Volume 6

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whole estates in the barony of "Renfrew, in Lanarkshire, in the barony of Kyle
Stewart, in Ayrshire, and in other parts, the whole to be held in a free
and pure regality with ample jurisdiction; and he prohibited all sheriffs,
provosts, bailies, coroners, and other officers from obstructing or molesting
them in the exercise of the rights and authority conferred on them. [Chart.
Paisley, No. 198], The jurisdiction of this regality was executed by two
bailies appointed by the abbot and monks; one for their estates in Ayrshire,
and the other for their estates in Renfrewshire and in other counties. This
last office, after being held occasionally by the family of Sempil, became at
length hereditary in that family, and they acquired with it certain lands, and
had a fee of three chalders of oatmeal yearly (n). As the same family held the
hereditary office of sheriff of Renfrewshire this obviated collision between the
two jurisdictions.
The Sheriffdom of Renfrew formerly comprehended the barony and parish
of Bathgate in West Lothian, which belonged to the Stewarts, and the juris-
diction of the Sempil family, as sheriffs of Renfrew, extended over that barony.
This detached portion of their hereditary jurisdiction was resigned in January
1530-1, by William Lord Sempil to Sir James Hamilton of Finnart, who there-
upon obtained a charter for it from the king (o).
(n) Sir William Sempil held the office of bailie to the abbot and monks of Paisley in 1476. Acta
Auditor., p. 43. The office of bailie of the regality of Paisley is said to have been made heredi-
tary in the Sempil family during 1545, by a grant of John Hamilton the abbot of Paisley, to
Robert the master of Sempil, who succeeded his father as Lord Sempil in 1553, Crawfurd's
Renfrew, p. 6 ; Privy Seal Reg., xxvi. 28. John Hamilton the Archbishop of Saint Andrew's and
abbot of Paisley, having been forfeited in 15G8 for assisting Queen Mary, the regent Moray
gave the commendatorship of the abbey of Paisley to his partizan, Robert Lord Sempill, who, after
getting much from the Hamiltons, went over to the enemy, who gave him more. Privy Seal Reg.,
xxxvii. 84. Robert Lord Sempill, as commendator of Paisley, granted to his grandson and heir
apparent, Robert the master of Sempill, and to his heirs male, the offices of justiciary, chamberlain,
and bailie of the regality of Paisley, and of all the lands and possessions of that monastery; and ho
granted to him various lands, as his fee for executing the said offices. This grant was confirmed
by a charter under the great seal, 15th December 1572. Precept in Privy Seal Reg., xli. 52. In
1648, Robert Lord Sempil, was served heir of his grandfather Robert, to the office of justiciary
and bailie of the regality of Paisley, excepting that part within Ayrshire; and he was served heir
to the yearly fee of three chalders of oatmeal for executing the said office. Inquisit. Speciales,
132.
(o) Charter, 13th January 1530-1, to Sir James Hamilton of Finnart, of the office of sheriff of Ren-
frew, within the parish and barony of Bathgate, on the resignation of William Lord Sempil, the
hereditary sheriff of Renfrewshire. Regist. Mag. Sig., xxiv. 21 ; Privy Seal Reg., viii. 229 ; ix. 39.
Bathgate was afterwards a separate sheriffdom till the abolition of heritable jurisdictions in 1748,
when it was united to Linlithgowshire.