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- WILLIAM, fifth Earl of Menteith, had a gift from the Crown on 10 April 1565 of his own ward and marriage,* and he entered into a contract with his mother by which she advanced the money paid for the gift, and drew the rents of the earldom until the sum was refunded. He was under age at his father's death, and had not been infeft in the earldom, but he was publicly acknowledged as Earl, and sat as such in the Commission of Parliament at Stirling, which, on 29 July 1567, received Queen Mary's demission, and assisted at the coronation of the infant Prince James. He fought against the Queen at the battle of Langside, and took part in meetings of Privy Council and Parliament up to July 1569. He was still under age, but obtained, on 28 October 1571, a dispensation from the Crown, upon which, on 20 November same year, he was infeft in the earldom of Menteith, the lands of Kilbride, and others.* He attained majority on or before 24 January 1572-73, when he ratified his marriage-contract made in his minority/ On 2 May 1574 he received a Commission of Justiciary against a number of marauders with Highland names, and was a member of the Privy Council until his death. His vassals and those of Leckie of that Ilk at this time quar- relled, and serious bloodshed took place, on account of which the principals on both sides were summoned before the Oouncil in May 1577, and in February and March 1577- 78 the Earl was bound over to keep good rule.
He, however, died a few months later, in September 1578, after an illness apparently of some duration, as he delivered his eldest son to the charge of George Buchanan of that Ilk, his brother-in-law, about ten days before his death, and left a will directing that the child should remain in Buchanan's charge.
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