[A1476/7/1]¹

Judicial proceeding: restoration of John of Islay, lord of the Isles, 15 July 1476

James, by the grace of God king of Scots, to all good men of all his land, clergy and laymen, greeting. Know that - notwithstanding certain processes and judgements of forfeiture on and against our cousin John of Islay, formerly earl of Ross and lord of the Isles, previously in our parliament held at Edinburgh on 27 November 1475, for his treasonable crimes, demerits and offences perpetrated and committed against our royal majesty and our realm - we have nevertheless granted, decreed, at the request and instance made to us by our dearest consort Margaret, queen of Scotland, and of the reverend and venerable fathers and our cousins the bishops, prelates, earls and barons, and the commissioners of the burghs, of the three estates of our realm, gathered in our parliament held at Edinburgh on the 15th of this month of July 1476, and begun there on Monday the first day of the said month of July, we have by our special grace restored, and by the presents have restored, our cousin to his worldly honours and dignities, and the good repute of his person, thoroughly removing from him all repute of infamy which occurred on account of the aforesaid things. Furthermore, aware of and reflecting on the nearness in blood in which that John stands to us, and not wishing him and his heirs, for the said crimes and demerits, to be entirely disinherited of all the lands and possessions formerly had and possessed by him and his predecessors, we, with the consent of the estates of our said parliament and at the request of our said dearest consort in the said parliament, have also newly made, and by the tenor of the presents make and create, the said John a baron, to be styled Lord of the Isles in future perpetually. And we have also given and granted, and by the tenor of our present charter of new infeftment give and grant, to the same John, now lord of the Isles, for his faithful services forthcoming in future, from him and his heirs and successors to us and our successors, all and sundry the lands underwritten lands, namely the lands of the isle of Islay, with pertinents, also the lands of all and sundry the other isles which heritably appertained to John himself before the said forfeiture; and also all and sundry the lands of Morven, Garmoran with pertinents, the lordship of Lochaber with pertinents, the lands of Durrour, Glencoe with pertinents, lying within our sheriffdom of Inverness; also all and sundry the lands of King Edward with pertinents, lying within our sheriffdom of Aberdeen; and the lands of Grenane with pertinents, lying in the earldom of Carrick, within our sheriffdom of Ayr; which lands appertained heritably to the same John before the said forfeiture. And additionally we have given and granted, and by the tenor of the presents give and grant, to the same John, lord of the Isles, heritably, all and sundry the lands, isles and possessions lying wheresoever within our kingdom and being his, appertaining to his property, before the said forfeiture; also all the free tenants, and the services of the same tenants, which the aforesaid John held in chief before the same forfeiture. Excepting and reserving, however, to us, our heirs and successors, all and sundry the lands of the earldom of Ross, and the lordships of Knapdale and Kintyre, with tenants, tenandries and the services of freeholders in the properties and tenandries, and other rightful pertinents, with the castles and fortalices of the said lands, and the offices of the sheriffs of Inverness and Nairn, and all other offices within the said earldom and aforesaid lordships, which we reserve to ourself and our successors heritably, to the memory of the fault and offence of the said John. Having and holding all and sundry the aforesaid lands of the isle of Islay, and the lands of all the other islands, the lands of Morven, Garmoran, the lordship of Lochaber, the lands of Durrour, Glencoe, the lands of King Edward, the lands of Grenane, and all other lands, isles and possessions, freeholders and their services, which appertained to John himself before the said forfeiture (excepting all and sundry the lands of the earldom of Ross, the lands of the lordships of Knapdale and Kintyre, with tenants, tenandries and the services of freeholders in the properties and tenandries, and their other rightful pertinents, with the castles and fortalices and the offices of the sheriffs of Inverness and Nairn, and the other aforesaid offices, previously reserved to us heritably) to our cousin John, lord of the Isles, and the male heirs of his body legitimately procreated - which by chance failing, to Angus of Islay, the natural son of the said John, and the male heirs of Angus's body legitimately procreated; which by chance failing, to John of Islay, also a natural son of the said John, lord of the Isles, and the male heirs of his body legitimately procreated; which by chance failing, to whomsoever the true, legitimate and nearest heirs of the said John, lord of the Isles - of us, our heirs and successors, in fee and heritage perpetually, according to all their right, ancient and devised marches, as they lie in length and breadth, with all and sundry the liberties, profits and easements and just appurtenances whatsoever, whether not named or named, belonging to the said lands and isles, with pertinents, or in future, in whatsoever manner, coming justly to belong to them; and that much freely, tranquilly, fully, wholly, honourably, well and at peace in all things and in all respects, just as the said John, lord of the Isles or his predecessors freely held or possessed, [or] used to hold or used to possess the said lands and isles, with pertinents, of us or our predecessors, before the forfeiture of the same John. Rendering annually, therefore, the same John, lord of the Isles and his male heirs of his body lawfully procreated - which by chance failing, the said Angus, his natural son, and the male heirs of his body legitimately procreated; which by chance failing, the said John, also his natural son, and the male heirs of his body legitimately procreated; which by chance failing, whosoever the true, legitimate and nearest heirs of the said John, lord of the Isles - to us, our heirs and successors, the rights and services due and customary from the said lands and isles; also, the said John, lord of the Isles, on behalf of himself, his heirs and successors, and the tenants and inhabitants of the said lands and isles, obeying, being subject to, thoroughly fulfilling and observing the rights, laws and customs of our realm, in and by all things, in future time perpetually, just as other barons, freeholders and lieges of our realm are subject to, [and] thoroughly fulfil and obey, our rights and laws. In witness whereof we have ordered our great seal to be affixed to the present charter. Witnesses: Alexander [Stewart], duke of Albany, earl of March, lord of Annandale and Man, [and] John [Stewart], earl of Mar and Garioch, our brothers german; reverend fathers in Christ John [Laing], bishop of Glasgow; William [Tulloch], bishop of Orkney, the keeper of our privy seal; Ninian [Spot], bishop of Galloway; Henry [Cockburn], bishop of Ross; Robert [Colquhoun], bishop of Argyll; Angus, bishop of the Isles; our dear cousins Andrew [Stewart], lord Avondale, our chancellor; Colin [Campbell], earl of Argyll, lord Campbell and Lorne, master of our household; George [Gordon], earl of Huntly, lord Gordon and Badenoch; John [Stewart], earl of Atholl, lord Balvenie, our uncle; William [Hay], earl of Erroll, lord of Hay, constable of our realm; William [Keith], earl Marischal, lord Keith; Archibald [Douglas], earl of Angus, lord Douglas; David [Lindsay], earl of Crawford, lord Lindsay; James [Douglas], earl of Morton, lord of Dalkeith; the venerable fathers in Christ Archibald [Crawford], abbot of our monastery of Holyrood of Edinburgh, our treasurer; James [Hamilton], lord Hamilton; William [Crichton], lord Crichton; William [Borthwick], lord Borthwick; our dear clerics Masters William Scheves, archdeacon of St Andrews, and Alexander Inglis, chancellor of Aberdeen, clerk of our rolls and register. At Edinburgh, 15 July 1476, and in the sixteenth year of our reign.