Frasers of Philorth > Volume 1

THE FRASERS OF COWIE, DURRIS, AND PHTLORTH. 137
ALEXANDEB FBASEE, fifth of Philoeth.
At an inquest held in Aberdeen on the 4th October 1491, this Alexander
Fraser was adjudged to be of weak mind, and incapable of managing his
affairs ; and the verdict went on to declare that he had been in this state for
the previous five years, but that Ms brother William was careful of his own
matters, and fully able to manage those of another person, and was then
seventeen years old. 1
Sir Walter Ogilvie of Boyne was appointed by the Crown curator or
guardian of the Laird of Philorth and his estates, and exercised that office
until 1496, when, at Sir Walter's request, William Fraser, then twenty-two
years of age, his brother, George Fraser, and John Fraser of Ardglassie, were
associated with him in the guardianship, 2 which appears from that time to
have been principally administered by William Fraser.
There is no information to be obtained as to the origin of this affliction
under which the fifth Laird of Philorth suffered, whether it were congenital
or the result of an accident or illness cannot be decided ; but the above
proceedings were probably taken by his relations to prevent the family
possessions falling into the hands of others, who had shown some disposition
to take advantage of his incompetency.
William, third Earl of Erroll, and Sir Gilbert de Keith of Inverugie,
purchased the marriage and ward of Alexander Fraser of Philorth from the
Crown about 1486 (this evinces that his father was then dead, and that he
was a minor), and the Earl of Erroll sold his share of it to the Thane of
Cawdor. 3
The Thane appears to have had the care of the young laird's person, and
to have endeavoured to turn this to account, for an indenture is extant
between William, Thane of Cawdor, and Alexander Fraser of Philorth, made
about 1486-87, by which, after recital of the above-mentioned purchase of
the marriage and ward, and the transfer of one-half of it, Alexander Fraser
agrees to marry Margery Calder, the Thane's daughter ; but it is stated that
1 Philorth Charter-room. Antiquities of Aberdeenshire, vol. iv. p. 91.
2 Ibid. p. 92.
3 Book of Thanes of Cawdor, pp. 69, 70.
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