Undoubtedly the greatest interest of a publication like the present arises from the
early mention of places and lands and families. There are no great estates in the
diocese of Moray which are not more or less illustrated by this register, and there are
only two or three that do not occur here earlier than in any other authentic record.
The chartulary, indeed, may be said to furnish a history of the tenure and transmis-
sion of property within the diocese, from the first subjection of the province to Royal
authority and the introduction of written titles, down to the period of the Reforma-
tion. So extensive and so scattered were the possessions of the Church in Moray,
that the Bishop was brought into contact, in one way or another, with all the great
proprietors of the district, and it is to the system of recording which w as so laudably
practised by the Church, that the most ancient families of the province are indebted
for the proofs of their pedigrees.
Among the munificent benefactors of the Church of Moray, the family of De un moravia.
Moravia is perhaps, on all accounts, the most interesting. It seems, in the early
part of these records, to be but recently settled in the province ; its connexions
and origin alike unknown ; and yet we find it suddenly in possession of a vast
extent of territory, buihling stately castles, largely endowing the Church, and in a
very few generations producing an unexampled number of cadent lines, each of
them taking a high rank in its own district of Scotland.
It is no w vain to push our researches beyond Freskinus, of whom all we know
is, that he held the lancls of Strabrok, in Linlithgow, and Duifus with a great
neighbouring territory, in Moray, from David I. k He must have died before 1171,
Camerarius says, the ceremonies in honour of " Angus in the reign of Alexander I. ? of
Saint Marnanus were performed — comitaute " Fergus Lord of Galloway in the reign of
praesertim Ixxesiorcm tribu nobili et peranti- " Malcorn IV.? or of Freskinus do Moravia,
t/uu, ijuae tenerrimo in Marnanum ferebatur " ancestor of the family of Sutherland, in the
affectu. If this were so, it must have been " reign of William the Lion?" Although it
after the marriage of good Sir Robert of Innes may be held, contrary to Lord Hailes's ex-
with Joan the heiress of the ancient thanes of pectation, that the first and most important
Aberkerdour, in the end of the ]4th century, of these genealogical problems is now solved,
who may have carried the reverence for her the others still remain, and probably will for
family Saint along witb the family lands. ever remain as so many great land-marks, to
k Charter apud Nisbel quoted below — Lord show us the narrow boundaries of our acquaint-
Hailes replies to the enquiry, who was Alan, ance with Scotch pedigree and Scotch history.
the father of Walter Stewart ? — " I can only Some writers, founding on the surname which
" answer thisquestion by demanding who was the descendants of Freskinus afterwards adopt-
" thc fathcr of Martach Earl of Marre in the ed, represent him to bc of the family of the an-
" reign of Macolm III. ? of Gilchrist Earl of cient Maormors and Earls of Moray. The