John,
Thomas,
and
Adam,
ancestors
of
Andrew
Forman,
Scotland
March 24
2012
The seals of the reasonably well-known Formans of medieval Scotland,
including Andrew Forman, suggest descent from the
Moray/Murray/Sutherland or Douglas families. In 1426 James I
confirmed the (re)grant of Hutton lands by Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl,
to Adam Forman. Hutton probably came to Archibald the Grim, 3rd
Earl Douglas, when he married Joanna (Lady Bothwell) Murray in 1362.
She was daughter of Maurice Moray and stepdaughter of William de
Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland. The original grant of Hutton was to
Adam’s father, Thomas Forman, and it is likely that it was he who
married into one of the prestigious families. Another paper, Who was
Robert Forman of Scotland, 1296?, suggests that John, Thomas and
Adam descend from Robert Forman who signed the Ragman Roll in
1296.
Author: David
John Forman,
2012.
2
JOHN, THOMAS, AND ADAM, ANCESTORS OF ANDREW FORMAN ..... 2
Introduction ....................................................................................................... 3
Scottish Forman seals ....................................................................................... 5
The Forman/Murray/Sutherland/Douglas connections................................... 18
Appendix 1 - The Moray/Sutherland family................................................... 49
Appendix 2 -The Douglas family ................................................................... 61
Illustrations
Figure 1. Shield of arms of Sir Robert Forman of Luthrie. From “The House of
Moncreiff" by George Seton, 1890. Photo Sara York 2008. ................................ 9
Figure 2. Arms of Sir Robert Forman of Luthrie. Photographed from a plaque in
the Lyon Office, Edinburgh. Photo Sara York 2010. Reproduced with
permission of Lyon Office. ................................................................................. 10
Figure 3. Restored arch on right is part of the ruins of Coldingham priory. Photo
David Forman 2005. ........................................................................................... 26
Figure 4. Ormond Castle (near Avoch) was once one of the largest medieval
castles built in the Highlands. Dating from the 12th century, it was originally the
seat of the de Moray family. 1n 1297 Andrew de Moray raised his standard at
the castle to rally his forces before joining William Wallace as part of the
Scottish army which defeated the English at the battle of Stirling Bridge. Photos
Sara York 2010. .................................................................................................. 52
Figure 5. Duffus Castle served as a fortress residence for well over 500 years
from the 12th to the 18th centuries. The original earth and timber castle was
replaced by one of stone and lime in the 14th century. The castle was long a
principal seat of the De Moravia family. The 14th century tower has broken and
slipped on the made-up ground (left photo). The site was encircled by a wet
ditch, still crossed by an ancient bridge on the east. Photos Sara York 2010. ... 53
Acknowledgements
I gratefully acknowledge the work carried out by Sara York who helped collect
information and took the photographs. Diane Baptie, researcher of Edinburgh,
and Mrs C. G. W. Roads, MVO, Carrick Pursuivant of Arms, Lyon Clerk and
Keeper of the Records, Court of the Lord Lyon, New Register House,
Edinburgh, are both thanked for constructive comments made following quick
examination of the paper. The comments they provided do not imply agreement
with the author’s theories. Grateful thanks to my cousin, Kavita (Diana)
Forman, who corrected many grammatical errors in an earlier draft.
JOHN, THOMAS, AND ADAM, ANCESTORS OF ANDREW FORMAN
3
Introduction
This paper is a sister paper to my paper “Who was Robert Forman of Scotland
1296 (2nd ed)”. Readers of the first paper would already know that Robert
Forman was probably a servant of King John Balliol when he abdicated in 1296.
Although there is a gap of perhaps several generations in the Forman family
tree, the first paper suggested these missing generations can be traced from the
care of King John Balliol in 1296 to the care of Lady Joanna Murray who
married Archibald Douglas in 1362. The first paper also showed the path from
Eleanor Balliol/John Comyn to Lady Joanna Murray and her husband Archibald
the Grim 3rd earl Douglas (see also Appendix 1 of this paper):
(2) Eleanor Balliol. Married John II (Lord of Badenoch) Comyn.
(a) Euphemia (Cumin) Comyn. She married Andrew
(snr, Sir, of Petty) Moray, 1280's (son of Walter de
Moravia and David Olifard), d. 1297.
[A] Andrew (Jr; Sir of Bothwell) Moray, b. abt 1298,
d. 1338 in Avoch Castle. He married Christian
(Brus) Bruce, aft 12 Oct 1325, b. abt 1260
(daughter of Robert II (Earl of Annandale) de Brus
and Isabel de Clare).
[1] John (Sir, Lord of Bothwell) Moray, d. 1352.
He married Margaret (Countess of Menteith)
Graham, aft 21 Nov 1348, b. bf 1334 in Doune
Castle, Stirlingshire, Scotland (daughter of John
(Sir, 9th earl Menteith) Graham and Mary
(Countess of Menteith) Stewart), d. bt 20 Jul
1372 - 4 May 1380.
[2] Thomas (Sir) Murray, d. 1361 in London. He
married Joanna (Lady of Bothwell) Murray,
b. abt 1339 in Strathearn, Perthshire, Scotland
(daughter of Maurice (Sir, 1st Earl of
Strathearn) Moray and Joanna (Joan) Menteith),
d. Aug 1409.
It seems that Thomas Forman was originally given Hutton by either Joanna
Murray before she died in about 1406-8, or her husband, Archibald the Grim
3rd earl Douglas who died in 1400, or after her death by her son Archibald
Douglas 4th earl Douglas who died at Verneuil, France, in 1424. Thomas
Forman, and/or his parents, probably came to Archibald the Grim with Lady
Joanna when she married him on 23 July 1362 and the Formans then became
‘servants’ of the Douglases. Of course, the Formans may have been servants of
the Douglases for longer than that.
4
Because she is so central to our story, some aspects of Joanna Murray’s ancestry
deserve closer inspection. Joanna (Lady of Bothwell) Murray was married
twice. Her first husband was Sir Thomas Murray son of Sir Andrew Moray Jr of
Boswell and Christian Bruce. Her second husband was Archibald the Grim.
Joanna Murray’s mother was Joanna Menteith.
thePeerage.com.
Joanna (Joan) Menteith married, firstly, Malise, 7th Earl of Strathearn, son
of Malise, 6th Earl of Strathearn and Agnes Comyn, circa 1323. She
married, secondly, John Campbell, 1st and last Earl of Atholl, son of Sir
Neil Campbell of Lochow and Lady Mary Bruce, between 1329 and 1333.
She married, thirdly, Morice Moray, 1st Earl of Strathearn, son of Sir John
Moray, after 11 July 1339, by dispensation. She married, fourthly, William
de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland, son of Kenneth de Moravia, 4th Earl of
Sutherland and Margaret (?), before November 1347. She died after 1367.
She was the daughter of Sir John Menteith. As a result of her marriage,
Joan Menteith was styled as Countess of Atholl between 1329 and 1333.
The fourth husband of Joanna Menteith was William 5th Earl of Sutherland who
first married Princess Margaret Bruce. However, William did not die until 1370,
after his daughter’s marriage, and it is possible that the Formans, who, if they
had been connected earlier to the Sutherlands, migrated to the Douglases after
1370.
Helen of Strathearn, daughter of Joanna de Menteith (revisited). Internet.
. . . . I suggested an interesting possibility: that Sir Patrick’s mother, Helen
of Strathearn, was actually a daughter of Earl Malise (d. 1328) by
his 2nd wife, Joanna de Menteith, instead of his unknown 1st
wife [2].
Support for this hypothesis has been found in the dispensation for the
marriage of Archibald Douglas and Euphemia Graham. Dated 26 June
1425, this dispensation states [in part] that they entered into marriage, but
"afterward found to be related on one side in the double 3rd degree, and on
the other side in the double 4th degree [of consanguinity] from diverse
stocks" [3]. The one well-known 3rd degree relationship, on the mother’s
side for each, is from common descent from Robert II, King of Scots (see
AT for each, and discussion, below). One of the 4th degree relationships,
on the father’s side for each, would result from common descent from
Joanna de Menteith, as follows:
1) Malise
= Joanna de = 3) Sir Maurice
E of Strathearn I Menteith I Murray, d. 1346
d. 1328
__I
I________________
I
I
Sir David = Helen
Sir Thomas = Joanna
5
Graham I
Murray I Murray
______I
I______
I
I
Sir Patrick = (2) Egidia
Archibald = Joanna
Graham I Stewart
Douglas I Murray
________I
_______I
I
I
Sir Patrick = Euphemia
Archibald = Margaret
Graham I Stewart
Douglas I Stewart
I______
__________I
I
I
Euphemia = Archibald
Graham I Douglas
Archibald (The Grim) Douglas rose to his full power during the period from
1362 to his death in 1400 (This part of the story is covered by Michael Brown
(2007) in his book “The Black Douglases”.
The present paper starts with the Forman seals which suggest succession at
some time from a member of the Murray/Sutherland/Douglas lines. Family
trees, limited more or less to the period in question, are presented in Appendices
1 and 2 to see where the (unknown) Forman may fit. This paper reveals that the
Forman who may have married into one of these prestigious families was
Thomas Forman, but fails to identify his wife. Unfortunately, therefore, at the
end of all this we do not know who he married. The easiest choice would be a
Douglas, but the seals seem to favour either a Sutherland or a Murray. The
discussion is presented mostly in chronological order.
The evidence that Robert Forman’s descendants ended their run of obscurity as
a result of Lady Joanna Murray’s marriage to Archibald Douglas follows in this
paper.
Scottish Forman seals
In part of an effort to trace the origins of the known family of Andrew Forman,
I have either collected or had photographed all the information about the
Scottish Forman seals that I can find from the internet, from publications, from
the Lyon Office in Edinburgh, and from Edinburgh Castle. Only the more
relevant details are repeated here. Common to all the seals is a chevron with
three salmon [trout/fish] hauriant.
Bruce A McAndrew. Scotland’s Historic Heraldry, p. 360.
6
One name associated with fish is that of Forman, the key personages in the
family being Andrew Forman, Archbishop of Bourges before being
translated to St Andrews 1514-1521 and his relative, Sir Robert Forman of
Luthrie, Lyon King of Arms 1555-67, and compiler of a number of
important Scottish heraldic manuscripts. An early seal of a member of the
family, dating from 1426 and belonging to Adam Forman, displays a
chevron between three salmon heads hauriant (SHS 36002), while the
archbishop’s earliest seal displays a camel’s head (SHS36004). Thereafter
both charges are found quartered together and it is difficult to know which
is the paternal coat of Forman.
Scottish armorial seals. Author: Macdonald, William Rae. Published in 1904. P.
118-119.
954. FORMAN, Adam (a juror at Reston, Berwickshire). A chevron
between three salmon hauriant. Legend (Goth. Caps.): s ADE FORMAN.
Diam. 1 in. Durham Ch. 17 Oct. 1426. Raines's North Durham, App. 110.
As with all heraldic devices, describing the placement and positioning of
any items on the shield is a necessity. This description in heraldic
terminology is known as a "blazon." Fish are not exempted from proper
description in heraldry. There are four heraldic terms used specifically for
describing the posture of an heraldic fish; these postures are herein
described and then illustrated, below:
Naiant - swimming fesswise (horizontally), head to dexter (toward the left
as seen by the viewer).
Hauriant - rising, or swimming vertically upwards.
Uriant - diving, or swimming vertically downwards. This is spelled
"Urinant" in some heraldic works; either is correct and implies the same
fishy posture.
Endowed - swimming horizontally with the head facing as in naiant, but
with a bend upwards in the middle. This is also known as "embowed," but
as with uriant/urinant, the only difference is the spelling; the posture is the
same.
NAIANT
HAURIANT
URIANT
ENDOWED
Forman Seals. Scottish Heraldic Seals. John Horne Stevenson & Marguerite
Wood, Vol 2, Glasgow 1940, p. 360.
7
Forman, Andrew, son to the laird of Hutton, etc, died in 1521. First seal A
device not on a shield, a camel head ? around it the initials A F P (Andrew
Forman, Postulate). Background foliated Record Off. Ch., 24 Jan 1501-2,
two of same date. Laing, ii, 1041.
Third seal. A shield, ensigned with a mitre supported by two angels and
bearing arms. Quarterly, 1 and 4: A chevron between three fish hauriant
(Forman). 2 and 3. A camel head erased, contourne, collared, and belled.
(see Moray, Bishops of).
Fourth seal. A shield with archiepiscopal cross behind it, bearing arms: 1
and 4 A chevron between three fish hauriant. 2 and 3: A horse head erased
with a bell at the neck. (See St Andrews, Archbishops of).
William Duguid Geddes & Peter Duguid, 1888. The Heraldic ceiling of St
Machar’s Cathedral, p. 120. No 34. II The Archbishop of St Andrews. Andrew
Forman.
Quarterly: first and fourth Azure, a chevron or between three fishes
haurient argent; second and third Sable, a camel's head erased or collared
gules campaned of the second.
It is doubtful which of these coats is borne for Forman. Stodart (ii. 90*)
say: "There are several seals of Andrew, Archbishop of St. Andrews:
1501, a camel's head; 1502-14, quarterly, first and fourth, a chevron
between three fishes; second and third, a camel's head erased, collared and
campaned; 1518, the chevron and fish impaling the coat with a camel's
head. It has been said that the fish are for Fisher, but of this there is no
proof, and it remains uncertain which is the paternal coat; W." (Workman's
MS.) "places the camel's head in the first and fourth quarters". And at page
112 in his notes on Workman's MS., "Formane of yt Ilk, first and fourth, a
camel's head erased campaned, this is not painted; second and third, sable,
a chevron between three fishes haurient. Notes on the margin make the
field in the first and fourth sable, and the bell or; the quartering is said to
be Fisher, and the field marked azure."
*R.R. Stodart, Scottish Arms, Edinburgh 1881, Vol. 2.
Calendar of documents relating to Scotland, 4, 1357-1509, p. 337. 24 January
1501-2.
1681. Treaty between the Scottish and English ambassadors, for perpetual
peace between the two countries. The castle and town of Berwick-onTweed, and ancient bounds, to be included, and not to be attacked by the
Scots, nor shall it or the garrison attack the K. of Scots or his vassals. To
be ratified within three months after the marriage contract between the K.
of Scots and the Princess Margaret. Richmond Palace. (Signed) 'Robertus
Glasguen, Patrik erle off Bothvile, A. Morravien.' [Chapter House (Scots
Docts.), Box 92, No. 12.]
8
Three signets, in red wax, appended on tags below each signature. (1)
Broken; on a shield displayed on a crosier, a chevron charged with 3 roses:
'ROBERTO GLASGVEN ARCHIEPI.' (2) A large label (?) of three
points. Over it the word 'keip' (interpreted in Seton's Heraldry, p. 244, as
signifying 'keep tryst') (Bothwell). (3) On a shield a wolf's head erased:
'A.F.P.' outside shield. Indistinct (Andrew Forman).
P = Postulate?
Bannatyne Club (Edinburgh, Scotland), 1850. Descriptive catalogue of
impressions from ancient Scottish seals ... from A.D. 1054 to the
commonwealth. Taken from original charters and other deeds preserved in
public and private archives, p. 148-9.
877. ANDREW FORMAN. Translated from Moray to this See, a.d.
1515—1522. A very handsome seal, in a fine bold style of art. Three
Gothic niches with canopies; in the centre one a figure of St. Andrew,
crowned with the nimbus, standing behind his cross, which he supports
with his right hand, his left holding a book. In the dexter niche a figure of
St. Peter, crowned with the nimbus, holding the chalice or a book in his
right hand, and in his left a key. In the sinister niche a figure of St. Paul,
also crowned with the nimbus, holding a book in his right hand, and a
sword in his left. In the lower part of the seal is a shield quarterly, first and
fourth, a chevron between three fishes haurient, for Forman; second and
third, a horse's head erased, and a hawk's bell at the neck, for Horsburgh.
Above the shield a cross bottonee, on each side of which is a scroll, with
the motto, "DEFENSE ME DEUS." Considerable part of the inscription of
this fine seal is broke away; from what remains it has no doubt been —
"S ' ANDREE FO[RMAN ARCHIEPI. SCI. ANDREE] TOTIUS REGNI
SCOTIE PR1MATIS AC [APLICE SEDIS] LEGATI."—Appended to Gift
of the Great Customs and of the Coket of St. Andrews by Andrew Forman,
the Archbishop, to David Lermont of Clatto. a.d. 1517.—C. Baxter, Esq.
Forman of Luthrie, Sir Robert, Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scottish Noble
(c.1567).
Arms: Quarterly: 1 & 4, Three Boars’ heads erased (Forman): 2 & 3, A chevron
between three fish erect palewise.
There was, therefore, some doubt as to whether the object in most of the seals is
a horse or a camel. One seal has three boars’ heads erased. Another has a wolf’s
head, erased, which could be the same thing. Therefore we should be looking
for seals with something like a camel’s/horse’s head and/or a wolf’s/boars head.
The following crest or seal, from “The House of Moncreiff” by George Seton,
Edinburgh 1890 in the AK Bell Library, Perth, clearly has the chevron with
three fish hauriant. It also has an animal head that is couped, collared and
9
belled, that looks distinctly a camel. Beatrice Forman was the daughter of
Andrew Forman and the wife of Sir John Moncreiff. This leaves me with no
real doubt that the animal in question is a camel and that this is the most
common Forman family seal.
Figure 1. Shield of arms of Sir Robert Forman of Luthrie. From “The House of
Moncreiff" by George Seton, 1890. Photo Sara York 2008.
Forman Seals. Scottish Heraldic Seals. John Horne Stevenson & Marguerite
Wood, Vol 2, Glasgow 1940, p. 360.
Forman, Sir Robert, of Luthrie, Lyon King of Arms, 1555-1567.
First seal. A shield of arms bearing. Quarterly 1 and 4: Three camel heads
couped, collared and belled, 2 and 3: A chevron between three fishes
hauriant. No legend? Diam 13/16 in. Used as official seal of Lyon on
certificates of proclamation, 22 Sept 1564, framed in Lyon Office.
Second seal. An ornamental seal ensigned with a helmet and surrounded
by scroll ornament bearing arms. Quarterly 1 and 4: Three camel heads
couped, collared and belled. 2 and 3: a chevron between three fish
hauriant. No Legend. Diam 13/16 ins. Lyon Office, framed certificate of
proclamation, 22 Sept 1564.
