The church standeth on Dulenan, a little above the confluence with Fiddich, two miles south-south-east of Aberlaure, and about three miles south of Boharm. The parish (all in the shire of Banff) consists of the barony of Kininvie, the lordship of Balvenie, and the barony of Auchindune. The house of Kininvie stands upon the rivulet Fiddich, on the east side, environed with natural wood. A branch of the family of Lesly of Balquhain has enjoyed this barony about two hundred and fifty years; and of this branch the Earl of Leven is descended. Next, up Fiddich-side and the west side of Dullen, are the lands of Balvenie, which comprehend Bochram, Little Tullich, Parkbeg, Cluniemore, Clunie-beg, Pitvaich, Littoch, etc. Of the commissioners sent to London, on the nineteenth August, M.CCCC.XXIII., to relieve King James I., was James Douglas of Balvenie. (Rym. Foed., vol. x., p. 298.) And in M.CCCC.XLVI., John, son of James Earl of Douglas, was created Lord Balvenie; who, being forfeited in M.CCCC.LV., for joining in his brother's rebellion, King James II. granted Balvenie to his uterine brother, John Steuart, Earl of Athole. That family sold it to Aberneathie, Lord Salton, who, about M.DC.VI., disponed it to Lord Ochiltree. From him it came to Sir Robert Innes of Invermarkie, and from Sir Robert's heirs to Sutherland of Kinminity. About anno M.DC.LXVI., Alexander Lord Salton, reduced his father's disposition to Lord Ochiltree, and conveyed the lands in M.DC.LXX. to Arthur Forbes, brother to Blackton, from whom Alexander Duff of Braco adjudged them, and got possession about M.DC.LXXXVII., and they are now the property of the Earl of Fife. Upon an eminence, on the west bank of Fiddich, stood the castle of Balvenie, the ancient seat of the lordship, commanding a pleasant view of the valley; and a half mile below it, in a moist, low, and unwholesome soil, there is built a fine house of modern architecture, one of the seats of the Earl of Fife, adorned with gardens and planting. In the south of the parish, betwixt the rivulets of Fiddich and Dullen, is the barony of Achindune. This was formerly a part of the lordship of Deskford; and Achindune and Forrest of Fiddich were a part of the barony of Ogilvie, erected in M.D.XXVII. (penes Findlater.) Afterwards it was purchased by, and is now the property of, the family of Gordon. The castle stood on a mount above the water of Fiddich; and from it Glenfiddich stretches south-west about three miles among the hills, where is fine pasture ground and a forrest of red deer. Upon the head of Dullen lieth Glenrinness, a fertile valley, two miles long. The south side of it is a part of the barony of Achindune, and the north side a part of the lordship of Balvenie. Along the north side runneth Benrinnes, a high hill, and a landmark for sailors in sailing into the Moray Firth. Before the year M.DCC.VI., Mortlich was in the diocese of Aberdeen.' The ["Since the year 1706, Mortlach has been, by an act of the general assembly, in the church was dedicated to St. Bean, the first bishop of it. The King presented the present incumbent; but the Earl of Fife claims the patronage. The stipend is not modified, for the ipsa corpora of the small teinds are paid. But the stipend, including element money, amounts to about a thousand pounds Scots. The salary of the school is legal. William Duff of Dipple mortified five hundred merks to the school, and a thousand pounds Scots to the poor, and there are six hundred and seventy-five pounds Scots more mortified for the use of the poor. The catechisable persons are eighteen hundred, of which about sixty are Roman Catholicks. The protestant ministers are: Mr. John Maxwell,' anno M.DC.XV.; Mr William Forbes, anno M.DC.XL.; Mr. Alexander Seton, anno M.DC.L.; Mr. Arthur Strachan, anno M.DC.LXXXVIII.; Mr. Hugh Innes,2 ordained about M.DCC., died in