History of the earldoms of Strathern, Monteith, and Airth

1629
32 HISTORY OF THE EARLDOMS
William whatsomevev, witliout restriction to the heirs male
SEVENTH Earl
OF MoNTEiTH. of his bodj, though it was ever the commonly
received opinion that the said Earldom, being
feudum masculinum, had returned to the Crown
by the decease of Earl David without heirs
male of his body ; that under those Charters to
the heirs whatsomever the Earl of Monteith
claimed a right to the said Earldom, as being
lineally descended from Euphemia Countess of
Strathern, the only daughter of Earl David,
who married Patrick Graham Earl of Strathern,
predecessor of the said Earl, and by appearance
might carry ground by law, if it were not shewn
where the said Earldom was renounced by his
predecessors, or exchanged by them.' Sir
Thomas Hope then proceeded to acquaint His
Majesty with the Earl's voluntary offer to re-
nounce his right to the Crown lands, and tiiat
he had consequently drawn up the renuncia-
tion he indorsed, which was subscribed by the
Earl ; adding, that it was " a business of that
importance that it were not fit to be neglected,
specially seeing the said Earl had offered to His
Majesty a voluntary renunciation." '
The King, on being informed of the facts of the
case, and of the Advocate's opinion on the subject,
authorized a Warrant to be issued to Sir Thomas
Hope, dated on the 29th of September, 1629,
stating that His Majesty had conferred with the
' Sir Thomas Hope's " Trew Estait of the Busincs? of
Stratherne." Vide Appendix, No. Vlll. p. xxi.