Sir Andrew Leslie, 3rd Baron of Balquhain

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"Sir Andrew Leslie,

"Third Baron of Balquhain.

"Sir Andrew Leslie, son of Sir Hamelin Leslie, second Baron of Balquhain, by his wife Ann Maxwell, succeeded his father as third Baron of Balquhain in 1378.

"Sir Andrew Leslie is documented by an indenture, dated 24th November 1390, between Andrew de Leslie, VIII Dominus Ejusdem, and Norman Leslie, his son and heir, on the one part, and Andrew de Leslie, Dominus de Syde (third Baron of Balquhain), his cousin, on the other part, relating to the settlement of certain lands; to which indenture Andrew and his son Norman are obliged to procure the confirmation of George de Leslie, Dominus de Rothes, heir of entail to the said Andrew and Norman. By this indenture, Andrew de Leslie of Syde and Balquhain got a grant of £13 : 6 : 8 of annual rent, out of the lands of Leslie and Cushnie, from Sir Andrew de Leslie, Dominus Ejusdem, and his son Norman.

“Sir Andrew Leslie seems to have been a turbulent baron, and of very loose morals. He had a numerous progeny of natural children, from whom many Leslies are descended. The Leslies of Buchanstone, Andrew Leslie of Cortashy, James Leslie in Aberdeen, David Leslie in Meikle Durno, George Leslie in Drumdollo, Andrew Leslie in Pitscurry, and many others, were all descended from, or were natural sons of, Sir Andrew Leslie.

"One of these natural sons, Andrew Leslie of Pitscurry, was the cause of a great feud between the Leslies and the Forbeses. He carried off the daughter of Thomas Bisset of Balhagarty, commonly called the Fair Maid of Kemnay, and married, her, -- she being at the time betrothed to Sir John Forbes of Druminnor, ancestor of the Lords Forbes, and who was bailie to the Earl of Mar for the Lands of Balhagarty. Forbes having gathered together a great number of men, attacked the castle of Balquhain, and took and burned it. This occasioned much bloodshed, for Sir Andrew Leslie raised his friends, vassals, and followers, and pursued the Forbeses into their own country, and, in retaliation, destroyed the house of Sir John Forbes, and devastated a great part of the Forbeses’ lands, killing many of the people and burning their houses.

"It was probably in consequence of this feud with Sir John Forbes, and because he had also given offence to the Earl of Mar, that Sir Andrew Leslie withdrew from Balquhain, and occupied an old fortress on the almost inaccessible pinnacle of Bennachie, nearly 2000 feet high, and not far from the castle of Balquahin, Having repaired this strong post, he remained there till he made his peace with the Earl of Mar, when he returned to Balquhain; but he still retained the fort on Bennachie as a place of security.

"It is said that, during his abode on Bennachie, he made an incursion, accompanied by a large body of retainers, up to Strathdon, and devasted the lands, and carried off the daughter and heiress of the Baron of Cray, chief of the Clan Allan, and who was called the Fair Maid of Strathdon; others say that the lady he carried off was a daughter of Sir James Stewart of Inveravon, also called the Fair Maid of Strathdon. It seems certain that by one or other of these ladies he had a natural son, Malcolm, to whom he gave the lands of Cults, and whose great-great-grandson was John Leslie, Bishop of Ross in the reign of Queen Mary.

"Sir Andrew Leslie was Master of the Horse under Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar, and was one of his chief commanders at the battle of Harlaw, fought against Donald, Lord of the Isles, 24th July 1411, about two miles from the castle of Balquhain. In this desparate action Sir Andrew Leslie lost six sons, in commemoration of whom a cross was erected on the field of battle and called Leslie’s Cross.

"On account of another feud with the Forbeses, Sir Andrew Leslie again withdrew to his fortress on Bennachie, and a force was brought against him under the Sheriff of Angus. Sir Andrew Leslie, having assembled his friends and vassals, came down from his stronghold,and gave battle to his opponents at Braco, about two miles from Bennachie, 22d January 1420. In the heat of the action, his wife, Isabel Mortimer, came and threw herself between the combatants, entreating them to stop the carnage. But her efforts were vain. Sir Andrew Leslie was slain, and many of his vassals fell with him. His widow erected a chaplainry near the spot where he was buried, and appointed a chaplain, and bequeathed an annual rent for the priest in all time coming, to pray for his soul. Patrick Ogilvie, of Ogilvie of Granden, with consent of his father, Alexander Ogilvie, Sheriff of Forfar, also granted an annuity of ten merks forth of the lands of Strathalva in the sheriffdom of Banff, which failing, from the baronies of Owchtirous and Essy in the sheriffdom of Forfar, to a chaplain performing divine service in the chapel of the blessed Virgin Mary of the Garioch, for the soul of Sir Andrew Leslie, knight.

"This chapel, after the Reformation, about 1620, was converted into a parish church, and now gives the name to the parish of Chapel of Garioch, formerly called Logydurno.

"Sir Andrew Leslie married Isabel Mortimer, daughter of Bernard Mortimer of Craigievar, and by her had -

“ I. William, his successor.

“ II. Alexander, married to Margaret Leslie, daughter of David de Leslie, IX Dominus Ejusdem, from whom she received the barony of Leslie in the Garioch, from which her husband derived the style and title of Leslie of Leslie, or of that Ilk.

“ III. A Daughter, married to Glaster of Glack.

“ IV. A Daughter, married to Munroe of Foulis.

“ V. A Daugher, married to Raynold Cheyne of Straloch.

"Sir Andrew Leslie, third Baron of Balquhain, was slain, as has been narrated, at Braco, 22d January 1420, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Sir William Leslie, fourth Baron of Balquhain.

“The Battle of Harlaw.

“Fought 28th July 1411.

