Memorial for John Fleming, present possessor of the farm of Laggs in the Parish of Kilkerran, Lordship of Kintyre and the Shire of Argyl. TO the honorable Charles Selkrig, Esq., Trustee for his Grace the Duke of Argyl.

    The Memorialist having paid up a heavy Arrear due by the deceast Peter Brolochan, Tenant of Laggs, was permitted to possess the Farm during the remainder of his lease thereof which expires at Whitsundayv nest, Eighteen Hundred and Eighteen, he therefore now proposes to take a new lease of the said Farm of Laggs for the space of nineteen years after the said term of Whitsunday Eighteen Hundred and Eighteen for which he will become bound to make payment of Fifty Pounds Sterling yearly in full of Rent and all publick Burdens.

   The Memorialist begs leave to represent, that when he was lately removed from Kileonan, notwithstanding of his having offered a handsome Rent and grassum for it, he was obliged to carry his family to Laggs to reside there, and there being no houses there except for Cottars and workmen, he had to build a new Steading of houses there with Sone and lime, which he did in the most substantial manner, as may be certified by the Chamberlain who has seen them, and having built them only two years ago, it would be a great hardhsip upon him if he were now to be removed.

   The Memorialist after going to reside at Laggs was induced to enter into a treaty with Mr. Daniel Clark for a Subsett of Achaleak, and believing Mr. Clark to be then in good circumstances gave him a loan of two hundred pounds to carry on the Woolen Manufactury there for which he was to be paid Interest yearly and the Principal at the expiry of the Subsett, but on acocunt of Clark's bankruptch, the Memorialist has not only lost his money, but is informed that Action of Removing is intended to be raised against him.

   The Memorialist hopes that the honorable Trustee will be inclined to consider the Memorialist's case, and his endeavors (tho disappointed) in a favourable light – he has a numerous family to provide for, and had struggled hard to put them in a way of doing for themselves – his sons, some of whom are now grown up, have been bred to farming, and would be a great help to him in labouring and managing the farm if continued in possession. From all these circumstances, he depends on the Honourable Trustee's goodness fro a preference to a new lease of the farm at the rent now offered, or at such rent as your Honor, or the Chamberlain of Kintyre shall consider adequate to its value, and having as well as his ancestors for generations, lived always on the noble family of Argyl's property, he is naturally attached to them and the place of his nativity, and would consequently, if allowed at all a ways of living, prefer it rather than imegrate to a strange country, all which is submitted for your Honour's consideration by (Signed) John Fleming. Cambeltown, 10th Oct. 1817.

   Notes: Whitsunday is Pentecost, but in the Scottish legal system it was a day when rents were due, contracts were renewed, etc. May 15th in the old calender, but May 26th in the new. Cottars were farm laborers, so he means that there were only cottages on the property for workmen and farm laborers. Steading is a farmhouse and farm buildings. In the climate of Scotland they were probably joined.)