CIVIL AFFAIRS

THE BARONY

By the charter of date 1144 already quoted, whereby David I. bestowed the church on the Monastery of Kelso, the whole lands of "Lesmahagu" were also granted, with all manner fo pertinents, to be held for prayers for the safety of souls.   Before that period it has been conjectured that these landds formed part of a royal forest.  In the same year, John, Bishop of Glasgow, confirmed the grant of the King with the whole of the parish (cum tota parochia).  (L. de Cal., 149, 180.)

The grant was twice confirmed by William the Lion, who also granted a charter by which the Prior of Lesmahagow was entitled to claim and bring back any of his men being natives of Lesmahagow (homines nativi), who might be found beyond his domains, having fled from thence ; and prohibited every one from detaining them unjustly.   (L. de Cal., 11, 12; 14, 13; and 312, 402.)

In 1223 and in 1230, the prior and monks obtained from Alexander II. charters of protection for themselves, their men, and their lands.  On the 17th May 1235, they procured a charter from the same monarch, erecting the whole of their lands into a free forest, and prohibiting every one from hunting, cutting wood, or tresspassing thereon without leave, under the penalty of £10 (l. de Cal. x., 10.)  By Act of Parliament (I after preface 89), Lesmahagow is mentioned as a Barony in the retour of an inquest in the year 1259.  David II. confirmed the title of the Abbot and monks of Kelso to it.  (Robertson's Index, 41)  The same King granted a charter freeing their lands from all imposts.   (Ibid., 63)  In 1264 they procured a charter froom Alexander III., similar to that granted by Alexander II.

From the Book of Kelso it appears that in A.D.1398-1400 Rotaldus Wer acted as bailie for Patrick, Abbot of Kelso, at Lesmahagow, who directed him to hold two inquests in these years.  (Ibid., 409, 517; 413, 523.)  The office bailie appears to have been fonferred in 1456, upon James, first Lord Hamilton, in heritage.  (Hamilton of Wishaw's Lanarkshire.- See Appendix, Note B.)   James, first Earl of Arran, conveyed it to his illegitimate son, Sir James Hamilton of Finnart in Renfrewshire, in 1532, who, in the same year, and again in 1538, had a confirmation of it from James V. under the Great Seal.  (R.  M.   S., xxiv.   252, and xxvi. 210.)

After his forfeiture in 1540, this office returned to the Hamilton family; for although Finnart's son obtained a reversal of his father's attainder in 1543, it was on condition that this office, and some property alleged to have been improperly obtained, should be restored to the second Earl of Arran, then Regent of Scotland.     (See Craignethan.)

By a charter granted to Anne, Duchess of Hamilton, by Charles II., in 1661, Lesmahagow was erected into a Burgh of Barony, with the privilege of weekly markets and yearly fairs, which was confirmed by Parliament in 1669.   (Act Parl., vii. 578) And from various entries in the Session records, it appears that a baron bailie was appointed, the last of whom was James Weir fo Kerse; but when heritable jurisdictions were abolished in 1745, the administation of law developed upon the Sheriff and Justices of the Peace for the district.

The Barony, along with other possessions of Kelso, were granted in succession to James Cuningham, son of the Earl of Glencairn; Francis, Earl of Bothwell; and Robert, Lord Roxburgh; and was sold by the latter to the Marquis of Hamilton.   The following rent-roll is from the archives of the Duke of Roxburgh, of date circa 1567:-

RENTALL OF THE BARROWNRIE OF LESMAHEGO.

Item.- The foul landis,    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .           £82      0    0

Item.- Pownill,    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .     .            6     13     4

Item.- Auchenlouke to the Grenerig,     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .             6      13    4

Item.- Kype,     .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .           5     0     0

Item.- The Cummyre,    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .               2      0    0

Item.- Skaillihill and Rothartholme,     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .          2    6    8

Item.- Quhytsteid and Myddiholme,     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .        2    6    8

Item.- The Adflothame,      .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .        1    12     0

Item.- Aucherne,     .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     1    1    0

Item.-The Bonegraye and Bankheid,      .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .        2    0     0   

Item.- The Borlane and Dowane,      .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .         3    12      0

Item.- Dumbrekishill,      .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .          0    16     0

Item.- The Gallowrig and Gallowhill,      .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .         1    10      0

Item.- Blekwode and Forowhill,      .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .        2    15     0

Item.- Chenothe (? Clannoch) and Garvaldwode,     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .         3     13     10

Item.- The Myltowne,     .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .        3     12     0

Item.- The Mains,    .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .     .     .        .     .     .    .    .     .     .    .    .          14    6     0

Item.- The fysching in Clyde     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .      .    .    .      .    .    .    .          0    6    8

Item.- Mounton's hous in Lanrik,     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .    .     .         1    0     10

Summa,    .     .    .     £144 : 3 : 6.