Tracts, legal and historical

157
milton, not only succeeded to the estate but to the
honours of Lord Robert his grandfather, through his
father Robert the Master who predeceased ; and
hence he must be held to have been completely law-
ful. This forms another specialty, because it has also
been doubted, if by such a transaction the interests
of a grandfather or ascendants, and their represen-
tation and succession, can be compromised.
Owing to these striking characteristics of the case,
it was deemed proper narrowly to sift the circum-
stances stated by Craig ; and although he is far from
being famed for his accuracy, the result, it is rather
thought, may excite surprise and astonishment.
Craig clearly alludes to Robert Master of Sem-
pill who died in 1569, for that was thirty-four
years (the period he himself mentions) previous
to 1603, at which time, or shortly after, he may have
completed his work, as he dedicates it to James I.
subsequent to the union of the crowns, (which was
in the latter year,) and departed this life in 1608. 1
It is also legally instructed that the Master had a son
Robert, who succeeded his grandfather, Robert Lord
Sempill in 1572 ; 2 and as there was no previous
1 See the editions of de Feudis, and especially that of Baillie.
a Will, dated 8th November 1572, of Robert Lord Sempill,
wherein he appoints James Earl of Morton, tutor testamentar to
Robert Sempill " his oy (grandson) sone lauchfid to umquhile
Robert Maister of Sempill, his appeirand are." Robert is also
there styled, " now my apperand are," Register of Testaments of
Commissary Court of Edinburgh. And on the 10th July 1576,