Ref:

(1) Skene- "De Verborum Significatione, sub voce 'Liberum Tenementum'"; Macfarlane's "General Collection", II, 209

"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.IV, p.43

2I. JOHN (DUNCAN 1)

John de Fernboys paid homage to Edward I on 14 Mar. 1295/6.(1) In 1306 Robert Chival and William Comyn wanted John Forbes' land and petitioned the English King.(2)

Issue-

Ref:

(1) "Illust. Documents"- Palgrave, 196
(2) Ibid- 312, 314

"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.IV, p.43

3I. CHRISTIAN (DUNCAN 1, JOHN 2)

Corfe Castle- 1643

Christin del Ard was ordered to be warded in Corfe Castle 16 May 1296 after having been captured.(1) On 25 July 1297 William Fitzwarine, Constable of Urquhart Castle wrote to King Edward I stating that John del Ard to whom he was indebted for his personal safety and the lives of his children had a son a prisoner at Corfe Castle named Cristin who was made prisoner in the retinue of the Earl of Ross at Dunbar. William wished that this son may be sent to his assistance at Urcharde as his appearance there would have the effect of winning the country to his side and gaining for the King favor with the inhabitants.(2) The request was not granted and Cristin remained in England until 1301/2 when he was taken to Berwick and freed.(3) In 1306 he was one of the intending invaders of Scotland and demanded the lands of Lawrence de Strathbogie and others.(4) Christian was one of the leaders at Halidon and was probably killed there. Christian was granted a third of Deskford, a third of Ardach and a third of Skeith in Banff from Robert the Bruce 27 March 1325.(5)

Issue-

Ref:

(1) Cal. Doc. Scot.- II, 742
(2) Rot. Scotiae- I, 41; Cal. Doc. Scot.- 923
(3) Cal. Doc. Scot.- 1602
(4) Palgrave's Documents
(5) Antiq. of Aberd. and Banff- IV, 760; Robertson's Index- 16, No. 11,12

"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.IV, p.44-5

4I. JOHN (DUNCAN 1, JOHN 2, CHRISTIAN 3)

m. MARGARET ______
d. before 20 Aug. 1387

John was described as "a gude man, wise, mychty, and manly in his tyme."(1) John was a witness to two charters granted by Thomas, Earl of Mar in 1358 and 1359.(2) On 3 July 1364 David II confirmed a charter from Thomas, Earl of Mar to John to the lands of Edinbanchory and Craiglorgy.(3) In 1374 John was acting as Sheriff of Aberdeen in place of Alexander Fraser of Philorth.(4) On 18 July 1378 he and Margaret had a charter from the Bishop of Moray to the lands of Fynrossie on the loch of Spynie.(5)

Issue-

Ref:

(1) Reg. Epis. Aberd.- I, 176, 349
(2) Antiq. Aberd. and Banff- IV, 716-7
(3) Ibid- 373
(4) Exch. Rolls- II, 426
(5) Antiq. Aberd. and Banff- IV, 374; Misc. of Maitland Club- I, 379

"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.IV, p.45-6

5I. JOHN (DUNCAN 1, JOHN 2, CHRISTIAN 3, JOHN 4)

m. ELIZABETH or MARGARET KENNEDY of Dunure
d. between May & 20 Nov. 1406

Sir John acquired land in Aberdeenshire from Thomas, Earl of Mar which was confirmed by a charter from Robert II.

In a letter from Robert III 6 Apr. 1391 John was ordered to survey the boundary of the lands of Forbes.(1) John was appointed Justiciary of Aberdeen and coroner by Robert III in 1394.(2)

He was a witness of a charter from Isobel, countess of Mar to her nephew Thomas Douglas 10 Nov. 1404.

On 2 Jan. 1404/5 John made a payment to Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar as directed by a court held by the Duke of Albany.(3)

Issue- first four children by his wife

Ref:

(1) Reg. Epis. Aberd.- I, 187
(2) Crawford's Peerage- 146
(3) Antiq. Aberd. and Banff- IV, 170

"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.IV, p.46-7

6I. ALEXANDER (DUNCAN 1, JOHN 2, CHRISTIAN 3, JOHN 4, JOHN 5)

m. before 1423 ELIZABETH or MARY DOUGLAS (m.2. Sir David Hay of Yester)
d. 1448

Castle Forbes- rebuilt 1815

Alexander had a charter from Isabel of Douglas, Lady of Mar to the lands of Edynbanchory and Craglogy 8 Nov. 1402 which was confirmed by Robert III 23 June 1405.(1)

