The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

CHAP. V] O F S C O T L A N D 261
institutions were not introduced till the accession of David I.,
who had previously been to all intents and purposes a Norman
baron, and possessed through his wife an extensive Norman
barony. Previous to his accession in 11 24 there is not a trace
of Normanism, if I may be allowed the expression, in Scotland,
and we find no other titles of honour than just the two denomina-
tions of Saxon landholders, the eorl or earl, and the Thegn or
Thane. It is consequently during these two reigns, or between
the years 1098 and 1 124, that we must look for the origin of
Abthanes.
We have already remarked, that Abthane was strictly
analogous to Thane, and consequently implies a Saxon landed
proprietor ; and the name shew^s that Abthanus and Abthania
are the same words with Thanus and Thanagum, with the
addition of the prefix x\b. It follows, therefore, that that prefix
must express some characteristic of an ordinary Thanus ; in
other words, that the .Abthanus was a landed proprietor, with
an additional character expressed by the syllable Ab. The
syllable, however, is manifestly derived from Abbas, an abbot ;
and here we are at once supported by the analogous case of the
German Abbacomites. Du Cange defines them to be " Abbates
qui simul erant comites," and refers to the similar term of Abba
milites, implying abbots who held lands of a subject superior ;
there can, therefore, be little doubt, judging by analogy, that
Abthanus was just Abbas qui simul erat Thanus, or an abbot
who possessed a Thanedom ; and as Thanedoms were certainly
hereditary in Scotland, the name once applied to the lands
would always remain. Such being manifestly the origin of
Abthanedoms generally, we shall now be better enabled to
ascertain the origin of the three Abthanedoms of Dull, Kil-
michael, and Madderty. From what has been said, it is plain
that the Abthaneries were just Thanedoms held of the crown
by an abbot, and that they must have been so created between
1098 and 1 124, It is, however, a remarkable circumstance, that
these three Abthanedoms were in two essential respects in the
very same situation, for, first, as appears from the charters
previously quoted, they were at the earliest period at which we
can trace them in the crown ; 2dly, that the monks of Du7ikeld
had ancient rights connected with all of them. From the