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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.

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