The peerage of Scotland: containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom, ... collected from the public records, and ancient chartularies of this nation, ... Illustrated with copper-plates. By Robert Douglas, Esq;.

About this Item

Title
The peerage of Scotland: containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom, ... collected from the public records, and ancient chartularies of this nation, ... Illustrated with copper-plates. By Robert Douglas, Esq;.
Author
Douglas, Robert, Sir, 1694-1770.
Publication
Edinburgh :: printed by R. Fleming, and sold by him, and the other booksellers in Edinburgh; and at London by A. Miller, R. Baldwin, D. Wilson, and T. Durham,
1764.
Rights/Permissions

To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.lib.umich.edu/tcp/ecco/ for more information.

Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/004896980.0001.000
Cite this Item
"The peerage of Scotland: containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom, ... collected from the public records, and ancient chartularies of this nation, ... Illustrated with copper-plates. By Robert Douglas, Esq;." In the digital collection Eighteenth Century Collections Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/004896980.0001.000. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed October 31, 2024.

Pages

FORBES Lord FORBES.

THAT this noble and ancient family hath flourished in Scotland above five hundred years, appears both from our histo∣ries and records, though some traditional ac∣counts deduce their origin and descent much higher.

Mr. Martin of Clermont, a learned and ju∣dicious antiquary, says, that one Solvathius Forbes,* 1.1 married Moravilla, daughter of king Gregory the great, about the year 870, and that all the Forbes's in Scotland are descend∣ed of him.

Page 264

Other historians say, that one Achonacher, a man of rank, who came from Ireland, hav∣ing killed a monstrous wild boar, took the name of For-bear,* 1.2 which was afterwards turn∣ed to Forbeas; that he was ancestor of the Forbes's, and that they took the boar's head for their armorial bearing, in memory of their having killed the boar.

Cambden says, that one of the name of Bois, in king John Baliol's time, after kil∣ing a mighty wild boar,* 1.3 was called For-bois, which afterwards was turned to Forbes; but this must be a mistake, (at least as to the aera,) for there were Forbes's in Scotland long before that time.

It is alledged by others, with more probabi∣lity, that Forbes is a local sirname, and was first taken up by the proprietors of the lands and barony of Forbes, soon after the reign of king Malcolm Canmore, about which time several men of rank in Scotland assumed their sir∣names from the lands they possessed, and were progenitors of some of the most considerable families in the kingdom.

We shall therefore pass over the tradition∣al accounts, and deduce the descent of this noble family, by authentic documents, from the first of them we find upon record, viz.

I. JOHN de FORBES, a man of rank and figure, who flourished in the reign of king William the Lion. He possessed the lands and barony of Forbes, and was father of,

II. FERGUS de FORBES, who got a char∣ter from Alexander earl of Buchan,* 1.4 Fergusio, filio Johannis de Forbes, totum et integrum te∣nementum de Forbes, cum pertinent. jacent. in vicecomitatu de Aberdeen, &c. to which char∣ter William Cummin, the earl of Buchan's brother, and John Cummin, his eldest son, &c. are witnesses, about the year 1236; and of this Fergus all the Forbes's in Scotland are descended.

He let issue a son and successor,

III. ALEXANDER FORBES, who was a man of great magnanimity and courage, and a true lover of his country. He was captain and governour of the castle of Urquhart, which he gallantly defended against king Edward I. of England,* 1.5 to the very last extremity, and on no terms could be prevailed on to surren∣der. In the end the castle was taken by storm, and the whole garrison, with himself and all his sons, were put to the sword, anno 1303; but happily his lady being with child was delivered of a son, who succeeded him, and carried on the line of this family.

This son, who was also named

IV. ALEXANDER FORBES, when a young man,* 1.6 joined king Robert Bruce, performed many brave actions in his service, and never deserted his interest; for which, and in re∣gard of the great sufferings of his family, and his own eminent loyalty, he obtained a grant of several other lands from that great monarch, to him and his heirs for ever.

He was no less faithful to king David Bruce,* 1.7 and adhered firmly to his interest, till he lost his life in his service at the fatal battle of Duplin, anno 1332.

He was also succeeded by a posthumous son,

V. Sir JOHN FORBES of that ilk, who made a great figure in the reigns of king Ro∣bert II.* 1.8 and III. and acquired from Thomas earl of Marr several lands in Aberdeen-shire, which he got confirmed to him by a charter under the great seal of king Robert II. anno 1373.

