Bonds of Scottish Manrent

A bond of Scottish manrent was a contract that existed in Scotland from the mid-15th century to the early 17th century. It was commonly used in military situations and involved Scottish clans. The bond of manrent was an agreement in which a weaker clan or individual pledged to serve and provide protection to a stronger lord or clan, becoming a vassal that renders service to a superior.

Manrents were often formed as treaties of offensive and defensive alliance between men or clans of equal power. These parties bound themselves to assist each other in matters of defense, aggression, or revenge. These bonds of manrent, described as bonds of friendship, acknowledged and prioritized the signatory’s duty of allegiance to the King. The bond would often include a clause such as, “always excepting duty to our lord the king”, which made it clear that the manrent did not supersede the individual’s allegiance to the monarch. Similarly, when men who were not the chief of clans but of subordinate tribes bound themselves, their fidelity to their chief was always excepted, as in, “always excepting duty to our kindred and friends.”

Smaller clans, unable to defend themselves, and clans or families who had lost their chiefs, frequently entered into manrents. Under such agreements, smaller clans identified themselves with the greater clans. They engaged in the quarrels, followed the fortunes, and fought under the greater chiefs. However, their ranks were separately marshaled and led by their own subordinate chiefs, chieftains, lairds or captains, who owed submission only when necessary, for the success of combined operations.

Manrents protected smaller clans from being swallowed up by larger ones, and nurtured the turbulent and warlike spirit that formed the common distinction of all. From these and other causes, the Scottish Highlands were, for ages, a constant theater of petty conflicts that paralleled larger ones in Europe. The circumstances that led to manrents also showed that the Scottish government of the time was too weak to protect the oppressed or quell disputes between clans.

Manrents were abolished by Act of Parliament, Edinburgh, under legislation on 6 March 1457 “that no man dwelling within burgh be found in manrent”, and under the same terms, by legislation on 18 May 1491. The penalty for violating this legislation was the confiscation of goods and “thar lifis at the kingis will”. However, the terms of this legislation allowed for Manrents to the King, to the King’s officers, to the Lord of the same burgh as the man entering into manrent, and to their superior officer.