Note 46 — CHAP. V.

The reader will find the Preceptor's motives and proceedings explained in an authentic family document printed from a manuscript copy in the Advocates Library, in a little work named, "Templaria. Edinburgh, 1828." We extract from it the following account of the surrender of the Preceptory:—"He personally compeirit in presence of the Queen's Majesty, the Lord Chancelour, the Earles of Murray, Marischall, and diuers others of her Hiehnes Privy Council, and there, as the only lawful undoubted Titular, and present possessor of the Lordship and Preceptorie of Torphephen, which was never subject to any Chapter or Conuent whatsomever, except only the Knights of Jerusalem and Temple of Solomon, Genibus flexis et reverentia qua decuit, resigned and ouergave in the hands of our Souerane Lady, his undoubted Superior, ad perpetuam remanentiam, all Right, Property, and Possession, which he had, or any way could pretend to the said Preceptorie, or any part thereof, in all time Coming; to the effect the same might remain perpetually, with her Hyeness and her Successours, as a Part of Property and Patrimony of her Crown for ever. After this resignation in the Queen's Majesty's hands, ad Remanentiam, of this Benefice, be the lawful Titular thereof, her Hyeness, in remembrance of the good service of the said Sir James Sandilands, gave and grantid and dispon'd, in feu-farme, heritably, to the said Sir James, his heirs and assignies, All and Haill, the said Preceptorie and Lordship."

That the payment of the above sum of ten thousand crowns of the Sun subsequently involved Sandilands in serious difficulties and embarrassments, we are instructed by the works referred to, in which it is stated that—"albeit the charter bears present payment of ten thousand crowns, that the money was paid at divers times, partly upon Her Majesty's precepts to her servants, French Paris, Sir Robert Melvin, Sir James Balfour, and Captain Anstruther; and the rest of the sum to Mr. Robert Richardson, treasurer for the time, whereof there is a receipt under the privy seal. That a great part of that money, numbered in gold and silver, was borrowed from Timothy Corneoli, an Italian gentleman of the Preceptor's acquaintance at Genoa, and a banker of the house of———resident in Scotland for the time. That this nobleman being burthened with great debts, for his exoneration and relief, was forced to let in feu-farm his own roumes for a reasonable composition," &c.; and he was afterwards obliged to part with some of the larger baronies of the estate.