Frasers of Philorth > Volume 1

144 THE FRASERS OF COWTE, DURRIS, AND PHILORTH.
wife in 1556, there is reason to believe that in this statement Thomas was
in error, and that Katherine Menzies was the only wife of this Alexander
Fraser.
She was a daughter of Gilbert Menzies of Pitfodels, Provost of Aberdeen,
and the marriage probably took place about 1516, or soon after that year, as
several children are mentioned in 1532.
A royal license, or leave of absence from the king's host, or army, then
serving at Wark, Solway, and other places on the border, was granted to
Alexander Fraser of Philorth, and some of his kinsmen and near neighbours,
in 1527. 1
Upon Sunday, the 25th of June 1530, Alexander Fraser of Philorth, with
several other persons, found caution or security that they would " thole a
great assize for their unjust acquittal of John Dempster of Auchterless, and
his accomplices, delated for art and part of the cruel slaughter of Patrick
Stewart and certain persons, and for the mutilation of William Downy;" and
upon the 5th of August George Gordon of Geicht became surety in 1000
merks that Alexander Fraser should underlie the law at the next justice
aire of Aberdeen ; but there is no further notice of the affair to be
found. 2
A dispute arose between the burgh of Aberdeen and Alexander Forbes
of Brux during the summer of 1530, the latter having maltreated some of
the citizens.
The Laird of Philorth took the side of his father-in-law, the Provost, in
this quarrel; and at its termination, in December of that year, he was included
among those for whose security against violence from any of his family Lord
Forbes became bound before the Lords of Council at Perth.
" I, John, Lord Forbes, be the tenour heirof, becummis souerte and law-
borgh for myself, John, Maister of Forbes, my sone, and the remanent of my
sonnis, that Gilbert Menzies, Provost of Abirdeine, Alexander Fraser of
Philorth, Thomas Menzies, Androw Menzies, and all other the said Gilbertis
sonnis, W m Lyon, and the bailzies, counsall, and communite of the burgh
of Abirdeine sallbe harmless and skaithless of me, and my saidis sonnis, and
1 Philorth Charter-room. The other names Miln in Ardmacron, and Robert Miln, his son.
in the license are John Fraser of Forest, John 2 Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, vol. i. p. 148.