A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society
A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society
A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society
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284<br />
OF FOUR-FOOTED BEASTS.<br />
argent, erect, proper ; with the motto, Sincere vel mart but there is<br />
; ho mention<br />
<strong>of</strong> supporters, yet I am informed the family has been in use to carry supporters.<br />
The present Alexander M'Dowall <strong>of</strong> Garthland sent me his seal <strong>of</strong> arms, which is<br />
cut in the Plate <strong>of</strong> Achievements, as last blazoned, supported with two lions<br />
crowned, and holding, in their paws, daggers or swords ;<br />
erased, holding up a dagger ; with the motto, on an escrol, Sincere vel mori ; and<br />
on the compartment those words, Fortis in arduis.<br />
M'DOWALL <strong>of</strong> Logan, though their old charters have met with the like destruc-<br />
and, for crest, a lion's paw<br />
tion with others, yet it appears, by an authentic document still remaining, that<br />
they are very old barons ; as by an old charter under the Great Seal, in the yeai<br />
1454, confirming the lands <strong>of</strong> Alrick, Myroch and Balnagowan, jacen. in Dominio<br />
de Logan, to Andrew M'Dowall, upon resignation <strong>of</strong> Uthred M'Dowall <strong>of</strong> Garthland,<br />
in the hands <strong>of</strong> Patrick M'Dowall <strong>of</strong> Logan, superior; whereby the said Andrew<br />
was to hold these lands as freely and honourably as the said Uthred and his<br />
predecessors had held them <strong>of</strong> the said Patrick and his predecessors, viz. in ward,<br />
Reddendo inde annuatim Ires sectas ad tres curias capitales.<br />
There are two things remarkable in this charter, first, the word dominium, used<br />
in old charters, to signify lordship or barony <strong>of</strong> the most honourable kind, by<br />
which barons have the privilege <strong>of</strong> pit and gallows, &c. ; which kind <strong>of</strong> barons, be-<br />
heritable members <strong>of</strong><br />
fore King James I. were dignified with the honour <strong>of</strong> being<br />
Parliament, which is the chief reason why old barons, lineally descended from<br />
them, do use supporters to their arms. Secondly, the clause about Patrick and<br />
his predecessors, demonstrates that this family have been barons long before this<br />
time, which is in King James II.'s reign.<br />
In three other charters granted by the lairds <strong>of</strong> Logan, for ward-service, and<br />
attendance at their courts, the word dominium is used, viz. in one, for the foresaid<br />
lands, to Margaret Kennedy, daughter <strong>of</strong> Hugh Kennedy <strong>of</strong> Girvamnains, for her<br />
iiferent, as Lady Garthland, in the year 1549 ; and in other two, to Quintin and<br />
Ninian Agnews, for the lands <strong>of</strong> Killumpha and Grenan, the one in the year 1468,<br />
and the other 1596.<br />
That the old charters <strong>of</strong> this family were destroyed is beyond dispute ; for Pa-<br />
trick M'Dowall <strong>of</strong> Logan obtained a charter <strong>of</strong> novodamits, for his barony <strong>of</strong> Logan,<br />
in the year 1503, under the Great Seal ; wherein it is acknowledged, though all<br />
the ancient charters <strong>of</strong> the family were lost, that it was known and perfectly un-<br />
derstood, by certain retours shown, that the said Patrick and his predecessors had,<br />
ultra memoriam homirtum, held their lands <strong>of</strong> Logan blanch <strong>of</strong> the crown : But<br />
seeing the charters were not then produced, he was obliged to take a new one,<br />
holding his lands ward, as his successors have ever since done.<br />
All the forementioned charters I have seen, excepting the last, where<strong>of</strong> there<br />
is only a copy amongst the Lord Haddington's Collections, in the Lawyers' Lib-<br />
rary.<br />
Charles, the son <strong>of</strong> the last-mentioned Patrick, was killed at the misfortunate<br />
battle <strong>of</strong> Flodden, in the year 1513.<br />
The arms <strong>of</strong> this family are azure, a lion rampant argent, collared with an antique<br />
crown or ; which I do not find they have ever changed, for, in Esplin's He-<br />
raldry, amongst the illuminated arms <strong>of</strong> many barons <strong>of</strong> the kingdom, in the year<br />
1630, they are the same, as above blazoned, and the same way matriculated in the<br />
Lyon Register, anno 1676, and now <strong>of</strong> late matriculated thus:<br />
ROBERT M'DOWALL <strong>of</strong> Logan bears azure, a lion rampant argent, gorged with<br />
an antique crown or; crest, a demi-lion argent, crowned with an imperial crown-<br />
or, holding in his right paw a flaming sword : motto, Pro rege in tyrannos, supported<br />
with two lions crowned with antique crowns, proper, standing on a compartment,<br />
whereon are these words, Victoria vel mors : As in the Plate <strong>of</strong> Achievements,<br />
conform to the Lyon King at Arms, his patent, under his hand and seal <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong>fice. The foresaid crest and motto, with others to be seen in the Register, are<br />
ro perpetuate the story <strong>of</strong> their ancestor killing Nothatus the Tyrant, as before.<br />
M'DOWALL or M'DOUGALL <strong>of</strong> Freugh, is likewise an old family, but has been<br />
-ubject to the same misfortunes that most <strong>of</strong> the gentry <strong>of</strong> Galloway suffered, viz.<br />
<strong>of</strong> haviog all their ancient charters destroyed.