ROBERT GRANT, THE AMBASSADOR 1380 - 1394.
[48] Hitherto in dealing with the memoirs of the earlier members of the family of Grant, their own muniments and the public records of the time have afforded more or less evidence for linking the various generations together. But at this point there is an utter dearth of authentic proof, all equal lack of evidence prevailing both as to the ancestry and as to the descendants of Robert Grant. Yet his name has been inserted in former pedigrees of the Grant family, showing that tradition at least claimed him as a cadet of the house, and the position commonly assigned to him is that of a son of Sir John Grant. As stated in the previous memoir, Sir John Grant had a son Thomas, who in 1371 received from King Robert the Second a charter of the lands of Dovely and the custody of the king's castle of Darnaway, which had been in his father's hands, and for a time in possession of Richard Comyn. Registrum Moraviense, p. 473: Registrum Magni Sigilli, vol. i. p. 60 Robert Grant may have been a younger brother of this Thomas Grant.But, whatever his parentage, Robert Grant took an active part in public affairs, and became prominent in the service of his country. He is first mentioned in record as the recipient of a safe-conduct from King Edward the Third of England, dated 11th February 1380, giving him permission to come into and pass through England, with one companion and an attendant. Rotuli Scotiae, vol. ii. p. 20. Robert Grant himself is designed simply as an "armiger" or esquire, and does not appear ever to have been knighted. The word "armiger," however, not only identifies this Robert Grant as the same who was afterwards an Ambassador to France, but also distinguishes him from another Robert Grant, who, about the same date, received a safe-conduct permitting him, as a merchant, to trade in England.
At this period, though there was no open war between Scotland and [49] England, but, on the contrary, a truce between the two countries, which each had bound itself to respect, there existed on the Borders a constant succession of petty hostilities, which for many years harassed both nations. These hostilities are to be regarded," writes a recent historian, "as the outbreakings of the spirit of national rivalry engendered by a long war, and the effects of that love of chivalrous adventure which was then at its height in Europe." Tytler's History of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 336 This remark is just, and the following incident is corroborative of the passion for chivalry here referred to. A special letter, issued by the English king and Council on 18th October 1380, directs John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, called also, in right of his wife, King of Castile and Leon, the English King's Lieutenant on the Marches, to fix a day for a chivalric contest, to be engaged in at Liliot or Liliatte cross, a favourite meeting-place on the Borders. As Robert Grant was one of the heroes in the proposed duel, the document narrating the preliminaries is here given in a translation:
"The King to all and singular, Dukes, Earls, Wardens of the Marches of our kingdom of England adjoining the Marches of Scotland, constables, castellans, etc., greeting: Know ye that forasmuch as a certain duel is to be waged and begun at Liliattecrosse on Monday, the morrow after St. Martin's day next to come, between our beloved Thomas de 1' Strother, Englishman, and Robert Grant, a Scot, and that as our beloved and faithful Cousin Henry of Percy, Earl of Northumberland, has testified by his letters in our Chancellary, the said parties are bound and obliged by great sums of money to procure each for the other letters of safe-conduct, namely, the said Thomas to procure our letters of safe-conduct for his adversary, and the said Robert to obtain for his opponent, from Robert our cousin of Scotland, letters of safe-conduct for coming, day and place foresaid, there abiding and thence returning; we for the above cause have taken Robert [Grant] himself, and any other Scots of whatever rank they may be, armed or unarmed, coming to time day and place foresaid for the above purpose, there abiding and thence returning to their own country, under our special protection and defence, and into our safe and sure conduct: And therefore we command you that upon the same Robert [Grant] or other Scots coming, etc., their persons or goods, ye neither inflict nor, so far as in you lies, permit others to inflict injury, hurt, damage, violence, or grievance; and if any forfeit or injury be done to them, or any of them, ye shall without delay cause it to be amended to them and duly reformed. . . . To endure from a day to be fixed and assigned thereupon on our part by our dearest uncle John King of Castile and Leon, Duke of Lancaster, to the sun rising oil time morrow of tine day of the duel." Rotuli Scotiae, vol. ii. p. 29.
