James Macpherson, freebooter

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

James Macpherson, most famous of Scottish outlaws, was the illegitimate son of a Highland laird, Macpherson of Invereshie, and a beautiful gypsy girl he met at a wedding.When his father was killed while in pursuit of cattle-rustlers in Badenoch, James was taken in by the laird's family. But when he grew up the young Macpherson reverted to his mother's people, and he became the leader of a band of Gypsies who roved the northern counties of Banff, Moray and Aberdeenshire dealing in horses.

There is little doubt he overstepped the bounds of law on occasion, and made enemies amongst local landowners; not least by his custom of entering the towns of Banff, Elgin and Forres with his followers and a piper at their head. One such landowner, Duff of Braco, organised a group to capture him and he was arrested during the St Rufus Fair in Keith after a fierce fight. The story goes that he was betrayed by a woman (a lover?) who threw a blanket over him from an upstairs window, thus enabling his pursuers to arrest him.On 7th November 1700 he was tried before the Sheriff of Banffshire and sentenced to death by hanging.