“The Erths of that ilk were once a very considerable family in this shire, being proprietors of Airth, Elphingstone, Carnock, and Plean. We find Adam de Erth mentioned among the commissioners who were appointed, in 1248, to ratify an agreement with England, concerning the regulations called the Border-laws. Bernard de Erth, who was probably a son of this Adam, married before 1271, one of the three daughters and co-heiresses of Finlaus de Campsie, a cadet of the family of Lennox.” Nimmo’s Stirlingshire, p. 516, 517. In the reign of James I. the eldest daughter of William Airth married “a son of the ancient family of Clackmannan, who thereupon came into possession of the lands of Airth. The family of Erth, like others, took their sirname from their lands; but it is now quite extinct in this country.” Ibid.
Than to Faslan the worthy Scottis can pass,
Quhar erll Malcom was bidand at defence.—V. 1518.
In editions it is Falkland. But this being so distant from the earl’s district, and from Dunbarton, where Wallace was immediately before, it must be an error. Macpherson places Faslan near the head of the Gairloch, above Roseneath, Dunbartonshire. V. Hist. Map of Scotl. In the passage, ver. 1514, Wallace and his party are said indeed to take their course thither from Roseneath, now a well known seat of the noble family of Argyle.
And eftir sone thar wncle couth thaim ta,
Gud Robert Keth, had thaim fra Glaskow toun;
Atour the se in Frans he maid thaim boun.—V. 1558.
This exactly tallies with the account given by Godscroft. V. p. 20.
A mariage als thai gert ordane him till,
The lady Ferss.—V. 1566.