10
Figure 2. Arms of Sir Robert Forman of Luthrie. Photographed from a plaque in
the Lyon Office, Edinburgh. Photo Sara York 2010. Reproduced with
permission of Lyon Office.
Couped, or Coupy, (fr. alaisé), cut off in a straight line, as is often the case
with the heads and limbs of animals, and so distinguished from erased. It is
important to say where a head or limbs is couped; for instance, if couped
close it would signify cut off close to the head.
Collar. A plain collar is not unfrequently found surrounding the necks of
Dogs, Lions, &c. It is generally of gold, sometimes of silver, rarely of
another tincture. The plain collar does not appear to be employed
separately as a charge, but when an animal is said to be 'collared' or gorged
(fr. accolé or colleté) a plain collar is implied; still animals are often
gorged with ducal and other coronets.
Belled: is applied to a hawk, or falcon, having bells affixed to its legs (fr.
grilletté); or to other animals, e.g. cows, sheep, &c. (fr. clariné).
Forman of Luthrie, Sir Robert, Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scottish Noble
(c.1567).
Arms: Quarterly: 1 & 4, Three Boar's heads erased (Forman): 2 & 3, A
chevron between three fish erect palewise.
Perhaps some authors have mistaken a boar or a wolf head for a camel head.
An internet search for fish etc and camels etc has revealed two reasonable
matches to this Forman seal. One of them also mentions a boar’s head.
Thomas Robson 1830. The British herald; or, Cabinet of armorial bearings of
the nobility & gentry of Great Britain & Ireland, from the earliest to the present
11
time; with a complete glossary of heraldic terms: to which is prefixed a History
of heraldry, collected and arranged).
Howell, Huwel, Hovell, and Hovel. The same arms. —
Crest, a camel ppr.
Howell, ar. two lions pass, reguard. in pale, sa. — Crest, a beaver pass.
1)nr.
Howell, gu. a chev. betw. three mullets ar.
Source: Howell History: One Direct Line, by Opal D. Howell and Daisy S.
Howell of North Carolina.
The Norman Conquest of Wales was a disaster. A testimony to the
indomitable Welsh fighting spirit is that there are more castles, or ruins of
castles, to the square mile in Wales than anywhere else in the world.
Border warfare against the Normans and their successors continued
unabated until the end of the 14th century. The Welsh tactic was to thrust,
then retire to their bleak mountain homes to plan their next attack.
As peace gradually returned to this picturesque country, the Welsh,
attracted by the economic opportunities of England, moved eastward into
the English cities. Hence, we now find Welsh surnames such as Jones,
Price, Edwards, Phillips, Howell, Evans, Prichard, Morgan, Williams,
Roberts and etc. to be amongst the most populous families in England at
this time.
In this background of magnificent mountain greenery the Welsh family
name “Howell” emerged as a notable family name in Monmouthshire
where they were recorded as a family of great antiquity seated with manor
and estates in that shire. The first on record was of the Princes of Caerleon
Upon-Uske in Monmouthshire. By the early 1300’s the name had become
firmly established in Monmouth and they acquired many estates on the
English-Welsh border in Gloucestershire, Herford, Montgomery and
Warwickshire.
David and Phillip Howel were Lords and Prince of the manor in
Monmouth in 1313. Howel was the son of Oeni and he became known as
the Prince of Caerleon-Upon-Uske in Monmouthshire. Prominent amongst
the family name during the Middle Ages was Prince of Caerleon.
The first record of the family was a Welsh Prince Howel who was recorded
in the Domesday Book in 1086. . . . .
Under most heraldic rules, only first sons of first sons of the recipient of a
Coat of Arms are permitted to bear their ancestor’s Arms. Younger sons
may use a version of their father’s Arms, but the rules of heraldry say that
they must be changed somewhat. If the bearer of a coat of arms (called an
Armiger) dies without male heirs, his daughter may combine her father’s
Arms with her husband’s Arms. This process is called “impaling.” . . . .
12
There seems to be several different Howell Coat of Arms. One dates back
to 1250, when they were borne by Howell, Prince of Caerleon-Upon-Uske,
in North Wales. These are carved on the Great Western Staircase in the
Capitol in Albany in honor of the founder of South Hampton, Long Island,
which was the first English settlement in the State of New York. The
Howell Motto as quoted on the Coat of Arms is ‘Tenas Propositi,”
meaning ‘Firm of Purpose.”
Another listed in Burke’s General Armory depicts a different one for the
Howell family and still another found in Scotland by the author indicates
another. This one is very similar to the first, but the Howell Motto is
different. It contains “Virtus in Ardue” meaning “Virtue in Difficulty.”
I have no idea whether or not the Howell etc seal fits into the Forman story.
There is another more promising and possibly related match as follows:Thomas Robson 1830. The British herald; or, Cabinet of armorial bearings of
the nobility & gentry of Great Britain & Ireland, from the earliest to the present
time; with a complete glossary of heraldic terms: to which is prefixed a History
of heraldry, collected and arranged).
By Sutherland, Baron DUFFUS. [Creation, 8 Dec 1650; forfeited by
Kenneth, third Lord, who joined in the Rebellion, 1715; restored by Act of
Parliament, which received the royal assent, 26 May, 1826] gu. a boar's
head, erased, betw. three stars, two and one, and as many cross crosslets,
one and two, or.—Crest, a cat-a-mountain sejant guard. ppr. Supporters,
two Savages ppr. each wreathed about the head and waist with laurel, and
armed with a baton. Motto, Without fear.
Sutherland, [Dunbeath, Scotland] gu. three mullets or; a bordure of the last.
Sutherland, [Forse, Scotland] The same arms.—Crest, a cat, sejant erect.
Motto, Sans peur.
Sutherland, [Kingstory, Scotland] gu. a boar's head, erased, betw. three
mullets in chief, and as many cross crosslets fitchee in base, or, within
a'bordure ar.—Crest, a cat, salient, ppr. Motto, Still without fear.
Sutherland, [Torbal, Scotland] gu. three stars or.
Sutherland, gu*. a chev. betw. three mullets, ar.—Crest, a camel's head,
couped, or.
Sutherland, [Scotland] gu. three mullets or, two and one, within a bordure
of the last, charged with a tressure of the first; quartering Cheyne, of
Duffus, viz. gu. three cross crosslets fitchee or, two and one.—Crest, a cat,
sejant, sa. Motto, Sans peur.
*Referring to the colours on shields. Tincture Red. Heraldic name Gules.
Abbreviation Gu or G.
13
It seems that one or other of these Sutherland seals/shields is a reasonable match
to the Forman seal/s. It is even possible that the boar’s head has a place
somewhere in the developing story, although Mrs Roads of the Lyon Office,
(pers com.) comments:
I am not at all sure I would link the boar's head in Forman with Sutherland,
anymore than I would with any of the other families which have one or
more boar's heads in their shield.
One of the later Campbells also had a camel’s head as part of his crest:John Burk. A General and heraldic dictionary of the peerage and baronetage of
the British Empire, Volume 1
1. Ilat Campbell, lord-president of the court of session in Scotland, under
the titulary designation of Lord Succoth, (eldest son of Archibald
Campbell, esq. of Succoth, descended from a branch of the ducal house of
Argyll, by Helen Wallace, heiress of Ellerslie,) m. in 1700, Susan Mary,
daughter of Archibald Murray, of Cringally, esq. by whom he had issue,
Archibald, present baronet, and six daughters. The honor of a baronetcy
was conferred upon the lord-president when he retired from office, 17th
September, 1808. He d. in 1823.
Creation 17th September, 1808.
Arms—Quarterly: first and fourth, gyronny, of eight invecked, or and sa.;
second and third, az., a lion rampant, ar., within a bordure, compony, ar.
and az.
Crest—A camel's head, couped, ppr.
Town Residence—Edinburgh.
Seat— Succoth, Dumbartonshire.
Bruce A McAndrew. Scotlands historic heraldry, p. 136.
The neighbouring earldom of Sutherland retained its original Moravia arms
of three stars or mullets.17 in 1357 and 1365 (SAS2743, PRO.P2093)
painted in the Baliol Roll for Le conte de Sotherland: or, three pierced stars
of six points gules (BL11) and Or, three mullets gules in a later unnamed
coat (BS7).
p. 185. The only other family to hold more than one earldom was that of
Dunbar, holding both March and Moray, whose heraldry throughout this
period shows no change; . . . . and the Sutherland arms of Or, three mullets
gules (GL694) are unchanged. William, 5th Earl of Sutherland (d 1369/70),
greatly in favour during the reign of David II, was the king’s brother-inlaw, having married Margaret, his full sister. Their son, John (dvd 1361),
was considered as a possible candidate for the throne at the expense of the
childless king’s half-nephew, Robert the Steward (d. 1390).35
p. 229. The other important cadet line of this period was that of Inverugie
(ABD). The 15th-century seal of John Keith of Inverugie bears Quarterly,
14
1st and 4th, Three pallets (for Keith); 2nd, Three mullets; 3rd, Three crossescrosslet fitchy (for Cheyne of Inverugie), important as the source, in the 2nd
quarter, of the arms of Murray of Duffus (SAS1451).75 . . . .
p. 297.Sutherland heraldry, for so long based on the Gules, three mullets or
of the original de Moravia family, suddenly takes on a more ephemeral
quality. Alexander, the Master, bore a composed coat on his seal of a
boar’s head erased, on a chief, three stars (SAS1079) subsequently. Other
seals display quartered coats of the style found in painted armorials. The
simpler merely quarter Gules, three mullets or (Earldom of Sutherland)
with Azure, a boar’s head couped (for Gordon) (DLM94), 36 while the
more complex parade the full display of the Gordon quarterings
surmounted by an inescutcheon surtout bearing Gules, three mullets or for
the earldom (HM38, FAL40).
These composed coats, however, lingered on in the Highlands, as
exemplified the arms of the heir male, Sutherland of Duffus (MOR), who
bore Gules, a boar’s head couped surrounded by three mullets (2,1) and
three crosses-crosslet fitchy (1,2) all or (DLM376, SL628), coat armour
which combines elements of Sutherland, Cheyne, and Chisholm. In 1650
the 11th laird was created Lord Duffus, but the peerage was forfeited by
Kenneth, 3rd Lord Duffus in 1715 because of his Jacobite proclivities.
p. 456. Banff, Moray and Nairn. The central armorial theme in the three
counties bordering the Moray Firth is Three stars, used by Flemish
immigrants who took the Latin name of de Moravia, more familiarly
Murray. Their senior line, which moved north to Sutherland, bore the stars
red on gold (BL11) and changed their name to reflect their new home. The
Murrays of Petty (INV) on the Moray Firth bore Azure three stars argent
(BL18), while their kin at Culbin (MOR) bore Sable, three mullets argent
(BS15). The coat-armour of the other early branch, Murray of Duffus
(MOR), is unknown (Chart 3.13).
The Douglases are another family with the three stars (or mullets) as part of
their arms. The following is a compilation from an internet source of the
Douglas arms. Sources used: Gibbs, V. (ed.) (1926) The Complete Peerage, vol.
5. London: St. Catherine Press. // Paul, J. B. (1904-1911) The Scots Peerage,
vols. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7. Edinburgh: David Douglas.
Of the Earls of Douglas:
Arms (varied, here those of the 3rd Earl): Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Douglas;
2nd and 3rd, Azure, a lion rampant argent crowned or, for Galloway, and
on an escutcheon surtout axure three mullets or, for Moray of Bothwell.
Crest (ibid.): A peacock's head issuing out of a tower and holding in its
beak an escrol inscribed with the words 'What tyde'.
15
Supporters: Two savages holding clubs.
Of the Marquesses of Angus: Arms (varied, here those of the 2nd
Marquess): Quarterly, 1st azure, a lion rampant argent crowned or, for
Macdowall; 2nd or, a lion rampant gules surmounted of a cost sable, for
Abernethie; 3rd argent, three piles gules, for Wishart; 4th or, a fess chequy
azure and argent surmounted of a bend sable charged with three buckles of
the first, for Stewart; over all, on a shield of pretence argent, a man's heart
gules crowned or, on a chief azure three stars of the first, for Douglas.
Crest: A salamander vert in flames and spouting out fire.
Supporters: Dexter, a savage wreathed about the middle with laurel, and
holding in his hand a baton; sinister, a stag antlered with ten tynes or, both
standing on a compartment within a circle of timber stalks proper.
Motto: Jamais arrière.
Of the Earl of Forfar: Arms: Quarterly, 1st argent, a man's heart gules
crowned with an imperial crown or, on a chief azure three mullets of the
first; 2nd and 3rd, counterquartered, 1st, azure, a lion rampant argent
crowned with an antique crown or; 2nd, or, a lion rampant gules
surmounted of a cost sable; 3rd, argent, three piles gules; 4th, or a fess
chequy azure and argent surmounted of a bend gules charged with three
buckles of the first.
Crest: A salamander in flames proper.
Supporters: Dexter, a savage wreathed about the middle with laurel proper,
and about the neck a chain of gold, from which is suspended a crowned
heart, and holding in his right hand a baton erected; sinister, a hart proper
attired or, with a collar azure, charged with three stars argent, having a
crowned heart hanging thereat.
Motto: Extinctus orior.
Of the Earl of Morton:
Arms: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, argent, a man's heart gules ensigned with an
imperial crown proper, for Douglas; 2nd and 3rd, argent, three piles
issuing from the chief gules and in chief two mullets of the field, for
Douglas of Lochleven.
Crest: A wild boar proper sticking in the cleft of an oak tree, fructed vert,
with a lock holding the clefts of the tree together, azure.
Supporters: Two savages wreathed about the head and middle with laurel,
holding a club downwards in the exterior hands.
Motto: Lock Sicker.
Of the Lords of Mordington:
Arms: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, argent, a man's heart gules ensigned with an
16
imperial crown proper, in a chief azure three mullets of the first, for
Douglas; 2nd and 3rd, gules, three crescents argent, for Oliphant.
Crest: On a cap of dignity a salamander in flames reguardant vert.
Supporters: Dexter, a savage armed with a baton and wreathed about the
head and middle with laurel; sinister, a stag collared and chained, all
proper.
Motto: Forward.
Of the Earl of Dumbarton:
Arms: Quarterly, 1st azure, a lion rampant argent, crowned or; 2nd, or, a
lion rampant gules surmounted of a ribbon sable; 3rd, argent, three piles
gules; 4th, or, a fess chequy azure and argent surmounted of a bend gules
charged with three buckles of the first; over all, on an escutcheon argent, a
man's heart gules, ensigned with an imperial crown proper, on a chief
azure three mullets of the first; the whole within a bordure of France and
England, quarterly, 1st and 4th, azure, three fleurs-de-lys or, 2nd and 3rd,
gules, three lions passant guardant or.
Crest: A salamander vert in flame of fire proper.
Supporters: Dexter, a savage proper holding a baton erected, and wreathed
about the middle with laurel vert; sinister, a stag proper armed and unguled
or, both standing on a pile of wood wreathed and impaled for a
compartment.
Motto: Jamais arrière.
Of the Douglases of Brigton:
Arms: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, arg. a man's heart gules ensigned with an
imperial crown ppr., on a chief az. three mullets of the first for Douglas;
2nd and 3rd argent a cross counter embattled sable of Auchenleck, over all
dividing the quarters, a cross raguly sable, all within a bordure invected az.
charged with eight holly leaves or for Irvine.
Crest: On a chapeau gules, turned up ermine, a salamander in flames of fire
ppr. Motto: Jamais arrière.
Of the Earl of Ormond:
Arms: Ermine, a man's heart gules, on a chief azure three stars argent.
Of the Viscount Belhaven:
Arms: Argent, within a double tressure flory counterflory, a heart gules
crowned or under a fess of the second charged with two mullets of the
field, a martlet for difference.
Crest: An ermine proper.
Supporters: Two cocks of game, proper.
Motto: Sans tache.
17
Of the Douglases of Mains:
Arms: Argent, a feww chequy gules and of the firstb etween three stars in
chief azure, a human heart in base proper.
Crest: An oak tree proper, with a lock hanging from one of the branchess.
Motto: Quae serate secura.
Of the Earls of Buchan:
Arms: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, argent, three piles gules, the exterior piles
charged with a mullet of the first, for Douglas of Lochleven; 2nd and 3rd,
azure, three garbs or, for Comyn.
Of the Dukes of Hamilton:
Arms: Quarterly, 1st and 4th grand quarters counterquartered, 1st and 4th
gules, three cinquefoils ermine; 2nd and 3rd, argent, a lymphad sable sails
furled proper flagged gules; 2nd and 3rd grand quarters, argent, a man's
heart gules ensigned with an imperial crown proper, on a chief azure three
stars of the first.
Crests: 1st, on a ducal coronet an oak-tree fructed and penetrated
transversely in the main stem by a frame saw proper, the frame or, for
Hamilton; 2nd, on a chapeau gules turned up ermine a salamander in
flames proper, for Douglas.
Supporters: Two antelopes argent, armed, gorged with a ducal coronet,
chained or unguled or.
Mottoes: Through; Jamais arrière.
Of the Marquesses of Queensberry:
Arms: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, a king's heart crowned gules, on a chief azure
three stars of the first, for Douglas; 2nd and 3rd, azure, a bend between six
cross crosslets fitchée or, all within a bordure engrailed gules, for Mor.
Crest: A heart gules, crowned and winged or.
Supporters: Two flying horses argent, winged or.
Motto: Forward.
Michael Brown 2007. The Black Douglases. p. 12.
However, if he knew nothing of ‘thare begynnyng’, the chronicler ,
Andrew Wyntoune, retained knowledge of one element of their ancestry.
The Douglases were kinsmen of a second noble house, that of Murray,
which took its name from the great northern province which the ‘de
Moravia’ family had tamed for the crown. Once again the arms of the two
families showed their kinship. Wyntoun and Holland describe the three
silver stars on the shields of both Douglas and Murray and saw the alliance
18
of the two houses in the fourteenth century as the re-unification of an
ancient kindred.
Michael Brown and others suggest that the Douglases may be descended from a
sister of the Murray forebear called Freskin the Fleming. A family tree
depicting this relationship is presented in a following section.
Wickipedia. Scottish Heraldry.
