History of the earldoms of Strathern, Monteith, and Airth

XIV APPENDIX.
No. VI.
REMARKS ON THE MURDER OF
KING JAMES THE FIRST.
[Referred to in p. 21.]
No. VI. Mr. Fraser Tytler says (History of Scotland, vol. iii.
Remarks on 299, 300.), « Upoii the return of the Kin^ from his
THE Murder of rr ? /' r O
James I. detention in England, and at the time that he inflicted
his summary vengeance upon the house of Albany, Sir
Robert Gnaham had been imprisoned, along with the
other adherents of that powerful family, but it seems
probable that he obtained his liberty, and for a while
became reconciled to the Government. Another trans-
action, however, was at hand, which, it is said, rekindled
his feelings into a determined purpose of revenge. This
was the seisure or resumption of the Earldom of Strath-
ern by the King. David Earl of Strathern, the brother
of the Earl of Athole, was the eldest son of Robert the
Second by his second wife Euphemia Ross. He left an
only daughter who married Patrick Graham son of Sir
Patrick Graham of Kincardine, and in right of his wife.
Earl of Strathern, to whose children, as the ti'ansmission
of these feudal Dignities through females was the ac-
knowledged law of Scotland, the title and estates un-
doubtedly belonged. James, however, fixed his eyes
upon this powerful Earldom. He contended that it was
limited to heirs male; that upon the death of David
Earl of Strathern it ought to have reverted to the
Crown ; and that Albany, the Governor, had no power
to permit Patrick Graham or his son to assume so ex-
tensive a fief, which he resumed as his own. Although,
however, he disposessed Malise Graham the son of the
Earl of Strathern, of his lands and dignity, James ap-