The Manuscript History of the Grants relates that Robert Grant [50] "fought and vanquished an English champion of undaunted courage and great strength of body, in the beginning of the reign of King Robert II," and so far the family tradition in this instance is borne out by the document quoted, but as to the sequel of the duel there is no information. In the following February, however, there is a protection extended by the English King to "Robert le Graunt of Scotland," permitting him to pass into England to speak and treat with the King's treasurer, Robert of Hales, prior in England of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, regarding certain affairs of the Hospital, and, though there is no distinct evidence to connect the subject of this memoir with the Robert le Grant named in the protection, it is probable they were the same. This prior soon afterwards fell a victim to the rage of the populace, and their hatred against the Duke of Lancaster, to whose party he was attached. On 14th June 1381. Walsingham, p. 263
There is no record of Robert Grant's history between the years 1380 and 1385, but in the latter year he is named among the Scottish nobles and knights who received shares of the 40,000 francs of gold brought from France by John de Vienne, Admiral of France, to be paid to the King of Scotland and his barons. Foedera, vol. vii. pp. 484, 485 It has been asserted that the proportion in which the French money was distributed amongst the Scottish nobles gives a pretty correct idea of the comparative consequence and power of the various members of the Scottish aristocracy. Tytler's History of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 348. If this be accepted as true, and the fact be considered that the money was shared among very few, only twenty-two Scots barons in all, and those chiefly of the highest rank, receiving any portion of the French gold, then the sum of 40 francs d'or, the share which fell to Robert Grant, though apparently small, will be enhanced in value. The Earl of Carrick received 5500 francs, the Earl of Fife and Menteith 3000, the Earl of Douglas 7500, the Earl of March 4000, Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway 5500, James of Lindsay 2000, and other barons various sums. The negotiators of the treaty on the Scotch side, Sir Thomas Erskine, Sir William Lindsay, and Sir William Cunninghame, received 500 francs each, and the Chancellor of Scotland received 300. The Earl of Moray, who received 1000 francs, and Robert [51] Grant were the only barons from the north who shared in the distribution and the fact that the latter, who is described only as "escuier" or esquire, received the sum of 40 francs, implies either that he was a person of consideration, or that his talents had brought him into favourable notice.
The latter is the more probable supposition, and is further warranted by the fact that he was sent to France in 1389 as one of the Scots ambassadors to renew the ancient alliance of Scotland with France. This is shown by an entry in the Exchequer Rolls rendered on 14th February 1389 [1390], to the effect that Robert Grant was paid £6, 13s. 4d. as his extra expenses in his passage to France on the king's affairs. Exchequer Rolls, vol. iii. p. 701 His companions on this embassy were John [Peebles], Bishop of Dunkeld, Chancellor of Scotland, and John Ramorgny. As the result of their efforts, on the I 8th June 1389, truce was concluded between England, France, and their allies, to last until 16th August 1 1392, Foedera, vol. vii. p. 622 which truce was afterwards ratified by the oaths of the English and Scottish sovereigns. Ibid. p. 630
In the years between 1389 and 1391, the relations between Scotland and France were drawn closer by frequent embassies from the former country, who also extended their missions to the Roman Court. Exchequer Rolls, vol. iii pp. 238, 290. In 1391 Robert Grant accompanied the Bishop of St. Andrews (Walter Trail) on a special mission to the French Court and for their expenses was paid the large sum of £468, l0s. 4d. Exchequer Rolls, vol. iii. pp. 248, 275 Wyntoun says that Bishop Trail was "a twelf moneth" in France, Wyntoun's Cronykil, B. ix. C. 13. and it is probable, from the amount of their expenses, that Robert Grant was with him during the same time. The dignity of their mission is shown by the fact that they were attended by a herald, and the importance of the result is shown in the solemn treaty signed by the French king, Charles the Sixth, on 30th March 1391, in presence of Mr. Duncan Petit, Archdeacon of Glasgow, and Robert Grant. Original Treaty in Register House, Edinburgh. Printed in Exchequer Rolls, vol. iii. pp. xcvii, et seq. Wyntoun states that this treaty was under consideration at Amiens, where, he says, "a gret counsale haldyn wes of Frankis, Scottis, and Inglis men," and as the historian also implies that Bishop Trail was of their number, Robert Grant may have been with him there, and may have [52] heard the sharp reply made to a boasting Englishman, by the Duke of Orleans, in defence of Scotland and its people. Wyntoun's Cronykil, B. ix. C. 13
The treaty referred to, at the signing of which Archdeacon Petit and Robert Grant were present, was a highly important document, and, as they are described as "Maistre Donquen Petit et Robert Grant, escuier, embassateurs et messages" of the King of Scots, it is probable that their exertions, added to the friendly feeling towards the Scots already existing in France, greatly aided the happy conclusion of the league. It is true that no new clauses were added to the treaty concluded in 1371, between King Charles the Fifth of France and King Robert the Second of Scotland, but that treaty was embodied in and solemnly ratified in all points by the new agreement. The provisions of the league thus renewed probably conduced to the prolongation of the truce with England, which lasted till 1399, though the pacific characters of the monarchs of Scotland and England may also have contributed to the same result.
Robert Grant was not left unrewarded for his public services. In 1391 he received as a fee the sum of £20. Exchequer Rolls, vol. iii. p. 275. The Depute-Chamberlain of Scotland, in his account for the year 1392, credits himself with a Payment made to Robert Grant, who was to receive £20 sterling annually for the time of his life, from the great customs of the burgh of Edinburgh, for his service done and to be done to the king, in France or elsewhere, which sum was duly paid. The same sum was paid during the year 1394 by way of pension, Ibid. pp. 312, 344 after which Robert le Grant drops out of the ken of history, and no further information can be obtained regarding him.
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Volume 1 Chapter 4 |
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