The principal function of heraldry, whether personal or corporate, is to
symbolise the identity of the owner of the armorial bearings. In Scotland
the Clan, the Family, and the Name have survived as significant entities in
the social organization of Scottish society.[4]
In Scottish heraldry there is no such thing as a "family coat of arms".
Junior members of a family are assigned specific and relevant differences
to the armorial bearings of an ancestor.[4]
Scottish heraldry operates under the proposition that all those who share
the same surname are related, however distantly. Consequently, where a
coat of arms for the head of a family already exists, new grants of arms to
individuals with the same surname will generally be variations on those
arms.[14] "[T]he salient feature of Scottish heraldry is that, as compared
with England and other countries, the basic coats of arms are relatively few
in number, but numerous differenced versions of each basic shield exist.
The basic, or simple undifferenced arms and crest, are the property, not of
the 'family', but of the 'Chief' of each clan or house …."[15]
...
The Lord Lyon King of Arms has a vital and continuing influence on the
family organization in Scotland. Depending on the terms of the original
grant, armorial bearings are succeeded to by the heir—who may be the heir
male, the heir female, or the heir by tailzie (an heir nominated within the
blood relationship).
The Forman/Murray/Sutherland/Douglas connections
John Forman, in 1387, is the first documented mention of a Forman after
Robert Forman in 1296. John was probably the father, uncle or brother of
Thomas. Although there is no proof, I suggest that his education and church
position strongly indicate a Douglas connection. John Forman is mentioned in
connection firstly to St Andrews and secondly to the priory of Coldingham.
In those days the bishop of St. Andrew's was a suffragan of the Abp. of York;
the priory of Coldingham, to the see of Durham.
Scottish Record Society, vol 55. Calendar of writs preserved at Yester House,
1166-1625, p. 33-4, entry 36. 19th July 1387. In Latin. Translation.
19
In the name of God, Amen! By this present public Instrument be it plainly
patent to all That, in the year of Our Lord 1387, tenth indiction, ninth year
of the pontificate of the most holy father in Christ and our lord Clement
VII by divine providence, Pope, and 19th day of the month of July: In the
Chapter House of the Monastery of Arbroath in the diocese of S. Andrews,
and in presence of me the notary public and the underwritten witnesses a
Venerable man Master John de Lychton, Official of the Court of S.
Andrews, by virtue of his special commission from the Reverend father in
Christ Sir Walter by the grace of God, Bishop of S. Andrews, sitting in
judgement, several noble and learned men assisting him, caused summon
to his presence a religious man, Friar Andrew of the Order of the Holy
Trinity for Redemption of Captives, and a discreet man Sir David de
Stryflyn, both present, and also a venerable father Sir Walter, Abbot of
Cupar of the Order of Citeaux, to hear final sentence, ordinance, and
decreet upon the Parish Kirk of Ketness in the said diocese of S. Andrews,
which each of the foresaid parties claimed to pertain to him by sale and
asserted to pertain to him by his evidents and instruments which he had
shewn to the said Bishop: And, although the said Abbot was summoned
very often and tarried for until the appointed hour, he neglected to compear
by any manner, therefore the said Official in name as above, in terms of
the petition for this diet, as is contained in the former acts on this cause,
read his sentence, ordinance, or decreet contained in a paper schedule
which he held, whose tenour follows thus:—We John de Lichton, Official
of the Court of S. Andrews, sitting in judgement in the Chapter House of
the Monastery of Arbroath in the diocese of S. Andrews, which place we
chose for the purpose, the instruments, rights, and muniments produced in
this cause having been examined and considered, and counsel taken with
my lords the prelates and diverse rights sought for at the especial command
of my lord Bishop of S. Andrews: By this our sentence and ordinance we
pronounce, decern, and declare, that the said Kirk of Ketnes with its rights
and all pertinents has pertained, pertains, and ought to pertain to the Order
of Holy Trinity for Redemption of Captives — which is ruled and
governed by the Master of the Bridge of Berewick and the Friars of that
Order — by commission from the Minister General of that Order or
another - - - which Kirk with its pertinents and possessions To the said
Order, and the Friars thereof, and Friar Andrew Master of the Bridge of
Berwick, holding of and adhering to our lord the King, shall be returned,
and restored; and so far as we are able we return and restore; And the said
Order and Friars thereof shall be restored to, and replaced in personal
possession thereof with its pertinents; And we restore and replace them:
And we warn the foresaid Abbot and Convent of Cupar, and Master David
de Strevelyn from the said kirk with its pertinents and the possession
thereof; And we impose perpetual silence on them concerning this
20
possession, omitting penalty of expenses and costs: Upon the sentence thus
read by the Lord Official as above the said Friar Andrew asked a Public
Instrument to be made by me the Notary public within written: These acts
were done here in the year, indiction, month, day, pontificate, and place
abovewritten: Witnesses these venerable and discreet men, Sir William of
Hadingtoun vicar thereof, Sir Thomas de Balmanach chaplain, John
Forman, John Trayl, and Thomas Moffet of the dioceses of S. Andrews
and Aberdeen, Specially called and summoned to the premises: and in sure
testimony of the above the seal of the said Lord Official is appended.
And I Thomas de Edenham, clerk of the diocese of Aberdeen, notary
public by Imperial authority, while the premises were being done as above,
was present along with the above-named witnesses; and have made
hereupon this public instrument, to which I have appended my usual sign
in testimony of verity as specially summoned and required. (H.)
D.E.R. Watt, 1977. A biographical dictionary of Scottish graduates to AD 1410.
Clarendon Press.
Forman. John. As clerk of St A. diocese and Scholar Dec. was granted
provision to exp. Of benefice in gift of bishop and chapter of St Andrews,
22 November 1378 (GUS, Cal. Reg. Av., 213, fos 579-9v).
According to Calendar of Papal Letters to Scotland of Pope Clement VII of
Avignon, 1378-1394, Scottish History Society, Vol 12, Ed. Charles Burns, letter
dated 22 November 1378, Reg Aven 213, 579-9v:
To the official of Glasgow. Mandate to reserve to John Forman, clerk of
St Andrews diocese, scholar of laws, a benefice usually assigned to the
secular clergy in the gift of the bishop, prior and chapter of St Andrews,
O.S.A., together or separately, to the value of 25 marks sterling with cure,
or 18 marks sterling without cure. Fondi, 10Kal. Dec., anno 1.
The document indicates that John is to be paid for his services as clerk?: 25
marks sterling if he undertakes spiritual charge of people or 18 marks if he does
not.
(O.S.A = Order of St Augustine?).
“Benefice”. Under pre-Reformation Canon law it came to mean an income
enjoyed — often linked to some land administered — by a priest in chief
of an ecclesiastical office, such as a parish, monastery, or a post of canon
in a chapter. Each benefice had a number of "spiritualities", or spiritual
duties, attached to it. For providing these spiritualities, a priest would
receive "temporalities", or pay. From the medieval period onward, priests
administered sacraments to their flock and usually provided other services
as well.
21
In the Catholic Church, secular clergy are religious ministers, such as
deacons and priests, who do not belong to a religious order. While regular
clergy take vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience and place themselves
under a rule (regulum), secular religious do not take vows and live in the
world (saeculum). They are still bound to Canon law, which for Latin rite
priests means that they are bound to obligations of celibacy and obedience.
The Scottish historical review (Volume 17). Sir James Balfour Paul. P. 186.
A priest did not necessarily have 'a cure of souls'; he might hold a much
lower place in the ecclesiastical hierarchy. The position of parish clerk was
open to him, though it was not infrequently filled by a layman, but as it
was necessary for him to be at least able to read, the majority of such posts
would be held by persons in minor orders.
John Forman may have been the father of Thomas Forman (see later). If we
knew the date of his graduation, his approximate date of birth could be
estimated by assuming that he graduated at about age 18. It seems likely that he
is still young (in 1378) so I guess his year of birth at about 1355. This still may
make him too old by as much as 5 years. I assume that his education was paid
for by Archibald the Grim.
The following background may help to understand how it is possible that
Thomas Forman, is descended from the Robert Forman who signed the
Ragman Roll in 1296. It is speculated, in “Who was Robert Forman of Scotland
1296 (2nd ed.)”, that Robert came to Scotland with Isabella de Warrenne when
she married the future King John Balliol in about 1281. Isabella’s sister,
Eleanor, had married Henry (1st Baron Percy of Alnwick) Percy on 8
September 1268. It is further speculated, later, that Robert Forman then went to
Yorkshire with the Percies. It is possible that William and Robert Forman, who
were dealt with in the earlier paper, were descendants of Robert Forman of 1296
fame. The retirement package granted to William Forman at Kelso monastery
and the position of archer held by Robert Forman at Roxburgh Castle might
have been facilitated by the Percies.
There seemsto be no easy explanation, however, for how John and Thomas
Forman could have migrated from the Percies to the Moray/Douglas camp.
They seem almost certain to be descended from a male member of Robert
Forman’s family who stayed in Scotland after 1296. How this happened is
discussed in the introduction to this paper.
The battle of Otterburn, 1388, turned into a personal feud between the families
of Douglas, (from Scotland), and Percy (from England).
The Black Douglases, Michael Brown, 2007, p. 76.
22
In early August 1388 Archibald Douglas was outside Carlisle, leading a
major raid on the English west march when news reached his force of a
battle sixty miles away at Otterburn in Redesdale. The continental
chronicler, Jean Froissart, described how the Scottish army in the west,
commanded jointly by Archibald and the king's second son, Robert earl of
Fife, responded to the news with mixed emotions. Joy at the Scottish
victory was tempered with disappointment at a missed opportunity for
glory. If Archibald shared the chivalric reaction described by Froissart,
other emotions must have quickly taken over. Tidings of the battle were
followed by the information that the Scottish leader, James 2nd earl of
Douglas, had been killed in a confused night battle on the moors. In the
words of the Otterburn ballad, a dead man had won the fight but, in
Scotland, the death of Douglas would overshadow the earl's last victory.
Earl James's death meant more than the loss of a 'ferocious knight' who
was 'everywhere a danger to the English'. The young earl had died without
children from his marriage to the king's daughter and without formal plans
for the succession to his vast estates. From the great border lordships,
James's inheritance stretched through Douglasdale and North Berwick to
the lands of his mother, the earldom of Mar in Aberdeenshire. This huge
transregional collection of lands was now left without a lord. The next
decade would witness a struggle for shares in the Douglas inheritance by
the kinsmen, allies and rivals of the fallen earl which would revive old
conflicts within the family. From this struggle, Archibald the Grim and
the Black Douglases would emerge as dominant in the dynasty and in the
south of Scotland.
More was at stake than just lands and rents. Since the 1340s the rise of the
Douglas earls had been built on the creation and extension of a network of
adherents, kinsmen, tenants and friends, whose support and service gave
force to their lords' policies and brought men to follow the Douglas banner
of the bloody heart. The army of several thousand men which Earl James
led into England in 1388 was dominated by these adherents, members of a
massive political connection drawn from the marches, Lothian, Clydesdale
and north of the Tay. With the earl's death in Redesdale, these men were
lordless and leaderless. Bonds of service established during four decades
were broken and, despite the victory, the death of the earl brought changes
to the balance of power in the marches as drastic as those which followed
Halidon and Neville's Cross. Though 1388 would cause no return to
English allegiance, Douglas adherents would turn to new patrons and
protectors, rivals for the fragmenting power of the Douglas earls. The
competition to succeed to the Douglas inheritance was primarily a struggle
for the loyalties of the men who had followed the earl to Otterburn.
The Black Douglases, Michael Brown, 2007. p. 138.
23
The aim of Scottish war leaders in the fourteenth century was to break
down the bonds of allegiance to England and show that they and not the
English could guarantee the security of lands and livestock. Much of the
small-scale warfare in the south was designed to weaken the power of
English garrisons, either as a prelude to an assault on the garrison's castle
or to reduce English control in the surrounding region. . . . .
In 1398 the master of Douglas also targeted the food, fodder and water
supplies of Roxburgh. His destruction of the town and bridge of
Roxburgh, only twenty years after George earl of March had done the
same, impoverished, isolated and demoralised the English and
demonstrated their inability to defend themselves or their local allies
against attack.
Michael Brown (2007). The Black Douglases, p. 113
The great religious houses south of Forth recognised Douglas’s power to
protect and support both inside and beyond the kingdom. The Coldingham
monks were not alone in accepting Douglas as chief secular guardian and
sponsor. After 1409 the earl was named ‘special protector and defender’ of
Melrose abbey and ‘principal protector’ of Holyrood. He also maintained
close ties with Dryburgh and Sweetheart abbeys, fulfilled his father's
planned construction of a college at Lincluden and made his own plans to
found Scotland's first Carthusian priory.
Unattributed. Perhaps the Douglas Book?
The Scots again invaded England in the autumn of 1402, headed by the
earl of Douglas and Murdoch Stewart, son of the Duke of Albany.
Northumberland and Hotspur barred their way at Millfield, near Wooler,
and the Scots were compelled to fight at Humbledon, or Homildon Hill, on
the 14th of September. The English archers were provided with a good
target in the masses of the Scottish spearmen, and Hotspur was restrained
from charging by his ally, George Dunbar, Earl of March. The Scottish
army was almost destroyed, while the English loss is said to have been five
men.
Brown, 2007, p. 105-106.
The English threat came from Douglas's captors, the house of Percy. In
March 1403 Henry Percy earl of Northumberland was granted the earldom
of Douglas and all the lands of Archibald and his mother. In May
(1403) the Percys began their effort to realise these claims with an attack
on Cocklaws castle in Teviotdale. Though many Scots feared a collapse of
allegiance in the marches, the crisis proved short-lived. The scale of Henry
IV's patronage to the Percys was a mark of desperation in his dealings with
a family which proved impossible to satisfy. By the summer 'Hotspur' was
24
gathering forces for a revolt. Part of this army was provided by his captive,
Archibald Douglas, who returned to Scotland to gather his followers. His
contingent, including veteran soldiers like John Edmonstone and Robert
Stewart of Durisdeer who had been at Humbleton, joined Percy in
Cheshire and was in the vanguard of his army when it met the royal host at
Shrewsbury on 21 July. In return for his support, Douglas must have
gained concessions about Percy claims to his estates and his own liberty. It
would not be the last occasion on which Douglas would charge a price
from a foreign lord for the support of his military retinue, nor would it be
the last time such a plan ended in defeat. Though the 'giant' Douglas
wreaked 'much slaughter ... with his great mace' among the royal
household, when Percy was killed the rebel army fled. For the second time
in a year, Douglas, who had lost a testicle in the fight, was captured by an
army which included his enemy George Dunbar. Under heavy guard, 'the
king's prisoner' was led off to renewed captivity.
By at least 1407, there is documentary evidence that some Formans were
‘servants’ of the Douglases.
Register of the Honours of Morton, vol 2, Banntayne Club, 1853, p. 204-5.
Letter of Sasine of the Barony of Buittle, Preston and Borgue.
Archibald Earl of Douglas, Lord of Galloway to our lovits William of
Cokburne of Scralyne Fergus Mcdowel, knights Gilbert Grerson and
Thomas Forman armigers greeting, whereas our dear cousin Lord James
Douglas, Lord Dalkeith has granted us heritably all and whole his lands of
Buittle Preston and Borgue in Galloway in free blench and free royalty and
regality, I charge and command each one of you conjunctly and severally
either to present these our letters to Lord James or to his sure attorney
without delay and to cause just and heritable sasine to be given of the said
lands to be held in free blench and free royalty and regality in second form
as in our charter and I commit to you and each one of you conjunctly and
severally my full power to do everything that is to be done. Given under
our seal the 2nd of February 1406.
1406 = 1407.
Unattributed.
An armiger is a person entitled to use a coat of arms. Such a person is said
to be armigerous.
Originally an armiger was an Armour-Bearer or Esquire, attendant upon a
Knight, but bearing his own unique armorial device.
The term "armiger" is well-defined only within jurisdictions (such as the
United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, and Spain) where heraldry is regulated
by the state or heraldic body (such as the College of Arms in England,
25
Wales, and Northern Ireland, the Office of the Chief Herald in Ireland or
the Court of the Lord Lyon in Scotland), since anyone may use any coat of
arms in jurisdictions, such as the United States, which lack regulated
heraldry. In the Netherlands titles of nobility are regulated by law but
heraldry is not.
A person can be so entitled either by descent from a person with a right to
bear a coat of arms, or by virtue of a grant of arms to him or herself.
According to Mrs C.G.W. Roads, 2012, pers. com.:
- an armiger is anyone who bore Arms and of course knights and those of
higher rank classed as armigers, not just their esquires who may or may not
have been armigerous. I am not sure I would suggest that the term armiger
is restricted to those countries with functioning heraldic offices. My
international colleagues from all over the world use the term when
describing someone who have a proved right to Arms granted by the state
at some time.
Thomas Forman would not have been entitled to use his wife's Arms
unless she was an heiress and he therefore came into her lands. I think you
need to be cautious with this assumption. In general I would have expected
stars if there was a heraldic link with either Sutherlands or Douglases.
Presumably Thomas Forman got the grant of arms. He (or one of his
ancestors) may have married a Sutherland/Murray/Douglas. Such a marriage
would qualify him for the gift of Hutton and to use the
Sutherland/Murray/Douglas seal. However, I am not certain that a blood
relationship like this is necessary. If it is not, he may not have married a
Sutherland, but was instead given the right to use a variation of the Sutherland
seal? In this case, exceptional service to an earl of Douglas would have
qualified him for the gift of Hutton.
Archibald the 4th Earl Douglas, continued his father’s climb to power (Brown,
2007 until his own death in 1414).
26
Figure 3. Restored arch on right is part of the ruins of Coldingham priory. Photo
David Forman 2005.
Michael Brown (2007). The Black Douglases, p. 109.
In the meantime, Douglas cemented his hold on the marches. By 1406 he
was acting as keeper of the extensive lands of Coldingham priory in
Berwickshire, employing his 'lufIt squier and allie' Alexander Hume as
his local agent and continuing to call himself lord of Dunbar.
p. 113.
