History of the family of Seton during eight centuries > Volume 2

EARLDOM OF DUNFERMLINE 973
tion in the before recited patents and charter, descended to and vested in your Petitioner, the
collateral heir-male of the grantee, the said Alexander, the first Earl of Dunfermline, as heir-
male of the body of Sir George Seton of Barns, the immediate elder brother of the said
Alexander, Earl of Dunfermline.
' Your Petitioner therefore humbly prays your Majesty will be graciously pleased
to declare that the said Honours and Dignities of Earl of Dunfermline, Lord
Fyvie and Urquhart, do belong to your Petitioner. — And your Petitioner shall
ever pray.'
' St. James's, April bth, 1773.
' His Majesty is pleased to refer this Petition to the Right Honourable the Lord Advocate
of Scotland, to consider thereof and to report his opinion what may be properly done therein,
whereupon his Majesty will declare his farther pleasure. Suffolk.'
Memorial and Qtteries for Colonel James Seton, Governor of
St. Vincent, 1J73.
' George Lord Seton had issue four sons : —
1. Robert, his eldest son, afterwards Earl of Winton.
2. Sir John Seton of Barns.
3. Alexander, afterwards Lord Fyvie and Earl of Dunfermline.
4. Sir William Seton of Killismuir.
' Alexander, the third son, acquired the lands and baronies of Urquhart and Fyvie,
and under the title of Alexander, Lord Urquhart, President of the College of Justice,
obtained a Patent from King James vi. erecting the lands and barony of Fyvie into a free 4' h March
Lordship, giving and granting to the said Alexander, Lord Urquhart, and to the heirs-male I597 '
procreate or to be procreate between him and Lady Lilias Drummond, his spouse, which
failing, to the nearest lawful heirs-male whatsoever of the said Alexander and their successors
in all time coming, the title, honour, rank, and state of a Lord of Parliament, and that the
said Alexander, and his heirs-male foresaid, and their successors, should perpetually thereafter
be called Lords Fyvie — as fully set forth in a copy of the Patent taken from record herewith
produced.
' Thereafter King James vi. granted another Patent to the said Alexander Seton, Lord 4 th March
Fyvie, granting to him " et hctredes suos masculos Comites de Dunfermline eisdemque nomen
statum gradum titulum honorem et dignitatem comitum de Dunfermline cum omnibus pre-
rogatives, etc., ad comitis dignitatem pertinentibus."
'Thereafter King James vi. granted a charter " Dilecto nostro consanguineo et consiliario 6th April
Alexandra Fermeloduni Comiti Domino Fyvie et Urquhart magno regni nostri Scotia? I-
Cancellario et hcEredibus masculis de corpore suo legitime procreatis seu procreandis Quibus
deficientibus Domino Willelmo Setoun de Killismuir militi et hseredibus masculis de corpore
suo legitime procreatis seu procreandis Quibus deficientibus prasfato Alexandra Fermeloduni
Comiti suis hasredibus masculis cognomen et arma de Setoun gerentibus et assignatis quibus-
cunque," of the lands and baronies of Urquhart and Fyvie, etc. " Et similiter creamus
ordinamus constituimus ereximus designavimus declaravimus et vocavimus tenoreque pre-
sentium creamus, etc., praefatum Alexandrum Fermeloduni Comitem suos hmredes masculos et
tallice supra script. Fermeloduni Comites et damus et concedemus iisdem nomen statum
gradum titulum honorem et dignitatem Comitum de Dumfermling cum omnibus prerogativis
privilegiis ornamentis et aliis quibuscunque ad dignitatem Comitis infra Regnum nostrum
Scotise pertinent."
' This charter proceeds on the grantee's resignation of the dignity as well as of the lands
— contains a novodamus of both lands and dignity — erects the whole lands and baronies " in
unum integrum et liberum comitatum et dominium nunc et omni tempore affuturo Comitatum
de Dumfermling Dominum de Fyvie et Urquhart nuncupand.,' and is dated "apud curiam
nostram de Roystoun," 6th April 161 1.
' A full certified copy is herewith produced.
' This Alexander was succeeded in his dignity and estate by his only son—