[1385/4/7]¹

Judicial proceedings

Sir Alexander Stewart, earl of Buchan, son of the king, is to be forewarned that he should compear at Edinburgh in the king's general council to be held there on 12 June next following with a continuation, for making known his reasons and evidences as far as receiving the lordship of Buchan at pledge, as shall seem expedient to him for his interest.

[1385/4/8]²

It is to be remembered furthermore that Sir David [Stewart], earl of Strathearn, son of the king, presented a certain schedule in the presence of our lord king and the lord [John Stewart], earl of Carrick, in the same council, complaining of Sir Alexander Stewart, earl of Buchan, his brother, that whereas he has set at ferme, as he said, the barony of Urquhart with the castle to the said Sir Alexander, his brother, the same barony with its castle is detained by him and [Alexander] occupies it in prejudice of [John's] fee and heritage, wherefore he has asked remedy to be done to him by the lord earl of Carrick and the council. Then the king, also with the advice of the lords, the earl of Carrick and [Robert Stewart], earl of Fife, his brothers, pointed out and said to him that he should take advice and wait until an effort could be made by their mediation [to find] whether they might bring the said earl and Sir Alexander, his brother, to agreement amicably. The same earl of Strathearn having removed aside and been advised responded that, from respect, a desire to please and at the instance of the aforesaid lord his father and lords his brothers, he was willing to wait and suspend [matters] in this regard until the aforenamed next council ordained to be held, and in the manner set out before, upon this condition, that if he and the said Sir Alexander, his brother, cannot agree then or in the mean time by mediation as above, the same day of the council to be held with a continuation ought to be and is for him the peremptory day for having final determination by the council of his complaint and fullness of justice.

[1385/4/9]³

Furthermore, it was ordained in the same place by the council that Sir [John Stewart], earl of Carrick, should write without delay and direct his letters patent in effect to Sir Alexander Stewart, earl of Buchan, forewarning and commanding him strictly by the king's authority and on his own behalf that he should cause an inquiry and search within all his bounds by each of his servants who have that responsibility concerning Finlay Lawson and the two sons of Harold Foulson, who, as it is complained in the present council by [John Dunbar], earl of Moray, recently killed the men of the same earl, transgressing the last-ordained statutes of the king and his general council, and that he should cause full execution of justice without delay concerning these malefactors and transgressors and their accomplices, according to what the statute contains and requires, under the appropriate penalty.