He obtained likeways a grant of the lands of Findrossie,* 1.9 by a charter Johanni de Forbes domino ejusdem, et Margaretae sponsae suae, dat∣ed 19th July 1378.

In the fifth year of king Robert III. he was constituted justiciar▪ of Aberdeen-shire, and coroner of that county.

He is witness in a charter of Isabel coun∣tess of Marr, of the lands of Bonjedworth to Thomas Douglas,* 1.10 in which he is designed Johannes Forbes de eodem, miles, dated anno 1404.

By the said Margaret, (but of what family we know not,) he left issue four sons.

1. Sir Alexander, his heir.

2. Sir William Forbes▪ knight, ancestor of lord Pitsligo. Vide title Pitsligo.

3. Sir John Forbes, thane of Formartin, ancestor of the Forbes's of Tolquhon, Fove∣ran, Waterton, Culloden, and many others.

4. Alexander,* 1.11 ancestor of the Forbes's of Brux, and of several other families. Vide vol. II. of this work.

He died anno 1405, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

VI. Sir ALEXANDER,* 1.12 afterwards lord For∣bes, who got an assignation to certain lands from William de Camera, dominus de Fin∣downe, Alexandro domino Forbes, &c. dated anno 1419.

He was a great patriot, of an undaunted spirit, and was one of those Scotch he••••es that went to France as volunteers to oppose the English under king Henry V. who carried king James I. then their prisoner, along with them, in hopes of making the Scots desert their old allies, and come over to them; but

Page 265

without success. Lord Forbes carried with him, in his own retinue, forty launces and one hundred horse, which sufficiently shews the grandeur of this family at that time; and it was chiefly owing to his valour, lord Gordon's, and some others,* 1.13 that the Scots obtained a glorious victory over the English at Bauge in Anjou, anno 1421.

He returned to Scotland immediately after that battle,* 1.14 and obtained a safe conduct to wait upon the king in England, and is then designed dominus de Forbes, in the end of that year 1421.

He obtained a grant from John earl of Bu∣chan, to him and Elizabeth Douglas his spouse,* 1.15 and their heirs, of the lands of Meigle, Fin∣tray, Blacktown, Balcross, &c. anno 1423.

Also a charter of the lands and barony of Forbes,* 1.16 from Murdoch duke of Albany, go∣vernor of Scotland, Alexandro domino Forbes et Elizabethae Douglas sponsae suae, consangui∣neae nostrae (gubernatoris) carissimae, &c. dated anno 1424.

All which was confirmed by a charter, un∣der the great seal, of king James I. domino Alexandro Forbes militi,* 1.17 domino de Forbes, et Elizabethae sponsae suae, &c. dated 6th October 1429.

He obtained a bond of man-rent from sir Alexander Ogston,* 1.18 lord of that ilk, who o∣bliged himself to attend him with three horse∣men against all mortals, the king's majesty only excepted, dated 20th May 1426.

He entered into an indenture with Robert lord Lyle of Duchale, who gives to Alexan∣der lord Forbes his part of the lands of Strath∣dee, Kindrocht,* 1.19 &c. with all their pertinents, to be holden of the said Robert in blanch farm, as soon as Robert shall recover possessi∣on of half the lands of Mar, &c. And in like manner the said Alexander gives to the said Robert his lands of Clunie and Whitefield, lying in Strathern and Angus, to be holden of the earl of Angus, &c. dated anno 1444.

This sir Alexander was certainly created lord Forbes long before this aera, though we cannot fix the precise time; for he was so de∣signed in Rymer anno 1421, in the above charter of Murdoch duke of Albany, anno 1424; also in his son's protest in 1445, hereafter mentioned. There is likeways in the register of the sheriff-court-books of A∣berdeen, a precept by king James II.* 1.20 to his well-beloved cousin Alexander lord Forbes, of all arrearages and rests of his last accompts in the shire of Aberdeen, &c. dated 12th Ju∣ly 1447.

He married lady Elizabeth Douglas, daugh∣ter of George earl of Angus, by lady Mar∣garet Stewart, daughter of king Robert III. and obtained an obligation from William earl of Angus,* 1.21 her brother, nobili viro Alexandro de Forbes militi▪ domino ejusd. et Elizabethae sponsae suae, sorori et haeredi dicti comitis, &c. dated anno 1423.

