LOCHFERGUS. 191 



way, and Constable of Scotland. Alan also took up his residence 

 at Fergus Castle, Lochfergus, and became one of the greatest 

 nobles of that age. So far as can be ascertained he was thrice 

 married. The name of the first wife cannot be traced, but the 

 second was Margaret, the eldest daughter of David, Earl of Hunt- 

 ingdon, and the third was a daughter of Hugh de Lacy. Accord- 

 ing to Wyntoun : — 



" This erle Dawj' had dochters three, 



Margret the first of the.se cald be, 



This Margret was a pleasand May, 



Hyr weddit Alayne off Gallway." 



In 1211 he assisted King John of England with men and arms 

 to invade Ireland. For this he received, as a reward, a grant of 

 the Island of Ruchil or Ruglin, and other lands (Antrim) belong- 

 ing to that country. He w'as also one of the Barons who assisted 

 in obtaining from King John the famous Magna Charta for Eng- 

 land, and also one of the Barons to whom it was addressed. It 

 is on record that a few weeks before Magna Charta was signed 

 a curious interchange of presents was made between him and King 

 John. It seems Alan had sent the King a present of a very fine 

 hound, and in return he received two geese to grace L'ochfergus. 

 However, King John soon began to rue the fit of generosity, and 

 the great liberties and privileges which he had signed away, and 

 so threatened those Barons, who had prevailed upon him to do 

 so, with condign punishment. Alan, therefore, had to fly for 

 protection to the Scottish King, and was received into 

 favour. He was appointed High Constable and Chan- 

 cellor of the Kingdom, and thus became the most 

 powerful noble in Scotland. The political wheel of fortune must 

 have been very erratic in those days. In 1212 Alan was at 

 Durham when the Scottish King did homage to the English King, 

 and he afterwards accompanied the Scottish King to Xorham, 

 where, in presence of the Ministers of both Sovereigns, his seal, 

 as High Constable, was attached to deeds professing to secure 

 peace and love between England and Scotland for ever. Again, 

 to shew the vast power wielded by Alan, we quote from a letter 

 as follows:—" The King to his faithful cousin, Alan de Galweia, 

 and requests him for the great business regarding which he lately 

 asked him, and, as he loves him, to send 1000 of his best and 



