General Notes

Sir Richard Fraser of Touch Fraser, succeeded his grandfather in the lan
ds of Touch Fraser, in the county of Stirling. He was knighted before 127
6, when he witnessed a resignation of the lands of Pencaitland, in East Lo
thian. In 1289 he attended the case between the executors of King Alexand
er III and John de Masson, on behalf of his uncle William. He swore feal
ty to Edward I on 8 July 1291, and was appointed one of the forty audito
rs to hear claims of Competitors for the Scottish throne and report thereo
n. On 14 November 1292 King Edward granted him the ward of the lands of t
he late Richard de Glen in Peeblesshire. In January 1292-3 he was Sheri
ff of Berwick. In 1295 he seems to have rebelled against Edward and to ha
ve been forfeited; but on 3 September 1296 his lands were restored to hi
m. He had been made prisoner with William de Douglas at the surrender of B
erwick.
'Le chastel (Berwick) saunz assaut a li ray rendist
William de Duglas dedenz estayt elyt,
Et Richard Fraser, pur fere al ray despit;
Le ray les ad prisouns mercy Jhesu Cryst.'
He swore fealty to Edward I for his lands in Stirlingshire and Dumfriesshi
re on 28 August 1296 at Berwick. His seals, two specimens of which are ext
ant, bear on a triangular shield six rosettes or cinquefoils 3, 2, 1. The
re is no record of his death, but he was alive in 1307, when he was declar
ed to have been, and to be still, a rebel. It is not known who Sir Richa
rd Fraser married, but he is presumed to have left a son. [The Scots Peera
ge VII:424-425]