Genealogy of the family of Forbes

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JL HE Editor, who has given a few notes to the Genealogy, may
add a remark which will every where, in perusing that treatise,
strike the reader as just, viz. that there is act in the whole the
smallest attempt to exaggerate or paint the plain facts, in brighter
colours than they naturally bear ; so far from any thing like this
being the case, it is certain, that the narrative is remarkably
homely and honest, and devoid of the smallest artifice, partiality,
or eulogy; and that had the author pleased, he had full grounds
for very ample embellishment, for it is a fact, that no one family
distinguished itself, in by far the most glorious period of Scotch
history, the " Bruce Days," more than the Family of Forbes.
Mr, Lumsden has evidently written, not to indulge any vanity to
which the Master of Forbes might incline, but to give him an accu-
rate knowledge of the connections and descents of the families
allied to his ov/n house. Independent of the notices already
stated, we find that (as Mr. Lumsden says) though the whole
surname of Forbes was inlaiJced (or put hors de combat) at the
dreadful surprise and slaughter of Dupplin, yet Thomas de Bois
is among the number of chief men recorded, as killed the year after
that defeat, at the battle of Hallidon Hill, 19th July, 1333, and
Humphry de Bois, among the great n\en slain at the battle of
Durham, 17th October, 1346 ; and there is no doubt that the
family was great, and distinguished for valour and nobility, as
early as the use of surnames became a vehicle for carrying down
the exploits of families along the stream of time. Baliol and
Bruce were the first of the ScotchKings distingui.shed by surnames ;
and though Henry II. had some time before introduced his Ange-
vine surname ofPlantagenet, to distinguish theEnglish RoyalFami-
ly,and even as early as the reign of Malcolm III. (1057, 1093) an or-
der was issued for persons to take surnames from places, yet it is
certain, that the use of any such additions was very partially and
slowly introduced among the rude and barbai'ous natives of
Scotland, and made httle progress till the 15th century; aud