In 1408 Alexander was one of four Scottish chiefs who went to England to a tournament against English knights.(2)

On 31 Oct. 1411 he was infefted in the lands of Meikle Fintray and others in the barony of Kynedwart from William Fraser of Philorth.(3) He had a charter to the lands of Fotherbirs in the lordship of Aboyne from John, Earl of Buchan 24 May 1417.(4)

Sir Alexander was one of the Scots sent to assist Charles, Dauphin of France and was at the victory over the English at Beauge, Anjou 22 March 1421. However James I was a prisoner in England so he and several other Scots left the French service and on 9 June and 14 Oct. 1421 obtained three safe-conducts from Henry V to visit England with 100 of his followers to see the King and to visit James I who was then in Normandy.(5)

In 1423 he had a charter from Alexander, Earl of Mar to the lands of Alford (6) and on 16 Oct. 1423 he and Elizabeth had a charter from Murdoch, Duke of Albany, Governor of Scotland to the lands and barony of Forbes.(7) On 4 Nov. 1423 he had an obligation by his brother-in-law William, Earl of Angus that he would not sell or alienate any of his lands, rents or possessions to the prejudice of his sister or her heirs.(8) On 10 Dec. 1423 he and Elizabeth had a charter to the lands of Meikle Fintry and others from John, Earl of Buchan.(9)

On 13 Dec. and 3 Feb. 1423/4 Alexander had a safe-conduct from Henry V to see James I at Durham and to negociate the King's ransom and release.(10) On 20 Aug. 1425 he and Elizabeth had a charter from William, Earl of Angus to the lands of Easter Cluny.(11) On 20 May 1426 he was bailie of the lands of the Bishop of Moray and in consideration of his diligence in the King's affairs James I appointed John of Narne and Richard Wiseman as Alexander's deputies.(12) On 6 Oct. 1430 he and Elizabeth had a charter from James I to the barony of Forbes and the lands of Kery (Kearn) and others in the Earldom of Mar.(13)

On 31 May 1432 Alexander made an agreement with Alexander Lindsay, Earl of Crawford and Sir David Lindsay to keep the Earl's land and Strathearn Castle in Inverness for life at a yearly rent of £81 and he was to be the Earl's depute in the sheriffship of Aberdeen paying £10 yearly for this office.(14)

On 17 Nov. 1435 he agreed to aid Sir Robert of Erskine and his son Sir Thomas in recovering the Earldom of Mar and Garioch then in the King's hands for which he was to receive within forty days the lordship of Auchindoir.(15)

On 26 June 1436 he granted a charter to the chaplain of Forbes of 12 marks per year to celebrate services for the welfare of his and Elizabeth's souls.(16) On 12 Dec. 1436 Alexander acquired from Andrew of Futhos the lands of Futhos (Fiddes) in Foveran parish. On 26 June 1439 he had a charter from Robert Erskine, Earl of Mar to half the lordship of Strathdie.(17) On 4 July 1440 John of Kamloke and William of Ennerkype received 151 marks 5 shillings of the 200 marks: "that thai suld haf had for the makynn of the houss of Drumynour."(18)

On 26 Mar. 1444 an agreement was made between Robert the Lyle of Duchale and Alexander to the effect that when Robert recovered half the Earldom of Mar he would give Alexander his part of the lands and castle of Strathdee and Kyndrochit in exchange for the lands of Cluny and Quhitfield in Stratherne and Angus.

Kindrochit Castle

Alexander was made a Peer of Parliament as Lord Forbes about 1445 and on 12 July 1447 James II granted him the arrears and remainder of his accounts.(19)

Issue- First six children by his wife

Ref:

(1) Antiq. Aberd. and Banff- IV, 457-8
(2) Wyntoun- book IX, ch. 27; II, 421,424
(3) Antiq. Aberd. and Banff- IV, 382
(4) Ibid- 383
(5) Rot. Scot.- II, 230, 244-5; Foedera- IV, pt. II, 24; Exch. Rolls- IV, 84
(6) Misc. of Maitland Club- I, 378
(7) Antiq. of Aberd. and Banff- IV, 386-7
(8) Ibid- 387-8
(9) Crawford's "Peerage"- 146
(10) Rot. Scot.- II, 230, 244-5; Antiq. Aberd. and Banff- IV, 385-6
(11) "Douglas", Fraser- III, 60
(12) Antiq. Aberd. and Banff- 389-90
(13) Ibid- 391-2
(14) Ibid- 393
(15) Ibid- 188-9
(16) Reg. Epis. Aberd.- I, 293
(17) Antiq. Aberd. and Banff- IV, 190-1
(18) Ibid- 395
(19) Misc. of Maitland Club- I, 379

