During the sixteenth century the clans were brought into direct contact with the Crown, and in the latter part of it serious efforts were made by the Legislature to establish an efficient control over them. These gave rise to the Acts of 1587 and 1594, already referred to; but they were followed in a few years by an important Statute, which had a powerful effect upon the position of the clans, and led to another great change in the theory of their descent. In the Parliament held at Edinburgh in December 1597, an Act was passed bearing the short but most pregnant title ‘That the inhabitants of the Ilis and Hielandis shaw their haldings.’ This Act proceeds on the narrative ‘that the inhabitants of the Highlands and Isles of this realm, which are for the most part of his Highness’s annexed property has not only frustrated his Majesty of the yearly payment of his proper rents and due service addebted by them to his Majesty furth of the said lands, but that they have likewise through their barbarous inhumanity made and presently makes the said Highlands and Isles, which are most commodious in themselves as well by the fertility of the ground as by rich fishings, be so altogether unprofitable both to themselves and to all others his Highness’s lieges within this realm, they neither interfering any civil or honest society amongst themselves neither yet admitted others his Highness’s lieges to traffic within their bounds with safety of their lives and goods;’ and in order that they ‘may the better be reduced to ane godly honest and civil manner of living It is statute and ordained that all landlords chieftains and leaders of clans, principal householders, heritors and others possessors or pretending right to any lands within the Highlands and Isles shall betwixt this and the fifteenth day of May next to come compear before the Lords of his Highness’s Exchequer at Edinburgh or where it shall happen to sit for the time and there bring and produce with them all their infeftments rights and titles whatsomever whereby they claim right and title to any part of the lands and fishings within the bounds foresaid, and then find sufficient caution acted in the books of Exchequer for yearly and thankful payment to his Majesty of his rents yearly duties and service addedit by them furth of the lands possessed and occupied by them or any in their names and that they themselves their men, tenants, servants, and dependants shall be answerable to his Highness’s laws and Justices.’ The penalty imposed upon them in case of their failure to appear and find caution was, that they were ‘to forfeit amit and tyne (lose) all pretended infeftments and other right and title they have or may pretend to have to any lands whatever they have holden or pretend to hold of his Majesty either in property or superiority which their pretended infeftments and titles thereof in case of failure are now as then and then as now declared by this present Parliament to be null and of no