“Near this you’ll see where famed Harlaw was fought,

“When curst rebellion direful mischief wrought;

“Here dreaded Donald from the Isles came down,

“Fired with ambition, to attach the crown:

“Deep, cunning, artful, he, by various wiles,

“Indeed the chieftain of the Western Isles.

“Here Mar resolved the regel force to try,

“To tame his prowess, or, attempting, die.

“The gallant Fraser, Baron of Philorth,

“Of well-known courage and undoubted worth;

“The Keiths and Forbeses, in bright array,

“By him were jined upon that dreadful day;

“Angus, high-sheriff, joined them, with thre rest

“Of Airly’s sons, in manly armour drest;

“From Aberdeen two hundred warriors came,

“All clad in steel, and not unknown to fame:

“Brave Provost Davidson led this chosen band,

“And bold Hugh Rose held next the sub-command.

“Mar led the centre - the wings extend at large;

“All kenn advance, in order to the charge;

“The noble Keith joined Forbes in the van,

“Who led his friends and bravest of his clan;

“Drum and the Leiths, and Leslies of Balquhain,

“Upon the left the gallant Gordons join.

“The signal given, loud pipes and trumpets sound;

“The direful charge the neighbouring hills resound.

“First Keith and Forbes to the battle flew;

“The brave example all the rest pursue.

“Like wolves rapacious, these daring foes engage;

“Scots rush on Scots, soon all was blood and rage.

“The brave Maclean fought on Macdonald’s right;

“He, like the mountain bear, maintained the fight;

“Though wounded, sorely pressed, and bathed in blood,

“He kept his ground, and made his party good;

“Still used to conquer, and unknown to yielf,

“Hopes still to gain the glory of the field.

“At last the Leslies, bordering on the Don,

“Fired by their chief, who led his warriors on,

“First pierced the ranks, then broke Macdonald’s horse,

“And brought the foe to own superior force;

“Then Drum’s proud baron, on a dapply grey,

“Spoke to the Keith, and pointed out the prey;

“Then as the savage tiger scours the plain,

“They force their way o’er mountains of the slain.

“Now rushing forward, with a well-aimed thrust

“Drum stretched the gallant hero in the dust.

“Donald, enraged, called out to all,

“ ‘Revenge Maclean ! or bravely by him fall

“Let it not now, my gallant friends, be said,

“That we, for courage famed, like cowards fled.’

“The yielding islanders at these words now turn,

“Then onward rush, where combats fiercely burn.

“Maclachlan and his clansmen fresh pursue,

“And kindle all the rage of ware anew;

“Though lost their chief, not unrevenged they mourn,

“But wound for wound, and blow for blow return.

“Six of the bravest Leslies pressed the plain,

“While round these warriors lay whole heaps of slain.

“Gordons and Robeses promiscuous fall,

“Death and destruction seemed to threaten all;

“Through studded targets spears were forceful driven,

“At every blow sad mortal wounds were given.

“Bravely they mock all quarter foes can give,

“Their leader killed, they think it mean to live."

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“RECORDS OF THE FAMILY OF LESLIE OF CULTS.

“The family of Leslie of cults was descended from the family of Leslie, Barons of Balquhain.

“I. Malcolm Leslie, first Laird of Cults, was the illegitimate son of Sir Andrew Leslie, third Baron of Balquhain, by the Fair Maid of Strathdon. Sir Andrew Leslie had a feud with the Forbeses, and made an incursion with a large body of retaineds up to Strathdon, and devastated the lands, and carried off the daughter and heiress of the Baron of Cray, chief of the Clan Allan, and who was called the Fair Maid of Sthrathdon: others say the that the lady whom Sir Andrew Leslie carried off was a daughter of Sir James Stewart of Inveravon, also called the Fair Maid of Strathdon. It seems certain that, by one of other of these ladies, Sir Andrew Leslie has a natural son, Malcolm Leslie, to whom he gave the lands of Cults. Malcolm Leslie of Cults is a witness to a charter of half of the lands of Westhall, granted by Alexander Ramsay of Westhall to his brother, Edward Ramsay, 26th May 1453. Malcolm Leslie of Cults had two sons -

“ I. Andrew, parson of Slisk. He had a daughter, Mary, married to John Gordon of Essie, by whom she had Duncan Gordon of Knower, Alexander Gordon of Knockespock, William Gordon, Bridge of Gight, and several other sons, from whom are descended the Gordons of Cairnborrow, of Buckie, of Crimond, and of Crawley.

“ II. Alexander of Auching."

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Another reference...

Over the years many Leslie’s have called their home “Bennachie”. This relates to Sir Andrew Leslie 3rd Baron of Balquhain who in the early 1400s had a dispute with Sir John Forbes of Drumminor who had attacked and burned the Castle of Balquhain. Sir Andrew Leslie then pursued Sir John Forbes and killed many of the Forbes vassals and burnt their homes. Because of this feud and because he had offended the Earl of Mar [Erskine]. Sir Andrew Leslie withdrew to Bennachie and remained there until he made his peace with the Earl of Mar.

In 1420, Sir Andrew Leslie again was in a feud with the Forbes and withdrew to Bennachie, but a force of men under the Sheriff of Angus prepared to attack him, so on the 22nd January 1420 he came down to Braco, about 2 miles from Bennachie, where his wife, Isobel Mortimer threw herself between the combatants in an attempt to stop the slaughter but her pleas were in vain and Sir Andrew Leslie was slain.

Sir Andrew’s wife, Isobel Mortimer erected a chaplainry near the place where he was buried, appointed a Chaplain and bequeathed an annual rent for prayers for the soul of her husband, Sir Andrew Leslie. This chapel was converted into a Parish Church after the Reformation of 1620 and is now called “The Chapel of Garioch”, formerly called Logydurno.