322 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



ceremony. When he petitioned the King for the ratifica- 

 tion of his right to Lewis, he received a point-blank refusal. 

 Again Seaforth made application, and again his petition 

 was unavailing. In August, 1635, the question was referred 

 to a joint committee of the Lords of Council and the Lords 

 of Session. The King's Advocate on the one side, and 

 Seaforth on the other, having both been heard, the com- 

 mittee's report was submitted in January, 1636. Seeing 

 his case was hopeless, the Earl wisely announced his 

 decision of placing himself unreservedly in the King's 

 hands. In October, 1636, a contract was accordingly 

 entered into by Charles and Seaforth, which was followed 

 by a charter to the latter under the Great Seal, dated 

 1 3th March, 1637, and ratified by Parliament in 1641. In 

 terms of this charter, Lewis, with its pertinents, was granted 

 to Seaforth, to be held in feu from the Crown for an annual 

 payment of 2,000 pounds Scots. The town and burgh of 

 barony of Stornoway with its castle, harbour, and as much 

 land as might be required for the General Society's fishings, 

 and the accommodation of the fishermen, with pasturage, 

 fuel, and " foggage " (coarse rank grass) in the adjacent 

 fields, were, under this charter, resigned absolutely in 

 favour of the King and his heirs in perpetuity. And 

 " for reducing of the inhabitants of the said He of Lewis 

 to civilitie, and for increase of policie within the same 

 ile," Stornoway was to be erected into a free burgh 

 Royal.* 



When, by a charter dated 3Oth September, 1678, ratified 

 in 1 68 1, the Seaforth estates were transferred to Sir George 

 Mackenzie of Tarbat, Sir Alexander Mackenzie of Coul, 

 and Colin Mackenzie of Redcastle, under circumstances 

 which will be noticed later on, Stornoway was reserved to 

 the Crown in terms exactly similar to those embodied in 

 the charter of 1637, but the stipulation concerning its 

 erection into a Royal burgh appears in a modified form ; 

 and the modification is important. In the later charter, 



* Acts of Par I. > Vol. V., p. 530. Revenues of the Scottish Crown, pp. 

 119-20. 



