New Spalding Club > Records of Invercauld MDXLVII - MDCCCXXVIII [1547- 1828]

68 RECORDS OF INVERCAULl).
Huntly's representative in the Highlands. His infeftment into this
office and in the barony of Invercauld may therefore be approximately
stated as at 1S30 A.D. The extent of the barony at that date would
probably be the same as that defined in the charter of the Earldom of
Mar granted by Queen Mary to her brother, the Regent Moray, in 1 564,
the dues from which were as follows : —
" Terras de Invercald extendentes annuatim ad quinque libras firme,
dimidiam partem marte, duos mutones, sex lie reik hennis, vnam bollam
avenarum, pro areagiis et careagiis viginti duos solidos sex denarios, et in
quinqucnio decern libras graasume."
It may be of interest to note that in this charter there are no
fewer than 17 distinct properties or lairdships specified in the parish of
Kindrochet or Braemar, and the same number in the parish of Strathdee
or Crathie.
Next year (1565) Queen Mary bestowed the Earldom on the rightful
heir, John, 5th Lord Erskine, whose family had been unjustly deprived of
it for the long space of 1 30 years.
This Earl, the most distinguished of his line, had been educated at
Court, where he was the playfellow and bosom companion of King James
VI., who was wont in after years familiarly to address him as " Dear
Jock." He was a man of high culture, and for a time Regent of the
kingdom. He it was who first recognised the justice of granting legal
charters over his Highland fiefs ; and in 1632, two years before his
death, he caused some of these to be issued to his tenants in Braemar.
The earliest in date is that to John of Invercauld, the grandson of Finla
Mor. The deeds granted at this time, with their seals attached, are
preserved in the charter chest at Invercauld. As entered in the "Book of
Inventories," they are thus described : —
1st "Contract between the Earl of Mar, with consent of his son,
and John Farquharson of Invercauld, whereby the Earl Binds himself
to Sell to John Farquharson that Davoch and half davock of land in the
Brae of Mar called Invercauld, comprehending the lands of Binnich,
Invercanlish, and others, with the Glens of Glencalater, Glenboig
(Glenbeg) with the Teinds of the same. Dated 27th August 1632."
2nd " Ch.\RTER by the said Earl and his son to the said John
Farquharson in terms of the said Contract of the said lands and others,
dated said 27th August 1632."