"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.IV, p.47-50

7I. JAMES (DUNCAN 1, JOHN 2, CHRISTIAN 3, JOHN 4, JOHN 5, ALEXANDER 6)

m. EGIDIA KEITH (alive in 1473)
d. before 30 July 1462

On 4 Oct. 1444 James gave a bond of manrent to Alexander Seton of Gordon from whom on 30 Sept. he had received a charter to Corsindawe and other lands in the barony of Cluny.(1)

James protested in Parliament on 1 July 1445 that no sentence that would be pronounced against James, Earl of Angus should affect his right of succession to the Earl's land as son of the Earl's sister Elizabeth Douglas.(2)

On 4 May 1456 James had a license from James II to fortify the tower of Drymynour commonly called Forbes which was the chief seat of the family. The name Carth Forbes has since been transferred to what was Putachie.(3)

James was one of the Lords of Session appointed to sit at Aberdeen for the administration of justice by the Parliament at Edinburgh March 1457.(4) He was also on a committee to inquire into the state of the hospital in the diocese of Aberdeen.(5)

On 20 Sept. 1460 he had a charter to the lands of Tullireoth in the barony of Cluny from Alexander, Earl of Huntly.(6)

Egidia exchanged her terce of 8 marks from the lands of Cluny, Perthshire for the same amount from the lands of Forbes 14 Aug. 1473.(7)

Issue-

Ref:

(1) Antiq. Aberd. and Banff- IV, 340-1
(2) Acta Parl. Scot.- II, 59-60
(3) Antiq. Aberd. and Banff- IV, 400
(4) Acta Parl. Scot.- II, 47
(5) Ibid- 49
(6) Reg. Mag. Sig.- 24 Feb. 1539/0
(7) Laing Charters- No. 166

"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.IV, p.50-1

8I. WILLIAM (DUNCAN 1, JOHN 2, CHRISTIAN 3, JOHN 4, JOHN 5, ALEXANDER 6, JAMES 7)

m. CHRISTIAN GORDON, d. of Alexander de Seton
d. before 5 July 1483

"Gray Willie" succeeded his father in July 1462 and on 9 Oct. 1464 he appeared as proxy for Alexander, Earl of Huntly in the Parliament at Edinburgh. On 9 Aug. 1467 William and the heads of the cadet houses of Pitsligo, Tolquhoun and Brux entered into a bond with Duncan Macintosh, chief of the Clan Chattan and his two brothers for the defense and protection against all except the King and their overlords.(1) He was in Parliament frequently between 1467 and 1488.(2)

On 8 July 1468 William had a charter from the Earl of Huntly to the lands of Abergardene and others and he gave a bond of manrent to the Earl and to George Gordon his son.(3) William had orders from James III 9 May 1473 to deliver to William, Earl of Erroll the roll of persons indicted to the next court of Justiciary at Aberdeen. On 9 July 1477 he had a confirmation of a charter granted in 1429 by James I to the barony of Forbes.(4)

Issue-

Ref:

(1) Second Rep. Hist. MSS. Com., 194
(2) Acta Parl. Scot.- 87 et seq.
(3) Reg. Mag. Sig.- 24 Feb. 1539/9; Antiq. Aberd. and Banff- IV, 405; Misc. of Spalding Club- IV, 181
(4) Antiq. Aberd. and Banff- IV, 407

"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.IV, p.51-2

9III. JOHN (DUNCAN 1, JOHN 2, CHRISTIAN 3, JOHN 4, JOHN 5, ALEXANDER 6, JAMES 7, WILLIAM 8)

m.1. Catherine Stewart
2. CHRISTIAN LUNDIN

of Lundin
3. Elizabeth Barlow/ Barclay
d. 1547

Sir John became the 6th Lord Forbes before 30 Oct. 1496 when he witnessed a charter having succeeded his brother Arthur in 1493. John had a charter 1 Dec. 1505 to the lands of Mekil Fintree and others in the barony of Kinedward which had belonged to his great grandfather Alexander Forbes.(1) He also had a charter 26 Apr. 1509 to the castle of Kynedward with permission to build a new castle.(2) John and his wife Christian had a charter to the barony of Fudes 26 Feb. 1509/0.(3) He had a charter to the lands of Quhitfield in the barony of Kerymure from Archibald, Earl of Angus 6 March 1511/2.(4) He and Elizabeth had a charter to the barony of Fudes (Fiddes) 29 July 1515 and to the Kirktoun of Forbes 18 July 1532.(5)