This influence in Berwickshire was increased further by Douglas’s custody
of the lands of Coldingham priory. Coldingham had a troubled place as a
cell of English monks inside Scotland. Its traditional protectors had been
the Dunbars, but, with the family’s exile, the monks turned to Douglas. By
1406 he was ‘keeper’ of their estates and in 1414 was formally appointed
as ‘principle baillie’ of the priory. His grip on the lands persisted despite
the settlement of 1409 and despite the fact that March complained that
Douglas held the office ‘agayn my will’. Douglas's local power must have
been stifling for March. Denied his rights in church and border defence,
March saw his own vassals, like Alexander Hume and his brother David,
raised in local status in Douglas's service and repaying this patronage with
their loyalty and friendship.
Michael Brown 2007, p.190.
. . . . Coldingham priory's grant of the office of 'soverayn bailye and
governour of all our lordship and landes' empowered Douglas to hold
courts, raise rents, levy fines, establish tenants, and punish 'trespasours' on
their estates. While this was to be done to the profit of the monks, the
management of the principal estate in north Berwickshire was to Douglas's
financial and political advantage, especially in his rivalry with the
Dunbars. However, in return, the earl's employment guaranteed the monks
a powerful advocate in any disputes over their lands.
Michael Brown (2007). The Black Douglases, p. 114.
Despite continued English raids, Douglas lands in the south probably
returned increased revenues after 1409. To this income was added his £100
27
annuity as bailie of Coldingham and similar pensions or profits from other
religious houses.
Michael Brown, 2007. The Black Douglases, p. 165.
Alexander Hume was the fourth earl of Douglas's deputy as keeper of the
lands of Coldingham priory, while another squire, Alexander Mure, went
on to become steward of Kirkcudbright. Payment for these posts took
various forms. Hume received £20 from the £100 paid to his lord by
Coldingham, . . . .
The manuscripts of the family of Home of Renton, in the county of Berwick.
record that a Thomas Forman, esquire (thought by a later person to probably
be an ancestor of Andrew Forman), witnessed a notarial instrument relating to
the forestry of Coldingham, dated in 1410.
Specialty Definition: esquire
Domain
Definition
Noah
Webster
[Noun] a shield-bearer or armor-bearer, scutifer;
an attendant on a knight. Hence in modern times, a
title of dignity next in degree below a knight. In
England, this title is given to the younger sons of
noblemen, to officers of the king's courts and of
the household, to counselors at law, justices of the
peace, while in commission, sheriffs, and other
gentlemen. . . . .
Wikipedia
Esquire (abbreviated Esq.) was originally a social
rank above that of mere gentleman, allowed, for
example, to the sons of nobles and gentry who did
not possess any other title. A gentleman, on this
basis, was designated Mr (before his name)
whereas an Esquire was so designated (with no
prefix before the name) after his name. . . . .
Historical manuscripts commission. Appendix to the 5th Report, p. 647.
Notarial instrument narrating that on the 12th February 1410, Gilbert de
Lummysden appeared before the court held at Renton by John de Aclyfe,
prior of Coldingham, who sat as judge, and there on behalf of Mariot his
spouse, as forester of the barony of Coldingham, claimed from the said
lord prior all the stipends or emoluments due to the foresaid office, to be
declared by an assize: that the prior, admitting the reasonableness of his
petition, forthwith instructed his bailiff, Alexander of Home, to summon
28
an assize of “good and elderly men” to his court: that the bailiff
accordingly selected and summoned James of Quhytlaw, Patrick Broun,
Patrick Sleyth (Sleich), William of Rayntoun, John of Paxtone, Robert of
Fenwick, Richard Blakberd, and 12 others therin named, who having
sworn a great oath and been fully advised, found that John the Forester
received the underwritten:—Food and drink for himself and his man, and
forage for his horses when they came to the prior’s house.
Item, they found the forester to be keeper of “wrak and wayffe” within the
said lordship, and entitled to receive from the said wrak and wayfe 12
pennies for every pound, reserving the balance for the use of, and for
disposal by, the lord prior.
Item, if any ship or boat should land in the harbour or elsewhere in the
lordship, laden with grain, salt, coals, or any such freight, and should sell
thereof, the forester was to receive for his own use a boll before and a boll
behind the mast.
Item, for anchorage of a ship, 12 pence, and of a boat, 4 pence.
Item, a threave of oats from every husband-land of the farms of the lord
prior, the husband-lands of the town of Coldingham only excepted.
Item, for every waggon of goods, 4 pence.
Item, for every “tractus equinus” [horse load] 1 penny.
Item, for every “quercus quadratus” drawn by oxen, 4 pence.
Item, wood hens due according to custom.
Item, John the Forester, received at Christmas a suit of clothes fit to be
worn by a gentleman (roba generosis opta).
These and all other dues hitherto enjoyed by John the Forester were to be
similarly enjoyed by his foresaid son, Gilbert, until another charter was
produced; but the jury declared that they did not know whether these
emoluments were due by law or from use and wont. They had only seen
that such things had been usually allowed. In consequence of this decreet
the present notarial instrument was prepared at Reston in presence of Sir
William Drake, monk, sacristan of Coldingham; Sir John Broun, vicar of
Eldrem; Sir Richard of Spott, chaplain; Patrick of Home, Robert de
Blackwod, Thomas Forman, John de Lummysden, Thomas de
Lummysden, David of Home, esquires, and many others.
Michael Brown 2007, p. 188.
The basis of this influence, as the title from Melrose implied, was the
ability of Douglas lords to protect and defend the monks, their buildings
and estates. The only example of a formal grant of power by a religious
house came in 1414, when the prior of Coldingham made Earl
Archibald, already keeper of the priory's lands and rents, their principal
bailie and governor with 'full power and auctorite'. In the years from 1400,
Coldingham needed protection. As a recently restored community of
29
English monks in the Scottish marches, the house was regarded by many
Scots as a 'serpent in the bosom of the kingdom'. With their traditional
patrons, the Dunbars, in exile, Coldingham turned to their supplanter,
Douglas, for protection. The fee of £100 Scots which he received from the
monks was worth paying to retain the service of the only man able to
manage and defend the estates of the priory in war. Coldingham's choice
of protector had a precedent.
Over eighty years before, in an earlier crisis of war and allegiance in the
south-east, the Coldingham monks had sought a Douglas defender. In
return for his 'protection and counsel' James lord of Douglas was given
the lands of Swinton. The first Black Douglas, like his grandson, was paid
to shield the English priory. After the death of their protector, the
Coldingham monks found it impossible to recover Swinton from his heirs.
The Alexander Home mentioned was presumably Alexander (Sir of Dunglas)
Home who married Jean Hay and died at Verneuil, France, on 17 August 1424.
Patrick Home and David Home were probably his brothers.
Thus there was a connection between Thomas Forman and the Homes, who
were also Douglas adherents, and responsible, under Archibald Douglas, for
Coldingham priory.
The Black Douglases, Michael Brown, 2007, p. 216.
Instead the opportunity for Scottish, and in particular Douglas,
involvement in the war came directly from France. In 1419 the situation of
the Dauphin Charles was desperate. Normandy was lost to the English and
Paris to the Burgundians, and the assassination of Duke John of Burgundy
in the Dauphin's presence created a firm alliance between Charles's
enemies. In these deteriorating circumstances, Charles appealed to the
Franco-Scottish alliance. Although the request for military assistance was
delivered to Albany and discussed by the estates, Charles's intention was to
win specific magnates to his service as Burgundy had earlier attempted
with Douglas. The leadership of the Scots force reflected this. Albany's
younger son, John earl of Buchan, was made commander with Douglas's
heir, Archibald, given equal rank by his creation as earl of Wigtown, as
his 'comrade and partner'. As his son and son-in-law, both were acceptable
to Douglas, but, more importantly, the two earls could draw on the
military lordship of their fathers to recruit men for continental
warfare. From 1419 to 1424 Charles directed his appeals to Albany,
Douglas and a third lord with a European reputation and military
following, Alexander earl of Mar. Charles asked these men 'for help
against the English, our ancient and common enemy', 'by bringing the
greatest possible number of people which you are able to furnish',
30
including 'kinsmen, vassals and subjects' . The dauphin wanted, not the
small companies of Scots already arriving in France in 1418, but a readymade army. The French knights at Humbleton had seen the ability of
Albany and Douglas to produce such an army, and Burgundy had been
keen to recruit this following for warfare in France. In 1419 Charles simply
followed suit on a larger scale.
The Black Douglases, Michael Brown, 2007, p. 216-7.
Charles got his ready-made army. During 1419 some 6,000 Scots entered
his service, the bulk of them arriving with Buchan and Wigtown in
October. These numbers were maintained, despite losses, by further
recruiting in Scotland, and in 1424 the Scottish army consisted of 6,500
men. As many as 15,000 Scots served in France between 1419 and 1424,
the leaders, and probably the men, remaining in arms for years, producing
a professiona1 force which in numbers and length of service was
comparable with English field forces in France. Though some Scots served
in garrisons or small companies, unlike other foreigners in Charles's
employ, the bulk of the men formed the 'army of Scotland', a separate force
led by the earls with, beneath them, a constable, the veteran John Stewart
of Darnley, and a marshal, Thomas Kirkpatrick. These men led an army
which was composed of separate retinues provided and led by minor
nobles. Bower described the two earls choosing 'captains ... with bands of
fighting men; each was in charge of his own troops with his little banners
and blazons'. The service of many of these 'captains' was, as at Humbleton,
based on their connections with Douglas and Albany, reflecting the
domination of Scottish political society by these families. The 'kinsmen,
vassals and subjects' of Douglas were certainly present in the army.
William Douglas of Drumlanrig, who led a Scots force to defeat at Fresnay
in 1420, fitted into all three categories. John Swinton was the son of the
earl's close ally of 1401-2, William Crawford, Douglas's long-standing
deputy in Edinburgh and Thomas Kirkpatrick, the marshal, from a family
whose connections to the Black Douglases went back to the 1360s. The
service of John Turnbull, Thomas Colville, Robert Pringle, William
Glendinning and John, son of William Stewart of Teviotdale, represented
the involvement of the border affinity of the Douglas earls, while John
Haliburton, John Cockburn, Maxwell of Calderwood and Thomas Seton
came from Lothian and Lanarkshire families with landed and political
connections to Earl Archibald. Most of these families had similarly
provided men for the Douglas-led armies at Otterburn and Humbleton
and were natural followers of Wigtown. The inevitable presence of two
kinsmen of Douglas of Dalkeith confirms this. His nephews, Henry and
William Douglas, looked to Wigtown to attest arrangements between
them. Though such bonds of lordship did not acccount for the whole army,
31
the connections of Douglas and Albany must have provided a solid core to
the force.
Although there is no proof, it seems likely that Thomas Forman died with
Alexander Home and Archibald 4th earl of Douglas at the Battle of Verneuil in
1424. Perhaps Adam’s two eldest brothers also died in France. Adam may have
earlier accompanied the 5th Earl (before he got that title) to France.
This makes either Adam or Thomas the possible subject of my great-Aunt
Maude’s family history story about a Forman who:“received honours in France, for turning back (when he and his men were
in retreat) to save a little child who had toddled onto the road in the way of
the pursuing army. The French officer who was pursuing, held his men in
check until the baby was restored to its mother and the officer had rejoined
his company, before continuing the pursuit. He received recognition and
honours from the French King later.”
Of course, to fit better, the pursuing officer should have been English not
French, but the story was over 500 years old when it was written down in 1939.
NAS, unpubl, Calendar of Charters GD12/22 also abbreviated in National
Archives of Scotland.
16 March 1424/25. Instrument and act of transumpt taken on the 16th
March 1424/25 in the parish church of St John of Perth in the hands of
John de Tarbart of the diocese of Glasgow, notary public, at the instance of
William de Wethirburn, Esq, of a notarial instrument taken on 9th March
preceding in the hands of Sir John Brown, presbyter of the diocese of St
Andrews, notary public, setting forth that the said William de Wethirburn
compeared before Sir William Drax, prior of Coldyngham, and presented
to him a breve from Chancery which he received and read, and having
read, the said William de Wetherbirn required him to implement the
Command of the King as therein contained to which the prior answered
that so far as Sasine was commanded to be given of the lands of Swyntoun,
he could not legally comply without consent of the prior and convent of
Durham to whom the lands belonged in chief, moreover he refused to
redeliver the said breve to William de Wethirburn. Done in the monastery
of the prior of Coldyngham, in presence of Sir John de Blacburn,
Chaplain; Gilbert de Lumysden, Thomas de Lumysden, James de
Wethirburn, and many others. Witnesses to the act of transumpt: James de
Kyninmond, Esq, Thomas de Crag and Sirs Thomas Dote and John
Forman, chaplains.
According to John Pinkerton (1797), the sir was a common addition of every
chaplain in that time (early 1500’s) and, therefore, there is no suggestion that sir
John was a knight.
32
GD12/22 An act of transumpt is an order for someone who claims a
property to produce one or all documents proving this. Here William
de Wethirburn had had a notarial instrument drawn up a few days before
requiring the prior of Coldingham to hand over a breve (letter) which had
been issued by Chancery (the court which recognised heirs to property)
and which ordered the prior to give sasine to William de Wethirburn of the
lands of Swyntoun. The prior said he could not do so without permisison
from the prior and convent of Durham.
The Douglas Archives.
Archibald 'The Grim', 3rd Earl of Douglas. Adherence to the king earned
Archibald his first significant estates. David II's influence was behind
Archibald's marriage to Joanna Murray in 1362, which then brought
Douglas not just Joanna's own estates, but also the lands of her first
husband and cousin, Thomas Murray. By 1371 these included the baronies
of Duffus, Petty, Balvenie, and Aberdour in north-east Scotland and the
lordships of Bothwell and Drumsargard and a number of other baronies in
Lower Clydesdale, providing Archibald with the status and resources of a
major magnate. . . . . .
2. Charter by Archibald, Earl of Douglas, and Lord of Galloway,
Annandale and of Hutoun (Hutton) within the sheriffdom of Berwick, to
his beloved esquire, David of Hume, for his services rendered and to be
rendered, of the lands called Bayherdlands with their pertinents, lying in
the granter's lordship of Hutoun in Berwick, which Iands formerly
belonged to Marjorie Harcarse and were resigned by her in the granter's
hands at Edinburgh; to be held by the foresaid David of Hume and his
heirs and assignees whomsoever, of the granter and his heirs, lords of
Hutoun, in fee and heritage, for payment of one penny silver in name of
blench within the parish church of Hutoun, if asked only, for the ward,
relief and marriage and the rest of the secular services which can be
required from the said lands. Dated at Edinburgh, 23 March 1415. There
are no witnesses.
This document seems to apply to only part of Hutton, but it suggests that
Archibald Douglas had Hutton in his possession in 1415/16.
Historical manuscripts commission. Report on the manuscripts of Colonel
David Milne Home of Wedderburn Castle, N.B. London, 1902, p. 3-5.
The first of the Homes of Wedderburn was David de Hum who in 1413
obtained the lands of Wedderburn from Archibald, fourth Earl of Douglas.
They formed part of the estates of the Earl of March which on that Earl's
forfeiture had been conferred on Douglas, to whom David de Hum had
33
proved himself a faithful and devoted follower. The lands of Wedderburn
were given to him in recognition of this, and so were also the lands of
Bayardslands or Bardslands (see Nos1and 2). When George Dunbar, Earl
of March, was restored, he seems very willingly to have acquiesced in and
confirmed these grants (No. 4). David de Hum was younger brother of
Alexander Home of that Ilk, and the mutual attachment between them and
the Earl of Douglas is illustrated by a story related by Godscroft. In 1424
when Douglas, who had been created Duke of Touraine in France, was
about to sail for France with his retainers, among whom was David Home
of Wedderburn, Alexander Home came to see him away. Douglas could
not restrain his sorrow at parting and, embracing Home, said he had not
thought that anything would have parted them. "Well, then," said Home,
reciprocating the like emotion, "nothing ever shall." He then sent back his
brother David, lest in the event of a reverse both should fall, and no
competent person be left to look after the affairs of their families; and
himself accompanied Douglas to France, where at the battle of Verneuil
both Douglas and he were slain. . . . . .
David married Alicia Douglas. (Alicia Douglas was born in Berwickshire,
Scotland and died in Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland.)
Michael Brown 2007, The Black Douglases. p.230-1.
For Archibald, earl of Wigtown, leader of the Black Douglas connection
in Scotland, the news of Verneuil and the death of his father, brother and
brother-in-law was a disaster. Though Verneuil was fought far from the
marches and brought no threat of an English attack on Scotland in its
wake, the consequences for the house of Douglas were as great as those of
Halidon Hill, Neville's Cross, Otterburn or Humbleton. Equally, while
there was no struggle for the control of Douglas estates like those which
followed the capture of Douglas of Liddesdale in 1346 and the death of
Earl James in 1388, the killing of the fourth earl did major damage to the
fortunes of the family. His death removed a figure of influence in the south
and across western Europe, and severed the connections and bonds of
lordship which the earl had built up since 1400. His offices and powers as
keeper of Edinburgh castle, as protector of Melrose and Holyrood
abbeys, as bailie of Coldingham and as justiciar south of Forth were lost
to his family at his death. . . . .
February's Scottish Anniversaries.
www.rampantscotland.com/timeline/february.htm
2 February 1424 James I married Lady Jane Beaufort, daughter of the
Earl of Somerset, in London.
He is believed to have arrived in Scotland on 24 February 1424.
34
Famous Scots - King James I
www.rampantscotland.com/famous/blfamjames1.htm
James then returned to be crowned at Scone on 2 May, 1424.
Unattributed.
Although the 5th Earl of Douglas was one of the Scottish nobles who
accompanied James I home when that king returned from his long English
captivity, James so distrusted the Douglas power and loyalty that the earl
was twice imprisoned for short times by royal order.
(Michael Brown, 2007, The Black Douglases. p. 240.) The influence of the 4th
earl died at Verneuil.
The right to act as the superior lord of his adherents in the earldom of
March lapsed at his death, while the most important of these adherents,
John Swinton and Alexander Hume, were slain alongside their lord. Their
heirs and the remaining associates of the earl in the southeast, like David
Hume of Wedderburn, had little reason to look to the new Douglas earl for
leadership. Instead David Hume, like his landlord Adam Hepburn of
Hailes, saw Verneuil as an opportunity to extend his own interests.
However, Coldingham's owners, the monks of Durham, saw their best
hopes in another protector. They sought to replace the earl of Douglas as
bailie, not by Hume, nor by their traditional patrons, the Dunbars, but by
the king. In the east march King James was quickly identified as having
the means to defend the monks, which since 1400 had been the task of the
Douglases. The king used his powers as protector to put his own mark on
local political society and confirm the exclusion of Black Douglas
influence from the east.
