The book Arran; - Cook Clan

CHAPTER IV
THE OWNERS OF ARRAN (II.)
The ' firmarii ' or farmers—the merklands—the ' baron-lairds '—the
Montgomerys in Sannox and Loch Ranza ; transference of these to the
Hamiltons—the Fullartons of Corsby in the Knightslands—FuUartons
of Arran in Kilmichael and Glen Cloy—the coronership of Arran—the
Ardgowan Stewarts in the Tenpenny Lands—transference to the
Stewarts of Bute—the Hamiltons and the Tenpenny Lands—the
Stewarts retain Corriegills ; sale to the Hamiltons—the Boyd Earl of
Arran—the entiy of the Hamiltons—James iv. and Arran— fortunes
of the earldom till the Union of the Crowns.
In the course of the preceding chapter has emerged in out-
Une the nature of land occupation in mediaeval times. The
great owner had his estate set in portions denominated
according to their money rental (returns in kind being
grassums) as mark-lands or lands in fractions of a mark/
and these were leased to firmarii or farmers, known also as
' rentallers ' ^ and ' husbandi.' The firmarius leased the
land at a firma or fixed payment, occupying the status of
a ' husband ' or manorial tenant. The land was cultivated
in strips in the great fields.^
Thus in the last quarter of the sixteenth century we find
Arran described as ' 300 merk land,' and able to raise 100
1 See Table on p. 89.
"^ A
rental was a sort of liferent lease, granted ou easy terms to one who was the
lineal successor of the previous occupier or was regarded as being in that position.
Such a tacksman was known as a Rentaller, otherwise as a 'kindly tenant.'
' Cf. on this Chap. ix.
VOL. II.
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