Genealogical account of the family of Edmonstone of Duntreath

THE FAMILY OF EDMONSTONE.
for lands and montem a pair of white spurs yearly, apud manerium de Belach, and ward
and relief sectis curie duplicatum ferme. No date — Testibus Waltero filio Alani de
Forselane, Finlayo de Campsy, Malcolmo filio Duncani Gilmore, filio Malisii,' etc. etc.
The notice of Mons of Duntreth, besides Dungoyak, shows that it applies to what is
still called 'the Court Hill' opposite to Dungoyak, the top of which has been levelled
either for the erection of a stronghold, according to tradition, or what seems clear from
the statement, for a 'mons placiti' or Moot Hill for holding justiciary courts. The name
yet preserved seems to prove this satisfactorily.
Though the old charter by Donald Earl of Lennox is not given, yet Mr. Riddell
thinks it must have been at least as old as the middle of the fourteenth century, and
consequently this must be the oldest mention of Duntreath. Earl Donald did not
survive the reign of David the Second (who died in 1370). He was great-grandfather of
Isabella, Duchess of Albany, Countess of Lennox in 1445, and Murdoch of Lennox,
father of Isabella, the resigner of Duntreath at that time, is a younger brother of the
Earl. The feudal privileges attached to Duntreath at so early a period give an additional
interest to the locality.
The Lennoxes were descended from Arkel, a Northumbrian refugee to whom the
valley of the Leven was granted by Malcolm Canmore.
Note 9, Page 6.
The Duchess' misfortunes naturally led, in the spirit of the times, to munificence
towards the Church. There is a mortification of the lands of Ballagan, in Strathblane, to
the convent of Blackfriars, Glasgow, ' pro salute animae nostrae,' and also those of her
father, husband, and two sons who had suffered under James the First, dated at Inche-
murran, 1445, twenty-one years after their execution.
Note 10, Page 6.
The charter of confirmation of James the Second, dated Stirling, December 10, 1452,
isWillielmo de Edmonstone de Culloden and Mary Countess of Angus (our aunt) in con-
juncta infeodatione et Willielmo de Edmunston eorum filio et herede in feodo et hereditate
et hereditariis suis, etc., of the lands of Duntreath Arleywin Dunguyock, with the mill
thereof. The Ouilt lying to the south side of the Burn of Blane, and the half of the
lands of Balleun Easter, the Cluney's Glen, and Gartkalon (?), and mill thereof, all lying
within the earldom and shire aforesaid, and all by the same charter erected into a free
barony, to be called the Barony of Duntreath. On the resignation of the above William
of Culloden and Marion Stewart, Countess of Angus, the King's aunt, father and mother
of the said William Edmonstone the younger, tenure in fee and heretage for ever. Cum
furca et fossa (gibbet and jail), yok, yak (privilege of trying actions), thol et theim
(relating to franchises of market), infangandthef, and outfangandthef (power of
executing summary justice when the thief is detected with the spoil), and so on a long
amplification, reddendo, a pound of pepper yearly at Duntreath at the feast of the
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