I. E CONNECTIONOTETH F E EARLSO TH MORTOF F O SNO DICD NAN K OF BRAID AND CRAIGHOUSE, WITH THE EARLDOM OF ORKNEY LORDSHID AN F ZETLANDO P , WITH RENTAL, INVENTORY, &o., 1653, FROM ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS IN THE CHARTER ROOM OF KINROSS HOUSE DAVIY B . D MARSHALL, F.S.A. SOOT. By ancient treaties betwixt Scotlan d Norwayan d e islandth , f o s Orkney and Zetland were held to belong to the latter kingdom, but on the marriage of James III. of Scotland in 1468 to the Princess Margaret, daughtea f Christiao r f Denmaro . I n d Norwaykan e islandth , s were pledged as security for the portion of the royal bride, and never redeemed. Having secure e sovereigntydth e kinth , g soon after (1471) acquired the Earldom estate by transacting with the chief of the " lordly line" of St Glair, who received in exchange the castle of Eavenscraig and lands in Fife. The same year Parliament ratified the transaction, and the Earldom of Orkney and Lordship of Zetland were annexed to the' Crown, not to be given away in time coming to any except only e king'th f so e son.toon s bor n lawfui n l marriage wels i t lI know. n ho r thiwfa s settlemen bees ha t n violated greae th people to t , losth f so e of the province, if not to the nation at large. 6 27 PROCEEDING , SOCIETYE 188913 TH Y .F O SMA , The late Mr Alexander Peterkin, sheriff-substitute of Orkney, by his Rentals Anciente th f o Earldom d Bishoprican f Orkney,o publishen di 1820, as also, by his Notes on Orkney and Zetland, published in 1822, s conferreha a lastind g boon upo l inquireral n s inte historth o d an y polity of these islands; nor can we omit to mention the obliga- e memberth tio f o n f thio s s Society n importana r fo , t e noticth f o e unpublished Kental e ancienth f o s t Lordshi f Shetlano p e d th an f o d Earldom of Orkney, recently contributed to the Proceedings by Mr Gilbert Goudie, Treasurer, S.A. Scot. (Proceedings, vol. vii. New Series, p. 213, 1885). The connection of the Morton family and others with the northern archipelago has been dealt with more or less fully by the local historians; but the compiler of these notes, which are drawn from fresh sources of information o believt d le e s i tha, t while widenin e prospecth g d an t increasin e interese subjectth gth n i t , they will also serv removo t e e some erroneous impressions. His thanks are especially due to Sir G. Graham Montgomery, Bart f Stobo , o Castl d Kinrossan e a membe, r of this Society r allowinfo , accessm n formehi go s a , r occasionse th o t , documents preserve e charteth n di r roo t mKinrosa s House, whice hh had the happiness to arrange and catalogue for Sir Graham a number of years ago. To account for the presence of these papers at Kinross, it is only necessar o state t ycar d industrthe e th r an e o ow mSi t tha e f yo w t William Brace e celebrateth , d architect, who, besides bein ga credito r of the ninth Earl of Morton, was also the purchaser of the estate of Lochleven or Kinross from him in 1675, and that Sir William had to e Earl th y debt r pa , fo ssom f whico e h also affected Orkney o ant , . amount exceeding the price of the lands. I have already noticed the succession of the Douglases of Lochleven to the Earldom of Morton in my Notes on Drochil Castle, Peeblesshire (Proceedings, vol. x. New Series, p. 125, 1888), and the subject will foune b d again sequee referreth thif n i o l so dt paper. Without referring to the earlier and better known gifts and tacks of Orkne d Zetlandan y shale w , l begin wit e earliesth h t noticee th n i d papers at Kinross. THE EARLDO F ORKNEMO LORDSHID YAN F ZETLANDO P . 277 r JohSi n Buchana f Scotscraigo n , Knight,1 obtained from Charle. sI a five years' tack or lease to himself and spouse of the Lordship of Orkney and Zetland, "With the haill Isles thairof, and haill teynds grit and small with the bulzeoun and with the offices of Justiciarie, sherifshipe, foudrie, and admiralitie, within 'the haill bounds," with entry at Whitsunday 1627, for yearly payment of £31,066, 13s. 4d. Scots, besides 16 pound weight of " bulzeoun," which he was bound to deliver annually to his Majesty's treasurers, or to the masters of his Majesty's Mint house. Out of the above rental Sir John required to pay £1600 e ministerScotth o t s f Orkneyo s ; £235, 13s. 4d. Scoto st his Majesty's falconers, "for thair