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V.—Sir ROBERT OF COLQUHOUN AND OF LUSS,
Fifth Laird of Colquhoun and Seventh of Luss [1330-1390].

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The Heiress of Luss.

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Sir Robert of Colquhoun, Knight, is the next representative of this ancient family that appears on record. We do not find him anywhere called son of Humphrey, though from the time at which he flourished, and the fact that he succeeded him in the lands of Colquhoun, it may be inferred that he was so. “Robert of Colquhoun, knight,” was a witness to a relaxation granted by Malcolm fifth Earl of Lennox to Arthur Galbraith of all the suits which, according to the tenour of his charters, he was bound to make to the Earl for the lands of Bannachra, Keangerloch, and others. He was also a witness to a charter granted by the same Earl to Arthur Galbraith of the lands of Buchmonyn and of Gilgirinane; to another granted by the same Earl to Sir Patrick of Grame of the lands of Auchencloich and Strablane; and to a relaxation of captions on the lands of the said Sir Patrick by the same Earl.^[1] All these transactions must have taken place between the years 1292 and 1333, the period during which that Earl held the earldom.

Sir Robert married, in or previous to the year 1368, the daughter of Godfridus, sixth laird of Luss, his only child and heiress. By this marriage he added greatly to his paternal estates, having by it acquired the extensive property of Luss. From this property he afterwards took his designation, and his descendants, who continue in possession of the lands to the present day, retain it.

The commonly received account of the marriage of Sir Robert with the heiress of Luss is, that in the reign of King David the Second he married the daughter and sole heiress of Humphrey of Luss, with whom he acquired the lands of Luss. As, however, no Humphrey of Luss appears on record, and as Godfridus is the last of the Lusses of whom we have any notice, it is probable that Umfridus has by mistake been written for Godfridus, and that it was the daughter and heiress of the latter whom Sir Robert married. No direct evidence of the marriage indeed exists, but the uniform tradition of the family, and the possession of the estates of Luss, leave no doubt on the subject.

After his marriage to the heiress of Luss, Sir Robert took the designation “de Luss” in addition to that of Colquhoun, though her father, Godfridus, was still alive. “Robert of Colfune (Colquhoun), Laird of Luss,” was a witness to an obligation by Malcolm Fleming, Lord of Biggar, in favour of Robert Lord Erskine, warranting the lands of Dalnotar, and others, dated 8th January 1368.^[2] In a charter, dated in the same year, he is designated “Robertus dominus de Colquhoun et de Luss,” Lord of Colquhoun and of Luss;^[3] and in a charter by Isabella Fleeming of Dalnotar to Sir Robert Erskine, knight, of the lands of Achintorlie, in the Lennox, he is similarly designated.^[4] To this latter charter John Lyle, son and heir of Sir John Lyle of Duchal, knight, was also a witness, which shows that it must have been granted about the year 1370.^[5] Sir Robert was also a witness under the simple designation “Robertus de Colquhoun,” to a charter, dated 20th August 1373, by Walter of Fosselane, Lord of Lennox, to Walter Lord of Buchanan, of the lands of Auchmar, in Stirlingshire, which belonged to William Boyd.^[6] Sir Robert of Colquhoun and of Luss was dead in 1391, when his lands of Mykilsalchy (Meikle Sauchy) were in the hands of the King, the heir not having up to that time obtained infeftment.^[7]

By the heiress of Luss, Sir Robert Colquhoun had four sons—

1.

Humphrey Colquhoun, who succeeded him.

2.

Robert Colquhoun, who obtained from his brother, Sir Humphrey, a grant of the lands of Camstradden, part of the estate of Luss. If there was any previous grant of these lands by Sir Robert, the father, no trace of it can now be found.

3.

Robert, junior, to whom, in the grant of the lands of Camstradden quoted below, the lands were destined, failing heirs-male of Robert, to whom the charter was granted. He is designed in the charter “frater junior.”

4.

Patrick, to whom in the same charter the same lands were destined, failing heirs-male of Robert, junior.

The charter grant of the lands of Camstradden now mentioned is written in Latin, and may be thus translated:—

To all who shall see or hear this charter, Humphrey of Colquhoun, Lord of Luss, everlasting salvation in the Lord: Know ye that I have given, granted, and by this present charter have confirmed to my beloved and special brother, Robert of Colquhoun, for his homage and service rendered, and to be rendered to me, my whole lands of Camysradoch and Achigahane, with the pertinents, lying in my lordship of Luss, within the earldom of Levenax; to be held and had, my said lands of Camysradoch and Achigahane, with the pertinents, by the said Robert, my brother, and his heirs-male lawfully begotten, or to be begotten, of his body; whom perhaps failing, by Robert of Colquhoun, my younger brother, and his heirs-male, in the manner before written; whom perhaps failing, by Patrick of Colquhoun, my brother, and his heirs-male, as is before mentioned; whom also perhaps failing, by me and my lawful heirs whomsoever, in feu and heritage for ever, of me and my heirs, freely, quietly, wholly, fully, and peaceably, in wood and plain, in meadows, pastures and pasturages, in roads and paths, in waters and pools, in aviaries and fishings, in fowlings and huntings, in pleas and suits, and in their issues, with escheats, merchets and bludwyts, and with all other liberties, commodities, easements, and just pertinents whatsoever, as well not named as named, as well under the earth as above the earth, belonging to, or that may hereafter in any way belong to, the same lands; for rendering therefrom the said Robert, Robert and Patrick, my brothers, and their heirs, as before mentioned, to me and my heirs, for the common army of our Lord the King, two cheeses from every house in which cheese is made in the said lands of Camysradok and Achigahane, and for rendering for the common assistance of our Lord the King as much as belongs to so much land within the Lordship of Luss for every other service, exaction, or demand. In testimony of which thing, my seal is appended to my present charter at Luss, on the fourth day of the month of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand three hundred and ninety-five, before these witnesses, Sir Nigel of Balnory and Sir Robert Lang, chaplains, William Bukroy, Donald Macroger, and John Balnory, with many others.

This grant of the lands of Camstradden is narrated in a charter of confirmation by Duncan Earl of Lennox, dated at Inchmurrin, 4th July 1395.^[8]

The lands of Luss, which Sir Robert acquired by marriage, had for a long time previous been the property of a family of the name of Luss, their surname having been derived from the name of their lands.

As by the marriage of Sir Robert with the heiress of Luss the family of that name became merged with that of Colquhoun, it is proper in this place to give some account of the family of Luss from its earliest representative, so far as now known, to the heiress of Luss whose property Sir Robert inherited, and whose family name he also assumed.

[1]	Cartularium Comitatus de Levenax, pp. 29, 30, 38, 40.

[2]	Original Obligation in Cumbernauld Charter-chest.

[3]	Original Charter in Luss Charter-chest. This designation which Sir Robert takes in this charter clearly proves that Buchanan of Auchmar is incorrect in asserting that it was Humphrey, Sir Robert’s son, who married the heiress of Luss.

[4]	Crawford’s Officers of State, p. 318.

[5]	Vide Douglas’s Peerage, under Lyle, Lord.

[6]	Cartularium Comitatus de Levenax, p. 59.

[7]	Accounts of the Great Chamberlains of Scotland, ut supra, vol. ii. p. 185.

[8]	Cartularium Comitatus de Levenax, p. 77.