A general history of Scotland together with a particular history of the Houses of Douglas and Angus / written by Master David Hume of Godscroft.

Of the House of ANGUS, before it came to the name of DOUGLAS.

THe great and potent House of Douglas (of which we may say, the best subjects that ever served Prince, the worthiest seconds that ever seconded any, worthie for their modestie to be seconded by others, second to none in all vertue, and true worth of valour, magnanimi∣tie, kindenesse, courtesie, faithfulnesse to King, Countrey, and kinred, serving their Prince, and served by the rest, worthily served, wor∣thie to be served, as knowers of service, and re∣compencers there of in due proportion, and degree, as Charters of Lands liberally given do testifie) being thus brought to this pitifull end, there arose in place thereof the House of Angus, of which we come now to speak, and to view in the descent of it. If we shall consider it in our best discourse, with all circumstances due to it, and compare it with the for∣mer, to which it succeeded, ballancing all things aright, we shall finde it, as not fully so great in that huge puissance and large extent of lands and rents that the house of Douglas had (which did surpasse all others that were before, or have been since amongst subjects,) so shall it be seen o∣therwise nothing inferiour. In antiquitie Angus is thus far beyond it, that there have been diverse I hanes of Angus (which was a degree of honour in those dayes equall to that of Earles now) as also that the Earles of Angus were created amongst the first that carried the title of Earles in the year 1057. or 1061. at the Parliament of Forfaire in the dayes of King Malcolme Kenmore; whereas the house of Douglas was honoured onely with the title of Barons, or Lords. This is much preferment, yet it is more, that in our Chronicles the name of the house of Douglas is then first found, whereas Angus is found 200. years before that time in the 839. year, howbeit we have already showne that there were Douglasses in the year 767. though not mentioned by our Writers. In bloud they are equall on the fathers side, as being descended of the same progenitours; so that what ever belongs to the house of Douglas before James slain at Otterburn, belongs also to the house of Angus; the first Earle of Angus of that surname being brother to him, and both of them sonnes to Willi∣am the first Earle of Douglas, or rather the first Earle of Douglas, being also Earle of Angus in effect, seeing his wife was Countesse of Angus, howbeit he used not the stile. By the mothers side, the house of Angus

hath the preeminence, being descended of the greatest in the Kingdome, and even of the Royall stock, having been divers wayes mingled there∣with. In vertue, valour, and love of their Countrey, it resembleth the spring from whence it flowes, and comes nothing short of it. In credit, authority, place, and action, account, favour, and affection of men, we shall finde it no lesse beloved and popular, and no lesse respected and honou∣red. So that with all this (both likenesse, and no great inequalitie) bea∣ring the name of Douglas, together with the armes, and title of Lords of Douglas, the fall of this former house was the lesse felt, it seeming not so much cut off, as transplanted; nor destroyed, as transferred; some com∣fort it is, when it comes so to passe, as may be seen in many others.

To deduce then the house of Angus from the first originall thereof, it * 1.1 is declared by our Writers, that Kenneth the second son to Alpine, the 69. King, having expelled the Picts out of his Kingdome, did dispose of their Lands to his Noblemen, and such as had done him good service in the warres. In which distribution he gave the Province (of old called O∣restia) to two brothers, the elder of which was named Angus, or (as Bu∣chanan) Aeneas, and the younger Merns. These two brothers dividing that Province betwixt them, gave each of them his name to that half he possessed, and so of one they made two, calling the one Angus, and the o∣ther the Merns, as these Countreyes are so called at this present. This is the first Thane of Angus, from whom that Countrey took the name. 2. After him we read of other Thanes, as of Rohardus, Radardus, or Cad∣hardus, who slew Culenus (the 79. King) for ravishing his daughter. 3. Also there was one Cruthnetus (in the reigne of Kenneth, brother to Duffe, in the year 961.) who was slain by Crathelint, who was his own grand-childe by his daughter Fenella, or Finabella, married to the Thane of the Merns. 4. Then we have one Sinel, (in the reigne of Malcolme the second son to this Kenneth, who began his reigne 1104. and reigned 30. years) who married Doaca or Doada, younger daughter to King Malcolme, whose elder sister Beatrix, was married to Crinen, Thane of the Isles, and principall of the Thanes, whom that age called Abthane. 5. Of this mar∣riage was procreat Mackbeth, or Mackbed, or Mackabee, Thane of Angus, and afterward King of Scotland, of whom the History is sufficiently knowne. 6. The last Thane was Luthlack, son to Mackbeth, who was installed King at Scone after his fathers death, but within three moneths he was encountered by King Malcolme; and slain at Strabogie. This was about the year 1056, or 57. And so much of the first period of the house of Angus, under the title of Thanes.