If so, Adam Forman was probably looking after Coldingham for James I,
beginning in 1424 or perhaps 1425.
Michael Brown, 2007. The Black Douglases. In the key to Map 3: The Lands of
the Black Douglases c. 1420. The lands of Hutton are marked with an asterisk
showing that Hutton, Smailholm and Traboyack were probably, but not
certainly, part of the lands that Archibald the Grim, 3rd Earl of Douglas,
obtained through his marriage to the heiress Joanna Murray (died c. 1408).
I surmise that Adam Forman sought royal confirmation of the lands of Hutton
originally granted to his father by Archibald Douglas who died at Vernueil. The
following document shows that Adam Forman was confirmed in possession of
the lands of Hutton in 1426 by King James I. James I arrived back in Scotland
in 1424 after a long captivity in England and he was very annoyed with the
people who had been in charge in his absence. He would have had Archibald
35
the 5th Earl in his sights and it was a propitious time for Adam to make certain
who owned Hutton after the deaths of his father, his two older brothers and the
4th earl Douglas.
Adam Forman was scutifer to Archibald, earl of Douglas, 1426 (RMS, 11, 84;
Macdonald, 954).
84. At Edinburgh, 25 February 1426. REX confirmavit cartam nepotis sui
Archibaldi comitis de Douglas et de Longueville &c.,—[qua confirmavit
ADE FORMAN, scutifero suo, filio tertia genito Tho. F. pro ejus
homagio et servitio sibi fideliter impensis,—terras de Hutoun in regalitate
de Sprollistoun, vic. Berwic;—que fuerunt ipsius Ade hereditarie ut
asseruit ex donatione a progenitore dict, comitis quondam Thome F. patri
dicti Ade facta, et quas dictus Adam personaliter resignavit:—TENEND.
prefato Ade heredibus ejus et assignatis de dicto com. in feodo:—FACIEND.
wardam et relevium cum contigerint et homagium et servitium:—TEST.
Joh. Cameroun cust. priv. sig., M. Geo. Lawedre vicario de Cral, M. Joh.
Wincestir cancellario Dunkeldensi Gilb. de Setoun scutifero dom. de
Haystoun:—At Perth, Mar. 15, 1425]: —TEST. 42. 20. 27. 21. RMS 2, ii.
70.
42=ARCHIBALDUS, Comes de Ergile, Dominus Campbell et Lorne,
Magister Hospitii Regis. 20=JOHANNES, Dominus DRUMMOND,
Justiciarius.
27=DAVID, Dux de MONTROSE, Comes de Craufurd, Dominus
Lindesay.
21=WILLELMUS, EPISCOPUS ABERDONENSIS.
In today’s terms March 15 1425 should be written as March 15 1426, because in
those days the calendar year did not end until the end of March.
Here is a loose translation by a professional researcher, Diane Baptie:
RMS 2, ii.70. At Edinburgh, 25 February 1426 - Charter of Confirmation
by the King to his nephew, Archibald, Earl of Douglas and of Longueville
etc - (which confirms Adam Forman, his scutifer (A scutum was a shield
which made Diane Baptie suggest arms bearer - perhaps shield bearer
would be more correct), third son of Thomas Forman for his homage and
faithful service) - in the lands of Hutoun in the regality of Sprollistoun
(Sprouston) in the Sheriffdom of Berwic[k] - which he, Adam, has claim
to heritably through a gift by a forebear of the said Earl to the deceased
Thomas Forman, his father and which the said Adam personally resigns.
To (b)e held by Adam, his heirs and assigneys in feu for ward and relief
including homage and service.
Witnessed by John Cameroun, Custumer of the Privy Seal, Mr George
Lawdere, vicar of Cra[i]l, Mr John Wincestir, chancellor of Dunkeld,
Gilbert of Setoun, arms bearer of Haystoun - At Perth, March 15th 1425.
36
Diane Baptie thinks Adam Forman is being entered as heir to his father
(Thomas). Archibald, 5th Earl of Douglas would here be the superior, his
forbear (Archibald’s) having originally feued out the lands to Adam's father.
This also suggests that Adam had two older brothers who had died without issue
and so he was next in line to be heir to his father.
The document also states that Adam has provided homage and faithful service
to James I. Also, James provides the confirmation for ward and relief including
homage and service. Thus, seemingly confirming that Adam did look after
Coldingham for James I, if only briefly.
Seton, below, translates the word ‘scutifer’ to ‘esquire’.
George Seton, 1822-1908. A history of the family of Seton during eight
centuries. [With plates, including portraits, illustrations, facsimiles, a
bibliography and genealogical tables.] UNASSIGNED SCOTTISH SETONS, p.
743.
15th March 1425-6. Gilbert of Setoun, Esquire, Lord of Haystoun,
witness to a charter by Archibald, Earl of Douglas and of Longueville, to
Adam Forman, his esquire, of the lands of Hutoun in Berwickshire.—ii.
70.
Michael Brown, 2007, p. 242.
. . . . . Given the history of his house, however, Archibald's greatest
anxieties were with another nephew of the king. William Douglas, earl of
Angus, was a natural rival. He inherited the ambitions of the Red
Douglases to recover the influence and lands of his ancestor, William earl
of Douglas, and had his own grievances against his Black cousins who had
denied him his rights in the marches since 1402. The king was an ally in
pursuit of these goals while, for James, Angus was a means to open old
wounds in the Douglas family. In 1426 Angus asserted his own claims in
the marches, renewing his rights to Jedworth Forest and exercising
effective lordship in Liddesdale. However, his activities focused on the
east march, where the king handed him control of Coldingham's estates
and backed him in his feud with the Dunbars.
Therefore, in 1424 or 1425, Adam Forman worked for James I, at least
regarding the Coldingham estates. Before that he had looked after them for the
Black Douglases (Archibald Douglas). In 1426 (at least until 1433) he looked
after them for the Red Douglases (William Douglas, see later).
Diane Baptie, researcher, Edinburgh, comments:
Adam Forman could not change his superiors. He would have been the
vassal and so would have no control over who his superior was.
No matter how the switch was managed, later history shows that the Formans
37
became closely associated with the Red Douglases (Angus bell-the-cat for
example) and with the Homes/Humes.
Scottish armorial seals mentions an Adam Forman, a juror at Reston,
Berwickshire; Durham, Ch. 17 Oct 1426. Raines’s North Durham, App. 110.
His seal was a chevron between three salmon hauriant.
Adam of Nesbyt and Patrick of Nesbit served on an assize for the partition of
the lands of Halsington between the abbot of Melrose and the laird of
Haliburton in 1428.
Liber Sancte Marie de Melrose: munimenta vetustiora Monasterii Cisterciensis
de Melrose, p. 519-521, Depertison of Halsington.
525 To all and sundry to whom the knowledge of this presents tris shall to
come Patrik of Dunbar lord of Beill sends greetings in God. For pi at it is
meritable and medfull to bear witness to the suthfaftnes. And also that I
was requested by a venerable father in Christ Dean John of Fogo Abbot of
Melrose and the convent of the said place to witness under wryt the thing
that was determined before me in judgement ended by the great assise /
that is to say I sitting as judge in to the suylze of Halsington with power
given and charged under the king’s seal in speale there compear befor me
the forsaid venerable father in christ the Abbot of Melrose with some part?
of the convent and there present? to me a brief of deptifon of the king’s
chapel charging me to do execution thereupon after the tenor of the brief
that is to say to make deptifon of the lands of Halsington between the said
venerable father in christ and the house of Melrose on the ta part / and a
worshipful lord Walter of haliburton of that ilke and Halsingtons lands and
monylawis lands pfonarf? of the said lands / to the which deptifon all the
parties were lawfully summonsed and appeared / and then with assent and
consent of all the said parties I gert chosen a great assise of twenty five
worthy and notable persons • the which assise made altercations and delays
divers days upon the forsaid deptifoñ until at the last the forsaid abbot and
convent brought til a day set thereupon a part of the kings council that is to
say Sir John Forster master of household master Walter Stewart and
Thomas Somerville justice with others • at the which day the said assise
asked more help of men of understanding • and then by the wise discretion
of the kings council there was put to them sworn four wise and discreet
men so that there were then twenty nine and here are the names of them
Patrik Heryng. Patrik of Hume • Thomas of Coriby • Adam of Nesbyt •
Patrik of Nesbit • John of Chirnside • Wyllzame of Mandirston / John of
Mandirston • Wylzame of Spence • Hew of Spence • John Hering • Coll of
Paxtoñ • John of Paxton • Thomas Atkinson • Robert of Edinton • Richard
of Edinton • John Purves • Thomas of Edinton • Adam Forman •
Wylzame of Wedirburn • Andrew of Blakedir • John of Furde • Thomas
38
of Lumisden . Gilbert of Lumisden • Richard Sleiche • David of Hume •
Patrik the Lyle • George Wolfe and James of Whitelaw • the which day
they sat and determined that the abbot and the house of Melrose should
have in Halsington which was contained in a charter three plew of lands
that is to say Pitillishugh with the right marches and duties for a plew of
land • and another plew of land in the West maynis • and the third lying in
the husbandry • Also that he should have by other charters two oxgang of
land and three acres • also a certain? of lands called baris lands but the
quantity thereof they knew noth • but because of shortness of the day and
uther diverse causes the assise micht not abide at that time to make full
deptison • but delayed over the deptison until Wednesday into Witsunday
woke • and there all the said assise compeared before me • and all the
forsaid parties took their chargers? and syne rode about Petillishugh by
that? marks and the mers also fer forth as they understood contained in the
Abbott charters • and that done as touching the plew of land in the West
maynis / the assise come before me and said but I would ger they have
knowledge how meikle lands the West maynis were they could not rightly
determine and then both the parties praide them and gave them in charge to
do forth and however they did at they should hold them content, and then I
charged them with all to make an end / and then the said assise zeid
together and with good and ripe avisment Said that they found the West
maynis two plew of lands and syn the abbott's charters made by in the
maynis a plew of lande they could part it no rychtar / na him to have the
tane half / and him the top ryndale by four ryggs and four till other part / ay
making their ptestation if any evidence come after that might make them
more knowledgable that they would refer them therto / and than
incontinent the said Abbot and the said lord of Haliburton took two cables
and brought me them and I kest them their? tane to the son / the topir to the
schadow and thus it was deptit / And as touching the plew of lands in the
husbandry and the two oxgang and three acres / the assise said it needed no
deptison / for it had been deptit before and was well known. Also touching
Baris landis they said the quantity thereof they knew not / but they found
the onseitis thereof lying at the west end of the town on the north raw with
four acres in the crofte or near thereby / And this was done and ended
before me and many others the said Wednesday in Witson week in 1428 /
and to the witnesses herof I the said Patrik of Dunbar judge and many
others which were upon the said assise together has set to our Seals the day
and the year beforsaid.
The following document, called the final decree, is similar but dated 1431.
Liber Sancte Marie de Melrose: munimenta vetustiora Monasterii Cisterciensis
de Melrose, p. 521-524, Depertison of Halsington.
The final decree of bars land by assise of Right.
39
526 To all and sundry to whom the knowledge of the present letters fall to
come / I Patrik of Dunbar lord of bele and brother former of a high and
mighty lord Sir George of Dunbar Earl of the marches / sends greetings in
god / for which that it is medfull and mytable for to bear witness till the
futhfastnes / and also that I was required therof as of my office / by a
venerable father in christ Dean Johne Fogow abbot of Melrose and convent
of the said place for to testify in to writ / the things determined before me
in Judgement and ended by a great assise of richt / therefore I bear witness
/ that I sat in Judgement in the soils of Halsington within the sheriffdom of
Berwick / having full power and charge / by our sovereign lord the kings
patents and letters in special / by lawfull process preceeding before / there
compeared before me the foresaid venerable father the abbot of Melrose
with some part of the said convent / and there present to me an Inquest of
the kings chapell / of certain lands called bars lands / lying in the town and
in the soils of Halsington forsaid / the which brief of Inquest as law would
I gert procede / and it suyt and again returned to the king and chapell / the
forsaid venerable father and convent / I sitting thes?t in Judgement upon
the said soils of Halsington present to me a breif of deptison of the kings
chapell / charging me for to depte tha said lands called bars lands / till the
abbot and convent forsaid / upon the which I gerte chose a great assise /
and after many and diverse altercations / they delayed it / and could not
make an end therof as thereon? / and sine thereafter / come to me the kings
letters / and made me summons / and also gert me summons / the said great
assise / and Walter of Haliburton lord of Direlton party (procurator?)
adusar to the said abbot and convent touching the said bars lands / for to
compear at Melrose / before the kyngs council on the Saturday next before
Saint James day next after the date of these letters / at the which day and
place we appeared / and there / before the kings council / the forsaid abbot
and convent on the ta part / and the said lord of Dirleton on the top part
fully were concordit / that of all discord between them touching the lands
of Halsington bars lands forsaid and other / they should submit them / and
fully submit them to and assise of right / finally for to determine and end /
all things and sundry / pat was not ended o before touching the said lands /
and thereupon for to compear at Halsington / before the kings council and
me on the Friday next thereafter / but fraud or guile / At the which day and
place compeared the said parties / before the lords of the kings council that
is to say Master William Foulis keeper of the privy seal, Johne Forster lord
of Corsterphine, William of Crechton lord of that ilke, David Stewart lord
of Hertschaw / knights and me / and there in the presence of both the said
parties and with their consent we gert call / and chose a great assise of
those underwritten, that is to say Patrik Heyring / John Heyring / Adam of
Nesbit / Patrick of Nesbit / Alex Heyring / William of Spence, Hew of
Spence / William of Wethirburne / Johne of Manderston / William of
40
Manderston / Johne of Chirnside / Coll of Paxton / Johne of Paxton /
Thomas Atchingson / Robt of Edington / Richard of Edington / George
Wulf / Johne Purvas / Thomas of Edington / Adam Forman / Androw of
Blakatir / Thomas of Lumisden / Gilbert of Lumisden / Johne of Furde /
and Richard Fleich (Sleich?) / the which assise by their great oath charged
/ and sworn / for to end and determine the said rights in man foresaid /
passed forth / and thereupon long and ripely advised and with the foresaid
council of our lord the king of both the parties consent effectively
councilled and ensensit / by their foresaid oath decreed and determined /
that all things that was debatable of before between the the said parties
touching the said lands with the belongings was fully ended / two things
only excepted / as it was manifest their proof by authentic letters
testimonial and the seals of some parts of them that was upon their said
assises / the which two things excepted were there / that is to say the tane
(town?) in the west side of Pitlishugh / and the tothir? of bars lands forsaid
/ to the which first / the said assise rode to Pitlishugh incontinent / and laid
from it all the land from the cambis westward / and since they decreed and
laid to the forsaid bars land first sixteen acres north from the castle sike
next lying to the two oxgang of land called the Clerks land / and since four
acres of land in tofte and in crofte lying together at the west end of the
town on the north side and marchand on the east side with the lords
husbands lands / and on the west side / with a rig of a rood of land called
saint mary ryg and since they laid to the said bars land sixteen acres of land
together lying in the same fetch of land west from the said saint mary rig /
and other sixteen acres of land together upon the hevid of Dedryg / the sum
of the hale of this foresaid bars land is two and fifty acres / And thus / the
said assise / finally made end and all parties said that they held their
content thereof / this was done and ended / before the said Council of our
sovereign lord the king James and off me / at the said lands of Halsington .
the foresaid Friday next after Saint James day, 1431 / and in the witnessing
hereof / my seal together with the seals of divers / the which were upon the
foresaid assise till their present letters are to put day year and place
beforsaid.
Robert of Nesbit and Patrick of Nesbit are mentioned in an assize of
perambulation, 13 November 1430, between William Drax, prior of
Coldingham, and Adam Forman. Adam has accumulated considerable
property at Coldingham, presumably for his services. Some of the property may
have been passed down to him by his father Thomas. Strangely, Hutton is not
mentioned as his address. He seems to be living at Kellielaw in Eastfield of
Coldingham. Is Hutton being managed by another member of the family?
41
Syllabus of Scottish Cartularies North Durham (Coldingham). 638. Assize
between William Drax pr C and Adam Forman at Kellielaw in Eastfield of C;
25 named jurors specify lands held by Adam Forman. 13 November 1430.
Vernacular.
Rev James Rainie's The History and Antiquities of North Durham (London
1852). Diane Baptie has put in some missing letters, which makes it more
readable.
Coldingham - Perambulationes, p.110. (with translation by Diane Baptie in
brackets)
DCXXVIII - In this assys chosyn at Kellilaw in the Estfeylde of
Coldynghame in the fest of Saynt Brice that is to say the 13 Novembre
1430 betwyx Dean Willizam Drax Priour of Coldynghame on the ta (1a –
one or first) part and Adam Forman on the toy[tother] part w[i]th the
assent of both partis of the best & worthyest of the contre undyrwrittyn
th[a]t is to say Paton Herying, Paton Home, Hugh of Spens, Alexr Heryng,
John of Raynton, John of Qwhitlaw, Richard of Edington, William of
Mandryston, John of Mandryston, Thomas of Mandryston, Richard of
Ellam, George of Ellam, Alexr of Ellam, Robert of Nesbit, John Heryng,
William of Raynton, Patrice of Nesbit, John of Chirnsyd, John of Kellow,
John of Nesbit, Gilbert of Lumysden, Thomas of Lumysden, Nichol of
Paxton, John of Paxton and John of Ayton, the quilkis body of sworne and
avisit w[i]th otherris Aldman sworne th[air]to fand (said) Adam Forman
havand 13 akris lyand in Kellilawbank, the quilk thai zede about Jtm 3
(103?) Akris on the est halfe of the gate th[a]t beris to Aymouth Jtm 8
(108?) Akris on the brode ley Jtm 13 (113?) Akris in tuo pecis lyand in
Jurdane flat bank, J tm 2 (102?) Akris ane halfe of medow & 3 Rude of
land lyand at the end of the med[o]w & 1 Akir of land lyand at the
toy[tother?] end Jtm 18 (118) Akris lyand on the southe half Well dene
bank, And 3 the croftis as thai ar callit be old extent of Ald men, And this
thus decretit be the said assys & for the mair evidens and witnessing some
of thaim of this has set to th[air] seelis.
