Eachern which settled at Craignish, were called Clan Dugall Craiguish, and obtained, it is said, the property known by this name from the brother of Campbell of Lochowe, in the reign of David II. The lands of Colin Campbell of Lochowe, having been forfeited in that reign, his brother, Gillespie Campbell, appears to have obtained a grant of them from the crown; and it is not improbable, that the Clan Dugall Craignish acquired from the latter their right to the property of Craignish. After the restoration of the Lochowe family, by the removal of the forfeiture, that of Craignish were obliged to hold their lands, not of the crown, but of the house of Argyle. Nevertheless, they continued for some time, a considerable family, maintaining a sort of independence, until at length, yielding to the influence of that policy which has already been described, they merged, like most of the neighbouring clans, in that powerful race by whom they were surrounded.

2. It is an old and accredited tradition in the Highlands, that the Lamonds were the most ancient proprietors of Cowall, and that the Stewarts, Maclachlans, and Campbells, obtained possession of their property in that district by marriage with daughters of the family. At an early period a very small part only of Upper Cowall was included in the sheriffdom of Argyle, the remainder being comprehended in that of Perth. It may, therefore, be presumed that, on the conquest of Argyle by Alexander II. the lord of Lower Cowall had submitted to the king, and obtained a crown charter. But, in little more than half a century after that event, we find the High Steward in possession of Lower Cowall, and the Maclachlans in possession of Strathlachlan. It appears, indeed, that, in 1242, Alexander the High Steward of Scotland, married Jean, the daughter of James son of Angus MacRory, who is styled Lord of Bute; and, from the manuscript of 1450, we learn that, about the same period, Gilchrist Maclachlan married the daughter of Lachlan MacRory; from which it is probable that this Roderic or Rory was the third individual who obtained a crown charter for Lower Cowall, and that by these intermarriages, the property passed from his family into the hands of the Stewarts and the Machlachlans. The coincidence of these facts, with the tradition above-mentioned, would seem also to indicate that Angus MacRory was the ancestor of the Lamonds.

After the marriage of the Steward with the heiress of Lamond, the next of that race of whom any mention is made is Duncan MacFerchar, and "Laumanus," son of Malcolm, and grandson of the same Duncan, who appear to have granted to the monks of Paisley a charter of the lands of Kilmore near Lochgilp, and also of the lands "which they and their predecessors held at Kilmun, (quas nos et antecessores nostri apud Kilmun habuerunt.)" In the same year, Laumanus," the son of Malcolm, also granted a charter of the lands of Kilfinnan, which, in 1295, is confirmed by Malcolm, the son and heir of the late "Laumanus," (domini quondam Laumani.) But in an instrument, or deed, dated in 1466, between the monastery of Paisley and John Lamond of Lamond,

regarding the lands of Kilfinnan, it is expressly stated, that these lands had belonged to the ancestors of John Lamond; and hence, it is evident, that the "Laumanus," mentioned in the previous deed, must have been one of the number, if not indeed the chief and founder of the family. "From Laumanus," says Mr Skene, "the clan appear to have taken the name of Maclaman or Lamond, having previously to his time borne the name of Macerachar, and Clan mhic Earachar."

The connexion of this clan with that of Dugall Craignish, is indicated by the same circumstances which point out the connexion of other branches of the tribe; for whilst the Craignish family preserved its power, it was followed by a great portion of the Clan mhic Earachar, although it possessed no feudal right to their services. "There is one peculiarity connected with the Lamonds," says Mr Skene, "that although by no means a powerful clan, their genealogy can be proved by charters, at a time when most other Highland families are obliged to have recourse to tradition, and the genealogies of their ancient sennachies; but their antiquity could not protect the Lamonds from the encroachments of the Campbells, by whom they were soon reduced to as small a portion of their original possessions in Lower Cowall, as the other Argyleshire clans had been of theirs."* The Lamonds were a clan of the same description as the Machlachlans, and, like the latter, they have, notwithstanding "the encroachments of the Campbells," still retained a portion of their ancient possessions. The chief of this family is Lamond of Lamond.

Skene's Highlanders, vol. ii. part ii. chap. 4.

CHAPTER VI.