On 29 July 1533 he and his sons John and William along with William Forbes of Corsindae appeared at the Court of Justiciary at Aberdeen for having set fire one night to some sheep pens belonging to the Earl of Huntly. The Gordons and the Forbeses continued with their feud and the same group was again brought to court for a similar situation 10 May 1536. In 1536 John was locked up in Edinburgh castle and charged with treason against the King, but he was acquitted and released.(6) His son John, Master of Forbes was not as fortunate. The Earl of Huntly accused John Jr. of plotting the murder of the King and the destruction of the Royal Army at Jedburgh. John offered to prove his innocence by fighting his accuser which was often allowed under the feudal system. This trial by "Judicial Combat" was refused and John Jr. was found guilty of treason 14 July 1537 and was condemned to be drawn on a sled through High St. in Edinburgh, hanged on the gallows and his body quartered as a traitor and his estate forfeited.

Issue- first two children by Catherine, next five by Christian, next two by Elizabeth

Ref:

(1) Reg. Mag. Sig.
(2) Ibid
(3) Ibid
(4) Ibid
(5) Ibid
(6) "Criminal Trials"- Arnot, 2

"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.IV, p.53-5

10IV WILLIAM (DUNCAN 1, JOHN 2, CHRISTIAN 3, JOHN 4, JOHN 5, ALEXANDER 6, JAMES 7, WILLIAM 8, JOHN 9)

m. 19 Dec. 1538 Lindores, ELIZABETH KEITH of Inverugie
d. 1593

William and Elizabeth had a charter to the barony of Fiddes 4 Jan. 1538/9 and to the lands of Lare 5 Mar. 1539/0.(1)

After the execution of William's brother John, James V seems to have been anxious to compensate the family and so admitted William into his favor and gave him his brother's estate and in 1539 he appointed him one of the Gentlemen of his bedchamber.(2) William succeeded his father in 1547 as seventh Lord Forbes. He had a charter as heir to his father to the barony of Forbes and Alford 8 Aug. 1547.(3)

William had a charter to Putachie from the Earl of Huntly 30 Nov. 1559 and from Queen Mary to Corsindae and other lands 20 June 1563 (4) which was confirmed 17 Sept. 1573. William had a charter of apprising to the lands of Bochrayn 25 May 1579.(5)

Issue-

Ref:

(1) Reg. Mag. Sig.
(2) Pinkerton- II, 346
(3) Reg. Mag. Sig.
(4) "Penes"- Lord Forbes
(5) Reg. Mag. Sig.

"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.IV, p.55-7

11III. JOHN (DUNCAN 1, JOHN 2, CHRISTIAN 3, JOHN 4, JOHN 5, ALEXANDER 6, JAMES 7, WILLIAM 8, JOHN 9, WILLIAM 10)

b. 3 July 1542
m. 1. Nov. 1558 Margaret Gordon, divorced 22 Mar. 1573/4 (mistress of Patrick Hepburn, parson of Kinnoir, d. 1 Jan. 1606, bur. Abbey of St. Bavon, Ghent)
2. 1580 JANET SETON of Touch (m.1. Sir John Bellenden of Auchnoull, d. Aberdeen 2 Feb. 1616)
d. 29 June 1606 Putachie
bur. Keirn, beside Drumminor

On 9 Nov. 1571 John obtained a precept under the royal signet as the King's Lieutenant in the north country for uplifting the rents of the Bishopric of Aberdeen which had fallen into the King's hands. For this reason, or simply because of his adherence to the King's party a feud began with the Gordons as the Queen's men. Adam Gordon of Auchindoun raided the King's partisans in Aberdeenshire, captured John and sent him to Spynie castle as a prisoner of Patrick Hepburn the notorious Bishop of Moray. He entered prison in Dec. 1571 and stayed there until the Pacification of Perth 23 Feb. 1572/3. He was required to pay £705 Scots to the Earl of Huntly and to Adam Gordon.(1) The feud also concerned the possession of certain church lands and continued for several years until resolved by the arbitration of the young King James and his advisers at Perth 6 July 1582.(2)

