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

Fyvie. 2 1
In 1381, he quarrelled with Sir John Lyon, Lord Glammis, Chamberlain of Scotland,
and son-in-law of the King, and slew him in a duel.' In 1385, he fought under the
Earl of Douglas at Otterburne. His wife was Margaret Keith, daughter of William
Keith, Marischal of Scotland. According to Winton, she was
"A gude ladye,
And led in all time gude life."
She had been employing masons at the Castle of Fyvie, with whom the followers or
her nephew, Robert Keith, quarrelled.
"This discourteous chief," according to Lord Lindsay, "took up the quarrel so
warmly, as to besiege his aunt in her own castle, but she held out, and gave notice to
her husband, who was then at Court. He started immediately, with four hundred men to
relieve his wife ; but was intercepted by Keith, at the Kirk of Bourtie, in the Garioch,
where Sir James utterly defeated him, with the loss of about fifty of his followers." =
This Sir James Lindsay died in 1397, without male issue, leaving two daughters, who
inherited certain rights in the Thanage of Fermartyn.
In 1390, there is a deed of gift by King Robert HI. to Henry Preston for the
redemption of Lord Ralph de Percy, brother of Hotspur, taken with him at Otterburne.'
It is, however, not at all certain that Ralph de Percy was taken prisoner by Sir Henry
Preston. The name of his captor is given by Froissart as Mackynell, which some think
means Maxwell. Lindsay was himself taken prisoner by the Bishop of Durham, at
some distance from the field, after he had pursued and taken prisoner Sir Matthew
Redham, the Governor of Berwick. There is thus a curious conflict of evidence as to
who took Percy. There is no doubt he came into the power of Sir Henry Preston, and
as ransom he got the lands of Fermartyn according to the deed.'' The rights of the
daughters of Sir James Lindsay were satisfactorily settled. They evidently had still
claims on Fermartyn notwithstanding the King's charter above-mentioned.
In 1403, there is an arrangement between Lady Margaret Lindsay, wife of Thomas
Colville of Oxenham, and Henry Preston regarding the Castle of Fyvy.^ This charter
engrosses one in his favour by Thomas Colville and the said Margaret Lindsay dated
1397. Sir Henry Preston purchased from Sir John Herrys of Terregles his wife
Euphemia Lindsay's rights in Fermartyn.^
The Park of Fyvie is called the King's park in 1395, and the demesne lands
Gourdnes (Gourdas), and others still remained in the Crown.' In 1437, the Castle was
in ward of the Crown, for in the account of the King's Chamberlain there is entered,
" Pro custodia Castri de Fyvy post obitum regis," £^i, 5s. 2d.'^
Sir Henry Preston, Lord of Fermartyn, according to Douglas, was a man of great
J Doug. Peer. fol. p. 156. 6 .\nt. A. and B. I. pp. 502-3.
2 Lives of the Lindsays, I. p. 96. 7 Reg. Vet. Aberbrothock p. 311.
3 Fyvie Charters, Ant. A. and B. \. p. 490. 8 Ant. A. and B. IL 327.
4 Ant. A. and B. L p. 499. 9 Doug. Peer. foli. 10.
5 Id., I. p. 501.