District of Athole, --Its claims to attention.-This district the original patrimony of the family which gave kings to Scotland, from Duncan to Alexander III.-Crinan, abbot of Dunkeld, the father of Duncan.-Title of Abthane -Circumstances in which it originated.-Clan Donnachie.-Its origin and descent.-Possessions.-Clan Pharlan. -The Macfarlanes descended from Gilchrist, a younger brother o. Maldum, Earl of Lennox.-Proof of this.-History and character of the clan.

THE district of Athole is one which possesses peculiar claims to attention From a remote period, it has preserved its name and its boundaries unchanged. The former, indeed, occurs in the history of Scotland long before mention is made of any other territorial division; and it has always been inhabited by a people distinguished alike for their bravery and their love of independence. But to some its principal interest arises from the circumstance that the family, which, between the eleventh and fourteenth century, gave a long line of kings to Scotland, belonged to this district, where they had been established for a considerable period before they were raised to the throne of their native country by the marriage of their ancestor with the daughter of Malcolm II. Their elevation was the consequence of an event well known in Scottish history. When Thorfinn, the Norwegian earl of Orkney, conquered the north of Scotland, the only portion of the ancient Caledonian territory which remained independent of his power was the district of Athole, and part of that of Argyle. The Lord of the Isles had been slain in an unsuccessful attempt to preserve his insular dominions, and the king of the Scots, with the flower of his nobility, had also fallen in that short but bloody campaign. But somehow Athole escaped the grasp of the victorious Norwegian; and to this circumstance, apparently, it was owing that the ancestor of the family which anciently possessed that district, was raised to the throne. Of the nobility, indeed, there does not appear to have been any one left of sufficient power and influence to resist the progress of the Norwegians, or to seize upon the vacant throne. The overthrow of the Scots had been complete. Thorfinn, like a destroying angel, had annihilated all before him. In this disastrous condition, the Scots had recourse to Duncan, the son of Crinan, abbot of Dunkeld, by the daughter of Malcolm II., their last king; but, after a reign of six years, Duncan was slain in an attempt to recover the northern districts of the country from the Norwegians; and his sons were driven out by Macbeth, who, for a time, ruled over the south, whilst the Norwegians possessed the north of Scotland.

After the overthrow of this usurper, however, and the establishment

of Malcolm Keanmore on the throne, the Lowlands of Scotland were, according to the Saxon policy, divided into earldoms, all of which were granted to members of the royal family. This fact seems conclusive as to the entire overthrow of the Scots, and the destruction of the nobility in the struggle with the Norwegians; indeed the policy of Malcolm Keanmore, and his successors, is not reconcileable with any other supposition. The districts included in Thorfinn's conquest reverted, it is true, to the descendants of the original proprietors, after the expulsion of the Norwegians by Malcolm; but the earldoms into which the rest of the country was divided, and the grants which were made of these to different members of the royal family, may all be traced to this victorious monarch, and appear to have been the consequence of the almost entire destruction of the ancient nobility. These earldoms appear to have consisted of the country inhabited by the Scots, with the addition of the district of Athole; and from this latter circumstance, it has not unreasonably been presumed that Athole was the original possession of this royal race. When the descendants of Duncan, the eldest son of Malcolm Keanmore, were excluded from the throne by that king's younger sons, the former succeeded to the earldom of Athole; a circumstance which seems decisive as to that district having originally been the patrimonial possession of their family. And this is further confirmed by the designation which early Scottish historians applied to Crinan, the founder of the royal race. The abbot of Dunkeld, who had married Beatrice, the daughter of Malcolm II., and whose son, Duncan, the issue of this marriage, succeeded his maternal grandfather, and was murdered by Macbeth, is styled by Fordun, Crinan "Abthanus de Dull ac Seneschallus Insularum." Pinkerton has dogmatically denied that such a denomination as Abthane was ever known or heard of; but Mr Skene has most conclusively shown, not only that there was such a title as Abthane in Scotland, but that the very title of Abthane of Dull existed until a comparatively late period.* It is plain, however, that Fordun neither knew

