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THE MUNIMENTS OF HIS GRACE THE DUKE

OF BUCCLEUCH AND QUEENSBERRY, K.G.,
K.T., IN THE CHARTER-ROOM OF DRUM-
LANRIG CASTLE, IN THE COUNTY OF
DUMFRIES.

FOURTH REPORT.

The three Reports on the Muniments at Drumlanrig already presented to the Commissioners on Historical Manuscripts were dated respectively 24th December 1895, and 10th April and 29th October 1896. Since the last of these dates, on 13th March 1898, the death of Sir William Fraser, K.C.B., who presented these Reports, has taken place. At the time of his death Sir William had made considerable progress in the preparation of a Fourth Report upon the Muniments at Drumlanrig. He also left what he had overtaken of the Report in such a state as to render it possible to complete it upon the plan which he had mapped out for himself. Shortly before his last illness, feeling himself unequal to continue the preparation of the Report, as he was then fully occupied with the completion of his last Family History, he requested me to undertake for him the finishing of the Report, as soon as I could find time to do so; a request which he repeated during his illness. Subsequent to his death, James Balfour Paul, Esq., Lyon King of Arms, and James Craik, Esq., W.S., the trustees of Sir William Fraser, asked me, if upon the necessary permission being obtained, I would undertake the completion of the Fourth Drumlanrig Report. Thereafter they communicated my willingness to do so to the Commissioners, when the Master of the Rolls, on behalf of the Commissioners, authorised me to complete the Report upon the Drumlanrig Muniments.

The Report which follows is classified under two sections of Correspondence. The first of these consists of letters from Alexander, fourth Earl of Moray, Secretary of State for Scotland, to William Douglas, Marquis and Duke of Queensberry. These are holograph of the Earl, and comprise in all 167 letters.

The second section consists of letters by the Hon. John Drummond of Lundin, successively Treasurer Depute and Secretary of State for Scotland, afterwards Viscount and Earl of Melfort, to William Douglas, Marquis and Duke of Queensberry. These letters, also holograph, are 114 in number.

The more important of the letters in these two sections of Correspondence are given at length in the Report. There are other letters, however, which are not so important. These are given in the Report in abstract form, the salient points being retained in the exact words of the writers of them, which are distinguished by quotation marks.

SECTION FIRST.-Letters from Alexander Stewart, fourth Earl of Moray.

The Stewart Earls of Moray are descended from James Stewart, prior and commendator of St. Andrews and Pittenweem, afterwards Earl of Moray, and better known as "The Good Regent." Although the Regent Moray is the illustrious progenitor of the Stewarts, Earls of Moray, he did not at his death hold either his title or territorial earldom so that they could derive either of these from him. Twice the Earl of Moray made resignation of his earldom to the crown. Upon the first of these resignations he obtained, on 22 January 1564, a regrant of the Earldom to him and the heirs male of his body. The second resignation was followed by a charter by Henry and Mary, King and Queen of Scots, of the earldom of Moray to him and his wife, and the heirs of their bodies, whom failing to the Earl's nearest heirs or assignees whomsoever. The charter is dated 1st June 1566. On 19th April following, the Earl obtained a parliamentary ratification of the charter of 22 January 1564, and this ratification was subsequently confirmed by Queen Mary in a charter to the Earl dated 9th June 1567.

When the regent Earl of Moray was assassinated at Linlithgow on 21st January 1570, he left issue two daughters, Lady Elizabeth Stewart and Lady Margaret Stewart. Lady Margaret married Francis, ninth Earl of Errol, and had no issue. Ten years after the death of the Regent Moray, or in 1580, King James the Sixth granted the ward and marriage of the Earl's two daughters to James Stewart, son and heir of Sir James Stewart of Doune, who immediately married Lady Elizabeth, the eldest daughter. Directly upon his marriage, James Stewart assumed the title of Earl of Moray, apparently upon the ground of the alleged right of his wife, in virtue of the charter of 1566. This alleged right could not be said to be a well founded one. As the charter of 1st June 1566 to heirs general, which would have conveyed the title to Lady Elizabeth, the Earl's eldest daughter, was superseded by the later ratification and confirmation of the charter of 1564, which was to heirs male of the body, the dignity and earldom of Moray, upon the Regent's death, of right reverted to the Crown.

The assumption of the dignity of Moray, upon the part of James Stewart and his wife, notwithstanding the peculiarity which has just been stated, was acknowledged by the King, and

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