Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

ccxxxii JAMES, EARL (iF AXNAXDALK AND IIARTFELL, 1C53-1G72.
to grant liini a patent of those peerages, and also the high office of steward
of Annandalc, as the following excerpt bears :
''25111 July IGGO.—Item, to Andrew Mairtein" for wryteing of my loi-d's
patent to the erledome of Annandaile, and a signatour for the slewartshipe
tlierof, wliicli was sent to London."'
This entry in the account of the chamberlain of Auuandale plainly
instructs that the king and his advisers had been so very favourable to the
Earl of liartfell, and so anxious to gratify bini in reference to the rcgrant
of liis peerages and estates, that he actually intrusted the preparation of the
new patent of the earldom of Annandalc, and also the signature for the
ofiice of steward, to the legal advisers of tlie carl himself.
The patent, which is dated 13th Pcbruary 16G1, narrates the previous
patent of the creation of the Earl of liartfell in 1G43, and acknowledges
the faiili, love, services and losses of the earl in the affairs intrusted to
him, fully proved by many testimonies. It then proceeds, that the earl
and his heirs might be stimulated to continue their fidelity towards
their king and country, and to tiead the same track of virtue, considering
that James (Murray), Earl of ^Vnnandale, died without heirs-male of
his body, that his diploma and dignity reverted to the crown, and that no
one was so worthy to enjoy the said title, as well because of his merits
as of the proximity of the estates of Annandale to those of liartfell
and the king graciously desiring to confer on the earl some token of his
royal love by accumulating honour upon honour, as well on account of his
merits as that he and his heirs maybe incited to tread in his footsteps;
therefore the king created and inaugurated James, Earl of liartfell, and his
heirs-male, whom failing tlie eldest heir-female of his body, without division,
and the lieirs-male of the body of the said eldest heir-female, whom all fail-
ing the next heirs whomsoever of the said earl, in all future ages, Earls of
—
' Accounts in Annandalc Cbartcr-chest
;