Frasers of Philorth > Volume 2

THE FRASERS OF FOREST. 145
THE FRASERS OF FOREST.
This family, which for about three centuries was a near neighbour to
that of Philorth, sprang from John Fraser, who in the year 1426 received
a charter from Eobert de Keith, the Marischal, with consent of his son and
heir, William de Keith, " dilecto nostro consanguineo Johanni Fraser, nunc
vocato Unicorn," of the lands of New Forest, in the earldom of Buchan and
sheriffdom of Aberdeen. 1
This John Fraser has been regarded as a cadet of the house of Philorth,
and by some said to have been a younger son of Sir Alexander Fraser first of
Cowie, Durris, and Philorth ; but the reciprocal charters of entail in 1464
between Sir Alexander Fraser, third of Philorth, and Hugh, Lord Fraser of
Lovat, are adverse to such a suggestion, for, unless he were illegitimate, it is
very improbable that so near a relation, as the Laird of Forest must in that
case have been to Philorth, would have been passed over in the destination
of the entail made by the latter ; and similar reasons prevent his being
considered a cadet of Forglen or of Tulifour ; but he may have been one of
the Frasers of Durris.
There is no record, however, extant by which to trace his descent with
any certainty. From the expression in the charter of 1426, it is probable
that he held the office of Unicorn Pursuivant.
The Lairds of Forest, as they were termed, are found from time to time
witnesses to charters, members of assizes, or acting as bailies for Fraser of
Philorth, down to the years 1 623-3 1, 2 when Alexander Fraser of Forest sold
that property to Fraser of Strichen, who bestowed it upon his second son,
Hugh. About 1641-2, however, Alexander Fraser of Forest asserted and
enforced his right to redeem the estate from Strichen, and having done so by
the assistance of Alexander Fraser of Philorth, afterwards tenth Lord Saltoun,
assigned the property to him, who also, in 1687, acquired from the Earl
Marischal the superiorities of it and some other lands ; and the male line of
the family of Forest appears to have become extinct soon afterwards. 3
1 Philorth Charter-room. Antiquities of Aberdeenshire, vol. iv. p. 33.
2 Antiquities of Aberdeenshire, vol. iii. p. 14 ; vol. iv. pp. 8S, 104, 125.
3 Philorth Charter-room.
VOL. n. T