March, M.DCC.XXXIII.; Mr. Walter Syme,3 from Glass, admitted the twenty-second of April, M.DCC.XXXIV., died sixth January, M.DCC.LXIII.; Mr John Touch, from Aberlaure, admitted twenty-sixth of October, M.DCC.LXIII. Before I proceed to the next parish I shall give some account of The family of Duff. The family of M'Duff, Earl of Fife, (descended, in my opinion, of King Duffus, who was murdered in Forres, about anno DCCCCLXV.) was ancient and eminent, and flourished until the year M.CCC.LXXXV. The sirnames of Weem, McIntosh, Tosheach, Shaw, Spens, Fife, Duff, etc., are branches of that great family. I have presbytery of Strathbogie, and synod of Moray: before that time it was in the presbytery of Fordyce, and synod of Aberdeen; and, in connection with Fordyce, the minister of Mortlach, it is said, has still a vote for delegates, from that presbytery, to elect the professor of divinity of King's College of Aberdeen." (The Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. xvii. p. 414.)] 1 [Afterwards successively Bishop of Ross in Scotland, Bishop of Killela and Achonry, and Archbishop of Tuam, in Ireland. He was found dead in his closet, kneeling on his knees, in the attitude of prayer, on the fourteenth of February, 1646. In the year 1558, the parsonage of Murthlac was held by the well-known John Leslie, afterwards Bishop of Ross.] 2 [This gentleman, it is said, was possessed of a considerable share of bodily strength and personal courage; and, in those days, if various anecdotes which are told of him be true, it seems he had occasion for the exercise of these qualities in the discharge of his clerical functions." (The Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. xvii. p. 432.)] [See above, p. 185, note 3. "There was an uncommon mortality in this parish in the year 1763, occasioned by a putrid fever; and, during the rage of the disease, the frost was so very intense that it was necessary to kindle fires in the churchyard to soften the ground for digging the graves: in the month of January, Mr. Walter Sime, the minister, was one of thirteen corps unburied at the same time." (The Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. xvii. pp. 437, 438.)] before me a genealogical manuscript account lately written, deducing the Lord Braco from the family of Fife. It consists of three successive branches. I. The Earls of Athole of the name de Strathbolgie, descended of the Earls of Fife, thus: (1) David, son of Duncan, the sixth earl. In a donation to the see of Moray by Malcolm, the seventh earl, 'David filius quondam Duncani comitis de Fife, frater meus,' anno M.cc.XXVI., is witness. Collatio Malcolmi comitis de Fyfe, episcopo Moraviensi, 'testibus Duncano et Davide fratribus meis.' 'Conventio inter Andream Episcopum Moraviensem et nobilem virum Davidem de Strathbolgie filium quondam Duncani comitis de Fyfe,' anno м.cc.XXXII. (Cart. Moray). He was father of (2) John de Strathbolgie, who became Earl of Athole in right of his wife Ada, co-heiress of Henry, Earl of Athole, and was father of (3) David, who married Isabel, co-heiress of Lord Chilam, and died M.CC.LXXXIV. His son (4) John, executed at London, M.CCC.VIII. His son (5) David, killed at Kilblain, anno M.CCC.XXXV., by his wife Joan, daughter of John the Red Cuming Lord Badenoch, had several sons, whereof the eldest (6) David, was forfeited for abetting the English interest, and died in England, anno M.CCC.LXXV., without male issue. This deduction of the Earls of Athole is instructed from the chartulary of Moray, and Sir William Dugdale. II. branch, deduces the Duffs of Muldavid and Craighead thus: (1) John, second son of David the fifth Earl of Athole, quitted the name of de Strathbolgie and assumed that of Duff, and had the lands of Muldavid and Craighead, etc. His son was (2) David, etc. The line was carried down by eleven