1st Duke of Gordon

72
the satne be included in a former gift granted by
us bo the Duke of Gordon of the forsaids lauds,
a.i ..said is, which bears that we therein make
over unto him the right and effect of all contracts
and minutes made and past betwixt the said late
Earl and the said Sir Ewen. Therefore, and to
the effect that our will and pleasure in this
matter may be more clearly and distinctly known,
and that the said Sir Ewen may enjoy the full
benefit of the favour that we intended for him,
we thought fitt hereby to signify unto you, that
as, by our aforsaid former gift, we did not intend
to dispone unto the said Duke of Gordon all
sums of money due by the said Sir Ewen to the
said late Duke of Argile, so it was our purpous
and pleasure, in our aforsaid letter, that the said
Sir Ewen should (be discharged and exonered
thereof, and particularly of the foreaid sum of
1(1,000 inerks due b yhim to the said late Earl, as
said is : Wherefore it is our further will and
pleasure, that ye take care that the said Sit
Ewen Cameron be not troubled nor mollested by
any person or persons 'whatsoever upon account
of the forsaid sum, nor an ydemand thereof made
from him, in whole or in part, but that he be
fully exonered and discharged for the same att
all hands, and in all time comeing, notwithstand-
ing of any procedure that may have been already
or hereafter may be made against him att the
instance of any person -whatsoever ; for suclh is
our will and pleasure. And so we bid you hear-
tily fair well. Given att our Court att Whiehall,
the 21st day of May 1688, and of onr reign the
■tth year. By His Majesty's command,
Melfort.
Tlic famous decision, which much displeased
the Duke, ran as follows ("Memoirs of Lochiel,"
pp. 226-7): —
Their ha veins; been of late some controversies
betwixt His Grace the Duke of Gordon and the
Lai id of Looheill, occasioned by reason of a
grant or charter made by the King to the said
Duke, wherein were comprehended certain lands,
which, by order of his said Majesty, were to be
recoiiveyed to the aforsaid Locheill; which, the
more effectwally now to perform, His Majestie
hath onely referred the whole method of execut-
ing the said grant to the Lord Marquess of Powis,
and the Earls of Murray and Mellfort, Secretary**
of State for the Kingdom of Scotland, by and
with the consent of the aforsaid Duke of Gordon,
and of Mr Barclay, agent for the said Loehiell,
who hath fully empowered him to act in all
matters thereunto relating as conclusively as if
he himself were present. We, the said referees,
haveing inett and perused the charter presented
by Mr Barclay to the said Duke, as to the lands
formerly held of the late Earl of Argile, and