James IV, King of Scots (1473-1513) Letter signed to William Graham, future earl of Montrose, Edinburgh, 8th May [1500] Single sheet of laid paper (15 x 29.7cm), 13 lines written in a clerical hand with James's autograph signature 'James R' at foot, dated '1500' verso in a contemporary hand, remains of red wax seal, dust-soiling and damp-staining, old folds, partially split along central fold, nicks to extremities, remnants of mounting verso Qty: (1) Note: James writes to a key ally later to die by his side at Flodden requesting that he permit 'our most lovit familiar squier & servitour Patric of Kincaid' to prolong a lease (tack) on land in Balmore, Stirlingshire. The recipient, William Graham (1462/3-1513), third lord Graham, had previously been loyal to James IV's father James III, and may have been with him at Sauchieburn where he met his death at the hands of rebels under the nominal leadership of the future James IV, then the Duke of Rothesay. 'A pragmatic switch of allegiance saw Graham sitting in James IV's first parliament, on 6th October 1488, and he subsequently received grants of the lands of Aberuthven and Inchbrakie in Perthshire. On the occasion of James IV's marriage to Margaret Tudor in 1503, an earldom was created for Graham out of the Lindsay dukedom of Montrose, which had lapsed to the crown on the death of David Lindsay, and possibly in recognition of his hereditary charter for the lands of Old Montrose. This rewarded Graham for his loyalty and sought to counter the influence of the Lindsays, whose bitter feuding had destabilized Angus' (ODNB). At Flodden he was one of nine Scottish earls to die, alongside the king himself.