18. Alexander Burnard (Burnet) (bef. 1488 - ca. 1505)
Father: 19. John Burnet (bef. 1446 - 1454)
Alexander was the first Baron of Leys. When King James III made his way through the county of Angus on the way to Aberdeen at the head of a large following, evidence in the Crathes Charters shows the Laird of Leys to have been one of his supporters.
On 23 April 1488 at Aberdeen. Alexander Burnard resigned all of his lands into the King's hands. Two days later, on 25 April, he received a charter, under the Great Seal held by Bishop Elphinstone, uniting into one Free Barony the lands of Leys, Killenaglerach, Cullonach, The Hill, Candahill, Crathes with mill, Drumsalloch with the Loch of Bachory and Island, all in the Sheriffdom of Aberdeen, along with Wester Cardney.
As land charters centered around a main dwelling which, in the case of Burnetts, had so far been the Crannog on the Loch of Leys, perhaps this may have been the time at which an interim dwelling became the focal point of the Burnett family. A similiar ceremony took place in the following century when Crathes became the main dwelling.
The same Alexander Burnard was name in papers relating to the Abbey of Arbroath. In 1460, he was an arbiter in the inquest to settle the marches or boundaries of lands belonging to the Abbey. This powerful religious house held a considerable amount of land including some which bounded with Leys, and there are numberous and various charters and grants between Alexander Burnard and Irvine, the Laird of Drum.
[http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~lawrpaul/burnett/burne006.htm#id33422]
Children and grandchildren:
Spouse: Elizabeth Forbes (bef. 1497 - )
Father: Alexander Forbes ( - )
First married to Alexander Riach.
Married.
Ancestor families report created by Gene 4.3.4, Sun, Oct 21, 2001