(note: at the bottom - 14 armorial seals).
Diane Baptie says: I am not sure what the abbreviation 'tm' stands for, it may be
'ct' meaning 'centum', but I am not sure.
Unnatributed.
. . . Even after the Dunbars returned to the Scots side in 1409 the Homes
continued to conspire against them by siding with the Dunbar's rivals the
'Black' Earls of Douglas. In 1424 Alexander Home died at the battle of
Verneuil in France with his master Archibald 4th Earl of Douglas. In 1433
the Homes turned Coldingham Priory into a fortified camp ousting
William the 'Red' Douglas from being 'Protector' there (the 'Red' Douglas
being an enemy of the 'Black'). He was prevented from attacking the Priory
42
by King James I (1406-1437) as it was an English monastic cell and such
an attack would give the English an excuse to invade. So the Douglas
could do nothing to the Homes.
These are the last documents found concerning Adam Forman. He may have
died shortly after.
The following document probably refers to a Robert Forman. Transumpt* of
Instrument of Convention between Duncan, Earl of Levenax (Lennox) and
William Bishop of Glasgow of a just collation* to the Hospital of Polmadie.
In the name of God amen by this instrument be it evidently clear that in the
year of incarnation, second of the king of Scotland, on the 16 February
1440, 4th indiction, the 10th year of the pontificate of the Holy Father and
Lord in Christ, Eugenius IV, by divine providence Pope, in presence of
me, notary public and witnesses underwritten, compeared a venerable man,
Mr Robert Storm (Forman?), canon of the church of Glasgow and
Prebender of the Prebendary of Strablane and passed to the presence of Mr
David of Cadzou, one of the officials of Glasgow for sitting on tribunals in
the church in Glasgow and produced an instrument of sasine under the sign
and signature of the deceased sir Walter Raa, presbyter of the diocese of
Glasgow and notary public during his life and which he had written with
his own hand in which his sign, writing and signature had been witnessed
and which the said notary recognised; and it was instantly and humbly
asked for a copy to made in order to restore it in public form and authority;
the tenor of this present public instrument is as follows. ‘In the name of
god amen, by this present public instrument be it evidently clear that in the
year of our Lord 1424, seventh day and month of January, 7th indiction,
the 6th year of the pontificate of the Holy Father and Lord in Christ, Martin
V, in presence of me, notary public....’
(A transumpt* was an order for a document to be produced so that it could be
examined. A collation* was issued by the bishop intimating that he had
conferred the benefice of a patron’s nominee and charging some subordinate to
give institution. Gouldesbrough, Formulary of Old Scots Legal Documents, p.
175). ‘sir’, lower case refers to a Roman Catholic priest).
Smith, John Guthrie, 1834-1894. The parish of Strathblane and its inhabitants
from early times: a chapter in Lennox history, p. 171.
The whole parish of Govan, in which Polmadie is situated, belonged, both
lands and teinds, to the Cathedral of Glasgow, and had been soon after
1174 erected into a prebend. In 1320, however, as already shown, John
Bishop of Glasgow granted half of his lands of Little Govan to the
hospital. This half of Little Govan was made up of a portion of Polmadie,
and was apparently a four merk land of old extent. The part of Govan
43
which still belonged to the Cathedral, and which contained the rest of the
lands of Polmadie, remained a prebend till the Reformation.
p. 172. The Prebend of Strathblane in the Cathedral of Glasgow.
Having thus disposed of the old hospital of Polmadie, we return to the
history of the Church of Strathblane, with or without its Kirklands, for as
explained already (note, p. 127) it is possible that it was the church only
which was made over to the Bishop.
The interview between the Bishop of Glasgow and the Earl of Lennox in
Edinburgh Castle, and the surrender which the Earl made of his rights in
the old hospital were, no doubt, to pave the way for the erection of the
hospital and the church of Strathblane into an additional prebend in the
Cathedral of Glasgow. This the succeeding Bishop, John Cameron, carried
out on the 12th January, 1427, and the whole transaction was confirmed by
a Bull of Pope Martin, dated at Rome, 5th December, 1429.
The object of this new prebend was to improve the music in the Cathedral.
The prebendary, therefore, was to be a thorough musician, and among his
other duties was the instruction of four boys for the choir. He was to pay
them a certain sum yearly, and also out of the income of his prebend he
was to pay a perpetual vicar, who was to serve the cure in the church of
Strathblane, 14 merks Scots =15/6 2/3 sterling; and one merkland of land,
34 2/3 acres, was to be given to him for a glebe near the church of
Strathblane. This merkland has retained its name to the present day, being
the part of Broadgate farm called the "Vicarland."
The only prebendary who is known for certain to have had any benefit
from Strathblane was "Magister Robertus Storman canonicus ecclesie
Glasguensis ac prebendarius prebende de Strablane," who was a party to an
ecclesiastical deed, 16th February, 1440 (Reg. Epis. Glas. p. 359. The
name is printed Storm = Storman in the "Registrum Episcopatus
Glasguensis'' of the Maitland Club, but in another copy of the same deed
which the author has seen the name is written Form=Forman or Foreman.
This copy was taken by Mr. John Dillon, a well known antiquary of the
early part of this century). It may be he was the first and the last who
enjoyed it. One would have thought that the Bishop of Glasgow, having
acquired Strathblane Church, would have been very unwilling to give it up
again, but given up it certainly was, about 1453, when Isabella DuchessCountess of Lennox, the daughter and heiress of the Earl Duncan, who had
arranged matters with the Bishop, founded her Collegiate Church at
Dumbarton. Strange to say, one of the principal endowments of this new
establishment was the church and Kirklands of Strathblane and the lands,
or part of them, of Little Govan, or Polmadie. It is nowhere recorded how
she managed this transaction.
As Diane Baptie, researcher, Edinburgh, has pointed out:
44
Magister – i.e Mr means a university graduate and so he is unlikely to have
been the archer.
Historical Manuscripts Commission, Appendix to 12th Report, Part 8. The
manuscripts of the Duke of Athole, K.T. and of the Earl of Home. p. 161.
LANDS OF SAMUELSTON AND OTHERS.
256. Retour of Inquest held at Lauder before Laurence of Abernethy of
Rothiemay bailie of the regality, by William Hoppringle of that Ilk, Alan
Lauder, Gilbert Lauder, John Sinclair, Hector Lauder, Nicholas Forman,
David Chirnside, John Lauder of Burngrains, Willliam Lauder, Adam
Crosby, Thomas Lauder, William Nisbet, Robert Lorane, William Leis,
William Wedall and Alexander Learmonth, who being sworn declare that
George Ker is nearest and lawful heir of his brother the late John Ker in
the lands of Samuelston, valued at 40 pounds yearly, in time of peace
only, held in chief of the Earl of Douglas, lord of the regality of Lauder,
for a white rose at Midsummer, and now in the superior’s hands for the
space of one month since the death of the late John Ker. Dated at Lauder,
Monday 31 October 1440. Three seals remaining.
Acts of the Lords of Council in civil causes, 1496-1501, v. 2, p. xcix.
In those days all Actions of Spoliation, Intrusion, and others of that nature,
were precognosc'd by an Inquest of twelve Men best knowing the Land,
whose Declaration being presented to the Judges thereafter, they used to
determine, as they did in the Action betwixt Nicol Forman of Hutton
against George Ker of Samuelston, anent the occupation of certain Lands
which the said Nicol alledged to belong to him in Property. The Parties of
their own consent nam'd twelve Gentlemen there present to inform and
give counsel to the Lords in the said matter, who being sworn, &c., and
removed, returning gave their deliverance this way. We decree and deliver
after our knowledge and understanding, that in no time bygo'ne we heard
ever that the Laird of Samuelston had Possession of the saids Lands into
mannor, pasture, &c., or possessed before the last year, and that Nicol and
his Predecessors have ever been in peaceable Possession of these Lands
while the last year, &c. After which deliverance, The Lords decern'd
Samuelston to desist therefrom in time coming. The last of May 1469.
This was evidently the judgment which on 8th August 1471 was brought
under review before Parliament. The decision was affirmed:—"The lordis
of parliament ripely avisit decretis and deliveris that the actis and decretis
gevin be the lordis of counsaile of before in the saide actioune salbe
observit and kepit and is of strenthe and avale, and that the said Nichole
sall brouke and joyse the said pasture and foggage undistrublit of the said
George efter the forme and tennonr of the said actis and decretis."—Acta
Auditorum, p. 15.
45
Acts of the lords auditors of causes and complaints, 1466-1494, p. 15. 8 August
1471(my translation, with further corrections by Diane Baptie shown in blue).
In the action and cause persued by George Ker of Samuelstoun on the 1a
(i.e one or 1st) part, against Nicholas Forman of Hutton on the top (this is
probably toy - the ‘y’ being the letter ‘thorn. i.e’th’ and so ‘toy’ = tother or
other) part / about wrongwith? (this is probably wrongeous) vexation
inquietacon and distrublance (disturbance) of the said George Ker in the
occupation and manuring / of the common pasture and foggag (forage?)
(foggag(e) means winter grazing) of the lands of Hutton / Both the said
parties being personally present and their reasons and allegations acts and
decrees at length seen heard and understood, the lords of parliament Ripley
(ripely) avisit (advisit) decree and deliver / that the acts and decrees given
by the lords of council of before in the said action / shall be obsuit
(observed?)(observit) and kept (kepit) and is of strength and / and that the
said Nicholas shall brouke and joyst (i.e occupy and make use of) the said
pasture and foggag undistrubled (undisturbed) of the said George after the
form and tenor of the said acts and decrees.
(You will note this dispute was over common pasturage etc and not
ownership).
Evidently Nicholas Forman was able to keep farming the lands of Hutton. I
have not found out what George Ker based his claims on, except that he
occupied Huttonhall at that time.
We should not forget completely that Andrew Forman’s mother was said to be
a Fraser. According to The Archbishops of St Andrews by Robert Kerr Hannay.
Of the birth of Andrew Forman nothing is recorded, and little is known
regarding his parentage. In a deed relating to the bishopric of Moray he
was designated "nobilis," and it is probable, therefore, that he belonged or
was related to the family of Formans settled in Hutton, Berwickshire. His
father's name occurs in none of our documents, but his mother was one of
the Frasers; and he himself, while Bishop of Moray, arranged a marriage
for Lord Thomas of Lovat, of the house of Fraser. [Fraser Chronicles, 123.
"He had a great love," says the chronicler, "for the Lord Lovat, his halfe
cheefe, a Fraser being Bishop Andrewes mother, and after settling State
affaires, the Bishop of Murray came with my Lord Lovat and his lady, and
delivered her as it were with a sanction in her own dwelling-house."
Fraser, James, 1905. Chronicles of the Frasers, the Wardlaw manuscript entitled
'Polichronicon seu policratica temporum, or, The true genealogy of the Frasers,'
916-1674. p. 123.
46
Anno l514, the Lord Gordon, Grant, Murray, Sutherland, Rosse, Lord
Lovat, with many more of the nobility, were called south as privy
councillors, and in a full assembly of the peers at Holyroodhouse, created a
new regent John, Duke of Albany, who had arrived from beyond seas, and
had a large revenue settled upon him. He was made Duke of Albany, Earl
of March, and Regent till the King came to be of age. At this time Lord
Thomas of Lovat married Janet Gray, Lord Gray (of Naimes; apparently
erased in MS) daughter; and Andrew Foreman, Bishop of Murray,
afterwards translated to Saint Andrewes, made this match. He had a great
love for the Lord Lovat, his halfe cheefe, a Fraser being Bishop Andrewes
mother, and after setting state affaires, the Bishop of Murray came north
with my Lord Lovat and his lady, and delivered her as it were with a
sanction in her own dwelling house.
[On the margin in another hand.] Relicke Family. There is a Bond of
Provision to Robert and James and Andrew, Anna and Janet by Th[omas]
Lord Lovat and Janet Grey his lady, dated Nov. 1511, so that he married
her long before 1514. The paper is in Lord Lovat's charter chest.
thePeerage.com. Thomas Fraser, 2nd Lord Lovat1 b. circa 1461, d. 21 October
1524.
Thomas Fraser, 2nd Lord Lovat was born circa 1461. He was the son of
Hugh Fraser, 1st Lord Lovat and Violet Lyon. A contract for the marriage
of Thomas Fraser, 2nd Lord Lovat and Janet Gordon was signed in January
1493. He married, secondly, Janet Gray, daughter of Patrick Gray, Master
of Gray and Annabella Forbes, before 1509. He died on 21 October 1524.
Justiciar N of Scotland. He gained the title of 2nd Lord Lovat. Isobel).
A possible link (with Thomas Forman) here is that Janet Gordon descended
from Joanna Murray and Archibald (the) Grim Douglas. Would this make
Andrew Forman a member of the Fraser clan (if his mother was Janet
Blackadder)?
There is strong documentary, but circumstantial, evidence that Andrew
Forman’s mother was Janet Blackadder, so there is probably a mistake here.
However, there is no evidence that the chronicler was referring to Andrew
Stewart who preceded Andrew Forman as Bishop of Moray.
Wickipedia. Andrew Stewart.
Born between 1442 and 1444,[1] he was the son of Joan Beaufort (d. 1445),
widow of King James I of Scotland and former Queen-consort, and her
second husband, James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorne.[2] Being a third
son, an ecclesiastical career was a natural course . . .
47
Another possibility is that the chronicler referred to Thomas Forman who might
have married a Fraser or a Fraser ancestor rather than a Sutherland. Again there
is no clear indication that this is the case.
For instance: thePeerage.com.
Hugh Fraser, 8th of Lovat was born circa 1417.1 He was the son of Hugh
Fraser and Janet de Fenton.2,3 He married Janet Dunbar, daughter of
Thomas de Dunbar, 2nd Earl of Moray and Margaret (?).1 He died circa
1450.1
Child of Hugh Fraser, 8th of Lovat and Janet Dunbar
Hugh Fraser, 1st Lord Lovat+1 d. fr 1 Nov 1499 - 30 Apr 1501
The following documents support the idea that Thomas Forman married a lady
of noble birth.
Calendar of papal registers, papal letters, vol 10, 1447-1455, p. 376, St Peter’s
Rome. 11 January 1448-1449.
To William Forman, perpetual vicar of Abyrkeledy (sic) in the diocese of
Dunkeld, bachelor of canon law. Dispensation to him (who is a priest and
of noble birth, and holds inter alia the above vicarage of Abyrlady, and
whose benefices and their values and that of the said vicarage the pope
hold as being expressed by these presents) at the petition of James, king of
Scots, and his own, to receive and hold for life together with the said
vicarage one benefice, or otherwise any two benefices, with cure or
otherwise incompatible, even if dignities etc. and to resign them, simply or
for exchange, as often as he pleases, provided that he do not hold two
parish churches or perpetual vicarages; notwithstanding the pope's late
ordinance against holding two major or principal dignities [see above, p. 5]
etc.
Nobilitas generis litterarum etc. (0. and G. de Elten. I O. xxxx. Pontanus.)
[2 1/2 pp.]
William is thought to be a son of Adam Forman.
Calendar of papal registers, papal letters, vol 10, 1447-1455, p. 177, St Peter’s
Rome. 27 February 1450-1451.
To William Forman, perpetual vicar of Abyrledy in the diocese of
Dunkeld, bachelor of canon law. Dispensation to him (whom the present
pope lately dispensed to hold for life with the said vicarage one, or
otherwise any two, benefices with cure [or otherwise] incompatible, even
if dignities etc., and to resign them, simply or for exchange, as often as he
pleased, provided that he did not hold two parish churches or perpetual
vicarages; who is a priest and is of noble birth), at his own petition and
that of James, bishop of St. Andrews, to hold with the said vicarage, value
48
not exceeding £16 sterling, one other, or, if he resign the said vicarage, two
other parish churches or perpetual vicarages, for seven years, and to resign
them, simply or for exchange, as often as he pleases. Nobilitas generis,
litterarum etc. (Pe. de Noxeto. I xxv. H. Senstlebin [sic]. Ja. de Viterbio.)
[In the margin: February. 1 1/2 pp].
Calendar of papal registers, Papal Letters, 1484-1492. Vol. 14, London 1960.
Prepared by J.A.T. MA, p. 314. St Peter's Rome, fo. 297. 1 May 1489. (or 16
May 1489?)
To Andrew Formani, perpetual vicar of the parish church of Kyrkungkher
in the diocese of St. Andrews. Dispensation to him, who is of noble birth
by both parents and a licentiate in arts, and who is a continual commensal
of the household of John, [cardinal] bishop of Albano, to receive and retain
for life with the said vicarage of Kynkungkher any two other benefices,
and without it any three benefices, with cure or otherwise incompatible,
even if dignities, etc., or parish churches, etc., and to resign them, simply
or for exchange, as often as he pleases: provided that not more than two be
parish churches or their perpetual vicarages. Nobilitas generis, vite etc.
(Gratis de mandato domini nostri pape.) [2 pp.]
Andrew is thought to be the grandson of Adam Forman. Andrew’s mother was
Janet Blackadder. I believe that Janet’s father was Sir Robert Blackadder and
her mother was Marione Douglas (where the noble birth probably came from).
Robert Blackadder, Archbishop of Glasgow and Janet’s brother, was also said
to be of noble blood.
In summary, therefore:The Formans probably came to the Douglases with the marriage of Joanna
Murray to Archibald the Grim in about 1362.
The Formans then made a living by helping the Douglases protect Coldingham
priory.
The Forman seals suggest that one of the Formans married one of the Morays
(Murrays), either the earls of Sutherland side or the earls of Bothwell side.
Marriage to a Douglas is also possible.
The grant of Hutton to Thomas/Adam Forman by Archibald Douglas and the
suggestion that Hutton came to Archibald Douglas by his wife, Joanna Murray,
helps confirm an early Murray/Comyn/Balliol link.
There is no mention that John Forman, father, uncle (or brother?) of Thomas,
was of noble birth.
Thomas Forman is referred to in 1406 as an armiger and therefore was
armigerous.
Thomas Forman is referred to as Esquire in 1410.
Thomas Forman was originally given the gift of Hutton.
49
I conclude that Thomas Forman married into the Murray/Douglas family (most
likely on the earl of Sutherland side and before 1406), thereby becoming
armigerous, entitled to be called esquire, and hence qualified to be given
Hutton.