John attempted to divorce Margaret on the grounds of adultery, but that failed and the divorce was obtained on the grounds of religious differences. The sentence refutes this theory and states that while her husband was imprisoned at Spynie castle, Margaret was involved with Patrick Hepburn the parson of Kinnoir (3) within the houses of Drumminor or Rinaloch. Their intercourse was the matter of "public fame and common voice." On this ground alone John was released from the marriage 23 Feb. 1572/3 and the case was first called in the Commissary Court of Edinburgh 28 July 1573 with sittings at intervals until 22 Mar. 1573/4 the date of the final divorce.(4) The feuds with the Gordons began in Sept. 1571 because the Forbeses were unjustly deprived of chuch lands and the divorce is never mentioned as a cause of the quarrel, however the quarrel was probably the cause of the divorce! Margaret seems to have gone to Ghent to be near her sons.

John was appointed a Privy Councillor in Jan. 1593/4.(5) In 1593 John joined with Bothwell and Atholl to revenge the murder of the Earl of Moray.(6) He was at the convention at Holyrood house where proceedings were brought against the Popish Lords.(7) In 1594 he was denounced for not answering to the charge of trafficking with Bothwell.(8) He was, however commissioned to raise an army of 1100 men against Huntly and Angus.(9) He was second in command of the King's forces under the Earl of Argyll against the Catholic Earls of Huntly and Erroll at the battle of Glenlivet 3 Oct. 1594 and the next year joined the King against these rebellious noblemen.(10) On 16 July 1595 the Dean of Guild of Aberdeen was ordered by the town council to give 100 marks towards a house which John was building as a remembrance for keeping the waters of Dee and Don: "fra slayeris of blak fische in forbidden tyme, as the said lordis predicessoris did obefoir to this burgh." The town of Aberdeen gave the Lords Forbes a ton of wine per year for preserving the salmon of the Dee and Don within their bounds.

Glenlivet Battlefield

John had a charter to the baronies of Fiddes, Alford, etc., which was united into the lordship of Forbes 22 Feb. 1594/5.(11) He obtained a commission for maintaining the peace in the north country under the royal seal 18 Mar. 1604.(12) He was served heir to his mother Elizabeth Keith 13 Nov. 1604.(13)

Issue- first five children by Margaret, next three by Janet

Ref:

(1) P. C. Reg.- II, 195, 338
(2) Antiq. Aberd. and Banff- IV, 760-70
(3) Acta Parl. Scot.- III, 6
(4) Register of Decreets of the Commissariot of Edinburgh- Vol. 6 at dates
(5) Acta Parl. Scot.- IV, 53
(6) Moysie's Memoirs- Bannatyne Club, 102-3
(7) Ibid- 112
(8) Ibid- 117
(9) Ibid- 118-9
(10) Robertson- III, 17
(11) Reg. Mag. Sig.- XL, No. 27
(12) "Penes"- Lord Forbes
(13) Ibid

"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.IV, p.57-60

12VI. ARTHUR (DUNCAN 1, JOHN 2, CHRISTIAN 3, JOHN 4, JOHN 5, ALEXANDER 6, JAMES 7, WILLIAM 8, JOHN 9, WILLIAM 10, JOHN 11)

b. 25 Apr. 1581
m. 5 Feb. 1600 Edinburgh, JEAN ELPHINSTONE
d. after 1638

Arthur had a charter to the lordship and barony of Forbes 20 Dec. 1598: "to Arthur Forbes, eldest son of John, Lord Forbes, by Jonet Seytoun his wife". This was confirmed 28 Dec. 1598.(1) By this charter it was evidently intended to exclude John, Arthur's elder brother, from all succession to the estate, however in 1600 Arthur is found writing to his brother in a friendly manner.(2) Arthur succeeded to the estates and title in 1606 after the deaths of his father and brother. On 8 Feb. 1610/1 a charter was granted to Jean Elphinstone, spouse of Arthur, Lord Forbes, and Alexander, Master of Forbes, their son, to the lordship of Forbes.(3)

In 1628 when Sir Donald Mackay, Lord Reay had been authorised to raise an army for foreign service, Arthur agreed to furnish 800 men out of the 1,000 to be levied and committed a large sum to the cause.

Issue-

Ref:

(1) Penes- Lord Forbes
(2) Second Rep. Hist. MSS. Com.- App. 195; P.C. Reg.- VI, 824
(3) Reg. Mag. Sig.

"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.IV, p.60-2