Series 1 > Chronicles of the Frasers

160
POLICHRONICON SEU
were makeing friends, and forking for that curious fertil plat
of ground. And now that the Reformation prevailed through
Scotland, they had made an act for demolishing all religious
houses, after the death of Cardinal Betton : and to be sure the*
next act will be to annex these rents to the Crown or set
them to seale [sale]. In the interim my Lord Lovat takes
occasion to draw up a familiarity with Sir Walter Reeds lady,
and broaches his resolution to her of fewing the barony of
Beuly. She assured him that his lordship would be preferred
to any whatsoever in that bargan, and that she would secure
her husband against all importunities that might assault him
upon that head; which she actually effected, and guarded him
so as that the next time when Lovat payed a visit to Sir
Walter, they came to such an agreement that a minut of scale'
was drawn up betuixt them of the pryory, and subscribed hinc
inde before John, Earle off Atholl, and Sir John Campbel off
Calder, who both were wittnesses in the paper; so that all wasi
out of any doubt and hasard for the future. Be this time Lord
Hugh becomes so generally acquaint with and beloved among
the nobles that he goes under the notion of a courtiour and
gallanter of ladyes. This rumor running north, it breeds some
generoues jelousy in my Lady Lovats brest; but I think Sir
Walter had no tongue of that mallady. Lord Hugh, spending
that winter in Edinburgh, returnd borne in March, takeing
his leave of his noble friends and acquaintances there, and at
his departure complemented Sir Walter Reed and his lady
Dame Margret Collace with a generous toaken of his respects,
being allwayes noble and free hearted. At his arrivall in Lovat,
April 7,1570, his lady, it seemes, out of excess of joy gave him
a sone, being brought to bed the 6 day after, and told him she
had reserved that new yeares gift for him, seing he was not at
home in the feast off tbe Nativity.
Many persones of qualety present at his baptism ; but non
of his godfathers got the name, and whey he was called Simon
I narrated before, a name pretty rare in Scotland, south or
north, allthough kindly to this famely, being the first name it
had, and whence the Lord Lovat is called M‘Khimy.
Now the broyles of the kingdom are increaseing, the Kings
faction called the Royalists, and the Queenes faction termed