History of the Frasers of Lovat

XIV. HUGH, NINTH LORD FRASER. 177
family and friends, "departed this life in the greatest tran-
quility of mind," and was "with the greatest magnificence
and solemnity" buried in the Church of Kirkhill.
He was, according to the family historian, "a pious,
religious, and prudent nobleman, a man of wit and humour,
and of undoubted courage and resolution, and of a sound
wholesome constitution till his lady's death. When he was
Master of Lovat he went regularly in circuit through his
estate, and kept courts regularly once a year in person. He
was a strict justiciary, punishing all crimes, redressing all
wrongs. The poorest and meanest had access to him, and
he did not allow his factors, baillies, or any of the gentlemen
to oppress the meanest of his people, so that he truly
merited that which makes so bright a part of Job's character.
He was a father to the poor, and the cause which he knew
not he searched out. He broke the jaw of the wicked and
plucked the spoil of his teeth. If he had any fault it was
his preposterous modesty. He obliged every gentleman
and tenant when he came to the age of eighteen to have
arms suitable to his rank. He advanced two thousand
merks for firelocks and pikes to Colonel Fraser, who re-
turned from the Swedish wars some years before this. But
he preferred arching to all other military exercises as the
most manly. He was punctual in attending divine ordin-
ances, and never omitted sitting in session to keep discipline
in the country. He regretted often that his ministers had
small stipends, and by his proxy voted for an augmentation
to them in the Parliament of 1640, and when decrees of
Plat were procured he gave localities in land to all his
ministers, free of customs, carriage, or any other burden."
He purchased from Fraser of Strichen, along with his lands,
the right of patronage to the united parishes of Inverness
and Bona. In 1623 the patronage of the latter had been
disponed by Lord Spynie, then patron, to Strichen, who in
1640 as vice-patron presented Mr John Amand to the charge
of Plat. The two parishes were soon after united by a decree.
Lord Hugh married Isabel, daughter of Sir John Wemyss
of Wemyss, with issue —
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