The book Arran; - Cook Clan

118 THE BOOK OF ARRAN
portions of lands which they are to have and possess in perpe-
tuity, themselves and heirs male, for the money ferms, marts,
barley and oats as paid before this infeftment, with attendance
on the justiciary and sheriff courts. To these possessors
the name of ' baron ' was popularly applied, and the same
term is also found in North Argyll, as in the case already
given, which is pretty modern, and in Cowal, where the
MacKellars were ' barons or bonnet-lairds of the farm of
Maam and Kilblain, in Glenshira, near Inveraray.' ^
There is no official or state record of any such class in
Arran, but the tradition is there, and the name has been in
use in quite recent times apparently with the meaning of
feuar. It appears, too, that in 1684 the FuUarton holding
was changed from ward to feu, which may have some bearing
on the matter.2 Before the occasion of the Bute barons,
Arran had passed into Hamilton hands, but such superiors
had also the right to set their lands in feu, if thought good.
As there is no nomination of such holders in the royal
accounts, their appearance is possible only after the property
had been transferred to the Hamiltons. In 1626 Bishop
Thomas Knox mentions only two proprietors in Arran,
suggesting no small ones.^ It can be inferred that Martin
in 1695 knew of none. In 1772 Pennant states the case
thus :
' After the battle of Bannockburn he (Robert Bruce)
rewarded several, such as the Mac-Cooks, Mac-Kinnons,
Mac-Brides, and Mac-louis, or FuUartons with different
charters of lands in their native country. All these are
now absorbed by this great family, except the FuUartons,
and a Stewart, descended from a son of Robert iii., who gave
him a settlement here.' * We have seen the origin of the
' Brown's History of Cowal, p. 1G6. ^ Iteid's Bute, p. 239.
' 'Arrane belongyth for the most pairt to the Lord Marqueis of Hammiltoun and
the Laird Scairmerlay (Skelmorlie).'
—
Collect, de Rebus Alban, p. 123.
* Tour and Voyage, pp. 172-3. A proverbial saying- reduces the names to two :
'M'Enan's Mac Uca. M'Kinnon and MacCook.
Ua dhubh bhodach Arinn. The two hereditary men of Arran.'