With respect to the title of "Abthanus de Dull," Mr Pinkerton remarks that "to support this nonsense, Fordun brings more nonsense, and tells us abba is father and thuana is respondens vel numerans,' and Abthane was a chamberlain who managed the king's rents and treasury. But who," he adds, "ever heard of an Abthane? and who knows not that Dull, a village, could not give a title which was, in that age, territorial?" But from different chartularies, Mr Skene brings evidence to show, first, that there was such a title as that of Abthane in Scotland; and, secondly, that the particular title of Abthane of Dull existed until a comparatively recent period. 1. The chartulary of Dunfermline contains a charter by William the Lion to the Bishop of Dunkeld, in which the king grants to the prelate the "terra de Abbethayn de Kilmichael," in Strathardolf ( Kirkmichael in Strathardle). 2. The chartulary of St Andrew's contains a charter by Hugh, Bishop of Dunkeld, the condition of which is, "Reditu viginti solidorum qui nos et clericos nostros contingit de Abthania de Dull." 3. In the chartulary of Inchaffray, there is a charter by William the Lion to Gilbert, Earl of Stratherne, granting the latter Madderty, and confirmation by Galfridus, Bishop of Dunkeld, of the same grant, "et super terra quæ Abthen de Madderdyn dicitur, et super quieta clamatione de Can et Conneck qui clerici Dunkelden antiquitus ab eadem Abthen perceperunt." 4 In Robertson's Index mention is made of a charter in which David II. grants to John Drummond the office of baillierie of the Abthain of Dull in Athole. And, 5. in the same Index, IV. 3 M

what this title actually meant, nor had he any conception of the exist ence of the Abthanery of Dull, independently of Crinan, the father of Duncan. This, however, only renders it the more evident that he must have derived his information from some authentic source. For, on the one hand, it is difficult to conceive that he would invent a title of which he could not give some feasible explanation; and, on the other, it is impossible to believe that, if he had been aware of the actual existence of the Abthanery of Dull, he would have brought forward the "nonsense" on which Mr Pinkerton has animadverted. As far as can now be traced, Crinan was the first of the race which gave kings to Scotland from Duncan to Alexander III. Their origin is lost in obscurity. But supposing that Fordun derived his information from an authentic source, (which, for the reasons stated, appears highly probable,) it becomes a matter of come historical importance to determine the true import of the title of Abthane in general, as well as that of Dull in particular. On this subject, Mr Skene has a very curious disquisition, the substance of which we shall endeavour to state as briefly as possible.

The title of Abthane seems to have been peculiar to Scotland, and of but rare occurrence even in that country. No traces have been discovered of more than the three Abthaneries mentioned in the preceding note, viz. that of Dull in Athole, that of Kirkmichael in Strathardle, and that of Madderty in Stratherne. It would seem, therefore, that Abthane was not so much a distinctive title as a modification of that of Thane; and hence it must have originated subsequently to the introduction of Thanes into Scotland. An idea formerly prevailed that Thanes were the ancient governors of provinces; but this is now universally abandoned, and it is admitted that the Scottish Thane was the same with the English Theyn or Thane, having been introduced along with the Saxon policy into Scotland. According to George Chalmers, indeed, the Thane was merely a land-steward or bailiff, and the Abthane the steward of the abbot, in the same way as the King's Thane was the steward of the king. But it seems impossible to admit either of these explanations. For, in the first place, it is evident that the Saxon Thane was not a land-steward, but the actual proprietor of a certain extent of land held directly of the crown, in other words, that it was the title of a Saxon landed proprietor of nearly the same rank and station as a Norman baron; and, secondly, as only three instances have been found of the title of Abthane connected with land in Scotland, it is not easy to conceive

another charter is mentioned in which the same king grants to Donald Macnayre the "terra de Ester Fossache (Easter Foss) in Abthania de Dull, in vic. de Perth." These notices, collected by Mr Skene, clearly establish the two points already mentioned, viz. the existence of Abthanes and Abthaneries in Scotland, and also that of the particular Abthanery of Dull in Athole. (Skene's Highlanders, vol. ii. part ii. chap. 5.) We may add, that Mr Pinkerton has erred in supposing that Dull was merely a village, and therefore could not give a title which, in that age, was territorial. Dull is the name of a district in Athole, as well as that of a village, and consequently might give a territorial title as well as any other.