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;.

SUTHERLAND Lord DUFFUS.

THAT the barony of Duffus was first the property of the Murrays, then of the Cheynes, is clearly set forth, under the titles of Murray duke of Athole. page 51, and Moray lord Bothwell, page 80 of this work.

And as the rise and descent of the ancient and illustrious name of Sutherland, is to be found under the title, earl of Sutherland; to that we refer our readers, and proceed to deduce the descent of this noble family from their immediate ancestor, viz.

Kenneth, sixth earl of Sutherland, who flou∣rished in the reign of king Robert Bruce, and lost his life in the service of his country, at the battle of Halidonhill,* 1.1 anno 1333. By a daughter of Donald earl of March, he left issue two sons,

1. William, seventh earl of Sutherland, his successor.

2. Nicholas Sutherland, the first of this fa∣mily.

I. NICHOLAS, second son of the sixth earl of Sutherland, obtained from his brother earl William, a grant of the forty pound land of Therbol, anno 1360, which is confirmed by a charter under the great seal, from king Da∣vid Bruce,* 1.2 (the lands being erected into a free barony) to him, and the lawful heirs∣male of his body, holding of the said earl, &c. The confirmation is dated at Edinburgh, 17th day of October, 1364.

He married Mary, daughter and heiress of Reynald de Cheyne, by whom he got the lands and barony of Duffus, which afterwards became the chief title of his family; and in consequencc of this marriage, he added the arms of Cheyne,* 1.3 to his paternal coat of Su∣therland, viz. gules, three cross crosslets or, which is still a part of the armorial bearing of Sutherland of Duffus.

By the said Mary Cheyne, he left issue a son,

II. HENRY SUTHERLAND, second baron of Duffus,* 1.4 who succeeded him. He got a charter, upon his father's resignation, of the lands and barony of Therbol, from the earl of Sutherland, superior thereof, in the reign of king Robert III.

He was father of

III. ALEXANDER SUTHERLAND,* 1.5 third baron of Duffus, who got a new charter from his chief, John earl of Sutherland, of the lands and barony of Therbol, &c. proceeding upon the resignation of his grandfather Nicol, in favours of his son Henry, father of this A∣lexander, dated 12th July 1444.

He married Morella, daughter of—Chisholm of that ilk,* 1.6 with whom he got the barony of Quarrelwood, and several other lands;* 1.7 whereupon he added to his armorial bearing, a boar's head erased, &c. being part of the arms of Chisholm.

By her he had issue two sons and one daughter.

1. Alexander his heir.

2. William, who succeeded to the lands of Quarrelwood, in right of his mother, and carried on the line of this family, of whom afterwards.

His daughter Isabel,* 1.8 married to sir Alexander Dunbar of Westfield, who got with her the lands of Clunie, Clava, &c. being part of her mother's estate.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

IV. ALEXANDER SUTHERLAND, fourth baron of Duffus, who married—daughter of—by whom he had only one daughter,

Christian Sutherland,* 1.9 married to William Oliphant of Berrendale.

He dying without issue male, the estate of Duffus devolved upon his nephew William, his heir male, being son of his brother William, to whom we now return.

IV. WILLIAM SUTHERLAND of Quar∣relwood, second son of Alexander, third ba∣ron of Duffus, flourished in the reign of king James III. and was father of

V. WILLIAM, who succeeded to his uncle Alexander, as before observed, and was fifth baron of Duffus.

He got a charter under the great seal, from king James IV.* 1.10 Willielmo Sutherland de Quar∣relwood, terrarum baroniae de Duffus, &c. an∣no 1507.

Also charters from king James V. of seve∣ral other lands,* 1.11 inter 1516 et 1520.

He married Janet,* 1.12 daughter of sir Alexander Innes of that ilk, by whom he had two sons.

1. William his heir.

2. Alexander, who being bred to the church, was rector of Duffus, dean of Caithness, &c. and was designed frater germanus Willielmi de Duffus.* 1.13

This William was slain at Thurso,* 1.14 by the clan Gun, in the beginning of the year 1529. His lady survived him, which appears by a sasine,* 1.15 Jonetae Innes, relictae nobilis viri, Wil∣lielmi de Duffus, &c. in August 1529.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

VI. WILLIAM, sixth baron of Duffus, who, in an instrument of sasine of the lands of Quarrelwood,* 1.16 is designed legitimus haeres Willielmi Sutherland de Duffus, &c., 12th June, 1529.

He got afterwards charters under the great seal,* 1.17 from king James V. Willielmo Suther∣land de Duffus, of several lands and baronies, inter 1535, et 1540.

By—his wife, he left issue a son,

William his Heir,—and a daughter,

Elizabeth,* 1.18 married to Archibald Douglas of Pittendreich.

He died inter 1580 et 1585, and was succeeded by his son,

VII. WILLIAM, seventh baron of Duffus, who got charters under the great seal,* 1.19 from king James VI. Willielmo Sutherland de Duffus, of several lands and baronies, inter 1585, et 1592.

He got also charters of the lands of Duffus, Brounton,* 1.20 Saltcoats, &c. inter 1602, et 1606.

