Historical and genealogical memoirs of the House of Hamilton

82 HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL MEMOIRS
james, 1. Lady Isobel, married to John Bannatyne of Corhouse, from whom
5 she had a charter, previously to their marriage, of the lands of Logoth and
l. xxxi, No. 33. Allerstokis, for life, dated 21st July 1529, wherein she is designed daughter
of the late Earl. She had another charter of half the lands of Allerstokis,
16th May 1555.
2. Lady Helen, married to Archibald, fourth Earl of Argyle, who gave
l. xxiii, No. 70. her for life a charter of the lands of Menstrie in Clackmannanshire. She
is therein designed legitimate daughter of the late Earl of Arran ; dated
27th August 1529.
3. Lady Jean, married to Alexander, fifth Earl of Glencaim.
4. Lady Janet, married to David Boswell of Auchinleck. They had a
l. xxiv, No. 153. charter under the great seal, " Davidi Boswell de Auchinleck, et Joneta*
ejus sponsa?, sorori Jacobi Comitis Aranias, et haeredibus inter ipsos legi-
time procreat. seu procreand. terrarum baroniae de Auchinleck, in vice-
comitatu de Air," dated 12th February 1531.
The Earl of Arran died some time before July 1529. He had a
natural son, Sir James Hamilton of Finnart, knight, of whom there is
frequent mention in these Memoirs, ancestor of the Hamiltons of Evan-
dale, Crawford] ohn, Gilkerscleugh, &c. Sir James's mother, accord-
ing " to the Memorie of the Spmervilles," * was a daughter of the
Memorie of the Somer- * " The House of Hamilton, by marriage to King James the Third's sister, who
had been the wife of Thomas, Lord Boyde, from whom she was divorced, and mar-
ryed upon James, the first Lord Hamilton ; by reason whereof this familie was now
at a great bight both for honour and estate, and the name universally the most thriv-
ing of any in Scotland ; and amongst them all non more, about this tyme, then a
young gentleman, James Hamilton, naturall sone to James, the second Lord Hamil-
ton, and first Earl of Arrane, begotten on a daughter of the Lord Boyde 's. This gentle-
man, by his father's donatione, had the lands of Finhard given him in patrimony, by
which he was ever designed ; although afterwards, by his interest at court, and great
trust and favour he had of King James the Fyfth, being his thesaurer, he purchased, in a
short tyme, a vast fortune in lands, equal to, if not much beyond, the House of Hamilton
itself, as was supposed ; and, for strong and stately houses, being the King's master
of worke, and the principal architector of that age, ther was non did equall him for
the royall houses, tliat was, the palace of Hollyrudehouse, Linlithgow, Falkland, and
some part of the foirwork of the Castle of Stirling."
Much of this narrative is evidently supported by other proof, and hence there is a
presumption that the rest is correct, and accounts for the superior beauty of Craig-
nethan Castle, which was built by Finnart.
A distinguished individual of the present age, Sir Walter Scott, in his Notes upon