Biggar and the House of Fleming

558 BIGGAR AND THE HOUSE OF FLEMING.
part of the barony of Biggar, two oxgates of the temple lands
in the Westerraw of Biggar within the said barony and said
burgh of Biggar, ancient extent L.36, new extent L.144,
acris of land of the said burgh of Biggar lying round
in the lands and barony of Biggar, the six merk lands of ancient
extent of Glentoers within the barony of Monkland, with the
patronages of the Churches of Stobo, Drummelzier, Dawick,
and Broughton ancient extent L.4, new extent L.8 ; the burghs
of barony of Kirkintilloch and Biggar, all erected into the
Earldom of Wigtoun."
The Earl resigned his lands and honours to Charles II., and
obtained a signature under the hand of the King, on the 1 8th
of August 1669, authorizing a charter or regrant to pass the
Great Seal of the dignities of Earl of Wigton, Lord Fleming
and Cumbernauld, and also of his estates, in favour of himself
and the heirs-male of his body, containing remainders also to
Charles Fleming, his brother-german ; Sir William Fleming,
Chamberlain of the Household to the King, and son of John,
second Earl of Wigton ; to Lieutenant-Colonel Fleming, son
of Malcolm Fleming, and grandson of John, first Earl ; and to
Jane Fleming, only daughter of John, fourth Earl, and after-
wards wife of George, Earl of Panmure ; to the heirs-male of
their bodies seriatim, each and all of them, with an ultimate
substitution, without division, to the eldest heir-female of the
body of the disponee. It is a very singular circumstance that
this regrant was never completed ; that, in the course of a few
years, it became unknown to the family, and remained in ob-
livion until it was accidentally discovered some time after the
middle of last century. By the above resignation of the Earl-
dom, which was gratuitous and not onerous, and by the failure
to carry into effect the new warrant obtained, the Earl may be
legally held to have denuded himself of the honours conferred
on the Fleming family by James VI., and perhaps also of his
estates.
He married in 1760, Henrietta, a daughter of Charles Seton,
Earl of Dunfermline, and by her had two sons, John and
Charles, and a daughter Mary. The Earl was appointed by
Charles II. Sheriff of Dumbartonshire, and Governor of Dum-
barton Castle, and also a member of the Privy Council. His
name, however, does not appear in connexion with any of the