The second period of the house of Angus, is under the title of Earles, before it come to the name of Stuart. The first is, one made Earle by King Malcolme, at the Parliament of Forfaire, where Boetius telleth expres∣ly, that the Thane of Angus was made Earle of Angus. The next is in the dayes of King David (called Saint David) in the warres with Stephen King of England, in the battell at Alerton, where the Generall the Earle of Glocester was taken prisoner; the Scottish Army is said to have been conducted by the Earles of March, Stratherne, and Angus, in the year 1136. or 37. but he is not named. The third is Gilchrist (in the year 1153.)

in the reigne of Malcolme the maiden, who did good service against Su∣merledus, Thane of Argyle, and being married to the Kings sister, having found her false, put her to death; and fearing the King, fled into England, and afterward was pardoned. Then we have John Cumin in the dayes of Alexander the second, in the year 1239. of whom wee read nothing, but that he was sent Ambassadour into France to Lewis then King, and that he died by the way before he had delivered his Ambassage: Boetius, Hol∣linshed. This was about 1330.

The third period is in the surname of Stuarts; of whom the first is one John Stuart entitled Earle of Angus, Lord of Boncle, and Abernethie, in a Charter given by him to Gilbert Lumsden of Blainerne, yet extant in the hands of the house of Blainerne. It is not dated, but the witnesses show the time, for Randolphus custos regni Scotiae is one. What this John was is uncertain, but in likelihood he hath been brother to Walter (the se∣venth from the first Walter) and sonne to John, and so also uncle to Ro∣bert the first King of that Name, for so the time doth bear, and his fa∣ther John (or himself) married the heir of Boncle, and was slain at the battell of Falkirk in the year 1299. This John was slain at Halidoun hill, together with his brother James, and Alane. (Buch. lib. 9.) 2. The second is, Thomas (apparantly sonne to John) who assisted the Earle of Douglas, and the Earle of March in their taking of Berwick, in the year 1357. or 58. he died in the Castle of Dumbartan, having bin imprisoned there, but for what, is not known. 3. Then Thomas again, father to Margaret Stuart Countesse of Marre and Angus. 4. Last of all Margaret Stuart, daugh∣ter to this Thomas, married first to Thomas Marre Earle of Marre in her fathers lifetime apparantly. And after her fathers death (who died with∣out heirs male) she was heir to her father by the renunciation of her si∣ster Elizabeth (who was married afterward to Alexander Hamilton of Cadyowe) and so she was Countesse of Marre and Angus, Dowager (or Lady tercer) of Marre, and inheritrix of the Earldome of Angus. Her first husband dying without issue, she was married after his death to William the first Earle of Douglas, she being his third wife (as hath bin shewed) in the year 1381. She was a kinde Lady to her friends, loving to her sister Elizabeth, and a carefull mother to her sonne George. Earle of Angus. She is never designed Countesse of Douglas, either for distin∣ction, being better known by her titles of Marre and Angus, or because these were more ancient, and no lesse honourable. She is the twelfth from Bancho, and tenth from Walter the first Stuart, and she is the last of that Name in the house of Angus. And thus much of the house of An∣gus in generall before it came to the Douglasses, of whom now it is time to speak.

Notes

• * 1.1

  838..