FRASER, Hugh 4th of Lovat, Sir 1
- Born: About 1320
- Marriage (1): CALDER, Jane about 1365 1
- Died: 1397 1
User ID: Z298.
General Notes:
"Lord Hugh being called by the Earle of Rosse, his uncle, to convoy Eufem his daughter south to be married to the King (ie Robert II of Scots), went with other nobles in that retenue, and returned cloathed with a commission of Lieutenant of the North, the first of that nature that perhaps was bestowed upon any subject ; and there was great need of it becaus of the feuds and commotions here among clans, and he well managed it as we shall declare. This was a vigorous man, full of sprightly currage and resolution. It was observable of him when with the King that his nature would not bow to courtly complyance, he could maintain what he spoke, and spoke what he thought, think what he apprehended true and just, though sometimes dangerous, and distastfull; one of an excellent temper, it being true of him what is said of the Caspian Sea that doth never ebb nor flow, observing a constant tenor, neither elated nor depressed with success."
"We shewed that Hugh, Lord Fraser of Lovat, went south in company with the Queen, and, not finding the Court agreeable to his conscience or constitution, he returnd home and lived in peace and quiet in his countrie, for he was very active himselfe to promot the peace of the Highlands, supprest the insolencies of the roisters and robbers that opprest the country, hence he was called Latronum Malleum, and furorum flagellum ; it was ordinarly said he was feared and yet favoured of all. I need not add to the character I gave of him formerly. Now he goes of the stage, and died in peace in the 78 year of his age, 1397... He lived happily in prosperity and honour, and had truly the buriall of a prince ... His good lady survived him but halfe a yeare ..."
from Chronicles of the Frasers 1
Research Notes:
ORIGIN OF THE FRASERS OF LOVAT
"The lands of Lovat, which lie in the county of Inverness, belonged during the first half of the thirteenth century to
John Bisset, who also possessed a district called the Ard, as well as lands in Ross-shire. About 1268 these lands were divided amongst three co-heiresses who were married respectively to Sir David de Graham, Sir William Fenton, and Sir Andrew de Bosco ; Lord Saltoun conjectures that possibly Hugh Fraser first designed of Lovat married the descendant and heiress of one of these three.
On the other hand, the Wardlaw Manuscript states that in the year 1254, on the forfeiture of John Bisset, Sir Simon Fraser obtained a charter from King Alexander III. of 'totam et integram terram de Loveth vulgo Morvin,' and places Hugh of Lovat third in descent from him. Whatever may be the correctness of these statements, there are no authentic documents known in which any Fraser is styled of Lovat before the time of
HUGH FRASER of Lovat and Kinnell, whose parentage is open to conjecture, though it is certain that he was a cadet of the powerful family of Frasers in the Lothians, as his seal bears three cinquefoils within a bordure charged with nine mullets. He may have been descended from Sir Simon Fraser, second son of Sir Andrew Fraser of Touch-Fraser, who was killed at the battle of Halidon Hill, a view which is accepted by Douglas, Macfarlane, and others, including Lord Saltoun, who makes Alexander, son of Sir Simon, the father of this Hugh, but there does not seem to be any charter evidence to bear out the relationship, except that in the year 1464 Lord Lovat made a reciprocal entail with Alexander Fraser of Philorth, in which each describes the other as his beloved cousin."
from Scots Peerage (vol 5)
Note:
The description of 1464, of the cousinship of Lord Lovat and Fraser of Philorth, mentioned at the end of this extract, could surely also be explained by marriages and relationships other than those of people surnamed Fraser, the Ross link, for example, since Hugh Ross and Julia Ross were brother and sister, their parents then were common ancestors of both Fraser men in question. 2
Hugh married Jane CALDER, daughter of Laurence CALDER Thane of Calder and Unknown, about 1365.1 (Jane CALDER was born about 1352 and died by 1398 1.)
Marriage Notes:
"I treated formerly of Simon, the 3. Lord Fraser of Lovat, who died young, and his surviving lady, no discredit to him nor discurragement to his ofspring, with whom she long lived and sincerely loved. Hugh, 4 Lord Fraser of Lovat, who entered young to his interest, I find him served and retoured to his father anno 1349 at Edinburgh, being at court with King David 2. At his return he married Jane Calder, daughter to Laurence Calder, Thane thereof. With her he had 4 sones and 3 daughters, his eldest sone Alexander, 2 Hugh, 3 James, 4 William ; all well educat with the monks
in Beauly."
from Chronicles of the Frasers 1
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