Historical account of the family of Frisel or Fraser, particularly Fraser of Lovat

30 HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE
I., in which KiiJoss was erected, with a parliamentary seat for its Ab-
bot, to tlie year 1490, when the priory of Kingussie owed its founda-
tion to the Earl of Huntly.
During the reign of Alexander II., the Bissets became extremely
powerful, and they held the whole lands of Stratherrick by royal char-
ter.* In 124i2,t their pre-eminence was no more. Patrick, Earl of
Athol, having worsted William Byset of Upsetlington, at a tournament
on the borders, that accomphshed youtli was soon after murdered in his
lodgings at Haddington, wliich the assassins fired to prevent escape,
z Haiies' AnnaJs, Suspiciou Hghting ou the Byset, he was compelled to fly the country,*
Vol. I. p- J57- ''
and the whole clan were mvolved m his ixiin. This event prepared the
way for their total departure from the north ; for John Byset of Lovat
* Wardiaw Mss. having entered into a confederacy with the M'Donalds of the Isles,' the
Earl of Ross, by express mandate from the King, had orders to appre-
hend him as a traitor, and send him for trial to the King's Privy Coun-
cil. Bisset effected his escape from Lovat to Auchterloss, where he
lui-ked for a while ; but a reward having been placed upon liis head,
George Dempster of Moorhouse apprehended him in the wood of
Auchterloss, and carried hun from shu-e to shire to the King. Sentence
of forefalture was passed upon liim, but remitted, on condition of his
going a voluntary exile to Ireland, whither his brother WiUiam follow-
ed liim. Anno 1249. Walter, Malcohn and Leonaid Bissets, tlie other
brothers, who lived at KHUchviman, in Abertarff, likewise accompanied
him : Yet he seems to have been pardoned after this, for we find him
b Chart. Moray, I. in possession of the lands of Ercliless in 1258.'' Notwithstanding these
reverses, the Bissets appear again in subsequent reigns, as a family of some
* In the list of charters, in the Chapter-House at Westminster, there is one of Robert
the Bruce, " Charta Walter! Byset, de Stratharkyk." — Robertsons Index. It is perhaps
the one mentioned by Chalmers — Caledonia, I. 594— as being in Rymer's collection. —
Feed. II. 219. ' "T"
• Sir Jas. Balfour's t Several royal boroughs, among others Inverness, were burnt this year.* Matthew
Woiks, I. bi. pg^jg j^entions the building of a large ship there at this period, as an extraordinary cir-
cumstance in the maritime history of Scotland.