History of the earldoms of Strathern, Monteith, and Airth

44 HISTORY OF THE EARLDOMS
William the Dignity stood destined under the original
SEVEKTH Earl
OF MoNTEiTH. gvaut, unless it had been regularly surrendered.
Of such surrender, however, there is not only
no evidence, but the recognition of the Earl of
Monteith's right to the Earldom of Strathern, as
heir of Prince David, in itself proves that no sur-
render was either on record, or was even presumed
to have taken place. On the contrary, the King's
Advocate, considering that the Charters by which
the Earldom of Strathern was granted, were then
in viridi ohservantia, advised the Crown to admit
the Earl of Monteith's rights, by accepting from
him, and compensating him for, a renunciation
of part of those rights in its favour : and it is
material to observe that all the proceedings on
the subject were most carefully considered, and
had evidently been submitted to, and sanctioned
by, the highest Law Authorities of Scotland.
The Earl of Monteith immediately assumed
the title of Earl of Strathern, and sat in
Parliament as " Earl of Strathern" on the 22nd
of September, 1631, and 13th of April, and 7th
of September, 1632.'
On the 26th of November, 1631, by the de-
scription of " William Earl of Strathern and
Monteith, Lord Kilpont and Kilbride, President
of the Privy Council, Great Justice of Scotland,"
he obtained a grant of the barony of Drummond,
1 Acts of Parliament of Scotland, vol. v. pp. 6. 237. 239.
244-.