The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

274 THE HIGHLANDERS [part ii
earldom was claimed b\' three families—those of Napier of
Merchiston, and Haldane of Gleneagles, the co-heirs of her
second sister Margaret, and that of Stewart of Darnley, who
represented the youngest
sister Elizabeth. It would be un-
necessary here to enter into any detail of the measures by
which the Darnley family at length succeeded in overcoming
all opposition, and acquiring the title of Earl of Lennox ;
suffice it to say, that they had finall}- accomplished this object
in 1488. The earldom of Lennox having thus fallen into the
possession of a Norman family, the clans which had formerly
been united under the rule of the old earls, now became separate
and independent, and the principal of these was the clan Phar-
lane or Macfarlanes.
The Macfarlanes were descended from Gilchrist, a younger
brother of Malduin, earl of Lennox. This Gilchrist appears
frequently as a witness to many of the Lennox charters, in
which he is generally designated
"
frater Comitis." Duncan,
his son, also obtained a charter of his lands from the earl of
Lennox, in which the earl ratifies and confirms " Donationem
illam quam Malduinus avus meus comes de Lennox fecit
Gilchristo fratri suo de terris superioris Arrochar de Luss."
Duncan appears in Ragman's roll under the title of " Duncan
Mac Gilchrist de Sevenaghes." From a grandson of Duncan,
termed Bartholomew, or in Gaelic, Parian, the clan took their
surname of Macfarlane, and the connexion of Parian with
Duncan and Gilchrist is
sufficiently proved by a charter to
Malcolm Macfarlan, or Parian's son. This charter proceeds
upon the resignation of his father, Bartholomew, son of Malduin,
and confirms to ^Malcolm the lands of Arrochar and
others, " Adeo libere plenarie quiete et honorifice in omnibus
et per omnia sicut
a)itecessoribus dicti
carta originalis facta per atitecessores nostras
"
Malcohni ; and from this Malcolm Macfarlane
the whole clan are descended. To Malcolm succeeded
his son Duncan, sixth laird of Macfarlane, who obtained from
Duncan, earl of Lennox, a charter of the lands of .Arrochar,
in as ample manner as his predecessors held the same, which
is dated at Inchmirin in the year 1395. This Duncan, laird
of Macfarlane, was married to Christian Campbell, daughter
to Sir Colin Campbell, of Lochow, as appears from a charter