generations to John Duff, writer in Aberdeen, who died in Holland, anno M.DCC.XVII., without issue; and in him the direct line of Craghead became extinct. I confess all the descents are well instructed, except the first. But one will desiderate, How doth appear that John, called the first of Craghead, was the second son of David, fifth Earl of Athole? or was at all his son? that ever he bore the name of Strathbolgie? that he assumed the name Duff? and for what reasons he did so? For all, or any of those, there is no voucher. Be it as it may, I pass on to it III. branch, the family of Clunybeg and Braco. The direct line of Craighead becoming extinct in John Duff, anno M.DCC.XVII., his grandfather John (who died about M.DC.LX.) was twice married. By his first wife, Isabel Allan, he had John, father of the foresaid John the writer. And by his second wife, daughter of John Gordon of Carnborraw, he had (1) Adam Duff of Cluny beg, who, by his wife, daughter of Gordon of Birkenburn, had Alexander of Keithmore, William, ancestor of Drummuir and Crombie, John, ancestor of Corsindae, Peter and Adam. Cluny beg died anno M.DC.LXXVII. (2) Alexander of Keithmore married Helen, [See List of Pollable Persons within the Shire of Aberdeen, 1696, vol. ii. p. 625; Maidment's Analecta Scotica, vol. ii. pp. 230-237. Edinb. 1838. 8vo.] daughter of Alexander Grant of Ellachie, and had Alexander of Braco, William of Dipple, and Patrick of Craigston. (3) Alexander of Braco married Margaret, daughter of Sir William Gordon of Lesmore, baronet, and had (4) William, who, leaving no male issue, was succeeded by his uncle, (5) William of Dipple, heir male and of entail, who, by his wife, daughter of Sir George Gordon of Edinglassie, has left a son, (6) William. This gentleman married Jean, eldest daughter of Sir James Grant of Grant, and hath a numerous issue. In M.DCC.xxxv., he was created Baron of Kilbryde, in the county of Cavan, in Ireland; and, by patent to him and to his heirs male, dated tenth of April, M.DCC.LIX., he was created Viscount MacDuff and Earl Fife of that kingdom. William, second son of Clunybeg, was father of Alexander, who married Katherine Duff, eldest daughter and heiress of Adam Duff of Drummuir, and by her had Robert of Drummuir, John of Coulbin, and William of Muirton. Robert was father of Archibald, now of Drummuir. William had a second son, James, father of William Duff of Crombie, advocate. Of Clunybeg's third son, John, is descended Duff of Corsindae. And of Keithmore's son, Patrick of Craigston, are descended Hatton, Kemnay, Craigston, etc. Instrumentum publicum super electione et presentatione Johannis Gordoun in clericatum parochialis ecclesie de Mwrthlaycht per parochianos dicte parochie (A.d. 1550.) IN DEI NOMINE AMEN per hoc presens publicum instrumentum cunctis pateat euidenter et sit notum quod anno incarnacionis Dominice / Millesimo quingentesimo quadragesimo nono mensis vero Marcij die vicesimo tercio Indictione septima pontificatus sanctissimi in Christo patris ac domini Domini nostrj Paulj de cuius morte fama volat / diuina prouidencia pape tercij anno decimo quinto In mej notarij publicj et testium subscriptorum presencia personaliter constitutj ac per suas moniciones et consensus ad infrascripta litteras et per balliuos et officiarios publicte monent et consentiunt nobilis et potens dominus Johannes comes Atholie ac dominus de Balwany Alexander Ogylvy de eodem ac eciam honorabiles prouidj et honestj virj infrascripti omnes et singulj parochianj de Mwrthlaycht subscriptj saltem maior et sanior pars dicte parochie / vnanimiter conuenientes in prefata parochialj ecclesia de Mwrthlaycht / Valterus Lesley de Kyninwy magister Georgius Gordoun de Baldorne / 1 [From the original in the charter chest at Wardhouse.] Willelmus Cauder Alexander Gordoun de Brodlandis Alexander Gordon in Clwnybeg / |