The manuscripts of His Grace the Duke of ... - Electric Scotland

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THE MUNIMENTS OF HIS GRACE THE DUKE
OE BUCCLEUCH AND QUEENSBERRY, K.T.,
IN THE CHARTER.ROOM OF DRUMLANRIG
CASTLE, IN THE COUNTY OF DUMFRIES.
BY SIR WILLIAM ERASER, K,C.B.
SECOND REPOHT.
In my First Report on the Muniments at Drumlanrig presented to the
Commissioners on Historical Manuscripts on 24th December 1895, the
charters and miscellaneous feudal writs relating to the family of Douglas
of Drumlanrig from the year 1357 and onwards till the year 1609 are
fully described. There is also described in that Report an earlier series
of charters granted by the Bruces as lords of Annandale from the year
1190 till Robert the Bruce, lord of Annandale, became King of Scotland,
and Edward Bruce, his brother, became King of Ireland and Earl of
Carrick. All these Douglas and Bruce charters, ranging as they do
-over four hundred years, illustrate the early history of the districts of
Nithsdale and Annandale. Along with the other writs detailed in the
First Report they contain many references to the families of Johnstone,
Douglas, Kirkpatrick and Jardine, and to the Lords Carlyle of Torthcr-
^ald and the Abbey of Holywood.
The following Report is arranged into the five following heads :
I. The Patents or Diplomas granted to the family of Douglas of
Drumlanrig of all the grades of the peerage including a lord
baron of parliament, a Viscount, an Earl, a Marquis and the
august title of Duke.
II. Commissions, Instructions, Correspondence, and many original
writs connected with the first Session of the only parliament
held by King James the Seventh of Scotland.
III. Twelve official letters by King James the Seventh to William,
first Duke of Queensberry, as Commissioner to that parliament,
and also to flie lords of the Committee of the Secret Council,
from 25 April to 3 August 1685.
IV. Fifteen private holograph letters by King James the Seventh to
William, Duke of Queensberry, as Commissioner, from April
to June 1685,
V. Miscellaneous Papers specially connected with the first Session
of the Scottish parliament 1685, to which William, Duke of
Queensberry, was Commissioner.
Head First.—All the patents of peerage granted to .the family of
Douglas of Drumlanrig, including resignations and regrants from the
year 1628 to the time of Queen Anne in 1706 are fully described in the
present Report. They are nearly all similiar in form and style to the
patent of peerage of other families, with special narratives applicable to
each grantee, as will be seen from the translations and descriptions of
them. There is here, however, a peculiarity which is often taken
notice of, viz., that there is a Dukedom of Queensberry and a Marquisate
of the same name in two different lines of the same family, and this may
require explanation.