He got also a charter from king James I. to him and Elizabeth his wife,* 1.22 of the barony of Forbes, Logie, Muchil, and many others, all erected into one barony, &c. dated 6th October 1430.

By her he had issue two sons, and three daughters.

1. James, his heir.

2. Mr. John Forbes, provost of St. Giles's church, Edinburgh.

1st daughter, Annabeila, married to sir An∣drew Gray of Foulis, ancestor of lord Gray.

2. Margaret, married to—of Fyvie.

3. Elizabeth, married to—Irvine of Drum.

He died anno 1448, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

VII. JAMES, second lord Forbes, who, in his father's lifetime, was designed master of For∣bes, the common appellation of a lord of parli∣ament's eldest son: This is instructed by a pro∣test taken by him in parliament, viz. Jaco∣bus magister de Forbes, filius et haeres Alexan∣dri domini Forbes, protestatus est, quod si decre∣tum contra Jacobum comitem Angusiae contige∣rit esse promulgatum,* 1.23 quod illud nullum sibi ge∣neraret praejudicium ex successione praedicto co∣miti Angusiae, &c. Testibus (to the notar's instrument) nobilibus et potentibus dominis, Henrico domino de Dalkeith, Williclmo domi∣no de Somerville, Andrea domino Gray, Patri∣cio domino Glammis, &c. dated anno 1445.

This agrees with the earl of Angus's bond and tailzie of his estate,* 1.24 failing heirs of his own body, to James master of Forbes, son and heir of Alexander lord Forbes, by his sister Elizabeth Douglas, &c.

This lord obtained from king James II.* 1.25 a licence, dilecto consanguineo suo Jacobo domino Forbes, ad construendum turrem seu sortalitium dictum Drumynor vulgariter nuncupat. Forbes in dominio de Forbes inra vicecomitatum de Aber∣deen, &c. dated 14th May 1456.

He married lady Egidia Keith, daughter of William first earl Marishal, by whom he had three sons, and one daughter.

1. William, master of Forbes.

2. Duncan, ancestor of the Forbes's of Corsindae, Monimusk, Kilmuck, Lesly, &c.

3. Patrick, ancestor of the Forbes's of Corse, Craigyvar, &c. in Scotland, and of the earls of Granard in Ireland.

His daughter, Giles, was married to Mal∣colm Forbes of Tolquhon.

Page 266

He died about the year 1470, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

VIII. WILLIAM, third lord Forbes, who married lady Christian Gordon,* 1.26 daughter of Alexander earl of Huntly, by whom he had three sons, and one daughter.

1. Alexander.

2. Arthur.

3. John.

The above three sons were all successively lords Forbes.

His daughter, Christian, married to Willi∣am lord Ruthven.

He died soon after his-father, and was suc∣ceeded by his eldest son,

IX. ALEXANDER,* 1.27 fourth lord Forbes, who got a charter, under the great seal, of the lands and barony of Forbes, to him and Eliza∣beth his wife, dated 9th July 1477.

He was a man of great honour and loyalty, and a true patriot: he took up arms, and raised all his vassals and friends, to revenge the murder of king James III. and was join∣ed by the earls Marishal and Huntly, who were no less zealous than himself:* 1.28 but their measures were all disconcerted by the de∣feat of the earl of Lennox at Tillymoss, who had raised two thousand men on the same ac∣count, anno 1488.

He afterwards submitted to king James IV. and was received into favour.

He married lady Elizabeth Boyd, daughter of Thomas earl of Arran; but dying without issue, was succeeded by his brother,

IX. ARTHUR,* 1.29 fifth lord Forbes, who mar∣ried Elizabeth Lyon, daughter of John lord Glammis; but dying also without issue, be∣fore 1505, his estate and honours devolved upon his brother,

IX. JOHN, sixth lord Forbes, who got a charter from king James IV.* 1.30 Johanni domino Forbes, terrarum de Meigle, Fintray, Blackstown, Belcross, &c. quae uerunt Alexandri Forbes militis, proavi dicti Johannis, &c. dated 1st December 1505.

