specified in the said contract and infeftments. And further, forasmuch as by a gift or letter patent granted by the late James III, by the grace of God, king of Scots, under his majesty's great seal, in favour of the late Colin [Campbell], earl of Argyll, lord Campbell and Lorne, master of the household to his highness, of the date 8 May 1474, the town of Inveraray, lying within the earldom of Argyll and sheriffdom thereof, was erected in a free burgh of barony, with the privilege of a weekly market upon Saturday and two free fairs yearly, one thereof at Michaelmas [29 September] and the other at St Brendan's day of [16] May, with certain other privileges specified therein, as the same at length bears. And his majesty and estates of this present parliament, considering that it is more convenient for the said burgh and inhabitants thereof and others of his majesty's lieges frequenting and resorting thereto the times of the said weekly market and free fairs, and for eschewing of the profanation of the Sabbath day occasioned by holding of the said weekly market upon Saturday, that the said weekly market day be changed and that there be free fairs held in the said burgh hereafter at the times and manner after-mentioned, therefore his majesty, with consent foresaid, by this legislation, ratifies and approves the foresaid letter patent regarding the erection of the said burgh of barony in all points, except in so far as the same is hereby innovated in manner after-mentioned, namely: his majesty, with advice and consent foresaid, statutes and ordains that the said weekly market of the said burgh in all time coming shall be held upon Friday and that there shall be three fairs yearly kept within the same burgh in all time coming, one thereof to begin upon 16 September, another upon 16 May, called St Brendan's day, and the third thereof upon 15 July yearly, and each one of the said fairs to continue for the space of eight days; and declares and ordains this present ratification of the foresaid gift or letter patent to be as sufficient in all respects as if the same gift and letter patent were at length inserted herein, dispensing by this ratification with the not inserting thereof. And likewise declares and consents that for the better increasing of building and policy within the said burgh of barony (being the head burgh of the sheriffdom of Argyll) it shall be lawful to the said Earl of Argyll, heritor of the said burgh of barony, to set in feu ferm the houses, tenements, yards, acres and ruids of the said burgh and town of Inveraray to whatsoever persons and for payment of such feu duties as they shall think expedient, and ordains letters of publication to be directed hereupon in the appropriate form.