Manrent refers to a
Scottish mid 15
th century to the early 17
th century type of
contract, usually
military in nature and involving
Scottish clans. The
bond of manrent was commonly an instrument in which a weaker man or
clan would pledge his or their services, in return for protection, to a stronger lord or
clan; a
vassal rendering service to a superior, often made in the form of a
covenant. Manrents have been defined as a
"Promise by one persone to serve ane uther in sic [such] sort that he sall be friend to all his friends, and foe to all his foes". Some bonds of manrent, described as
bonds of friendship, took place between men or
clans of equal power, worded in the form of
treaties of offensive and defensive
alliance. These contracting parties bound themselves to assist each other. Manrents always acknowledged and prioritized the signatory's duty of allegiance to the King, in terms such as:
". . . always excepting duty to our lord the king.". In the same manner, when men who were not
chiefs of clans, but of subordinate tribes, thus bound themselves, their fidelity to their chiefs was always excepted, in terms such as
". . . always excepting duty to our kindred and friends". Smaller
clans who were unable to defend themselves, and such clans or families who had lost their chiefs, frequently entered into bonds of manrent. Under such treaties the smaller clans identified themselves with the greater clans; they engaged in the quarrels, followed the fortunes, and fought under the greater chiefs; however, their ranks were separately marshaled, and led by their own subordinate
chiefs,
chieftains,
lairds or captains, who owed submission only when necessary, for the success of combined operations. Although manrents would often use terms such as
"our successors", "perpetually" and
"in all time coming", their object was usually one of defense, aggression or revenge, rarely extending further than the occasion for which they were formed.
[Burrill, p. 702.][Maclauchlan; Wilson; Keltie (1875) 2, pp. 121-122.][History of the Scottish Highlands : Highland clans and Highland regiments, with an account of the Gaelic language, literature, and music (Volume 1) (188?), p.320 ]Background
Bonds of manrent played an important part in
Scottish clan relationships during the 15
th to the early 17
th century. The disputes between opposing
clans were frequently made matters of negotiation, and their differences were often settled by treaties. In order to strengthen a clan against the attacks of a rival, or to maintain the balance of power in a region, a clan would enter into
coalitions with friendly neighbours.
Manrents served to protect the smaller clans from being swallowed up by the greater, and at the same time nursed the turbulent and warlike spirit which formed the common distinction of all. From these and other causes, the Highlands were for ages as constant a theater of petty conflicts as Europe has been of great and important struggles; in the former were enacted, in miniature, scenes bearing a striking and amusing analogy to those which took place upon a grand scale in the latter.
The circumstances which led to the forming of these manrents shows that the
Scottish government of the time was too weak to afford protection to the oppressed, or to quell the disputes of rival clans.
Manrents and Scots Law
Manrents were abolished by
Act of Parliament, Edinburgh, under legislation the 6
th March 1457
"that no man dwelling within burgh be found in manrent ", and under the same terms, by legislation the 18
th May 1491. The penalty being the confiscation of goods and
"thar lifis at the kingis will". However, the terms of this legislation allowed for Manrents to the King, to the King's officers, to the Lord of the same burgh as the man entering into manrent, and to their superior officer.
[.]In Chapter 17 of legislation the 20
th June 1555, and for reasons
"because it is thocht aganis all law and obedience of subjectis towart thair princis", the giving and taking of bonds of manrent made in the past were now
null and void, an exception was made for heritable bonds given for
"assythment of slaughters in time bygone".
Manrents mentioned in Parliamentary procedure and legislation:
- Under parliamentary procedure of 11 December 1543, Sir James Hamilton, was bound into a bond of manrent for himself and his heirs to James Hamilton, Earl of Arran and his heirs, in return for a bond of maintenance.
- A "Ratification of a bond of manrent to [James Weir], laird of Blackwood" was passed in legislation the 5th June 1592, "for the assythment and satisfactioun of the slauchter of umquhile Johnne Weir of Poneill".
The following cases involving bonds of manrent were brought before the Judicial proceedings: acts of the lords auditors of causes and complaints:
- 20 July 1476, Alexander Cunningham, Lord Kilmaurs, against Robert of Muir of Rowallan.
- 9 Dec 1482, John the Bruce of the Stenhouse against Robert Fleming, Lord Fleming and Andrew Oliphant, his bailie.
- 19 May 1491, Cuthbert of Murray of Cockpool against Robert of Carlyle.
Terminology
The earliest known bond to use the term "manrent" was recorded in January 1442, between
Alexander MacDonald, earl of Ross and
Hugh Fraser of Lovat..
[Curry; Mathew, p. 165.] Earlier contracts survive, but use terms such as
"letters of retinue" or
"rentinencia".
Illustrative example of a manrent
In 1588 William Macleod of Macleod, 13
th chief of
Clan Macleod, entered into a bond of manrent with Lachlan Mackintosh of Mackintosh, Captain and Chief of the
Clan Chattan, whose daughter he had married, in
the following terms (text taken from
public domain):-
List of Manrents (currently incomplete)
See also