He died, inter 1635 et 1640, leaving issue a son and successor,

VIII. ALEXANDER SUTHERLAND of Duffus,* 1.21 who got charters under the great seal, from king Charles I. domino Alexandro, &c. of the lands and barony of Duffus and others, inter 1642 et 1646.

He was appointed one of the committee of estates by the parliament,* 1.22 20th March 1647, and, after the murther of the king, was nomi∣nated one of the colonels for arming the king∣dom, 15th February 1649.

And being a man of great parts and merit,* 1.23 was raised to the dignity of the peerage, by king Charles II. on 8th December 1650, a little before his coronation.

After the restoration,* 1.24 he got charters un∣der the great seal, Alexandro domino Duffus, haeredibus et assignatis quibuscunque, terrarum de Kersgill, &c. &c. anno 1668.

He married, first, lady Margaret MacKen∣zie, daughter of Colin, first earl of Seaforth, widow of John master of Berrendale, and mother of George, sixth earl of Caithness; but by her he had no issue.

He married, 2dly, a daughter of sir Ro∣ert Innes of that ilk, also without issue.

He married 3dly, lady Margaret Stewart, daughter of James earl of Murray, by whom he had a son,

James, his heir;—and a daughter,

Henrietta, married to George earl of Lin∣lithgow.

He died anno 16.. and was succeeded by his son,

IX. JAMES, second lord Duffus, who married lady Margaret MacKenzie, daughter of Kenneth, third earl of Seaforth, by whom he had three sons.

1. Kenneth, his heir.

2. James, who was created a baronet, an∣no 1706, and married Mary, daughter and heiress of sir George Dunbar of Hemprigs, who thereupon changed his name to Dunbar.

3. William Sutherland of Rosecommon, Esq; who married Mary, daughter of Wil∣liam lord Forbes.

He died anno 1705, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

X. KENNETH, third lord Duffus, whose genius leading him to a seafaring life, he soon acquired such great skill and knowledge in maritime affairs, that her majesty queen Anne gave him the command of the Advice, a 50 gun ship of war, in which station he so re∣markably distinguished himself in several ex∣peditions, that he did honour to himself and

his country, by his conduct, undaunted cou∣rage and resolution.

He had the misfortune to be engaged in the rebellion 1715, but got beyond the seas, and was attainted by parliament. He was af∣terwards apprehended at Hamburgh, brought to London, and committed prisoner to the tower, anno 1716, but was released the year thereafter by the act of grace. He withdrew into foreign parts, and served as a flag-officer in the Russian fleet.

He married Charlotte, daughter of Eric de Sioblede, governor and admiral of Gotten∣burgh in Sweden, by whom he had a son,

Eric his successor,—and two daughters married in Sweden.

XI. ERIC, who, had it not been for his father's attainder, would have been fourth lord Duffus.

He married his cousin Elizabeth Sutherland, daughter of his uncle sir James Dunbar of Hemprigs, Bart, before mentioned, by whom he hath two sons and three daughters.

1. James his heir.

2. Axle Sutherland, Esq;.

1st daughter Elizabeth.

2. Charlotte.

3. Anne.

ARMS.

Quarterly, 1st, gules, three stars or: 2d, azure, three cross crosslets fitchy argent: 3d, azure, a boar's head erased, argent: 4th, as the first.

CREST; on a wreath, a cat sejant, proper.

SUPPORTERS; two savages proper, each wreathed about his head and middle with lau∣rel, and armed with a batton.

MOTTO; Without fear.

CHIEF SEATS.

At Skelbo in the county of Sutherland, and Elgin-house in the county of Elgin.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ford. lib. xii. cap. 27.
• * 1.2

  Char. in arch. regis David.
• * 1.3

  Nisbet, vol. I. p. 259.
• * 1.4

  Chart. penes comitem de Sutherland.
• * 1.5

  Information for the earl of Sutherland against the earl of Craw∣furd, &c. and Charta penes comitem de Sutherland.
• * 1.6

  Chart. in pub. archiv. ad ann. 1433.
• * 1.7

  Nisbet, vol. I. p. 260. and vol. II. p. 20.
• * 1.8

  Writs of the family of Westfield, penes Mac∣farlane.
• * 1.9

  Char. in arch. Jacobi IV. ad ann. 1507.
• * 1.10

  Chart. in pub. archiv.
• * 1.11

  Ibidem.
• * 1.12

  Chartul. of Murray, penes MacFarlane.
• * 1.13

  Ibid. p. 597.
• * 1.14

  Hist. of the earls of Su∣therland, p. 77.
• * 1.15

  Chartulary of Murray, p. 551.
• * 1.16

  Ibid. 549.
• * 1.17

  Chart. in pub. archiv.
• * 1.18

  Ibid. ad an∣num 1596.
• * 1.19

  Ibidem.
• * 1.20

  Ibidem.
• * 1.21

  Ibidem.
• * 1.22

  Rescinded acts of parlt.
• * 1.23

  Crawfurd's peerage, and writs of the fam. of Duffus.
• * 1.24

  Chart. in pub. archiv.