History of the earldoms of Strathern, Monteith, and Airth

80
HISTORY OF THE EARLDOMS OF
William into an Eai'ldom does not necessarily affect the
SEVKNTH Earl . . . , .
OF MoNTEiTH. persoual Dignity previously created, is sliown by
the case of Cassillis, as decided by the House of
Lords in I762/
' In 1642, John, sixth Earl of Cassillis, resigned the Earl-
dom and Lordship of Cassillis, comprehending the lands
specified^ into the hands of the Barons of the Exchequer for
a new infeftment. The Royal Charter contained a novo-
damus and erection of the lands and estate " in unum in-
tegrum et liberum Comitatum et Dominium, nunc, et in omni
tempore, Comitatum et Dominium de Cassills nuncupand.
per diet' Comitem de Cassils, duran. vita sua, et post ejus de-
cessum per prsefat. Jacobum Dominum Kennedy ejus filium
et haeredes suos respective antedict' secundum prcecedentiam,
et prioritatem loci illis per eoruni jura legesque et praxin
dicti regni nostri ScoiicB debitam et competentem, omni tem-
pore affutui'o fruen. gauden. et possiden.," which charter was
ratified by Parliament. Another resignation and charter of
novodamus was made in 1671 (and also confirmed by Par-
liament), in the precise terms of the charter of 1642, which
charter was thus referred to : " Quae integrae terrae ba-
ronise, &c. ; sunt omnes unit, prius annexat. erect, et incor-
porat. in unum integrum et liberum Comitatum et Dominium
nuncupat. et nuncupand. omni tempore afFuturo Comitatum
et Dominium de Cassils, cwn titttlo, dignitate, prcecedentia,
et prioritate diet. Comiti et predecessoribus suis, per leges
et praxin hujus regni nostri debit, secundum cartam,"
&c., " de data penult, die Septembris, 1642." It was con-
tended, on the above clauses, that these Charters carried
the personal Dignity ; but the House of Lords held the con-
trary, because there was no evidence that the Honours had
ever been resigned. Speaking of the clauses relating to
precedency. Lord Mansfield said, " I won't pretend to
guess what the words do mean, whether to give any rank or
not; but it is plain the title was not granted." "It is not
easy to know what meaning these words have." " If these
Avords could carry a Title of Honour, it would create strange