chairges in vplifting his Majesties haulks thair zeirlie;e remainderth d "an , extendin £29,23o t g 1 Scots, Georgeo t , Ear f Wintono l o whot , e sams mdisponeth s wa e hi y b d s Majeste "sowmehi th relie r f o r cautionriefo fyo s s debursedr fo " e Ear th f Nithsdaleo l . This tac o Buchanant k , however, must have been immediately cancelled, for we find that in the same year Sir Archibald Napier (Lord Napie f Merchistoiin)o r , Treasurer-deputf o e Scotland, obtaine da fiv e years 'e Earldoleasth f o e f mOrkneo d an y Lordship of Zetland, as formerly possessed by umquhile Patrick Earl of Orkney, or James (Stewart) Lord Ochiltree, or any of their predecessors, upon the same terms in all points as the tack to Sir John Buchanan, balance th paie d b f rene an o d o t tyearl Georgo yt e Ear f Wintoo l r nfo his relief and exoneration, dated at Whitehall 19th May 1627. His Lordship sublet the islands to William Dick of Braid, merchant-burgess of Edinburgh, at an augmented rental of 7000 merks Scots. He subse- quently surrendered his tack into the hands of the King (Charles I,) together with Dick's bond for the additional rent, which augmentation of 7000 merk s Majesthi s y bestowed annuall r eighfo y t years, from Whitsunday 1629, upon John Murray, Earl of Annandale, for "trewand thankfull service done to his majesties Umquhile father of happie and eternall memorie, .... with his constant humble and f aithf ull affectioun to his majesties seruice," and to "incourage " him to continue therein. 1 Sir John Buchanan purchased the lands of Sound and Shapinshaw from James Tullo. He was dead in 1642, and Harry Erskine, hia son-in-law, sold them to Thomas Buchanan, sheriff of Orkney (Peterkiris Rentals). 278 . PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 13, 1889. yearw fe s lateA Islande th r s were subjecte dira o edt calamity, which forms the subject of " a Remonstrance and Petition for his Majesties vassallis and immediate tennentis of Orkney and Zetland, to the most honourable the Privy Councel (of Scotland)" of the following tenor, That whereas the hand of God by a most fearful famine lying upon these countries, as was well known to their honours, since the kingdom by a reference from their table, had contributed to their necessity, but the famin greatlo es y prevailing wit populousnese hth islandse th f madsd o ,ha e a voluntary contribution, though liberal, inadequate. The famine con- tinuing, -many fle o Norwat d d otheyan r parts for relief frod e an m,th preceding year's want of seed there was a small return, and that little was literally broken and blasted by two extraordinary storms of wind from the west, so that the famine had increased. The people had expended their whole stock, destroyed and eaten their whole cattle and store, and were so impoverished that they were only kept in the country bese th t y affecteb d chien thereofan dme f , unti e s Majestth hi l d yan State shoul acquaintee db d meantime therewithth n i d ean , nothins gwa expecte t uttedbu r wreck arid ruin whicn i , n consideratioi h casd an e n anciene oth f t wort notd thesf han eo e Isles governmene th , t thereon i f mosa t special manner s Majesty'beinhi n ghandsi n pertainind ow s an , g to him more particularly than the rest of the provinces of his Majesty's dominions propert, beinown crowngand yhis lands thaTo t. effecthe t chief gentlemen his Majesties immediate vassals and tenants in the Isles for themselves nam n advic i y e communitybehal d b th d d ean f ,an eo an f , direcd di t George Sinclai f Rapnesso r gentlemaa , f thei nnumbero n row , Majesty's Hi o t s Depute, William Dick, wit letteha r subscribe themy db , makin e casgth e known s interes hi d requirinr an ,fo conjoio t t m hi gn therei procurinr nfo gcertificata e fro Prive mth y Counci Majestys hi o t l , and seek such reasonable supply as may prevent the " rowinating" of his Majesty's countries and property; but Mr John Dick, to whom the letter was directed, having for himself and in name .of the said William Dick s fatherhi , , tacksme saie th d f Isleno r theisfo r particular interest being " obleis n paymen i te grea an f t o tyeirl y e samyndewtth r fo ye albeit they pitie miserablr dou e estaitregairn obleishmerie i t th f ye ,d o t quhairin they stand obleist for payment of ane great dewty to his THE EAELDOM OF ORKNEY AND LORDSHIP OF ZETLAND.