| He was illegitimate and probably son of a French lady. He was legitimated on 8 August 1609, he being then at the schools in Paris. A few days before, on 29 July, he was called in an entail of his father's estates immediately after the lawful heirsmale of his father's body. On the strength of certain writs by his father, he assumed the title, and is styled William, now Lord Crichtoun of Sanquhar, son and heir of tailzie of the late Robert, Lord Crichton, in a complaint he made to the Privy Council that William Crichton of Ryhill was usurping his title and forbidding his tenants to pay rent. That was in September 1612, and he still held the title in January following, but the rival claimant pressed his rights, and on 7 May 1614 King James VI, on a special submission by the parties, pronounced a decreet-arbitral declaring the writs founded on by William to be null, and directing him as son natural of his father to denude himself of all his rights and claims to the barony of Sanquhar, a certain provision being made for him. In this decree the King refers to the legitimation of August 1609, and limits it by saying it was never his meaning so to rehabilitate the grantee, as thereby to make him his father's full successor, i.e. as against a lawful heir-male of the late Lord Crichton.2 There was some delay in settling affairs, as William always pled he was not of full age ; but after a second submission, the King and other arbiters in February and May 1618 ratified the former decreet, required William to denude himself of all lands, and assigned to him, with provision for his heirs, the lands of Benchills, parish of Redgorton and Rossieochill in Forgandenny, co. Perth. In terms of this final decreet William Crichton on 19 November 1618 formally ratified the King's first decree. On 1 June 1619 a gift of his marriage and other casualties was made to Mr. John Oliphant, but his later history has not been ascertained.3 |