By way of confirmation, his grandson William Forman claimed to be of noble
birth and his great-grandson, Andrew Forman, claimed to be of noble birth by
both parents.
If we guess that Adam took part in an expedition to France at the age of at least
16 in about 1421, and take into account that he was the third son, his father
Thomas was likely to have married before about 1400. This suggests that his
bride was born about 1380 or earlier, although they often married very young in
those days.
We do not know when Thomas’ bride died. She probably survived him and may
have been instrumental in getting James 1 to confirm the grant of Hutton to her
grandson Adam in 1426.
Adam lived at Kellielaw, Coldingham, in about 1430.
Mrs Thomas Forman may have lived at Hutton together with junior members of
the Forman family until she died after about 1430 (Nicholas may have become
laird of Hutton by about 1440). She may even have married again, but would
have been unlikely to have had children by the second marriage.
There is no obvious place in the following family trees (as presented) for
Thomas’s wife. Consequently, I do not know whether she was a Murray,
Moray, Sutherland, or even a Douglas, or some combination. As mentioned
before, a Douglas connection would be easiest to imagine (and there may be a
way of explaining the Sutherland cant to the heraldry).
Appendix 1 - The Moray/Sutherland family
Here is some background compiled from available sources on the internet:From Clan Murray.
Famed for their patriotism from earliest times they boasted a royal origin.
They are descended from the Flemish nobleman Freskin de Moravia (also
progenitor of Clan Sutherland and possibly Clan Douglas). Flemish and
Norman lords crossed the North Sea and established themselves in the
Scottish realm at the invitation of the Kings of Scots from the early 12th
century. Freskin and his son were granted extensive lands in Moray and
intermarried with the old line of Celtic Mormaers from Moray. They took
the name 'de Moravia', i.e. 'of Moray' in Latin. The descendants of his
grandson William de Moravia's descendants became Lords of Bothwell.
Freskin the Fleming, b. abt 1107, d. bef 1172.
50
The province of Moray had a history of standing apart from the Scottish
kingdom and long resisted subsumption within the Scottish king's fiefdom.
Several royal armies were defeated in this struggle. Amongst the kings
thwarted by the men of Moray's ongoing resistance was King Dub, who
was killed when his army was defeated at Forres in 967. Moray was
especially problematic for the mac Malcolm kings of Scots (whose dynasty
sprung from King Malcolm III, who reigned from 1058 to 1093) as it was
the heartland of the rival royal line, whose last king had been the stepson
of MacBeth, Lulach.
This refusal to accept Scottish royal rule lingered into the 12th-century
amongst elements of Moravian society. In 1130 a rebellion was led by
Mormaer Óengus of Moray, a descendant of King Lulach. In the aftermath
of Óengus's army's defeat at Stracathro, Moray was now taken under direct
royal control; its independence would not be restored until 1312 when
King Robert I granted the lands and title of earl of Moray to his nephew,
Thomas Randolph. King David's response to this continued and deeplyentrenched refusal to accept his authority was the 'planting' of Flemish and
other Anglo-Norman loyalists in the area. One such man was Freskin.
Many rebels were forced from their lands. Consequently, the subsequent
settlers occupied the same military, political and administrative rôle as the
Old English along the Gaelic frontiers of Ireland and like the Old English
in Ireland, time gradually wore away any cultural and linguistic difference
between them and the remaining native people.
Clan Sutherland. From Wikipedia.
William Freskin de Moravia, b. bef 1139, d. aft 1204.
The progenitor of the Clan Sutherland was also the progenitor of the Clan
Murray who was a Flemish nobleman by the name of Freskin the son or
possibly grandson of Ollec. Freskin's grandson was Hugh de Moravia who
was granted lands in Sutherland and was known as Lord de Sudrland.
Hugh's brother, William was progenitor of the Clan Murray. Hugh's eldest
son (also called William) was William de Moravia, 1st Earl of Sutherland.
The place name and clan name of "Sutherland" came from it being the land
to the 'south' of the Norse Earldom of Orkney and Caithness. Although the
senior line of chiefs who were Earls of Sutherland were known by the
surname 'de Moravia', the younger sons of the family would take the
surname 'Sutherland', creating the cadet branches of the Clan
Sutherland.[2]
Andrew Murray. Undiscovered Scotland: The Ultimate Online Guide.
The Murrays were a family of Flemish descent, who settled in Moray
during the reign of David I. They were among the many families, most of
51
French or Norman descent, invited from England by David to help him
establish his authority in the Gaelic-speaking areas of Scotland.
At the outbreak of the Anglo-Scottish Wars of the late thirteenth century
(popularly known as the Scottish Wars of Independence) the Moray family
was well-established in northern and southern Scotland. Sir Andrew
Moray, the head of the Petty branch of the family, held extensive lands in
the province of Moray, including the lordship of Petty,[4] which was
controlled from Hallhill castle on the southern bank of the Moray Firth, the
lordship of Avoch in the Black Isle,[4] which was controlled from Avoch
Castle situated to the east of Inverness and overlooking the Moray Firth,
and the lordship of Boharm,[4] which was controlled from Gauldwell castle.
Amongst Sir Andrew's estates at Petty were lands at Alturile, Brachlie and
Croy, and at Boharm were lands at Arndilly and Botriphnie.[5] Andrew
Moray the younger was heir to these lands and castles.[6]
Extensive wealth of this nature was accompanied by significant political
influence. Sir Andrew had acted from 1289 as the king's chief law-officer
in northern Scotland (the Justiciar)[4] and may have been co-opted to the
guardianship following in the aftermath of the premature death of King
Alexander III. Sir Andrew's personal connexions went to the top of most
powerful family in Scottish society. In the 1280s he married his second
wife - Andrew's stepmother - Euphemia Comyn,[8] the sister of John
Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, nephew of King John Balliol and one of the
most politically influential men in Scotland. The Morays of Petty also
possessed connexions to the Douglases of Clydesdale,[9] at that time
relatively minor landholders.
The influence of the Moray family was not confined to north-eastern
Scotland. Sir William Moray of Bothwell, Sir Andrew's elder brother,
held extensive lands in Lanarkshire and at Lilleford in Lincolnshire.[10] Sir
William, who was known as le riche due to his extensive personal wealth,
was constructing Bothwell Castle overlooking the River Clyde. Its design
was influenced by the very latest trends in castle construction found in
continental Europe and was clearly intended as an unequivocal statement
of his personal power and influence. Moray the younger was also
recognised heir to his uncle's wealth.[6]
The Morays of Petty also possessed influence in the Scottish mediaeval
church. A forebear of Andrew Moray, also named Andrew, had been
bishop of Moray early in the thirteenth century and was responsible for the
transfer of the seat of the bishopric to Elgin in 1224 and the establishment
of the town’s fine cathedral. The Morays continued to possess links with
the church. A brother of Sir Andrew, David, was currently a rector of
Bothwell church in central Scotland and a canon of Moray.[11] He would
subsequently be consecrated in the summer of 1299 as Bishop of Moray
52
by Pope Boniface VIII,[12] and would become one of the staunchest
supporters of King Robert Bruce's kingship.
Figure 4. Ormond Castle (near Avoch) was once one of the largest medieval
castles built in the Highlands. Dating from the 12th century, it was originally the
seat of the de Moray family. 1n 1297 Andrew de Moray raised his standard at
the castle to rally his forces before joining William Wallace as part of the
Scottish army which defeated the English at the battle of Stirling Bridge. Photos
Sara York 2010.
Clan Sutherland. From Wikipedia.
William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland, whose wife was the
daughter of Robert the Bruce and sister of King David II of Scotland, led
the clan at Kilblene where he participated in the siege of Cupar Castle Fife.
Along with the Earl of March took foray into England. William de
Moravia Earl of Sutherland accompanied King David II of Scotland into
England where both were captured at the Battle of Neville's Cross in 1346,
by Durham. They remained in prison for over ten years before being
released. John, the son of the Earl and Princess Margaret, was designated
the heir to the Throne over Robert Stewart, who eventually became King
Robert II in 1371.
The chief of Clan Sutherland was whoever held the title Earl of Sutherland
and unlike many Scottish clan chiefs, they did not necessarily have the
name of Sutherland. The family who are first known to have been in
possession of this title was a line who were known by the surname "de
Moravia". The Earldom passed by right of marriage to a younger son of the
chief of Clan Gordon early in the 16th century.
The two branches of Clan Sutherland most closely related to the
Sutherland Earls, or Clan Chiefs, were the Lairds (and later Lords) of
Duffus and the Lairds of Forse. The Duffus Lairds descended from
Nicholas (or Nichol) Sutherland, only brother of William de Moravia, 5th
Earl of Sutherland (d. 1370), and younger son of the 4th Earl. The other
53
surviving branch, the Forse Lairds, stem from Kenneth Sutherland, only
brother of Robert de Moravia, 6th Earl of Sutherland (d. 1427). Duffus is
outside the country of Sutherland. So also is Forse, which is in Caithness.
Figure 5. Duffus Castle served as a fortress residence for well over 500 years
from the 12th to the 18th centuries. The original earth and timber castle was
replaced by one of stone and lime in the 14th century. The castle was long a
principal seat of the De Moravia family. The 14th century tower has broken and
slipped on the made-up ground (left photo). The site was encircled by a wet
ditch, still crossed by an ancient bridge on the east. Photos Sara York 2010.
Thomas Innes of Learney, F.S.A.Scot., Carrick Pursuivant of Arms. Proc. Soc.
Antiq. Scot, 69, March 11, 1935, Heraldic decoration on the castles of Huntly
and Balvenie, p. 388.
Amongst the outstanding features of Huntly Castle is the effective manner
in which heraldry has been applied to the decoration of the structure, so
that it is not merely a panel inserted upon the house but part of the
architectural ensemble, and the result has been extraordinarily picturesque,
and indeed remains so even in its present damaged condition.
Approaching the castle from the south we look up to a row of lofty bow
windows, knit together by two great bands of lettering, containing the
names of the builder and his wife—George Gordon, Marquis of Huntly,
and Henriette Stewart, Marquisse of Huntly (fig. 1). Design of this nature
was not unknown at the period. Hardwick Hall exhibits another instance,
but I know of no such stately example as the tall bow windows crowning
the lofty solidity of Huntly's massive palace. The lettering is separated by
mullets, which in this situation are somewhat difficult to explain, unless
they bear some subtle reference to the family claim to the oft-sought
Earldom of Moray. That some heraldic significance is implied is evident
from the appearance at the central window, of the fleur-de-lis of Darnley,
the charge from the Marchioness's achievement. The dummy window
above, however, displays a typical Scottish armorial tympanum with the
quartered shield of the Gordons of Huntly; 1st and 3rd, the boars' heads of
Gordon; 2nd, three lions' heads for the Lordship of Badenoch; 3rd, three
crescents within a tressure for Seton; 4th, three fraises for Fraser.
54
In an effort to find out where Thomas Forman or the Howells may fit into the
Moray/Murray family, I have assembled a family tree up to about the early
1400’s, including Joanna Murray. The tree has been pruned for the reader’s
convenience. It has been extended, however, to show connections such as that
between Joanna Murray and Lord Lovat and to follow the Earls of Sutherland to
the Gordons. Unfortunately, it does not reveal an unmarried female Sutherland
born about 1385. It seems many of the females who should be included are
missing from the tree. The red font markings indicate the likely migration path
of Robert Forman’s family of 1296 from King John Balliol to Joanna Murray
who married Archibald Douglas in 1362.
Freskin the Fleming, b. abt 1107, d. bef 1172.
I. William Freskin de Moravia, b. bef 1139, d. aft 1204.
A. Hugh (1st lord Duffus) de Moravia, b. abt 1162, d. 1222. He married
Joan Jonsdottir.
1. William (1st earl Sutherland) de Moravia, b. abt 1200, d. aft 1248.
a. William (2nd Earl Sutherland) de Moravia, b. abt 1231, d. Feb
1306/7.
(A) William (3rd Earl Sutherland) de Moravia.
(B) Kenneth (4th Earl Sutherland) de Moravia, b. abt 1289, d.
1333. Killed battle of Halidon Hill. He married Margaret de
Mar.
(1) William (5th Earl of Sutherland) de Moravia, d. 1370.
He married (1) Margaret (Princess) Bruce, 1345
(daughter of Robert 1 (Earl Carrick; King, the) Bruce and
Elizabeth (Lady) de Burgh). He married (2) Joanna
(Joan) Menteith, bef Nov 1347, b. abt 1315 (daughter of
John (Sir) Menteith and Ellen of Mar), d. aft 1367.
(a) John (Master of Sutherland) de Moravia, (son of
William (5th Earl of Sutherland) de Moravia and
Margaret (Princess) Bruce) b. 1346, d. 1361 of plague
In England.
(b) Robert (6th Earl Sutherland) de Moravia, (son of
William (5th Earl of Sutherland) de Moravia and
Joanna (Joan) Menteith) d. 1427. He married
Margaret Stewart (daughter of Alexander (Earl of
Buchan) Stewart and Mariot Athyn).
[A] John (7th Earl Sutherland) Sutherland, d. 1460,
buried in St Andrews, Golspie, Sutherland,
Scotland. He married Margaret Baillie.
55
[1] Alexander (Master of Sutherland)
Sutherland, b. 1449, d. bef 1456.
[2] John (8th Earl Sutherland) Sutherland, d.
1508. He married (1) Margaret MacDonald
(daughter of Alexander (Lord of the Isles)
MacDonald). He married (2) Fingole ?.
[a] John (9th Earl Sutherland) Sutherland,
(son of John (8th Earl Sutherland)
Sutherland and Margaret MacDonald).
[b] Alexander (of Beridale) Sutherland, (son
of John (8th Earl Sutherland) Sutherland and
Fingole ?).
[c] Elizabeth (10th Countess of Sutherland)
Sutherland, (daughter of John (8th Earl
Sutherland) Sutherland and Fingole ?) d.
1535 in Aboyne Castle. She married Adam
(Hon, of Aboyne) Gordon.
{A} Alexander (Earl) Gordon.
[3] Nicholas Sutherland.
[4] Thomas Beg Sutherland.
[5] Robert Sutherland.
[6] Janet Sutherland.
[7] Thomas Mor Sutherland.
[B] Robert Sutherland.
[C] Alexander Sutherland.
(c) Kenneth (Sutherland) de Moravia, (son of William
(5th Earl of Sutherland) de Moravia and Joanna (Joan)
Menteith). He married ? Keith (daughter of Andrew
(2nd of inverugie, and Strabrock) Keith and Janet
Graham).
(2) Nicholas (of Duffus) Sutherland, b. abt 1314, d. aft 1363.
He married Marjory Cheyne (daughter of Reginald (Sir)
Cheyne and Janet (Marshal?) Marshall).
(a) Henry Sutherland, b. abt 1362, d. bef 1434. He
married Margaret of Moray.
2. Walter (Sir, Lord Duffus) de Moravia, b. 1224, d. abt 1263. He
married Euphemia (of Ross) MacTaggart.
a. Freskin of Moray, b. abt 1235, d. bef 1269. He married
Joannna Lady of Strathnaver ?, b. abt 1240 in Strathnaver,
Sutherland, Scotland.
(A) Mary (of Duffus) Moravia, b. abt 1265. She married
Reginald (Sir) Cheyne.
(1) Freskin Cheyne, b. abt 1285. He married Isabel Comyn.
56
(a) Christian Cheyne, b. abt 1310. She married
Alexander de Seton.
(2) Reginald (Sir) Cheyne, b. abt 1304, d. abt 1345. He
married Janet (Marshal?) Marshall.
(a) Marjory Cheyne. She married Nicholas (of Duffus)
Sutherland, b. abt 1314 (son of Kenneth (4th Earl
Sutherland) de Moravia and Margaret de Mar), d. aft
1363.
[A] Henry Sutherland, b. abt 1362, d. bef 1434. He
married Margaret of Moray.
(b) Mariota (of Akergill) Cheyne. She married (1) John
Douglas. She married (2) John (1st of Inverugie)
Keith.
[A] Andrew (2nd of inverugie, and Strabrock)
Keith, (son of John (1st of Inverugie) Keith and
Mariota (of Akergill) Cheyne) b. 1392 in Inverugie,
Morayshire, Scotland, d. 1460. He married Janet
Graham, 1415 in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire,
Scotland, b. 1415, d. 1460.
[1] ? Keith. She married Kenneth (Sutherland)
de Moravia (son of William (5th Earl of
Sutherland) de Moravia and Joanna (Joan)
Menteith).
[2] Gilbert (3rd of Inverugie; 1st of Ludquhairn)
Keith, b. 1418 in Inverugie, Morayshire,
Scotland, d. 1494 in Inverugie, Aberdeenshire,
Scotland.
[B] Female Cheyne, (daughter of John (1st of
Inverugie) Keith and Mariota (of Akergill)
Cheyne).
3. Andrew de Moravia.
B. William de Moravia, b. abt 1164, d. aft 1195.
1. Walter (of Pettie) de Moravia, d. aft 1255.
a. Walter de Moravia. He married ? Olifard (daughter of Walter
Olifard).
(A) Andrew (snr, Sir, of Petty) Moray, d. 1297. He married (1)
Unknown spouse. He married (2) Euphemia (Cumin)
Comyn, 1280's (daughter of John II (Lord of Badenoch)
Comyn and Eleanor Balliol).
(1) John Moray, (son of Andrew (snr, Sir, of Petty) Moray
and Unknown spouse) d. 1333 in Battle of Halidon Hill.
(a) Maurice (Sir, 1st Earl of Strathearn) Moray, b. abt
1315, d. 17 Oct 1346 in In action, Battle of Neville's
57
Cross. He married Joanna (Joan) Menteith, 11 Jul
1339 in Hermiston, East Lothian, Scotland, b. abt 1315
(daughter of John (Sir) Menteith and Ellen of Mar), d.
aft 1367.
[A] Joanna (Lady of Bothwell) Murray, b. abt 1339
in Strathearn, Perthshire, Scotland, d. Aug 1409.
She married (1) Thomas (Sir) Murray (son of
Andrew (Jr; Sir of Bothwell) Moray and Christian
(Brus) Bruce), d. 1361 in London. She married (2)
Archibald ('the grim' Lord of Galloway, 3rd
Earl of Douglas) Douglas, 23 Jul 1362, b. abt
1328 (son of James (Lord Douglas) Douglas), d. 24
Dec 1400 in Bothwell Castle, buried in Bothwell
Collegiate Church.