Also a charter allowing him to build a castle upon the hill of Kynedward, dated 6th April 1509.* 1.31

And a charter of the lands and barony of Fudes, in vicecomitatu de Aberdain, to him and Christian Lundin his spouse, dated 6th February 1510.

He got charters from king James V.* 1.32 of ma∣ny other lands, too numerous to be here in∣serted, inter 1520 et 1535.

He married, 1st, lady Catharine Stewart, daughter of John earl of Athole,* 1.33 by whom he had a son,

James, who died young,—and a daughter,

Elizabeth, married to—Grant of that ilk.

He married, 2dly, Christian, daughter of sir John Lundy of that ilk, by whom he had a son,

William, his heir,—and four daugh∣ters.

1. Margaret, married to Andrew Fraser of Muchil, ancestor of lord Fraser.

2. Elizabeth, married, 1st, to Gilbert Keith of Troup; and, 2dly, to Alexander Innes of that ilk.

3. Marjory, married to Gilbert Forbes of Brux.

4. Christian,* 1.34 married to William lord Ruthven.

He married, 3dly, Elizabeth Barlow, wi∣dow of Alexander lord Elphingston, by whom he had a son,

Arthur, designed of Putachie,—and a daughter,

Janet, married, 1st, to John earl of Athole; 2dly, to Alexander Hay of Dalgity; and, 3dly, to William Leslie of Balquhain.

He died anno 1547, and was succeeded by his son,

X. WILLIAM, seventh lord Forbes, who, in his father's lifetime,* 1.35 got a charter, under the great seal, Willielmo magistro de Forbes, terrarum baroniae de Fudes, dated anno 1539.

And a charter, terrarum baroniae de Forbes, Awford, &c. dated anno 1545.

Also charters of several other lands,* 1.36 inter 1578 et 1584.

He was in great favour with king James V.* 1.37 who appointed him one of the gentlemen of his bed-chamber, when but a young man.

He married Elizabeth,* 1.38 daughter and co∣heiress of sir William Keith of Innerugy, by whom he had six sons, and eight daughters.

1. John, master of Forbes.

2. William Forbes of Foderhouse.

3. James Forbes of Lethinty.

4. Robert Forbes, prior of Monimusk.

5. Arthur Forbes of Logic.

6. Abraham Forbes of Blackstown.

1st daughter, Jean, married to James lord Ogilvie of Airly.

2. Elizabeth, married to Henry lord Sin∣clair.

3. Christian, married to George Johnston of Caskieben.

4. Isabel, married to John Gordon of Pit∣lurg.

5. Catharine, married to—Barclay of Gartly, in vicecomitatu de Aberdeen.

Page 267

6. Margaret, married to George Sinclair of May, son of George earl of Caithness.

7. Barbara, married to Alexander Allar∣dice of that ilk.

8. Anne, married to sir John Seton of Barns.

He died anno 1593, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

XI. JOHN, eighth lord Forbes, who got from king James VI.* 1.39 a charter of the lands and barony of Forbes, &c. Johanni domino Forbes, &c. dated anno 1598.

He married, 1st, lady Margaret Gordon, daughter of Alexander earl of Huntly, by whom he had a son,

John, who entered into holy orders abroad, and died without issue,—and two daugh∣ters.

1. Jean, married to William Cummin of Earnside.

2. Margaret, married to George Sinclair of Dunbeath.

He married, 2dly, Janet, daughter of James Seton of Touch, by whom he had a son,

Arthur, his heir,—and a daughter,

Catharine, married to—Gordon of Rothemay.

XII. ARTHUR, ninth lord Forbes, su∣ceeded his father,* 1.40 and married Jean, daugh∣ter of Alexander lord Elphingston,* 1.41 by whom he had five sons, and three daughters.

1. Alexander, his heir.

2. Colonel John Forbes.

3. Colonel William Forbes.

4. Captain Arthur.

5. Captain James.

These two last were killed in the Ger∣man wars.

1st daughter, Barbara, married to George earl of Seaforth.

2. Anne, married to—Forbes of Echt.

3. Elizabeth, married to—Skeen of that ilk.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

XIII. ALEXANDER, tenth lord Forbes, who, in his father's lifetime, got a charter from king James VI. Alexandro magistro de Forbes,* 1.42 filio et haeredi apparenti Arthuri domini Forbes, terrarum baroniae de Fintray, &c. dated anno 1619.

