The book Arran; - Cook Clan

120 THE BOOK OF ARRAN
and having got their parchments into his possession refused
to disgorge. The FuUartons were among the victims, and
only an importunity hke that of the woman in the parable
enabled the then laird to recover the documents. One
version of the story makes James, son of Lord John and
second Marquis, the villain of the story. He died in 1634 ;
but our informant also says he married in 1603 the Duchess
Anne, who was really his grand-daughter. This Duchess,
too, is also credited with being the person whose advice
enabled the FuUartons to recover their charters. Thus do
we find an outstanding historical figure gradually bejewelled
with legendary matter. As stated, the whole circumstances
one doesn't see why M'Cooks and Curries
are improbable ;
should have been shyer than FuUartons ; and there is a
swarm of other difficulties. On the other hand, the popular
version might be taken to present circumstances of a
particular kind in a way misunderstood or misinterpreted.
The MacKinnon and Hunter rights, too, are given a
different fate. The former went to Ireland in the possession
of an Irish widow, who had left MacKinnon with no heirs.
The latter are affirmed to have perished from damp in a
place of concealment in the Holy Isle, where they had been
left by a Hunter who had a weakness for roaming the world
—and who died abroad. One leaves such tales without
comment.
A strange story attaches itself to the fortunes of the
FuUartons. It speaks of a quarrel between a laird of some
unrecorded date and his brother, which came to a head in
a duel on Lamlash green, where it left the name Leac Sheumais
(' flag-stone of James '). For James, apparently the laird,
was slain, and the brother, now also the heir, fled oversea.
The childless widow of the murdered man married again,
and to a child of the second family the estate passed. As
it happened, the second husband was also of the name of
FuUarton, though no relative of his predecessor. Many years