[1] Archibald (4th Earl of Douglas, 1st Duke
Touraine) Douglas, (son of Archibald ('the
grim' Lord of Galloway, 3rd Earl of Douglas)
Douglas and Joanna (Lady of Bothwell)
Murray) b. abt 1370, d. 17 Aug 1424 in Battle
of Verneuill, France, buried 24 Aug 1424 in
Tours Cathedral, Tours, France. He married
Margaret Stewart, bef 1390 (daughter of
Robert (King Robert III) Stewart and Annabel
Drummond).
[a] Archibald (5th Earl Douglas, 2nd Duke
Touraine) Douglas, b. abt 1390, d. 26 Jun
1439 in Restalrig, Midlothian, Scotland. He
married (1) Matilda Lindsay. He married
(2) Euphemia (Countess Douglas, Lady
Hamilton) Graham, abt 1422 (daughter of
Patrick (Sir of Kincardine, Earl of
Strathearn) Graham and Euphemia
(Countess of Caithness, earl of Strathearn)
Stewart), d. 1468.
{A} William (6th Earl Douglas, 3rd Duke
Touraine) Douglas, (son of Archibald
(5th Earl Douglas, 2nd Duke Touraine)
Douglas and Euphemia (Countess
Douglas, Lady Hamilton) Graham) d.
1440. Executed. He married Janet
Lindsay.
{B} David Douglas, (son of Archibald (5th
Earl Douglas, 2nd Duke Touraine)
58
Douglas and Euphemia (Countess
Douglas, Lady Hamilton) Graham) d.
1440. Executed.
{C} Margaret (of Galloway) Douglas,
(daughter of Archibald (5th Earl
Douglas, 2nd Duke Touraine) Douglas
and Euphemia (Countess Douglas, Lady
Hamilton) Graham). She married (1)
William (8th Earl of Douglas) Douglas
(son of James ('the Gross' Lord of
Balvenie and Abercorn, 1st Earl A etc)
Douglas and Beatrice Sinclair), d. 1452.
She married (2) James (9th Earl of
Douglas, 3rd Earl Avondale) Douglas
(son of James ('the Gross' Lord of
Balvenie and Abercorn, 1st Earl A etc)
Douglas and Beatrice Sinclair), d. 1491.
She married (3) John (Earl of Atholl)
Stewart.
[b] James Douglas, d. 1424.
[c] Elizabeth Douglas. She married (1) John
(Earl of Buchan) Stewart. She married (2)
Thomas (of Garioch) Stewart. She
married (3) William (3rd Earl of Orkney)
Sinclair (son of Henry (2nd Earl Orkney)
Sinclair and Egidia Douglas), d. 25 Aug
1330 in Andalusia.
[2] James ('the Gross' Lord of Balvenie and
Abercorn, 1st Earl A etc) Douglas, (son of
Archibald ('the grim' Lord of Galloway, 3rd
Earl of Douglas) Douglas and Joanna (Lady of
Bothwell) Murray) d. 1443. He married
Beatrice Sinclair.
[a] William (8th Earl of Douglas) Douglas, d.
1452. He married Margaret (of Galloway)
Douglas (daughter of Archibald (5th Earl
Douglas, 2nd Duke Touraine) Douglas and
Euphemia (Countess Douglas, Lady
Hamilton) Graham).
[b] James (9th Earl of Douglas, 3rd Earl
Avondale) Douglas, d. 1491. He married
Margaret (of Galloway) Douglas (daughter
of Archibald (5th Earl Douglas, 2nd Duke
59
Touraine) Douglas and Euphemia (Countess
Douglas, Lady Hamilton) Graham).
[c] Archibald (Earl of Moray) Douglas, d.
1455.
[d] Hugh (Earl of Ormond) Douglas, d. 1455
in Executed.
{A} Hugh (Dean of Brechin) Douglas.
[e] John (Lord of Balvenie) Douglas.
[f] Henry Douglas, d. 14 ___ 1950.
[g] Margaret Douglas. She married Henry (of
Borg) Douglas.
[h] Beatrice Douglas. She married William
(of Errol, 1st Earl of Errol) Hay.
{A} Beatrice Hay. She married Alexander
(Sir of Abergeldie) Gordon.
{1} Janet Gordon. She married
Thomas (2nd Lord Lovat) Fraser
(son of Hugh (1st Lord Lovat) Fraser
and Violet Lyon).
[i] Janet Douglas. She married Robert (of
Biggar, 1st Lord Fleming) Fleming.
[j] Elizabeth Douglas. She married John (of
Craigie) Wallace.
[3] Mary Douglas, (daughter of Archibald ('the
grim' Lord of Galloway, 3rd Earl of Douglas)
Douglas and Joanna (Lady of Bothwell)
Murray). She married (1) David (Duke
Rothesay) Douglas, d. 1402. She married (2)
Walter Haliburton.
[4] William (of Nithsdale) Douglas, (son of
Archibald ('the grim' Lord of Galloway, 3rd
Earl of Douglas) Douglas and Joanna (Lady of
Bothwell) Murray) d. 1391. He married Egidia
Stewart.
[a] William (2nd of Nithsdfale) Douglas, d.
1419.
[b] Egidia Douglas. She married Henry (2nd
Earl Orkney) Sinclair.
{A} William (3rd Earl of Orkney)
Sinclair, d. 25 Aug 1330 in Andalusia.
He married Elizabeth Douglas
(daughter of Archibald (4th Earl of
60
Douglas, 1st Duke Touraine) Douglas
and Margaret Stewart).
{B} James (7th Earl of Douglas) Sinclair.
He married Beatrice of Douglas.
[5] Jean Douglas, (daughter of Archibald ('the
grim' Lord of Galloway, 3rd Earl of Douglas)
Douglas and Joanna (Lady of Bothwell)
Murray) b. abt 1344, d. 1400. She married
Richard (Sir) Rutherford, b. abt 1345 (son of
William de Rutherfurde), d. abt 1424/25.
[a] James (of that Ilk) Rutherford, d. bef 15
Jul 1455 in In battle. He married Christian
Lauder (daughter of John Lauder and
Catherine (of Swinside) Landells).
{A} James (2nd of that Ilk, Lord)
Rutherford, b. abt 1424, d. 1493. He
married Margaret Erskine.
{1} Christian Rutherford. She married
Robert (Sir of Caverton, younger
of Cessford) Ker, 12 Feb 1484 in
Marriage contract, b. 1474 (son of
Walter (Sir of Caverton, later
Cessford) Ker and Agnes Crighton),
d. abt 6 Nov 1500.
{a}Andrew (Sir of Cessford) Ker,
d. 24 Jul 1526. He married
Agnes Crighton, bef 20 Feb
1509-10 (daughter of Patrick (Sir
of Cranstoun Riddell) Crighton).
{2} Philip (Younger of that ilk)
Rutherford. He married Elizabeth
Ker, 12 Feb1484/5, b. bef 1479
(daughter of Walter (Sir of Caverton,
later Cessford) Ker and Agnes
Crighton), d. 19 Oct 1548.
{a}Helen Rutherford, d. 4 Nov
1543 in Broomhouse, Scotland.
She married (1) John (Sir)
Forman, Nov-Dec 1506 (son of
Nicholas Forman and Janet
Blackadder), d. abt 1516 in
Scotland. She married (2)
Thomas (Sir of Mersington)
61
Ker, abt 10 Nov 1516. She
married (3) Andrew (of
Hunthill) Rutherford, abt 20
Aug 1520 (son of George (of
Hunthill) Rutherford). She
married (4) Patrick (of
Broomhouse) Home, 12 Mar
1536, b. 1497 in Wedderburn
Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland
(son of David (3rd Baron
Wedderburn) Home and Isobel
(Hoppringil) Pringle), d. 1553.
(2) Andrew (Jr; Sir of Bothwell) Moray, (son of Andrew
(snr, Sir, of Petty) Moray and Euphemia (Cumin) Comyn)
b. abt 1298, d. 1338 in Avoch Castle. He married
Christian (Brus) Bruce, aft 12 Oct 1325, b. abt 1260
(daughter of Robert II (Earl of Annandale) de Brus and
Isabel de Clare).
(a) John (Sir, Lord of Bothwell) Moray, d. 1352. He
married Margaret (Countess of Menteith) Graham,
aft 21 Nov 1348, b. bf 1334 in Doune Castle,
Stirlingshire, Scotland (daughter of John (Sir, 9th earl
Menteith) Graham and Mary (Countess of Menteith)
Stewart), d. bt 20 Jul 1372 - 4 May 1380.
(b) Thomas (Sir) Murray, d. 1361 in London. He
married Joanna (Lady of Bothwell) Murray, b. abt
1339 in Strathearn, Perthshire, Scotland (daughter of
Maurice (Sir, 1st Earl of Strathearn) Moray and Joanna
(Joan) Menteith), d. Aug 1409.
(B) William (Sir, of Bothwell) Moray, d. abt 1300 in England.
(C) Archibald de Moravia.
(1) Roger (of Fala) de Moravia.
Appendix 2 -The Douglas family
The following is an abbreviated pruned version of the Douglas family tree
compiled from internet sources and Michael Brown, 2007, The Black
Douglases. There is no guarantee of accuracy.
William de Douglas, b. 1174, d. 1213. He married Sister of Freskin (daughter
of ? Freskin).
62
I. Archenbald (Lord of Douglas) de Douglas, b. abt 1198, d. abt 1238. He
married Margaret Crawford, abt 1209, b. abt 1187 (daughter of John (Sir)
Crawford), d. abt 1225.
A. William ('Longleg' lord of Douglas) Douglas, d. abt 1274. He married
Martha de Carrick.
1. William ('le hardi' Lord Douglas) Douglas, d. 1299. He married
(1) Elizabeth Stewart. He married (2) Eleanor de Ferrers.
a. Archibald ('the Tyneman' Lord Liddesdale, the guardian)
Douglas, (son of William ('le hardi' Lord Douglas) Douglas and
Elizabeth Stewart) d. 1333 in Halidon Hill. He married Beatrice
Lindsay.
(A) William (1st Earl Douglas & Mar, Lord Liddesdale)
Douglas, d. 1384. He married Margaret (Countess of
Angus & Mar) Stewart, d. aft 1415.
(1) George (1st Earl Angus, Lord Liddesdale) Douglas, d.
1402 - 1405 in Battle of Hamild, Lancashire, England. He
married Mary Stewart, 24 May 1387 (daughter of Robert
(King Robert III) Stewart and Annabel Drummond), d. aft
1431.
(a) William (2nd Earl Angus, Lord Liddesdale)
Douglas, d. October 1437. He married Margaret (of
Yester) Hay.
[A] James (3rd Earl Angus, Lord of Liddesdale)
Douglas, d. 1446.
[B] George (4th Earl of Angus, Lord Liddesdale)
Douglas, d. 11 Mar 1463 in Abernethy, Scotland.
He married Isabel Sibbald, bef 1446, b. bef 1436
(daughter of John (Sir, of Balgonie) Sibbald), d. bet
1500-Feb 1503.
[1] Archibald (5th earl Angus, Lord Lidesdale to
1491) Douglas, b. 1449 in Tantallon Castle, d.
19 Nov 1513. He married (1) Catherine Seton.
He married (2) Elizabeth Boyd, 4 Mar 1467.
He married (3) Janet Kennedy, abt 1498
(daughter of ? (2nd Lord) Kennedy). He
married (4) Katherine Stirling, 1500.
(b) Elizabeth Douglas. She married (1) Alexander Lord
of Forbes) Forbes, d. 1448. She married (2) David
(of Yester) Hay.
(2) Isabella (Countess of Mar) Douglas, d. 1408. She
married (1) Malcolm Drummond. She married (2)
Alexander (Earl of Mar) Stewart, bef 2 Jan 1404/5 (son
63
of Alexander (Earl of Buchan) Stewart and Mariot Athyn),
d. 26 Jul 1435.
(a) ? (of Mar) Stewart, (daughter of Alexander (Earl of
Mar) Stewart and Isabella (Countess of Mar) Douglas).
She married John (Sir) Lyle (son of John (Sir) Lyle
and Margaret de Vaux).
[A] Robert (Sir) Lyle, d. 1444. He married Elizabeth
(Of Castlemilk, Lanarkshire) Stewart (daughter
of John (Sir of Castlemilk) Stewart).
[1] Robert (First Lord) Lyle, d. 1469. He married
(1) Margaret Wallace. He married (2)
Unknown mistress?. He married (3)
Margaret Grey.
[a] Robert (Sir 2nd Lord) Lyle, (son of Robert
(First Lord) Lyle and Margaret Wallace). He
married Elizabeth (Lady) Douglas, b. 1474
(daughter of Archibald (5th earl Angus,
Lord Lidesdale to 1491) Douglas and
Elizabeth Boyd).
{A} Robert (3rd Lord) Lyle. He married
Mariota (of Dunrod) Lindsay.
{1} John (Lord Lyle) Lyle.
{B} George Lyle.
{C} John Lyle.
{D} Nicholas Lyle.
{E} Margaret Lyle.
{F} Mariota Lyle.
{G} Agnes Lyle.
[b] Mariota (Marjorie) Lyle, (daughter of
Robert (First Lord) Lyle and Unknown
mistress?). She may be the Mariota Lyle
who married Thomas Forman, b. abt 1438?
(son of Nicholas Forman and Margaret
Blackadder).
{A} Janet Forman, possible daughter, b.
abt 1514. She married John Davidson.
[c] Female Lyle, (daughter of Robert (First
Lord) Lyle and Unknown mistress?). She
may have married Patrick Sleich.
{A} Patrick Sleich.
[2] George Lyle.
64
(3) James (2nd Earl Douglas & Mar, Lord Liddesdale)
Douglas, d. August 1388 in Otterburn. He married
Isabella Stewart, 1371.
(a) William (of Drumlanrig) Douglas.
(b) Archibald (of Cavers) Douglas.
[A] William (4th of Cavers) Douglas, d. 26 Oct 1506.
[1] William (of Cavers) Douglas.
[a] ?? Douglas. She married Andrew (of
Cessford and Auldtounburn) Ker, b. bef
1400 (son of Andrew (of Cessford and
Auldtounburn) Ker), d. aft 8 May 1481.
{A} Andrew (younger of Cessford and
and Auldtounburn) Ker, b. bef 1451,
d. abt 27 Apr 1467. He married
Margaret Hepburn (daughter of Patrick
(Sir, 1st Lord Hailes) Hepburn and Elene
Wallace), d. aft 1480.
{1} Margaret Ker, b. 1456. She
married John (Prior of
Coldingham) Home, 20 Mar 1471
in Hailes, Midlothian Scotland, b. in
Ersiltoun, Scotland (son of
Alexander (1st Lord) Home and
Mariota (Marion Lauder) Landells),
d. 22 Jun 1493 in Ersiltoun, Scotland.
{B} Walter (Sir of Caverton, later
Cessford) Ker, b. bef 1416, d. 25 Nov
1501. He married (1) Isabel Hay, bef 29
Sep 1443 (daughter of John (Lord of
Yester) Hay). He married (2) Agnes
Crighton (daughter of William (1st
Lord, Chancellor) Crighton).
{1} Robert (Sir of Caverton, younger
of Cessford) Ker, (son of Walter
(Sir of Caverton, later Cessford) Ker
and Agnes Crighton) b. 1474, d. abt
6 Nov 1500. He married Christian
Rutherford, 12 Feb 1484 in
Marriage contract (daughter of James
(2nd of that Ilk, Lord) Rutherford
and Margaret Erskine).
65
b. James (Lord Douglas) Douglas, (son of William ('le hardi' Lord
Douglas) Douglas and Elizabeth Stewart) b. abt 1286 in Douglas
Castle, Strathclyde, Scotland, d. 25 August 1330 in by Moors in
Spain, carrying Robert the Bruce's heart to Holy Land.
(A) Archibald ('the grim' Lord of Galloway, 3rd Earl of
Douglas) Douglas, b. abt 1328, d. 24 Dec 1400 in Bothwell
Castle, buried in Bothwell Collegiate Church. He married
Joanna (Lady of Bothwell) Murray, 23 Jul 1362, b. abt
1339 in Strathearn, Perthshire, Scotland (daughter of Maurice
(Sir, 1st Earl of Strathearn) Moray and Joanna (Joan)
Menteith), d. Aug 1409.
(1) Archibald (4th Earl of Douglas, 1st Duke Touraine)
Douglas, b. abt 1370, d. 17 Aug 1424 in Battle of
Verneuill, France, buried 24 Aug 1424 in Tours Cathedral,
Tours, France. He married Margaret Stewart, bef 1390
(daughter of Robert (King Robert III) Stewart and Annabel
Drummond).
(a) Archibald (5th Earl Douglas, 2nd Duke Touraine)
Douglas, b. abt 1390, d. 26 Jun 1439 in Restalrig,
Midlothian, Scotland. He married (1) Matilda
Lindsay. He married (2) Euphemia (Countess
Douglas, Lady Hamilton) Graham, abt 1422
(daughter of Patrick (Sir of Kincardine, Earl of
Strathearn) Graham and Euphemia (Countess of
Caithness, earl of Strathearn) Stewart), d. 1468.
The rest of this line is shown in the preceding (Moray)
family tree.
(B) William (Lord of Douglas) Douglas, d. 1333 in Halidon
Hill.
c. Hugh ('the Dull' Lord of Douglas) Douglas, (son of William ('le
hardi' Lord Douglas) Douglas and Elizabeth Stewart).
B. Andrew Douglas.
1. William Douglas.
a. James (of Lothian) Douglas, d. abt 1323.
(A) William (lord of Liddesdale) Douglas, d. August 1353.
Ambushed and killed.
(1) Mary Douglas, d. 1367.
(B) John (Sir) Douglas, d. 1349 or 1350. He married Agnes
Graham (daughter of John (Sir of Dalkeith, Abercorn and
Eskdale) de Graham and Isabella ?).
(1) James (lord of Dalkeith) Douglas, d. 1420.
II. Bricius (Bishop of Moray) de Douglas.
III. Alexander (Canon of Spynie) de Douglas.
66
IV. Henry (Canon of Spynie) de Douglas.
V. Hugh (Canon of Spynie) de Douglas.
VI. Freskin (Dean of Moray) de Douglas.