Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

CCXXIV JAMES, EAllL OF ANNANDALE AND HARTFELL, 1C53-1C72.
was somewhat analogous to that of the nearly contemporary oue of the great
Mavfiuls of Montrose, au only sou, who was married at the early age of
seventeen, in the hope of providing heirs to his peerages and estates.
But although the second Earl of llartfell was thus early married, his hope
of having heirs-male of his body to succeed him was at first, and for a long
period of years, disappointed. Six years passed away after tlie marriage
and still no child was Lorn to the Earl and Countess of Hartfell. In 1G52,
the seventh year from tlic date of the marriage, a daughter was born. In the
years 1654, 1G57, 1658, and 1G50, four children were born in succession, but
all of them were daugliters. Thus in 1655, ten years after the marriage of
the earl, no son was bora to him, b\it only daugliters. In these circum-
stances the Earl of Hartfell, beginning to despair of the continuance of his
direct male line, took very formal proceedings in the years 1655 and 1657
for the purpose of securing that his peerages and estates should be
inherited by the children of his own body, and not by collateral heirs-male.
On 15th February 1655, his lordship made a bond, disposition, and
entail in favour of his countess and their children. The bond narrates
that by the marriage contract between them, Lady Henrietta, his countess,
was provided in conjunct-fee to the manor-place of Lochwood and adjoining
lands, of the annual value of eight thousand merks Scots, and that the
earldom of Hartfell, with the lordships, baronies and lands belonging
thereto, was entailed to the heirs-male of their bodies, failing whom, to iheir
other heirs-male whatsoever. It recites further, that for the love he had to
his countess, and also for certain good deeds done to him by her parents, tlie
Marquis of Douglas and Lady Mary Goidon, his spouse, he obliged hiniself
and his heirs to infeft Lady Henrietta in liferent in the manor-place of
Newbie and adjacent lauds, of the yearly value of 8000 merks Scots, in lieu
of the liferent conjunct-fee of the manor-place and lands of Lochwood.
The bond of entail contains the provision that in the event of the decease
of the earl, without male issue, his earldom of Hartfell should be inherited by