Читать книгу The Chiefs of Colquhoun and their Country - Fraser William Alexander - Страница 18

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Maldouen, Dean of Levenax,^[1] is the first of those ancient lords of Luss that appears on record. He received from Alwyn second Earl of Lennox a charter of the three lower quarters of Luss, viz., Achadhtullech, Dunfin, and Inverlaueran, and another quarter on the west side of Luss.

The charter itself, of the date of which we are ignorant, but which must have been in or before the year 1224,—the Earl who granted it having died before 1225,—is not included in the “Cartularium de Levenax,” nor is it known to be now in existence. But that such a charter was given is certain, from the charter of confirmation or recognition granted by Maldouen third Earl of Lennox to Maldouen, Dean of Luss, and to his son, Gillemore. Maldouen had been illegally kept from possessing these lands by Maldouen third Earl of Lennox, who, after his father’s death, held possession of them for some time, but how long is not stated. At last Earl Maldouen, prompted, as he himself affirms, by penitence for having detained them from the rightful owners, reconveyed to Maldouen, who is designated “formerly Dean of Luss,” and Gillemore, his son, by charter the foresaid lands, with the right of the patronage of the church of Luss, and with all the pleas, prison dues, escheats, etc., of the said lands. These lands are described in the writ as contained within these boundaries, namely, from Ald Suidheadhi and from the Laueran to Lower Duueglas, as Duueglas falls from the mountain into Lochlomond, on the one side, and from the head of the Laueran, across by the summit of the mountains, to the lower just boundary between the land of Luss and the land of Nemhedh (Roseneath), as it descends into Lochlong on the other side; and thence to the burn called Ald Bealech Nascamche as it descends into Lochlong; and from the head of that rivulet right across to the river Duueglas, as it falls into Lochlomond, as said is, and Frechelan and Elan Rosduue, and Ines Domhnoch. A special reservation is made in favour of the granter of the lands contained between Cledhebh and Banbrath (Banry or Bandry), with the islands pertaining thereto.

These lands thus described were to be held of the Earl of Lennox for rendering to him and his heirs, for the common army of the King, two cheeses from every house in the said lands in which cheese was made, for all other services, forinsic as well as intrinsic, customs, exactions, and demands, and giving as much common assistance to the King as belonged to two arrochars of land in the earldom of Levenax.^[2]

The leading boundaries described in that charter still form the boundaries of the Luss estates, although from the revolution of names that has taken place since the date of the above charter, it is difficult to identify with perfect accuracy all the names of the boundaries mentioned in the charter.

The reddendo of cheeses for the King’s host stipulated in the grant, as well as in charters of other lands in Luss, would seem to lead to the conclusion that the valleys of Luss, amidst the extensive forest of the Levenax, were famed in those early days for more pasturage, and a more abundant dairy produce, than the present aspect of the country, with so much arable land under tillage, would lead us to suppose. The charter made by Alwyn second Earl of Lennox in favour of Maldouen, seems to have been the first grant of Luss to that family. Soon after this grant was made to them, they were accustomed to take the designation “de Luss;” the territorial name thus supplying their surname. The lands of Luss continued to be possessed by the family till, by the marriage of the heiress of Luss with the Laird of Colquhoun, as already stated, they passed into another family, in which they have continued down to the present day. Some have supposed that this Maldouen was a son of Earl Alwyn; but this is clearly a mistake, as both Maldouen, his son, and Maldouen, Dean of Lennox, were witnesses to the Earl’s charter of the lands of Cochnach to the church of Kilpatrick.^[3] Dean Maldouen, however, though not a son, may have been a near kinsman of Earl Alwyn.

[1]	In the Cartulary of Lennox, p. 12, he is called Dean of Levenax, and at p. 97 he is called Dean of Luss, probably because his church was at Luss.

[2]	Cartularium Comitatus de Levenax, p. 97.

[3]	Cartularium Comitatus de Levenax, p. 97.