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

WOODS AND GRAZINGS : SERVITUDES. 1 59
enormous. I should have been very glad to have called on you on my
way here, but I pass'd Durham when it was very late. You will have
left it before I go down.
" I am always with great Regards,
Dear Sir,
Your most obedient
humble Servant
Fife."
It is perhaps necessary to explain that Francis Farquharson, the
" Baron Ban," taken prisoner at Culloden, had regained his liberty and
returned to Scotland in 1766. He had no claim for servitude on the Mar
Woods in right of his estate of Monaltrie, which had been forfeited ; but
he had lately, as he states, purchased the properties of Culsh and Tom-
belly {which see), and on them he founded his claim. His residence in
Durham was probably owing to some connection his wife had with that
city. He had profited much by his long exile of twenty years in
England ; and on his return to his native country he was much consulted
by his neighbours in both public and private affairs.
Gordon of Crathienard, " his namesake," was a favourite of Charles,
Earl of Aboyne, who soon after this date presented him to the Church
and Parish of Aboyne.
After the case was entered at law a correspondence, of which some
copies have been preserved, arose between Francis Farquharson of
Monaltrie who, it would appear, was generally consulted by the Heritors
of Mar, and Mr. Rose, who was Commissioner for the Earl of Fife.
Mr. Farquharson writes : —
" Manse of Glenmuick Oct. the 31st 1779.
"Sir,
" This forenoon I received yours of the 29th at Blelack, and
as I was just on setting out to come up here and had a place to call at on
my way, I was obliged to put off writing till now, and am to send this
by your bearer to-morrow morning. The contents of yours I own were
not such as I had reason to expect, but I shall not retaliate by entering
on the merits of the cause as you'll easily believe we differ greatly in
opinion as to the foundation of the dispute ; and the reviving thereof is
not the most proper way to forward an amicable agreement. At the
same time I cannot help observing that it is no proof of the unjustness of
our claim that several gentlemen have withdrawn their names from legall