His genius leading him to a military lise, he went over to Germany, and served under the great Gustavus Adolphus, where he ac∣quired the reputation of a brave and gallant officer, and arrived to the degree of a lieu∣tenant-general.

Upon the breaking out of the civil war in Great-Britain, he returned to his native coun∣try, had a considerable command in the army that was sent over to suppress the rebellion in Ireland.

He was one of the colonels of foot in A∣berdeen-shire, for duke Hamilton's engage∣ment,* 1.43 anno 1648; and, after the murder of the king, had the same office in that shire, for putting the kingdom in a posture of de∣fence, anno 1649.

He married, 1st, Anne, daughter of sir John Forbes of Pitsligo, by whom he had a son,

William, master of Forbes, and several o∣thers who died young.

He married, 2dly, Elizabeth, daughter of—Forbes of Rires,* 1.44 in vicecom. de Fife, by whom he had two sons and three daughters that came to maturity, and eight others that died young.

1. Colonel James Forbes.

2. Captain Arthur Forbes.

1st daughter, Christian, married to John Forbes of Balflug.

2. Mary, married, 1st, to Hugh Rose of Kilravock; and 2dly, to—Kinnaird of Cowbine.

3. Anne, who died unmarried.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

XIV. WILLIAM, eleventh lord Forbes, who married Jean,* 1.45 daughter of—Camp∣bell of Calder, by whom he had issue, three sons and two daughters.

1. William, his heir.

2. Arthur Forbes of Breda, without issue.

3. Mr. Archibald Forbes of Putachie.

1st daughter Mary, married, 1st, to Willi∣am Sutherland of Rosecommon, son of James, second lord Duffus; and 2dly, to sir Robert Gordon of Gordonston.

2. Elizabeth, married to—Leith of Whitehaugh.

And dying in 1691, was succeeded by his eldest son,

XV. WILLIAM, twelfth lord Forbes, who, coming early into the revolution, was consti∣tuted one of the lords of the privy-council to king William, in May 1689; captain of a troop of horse; and soon after colonel of a re∣giment of dragoons.

He was also one of the privy-council to queen Anne, and lieutenant colonel of the horse guards, commanded by the duke of Argyle.

He married Anne, daughter of James Bro∣die of that ilk, by whom he had two sons, and one daughter.

1. William, his heir.

Page 268

2. James, who succeeded to the honours, of whom afterwards.

His daughter Mary, married to John Ogil∣vie of Balbegno, Esq;

He died, anno 1716, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

XVI. WILLIAM, thirteenth lord Forbes, who married Miss Dorothy Dale, daughter of William Dale, Esq; of Covent-garden, Westminster, by whom he had a son,

Francis, his heir,—and three daugh∣ters.

1. Mary, who died young.

2. Jean, married to captain James Dun∣dass younger of Dundass.

3. Elizabeth, married to doctor John Gregory, professor of medicine in king's col∣lege, Aberdeen.

He died anno 1730, and was succeeded by his only son,

XVII. FRANCIS, fourteenth lord Forbes, who died a minor, unmarried, anno 1734, and was succeeded by his uncle James before-mentioned, to whom we now return.

XVI. JAMES, fifteenth lord Forbes, second son of William, the twelfth lord, married, 1st, Mary Forbes, sister of Alexander, lord Pit∣sligo, widow of John Forbes of Monimusk, by whom he had a son,

James, now lord Forbes,—and three daughters.

1. Sophia, married to Charles Cummin of Kinninmount.

2. Mary, married to James Gordon of Cowbardie, Esq;

3. Anne, married to Thomas Erskine of Pittodrie, Esq;

He married, 2dly, Elizabeth, daughter of sir James Gordon of Park, Bart. by whom he had no issue.

He died anno 1761, and was succeeded by his son,

XVII. JAMES, sixteenth lord Forbes, who married Catharine Innes, only daughter of sir Robert Innes of Orton, Bart. by whom he has a daughter.

ARMS.

Azure, three boars heads couped argent, muzled gules.

CREST; on a wreath, a stag's head eraz∣ed, proper.

SUPPORTERS; two greyhounds argent, each having a plain collar gules.

MOTTO; Grace me guide.

CHIEF SEATS.

At Castle Forbes and Putachie, in Aber∣deenshire, &c.

Notes

Do you have questions about this content? Need to report a problem? Please contact us.