New Spalding Club > Thanage of Fermartyn including the district commonly called Formartine

Tlie Tlianage of FcrniartyH.
In a MS. genealogy preserved at Parkhill, apparently drawn up by Robert Gordon of
Straloch, Canea Harper is styled " heretrix of Methlic." ' The late John Stuart, LL.D.,
so long the moving spirit of the Spalding Club, accepted the fact of the marriage of
James Gordon to the heiress of John Harper. The MS. of 1580, in the possession of
the representatives of C. E. Dalrymple, Esq., calls her " ana gentlewoman called
Harper." She probably had the " sunny half of Methlick," and we see that her husband
acquired the shady half in 1469. But no charter of "the sunny half" is now known to
exist. This connection, however, is not without difficulty. In another MS. she is
called Caney Harper. In connection with her name, we may refer to a note, p. 334
Collections for the Shires of Aberdeen and Banff, where a document is quoted, referring to
some intromissions with the lands of Qwiltis of Shewass by William Dumbrek and
" Conny Gordoune " his spouse. This was probably a daughter of Coney Harper or
Gordon, married to a neighbour, Dumbrek of Dumbrek, the seat of the family of that
name in the neighbourhood of Methlick.
In the British Museum Library there is a MS. with the arms of the Gordons of Haddo :
" Azure three boars' heads coupe or differenced with a crescent for a younger brother."
This points to his being a second son and not a third as given in the Balbithan MS.
In another MS. these are quartered with a harp in the second and third quarters,
probably for Citharista, i.e.. Harper of Methlick. -
James Gordon and Canea Harper had issue : —
I. Patrick Gordon, of whom afterwards.
II. Robert Gordon of Fetterlettcr. He had issue a daughter, who was " ane
heretrix " and married Sir George Gordon of Shives, Knt., " which Knt. has
conquested a great living to the augmentation of his house, and built a great
strength thereon, with great policies, and most agreeable to such a nobleman of
his estate." •'
III. Alexander Gordon, Bishop-elect of Aberdeen, formerly Chantor and Dean of
Moray. In the Balbithan MS. it is recorded that " Alex. Gordon had many
bastard children, viz., David Gordon of Savoch, &c." ^ Two of his sons are
recorded in the following charter of lands. " Alexandro Gordon et Jacobo
Gordon fratribus bastardis filiis naturalibus Magistri Alexandri Gordon precen-
toris Moraviensis. June, 1506." Another. " Alexandro Gordon filio carnali
Alexandri Gordon precentoris Moraviensis, 1509.^
Through the influence of the Earl of Huntly he was appointed in 1515 Bishop of
Aberdeen, and died 30th June, 1518. Dr. Grub is of opinion, that owing to
bad health he was never consecrated.'
1 Notes by the late Mr. Chas. E. Dalrymple.
2 British Museum Lib. CM. 61, as quoted by Sheriff Riddell in his notes on the Gordons, Earls
Aberdeen, in Wood's Douglas' Peerage, .advocates Library, Edin.
3 Antiq. A. and B. II. p. 333, and MS. (C. E. D.), 1580.
4 Balbithan MS. of the Gordons.
5 Riddell's notes on Gordons of Haddo in Wood's Douglas' Peerage, Advocates Library, Edin.
6 Grub's Eccles. Historj- I. p. 410.