Clan Hay

**Clan Hay** is a Scots clan that haes played an important pairt in the history an politics o Scotland. Memmers o the clan is tae be foond in maist pairts o Scotland an in mony ither pairts o the warld. Housomeivver, the North East o Scotland, i.e. Aiberdeenshire Aiberdeenshire (historic), Banffshire, Morayshire an Nairnshire Nairn (bundaries), is the hert o Hay kintra wi ither significant concentrations o Hays bein foond in Perthshire, inspecially aroond Perth, in the Scots Borders, an in Shetland.

## Oreegin o the name
The wird *hay* is Scots, the Gaelic form o *Hay* is *MacGaradh*.

## Legend o Luncarty
Thare twa weys tae approach the oreegins o Clan Hay. The first is the Legend of Luncarty, whicml is an important Hay tradeetion, while the seicont is based on historical research, albeit that inconsistencies tend tae occur efter sae mony centuries.
Hector Boece, the Scots academic, wrote the first kent accoont o the Luncarty legend in his *Scotorium Historia*, which wis initially published in 1525, wi a seicont edition bein published  posthumously in 1575. Thare are numerous versions o the legend that are based upon Boece’s wirk but which include various embellishments. In contrast, George Buchanan’s accoont in his *Rerum Scoticarum Historia*, published in 1582 an derived frae Boece’s wirk, omits ony reference tae the hawk’s flicht delineatin the land grant. In 2010, Sutton published a hypertext edition, in baith Laitin an Inglis, o Boece’s 1575 edition o the Historia, thus providin ready access tae his oreeginal accoont o the legend. The version o the legend quotit belaw is frae John Burke (genealogist)'s "Peerage",1832 edition.

"The traditional oreegin o the noble hoose o Hay is thus relatit:— In the reign o Kenneth III, anno 980, the Danes, who haed invadit Scotland, haein prevailed, at the battle o Luncarty, near Perth, wur pursuin the flyin Scots, frae the field, when a kintraman an his twa sons appeared in a narrae pass, through which the vanquisht wur hurryin, an impedit for a moment their flicht. *"Wha,"* said the rustic, *"haed ye rather be slaughtered bi your merciless foes, than dee honorably in the field; come, rally, rally!"* an he heidit the fugitives, brandishin his ploughshare, an cryin oot, that help wis at hand: the Danes, believin that a fresh airmy wis fallin upon them, fled in confusion, an the Scots thus recovered the laurel which they haed lost, an freed their kintraside frae servitude. The battle being wan, the auld man, efterwards kent bi the name o Hay, wis brought tae the keeng, who, assemblin a parliament at Scone, gave tae the said Hay an his sons, as a juist reward for their valour, so muckle land on the Tay River, in the destrict o Gowrie, as a falcon frae a man's haund flew ower till it settled; which being sax miles in length, wis efterwards cried Errol; an the keeng being desirous tae elevate Hay an his sons frae their humble rank in life, tae the order o nobility, his majesty assigned them a coat o airms, which wis argent, three escutcheons, gules, tae intimate that the faither an twa sons haed been the three fortunate shields o Scotland."

## History
### William II de Haya

Clan Hay descends frae  faimily Hay. The progenitors o the Scots clan wir Hay.

### Connection tae the de La Haye o Normandy

The oreegins o the Hays o Erroll wur investigatot aroond 1954 bi Wagner who presentit evidence, based lairgely on heraldry, that the Scots Hays wur descendit frae de La Haye o La Haye-Hue in the Cotentin Peninsula o Normandy. That evidence begins wi a seal uised bi David de Haya (Haia), the son o William II de Haya, on a chairter aroond 1230. It shows the airms o airgent three inescutcheons gules, i.e., a siller shield containin three smawer reid shields, an are the same airms presently uised bi the Earl o Erroll. Thay bear nae resemblance tae those o the de La Haye o Ingland, but thay are the same as those uised bi Jean de La Haye-Hue in Normandy aroond 1368-1375. The de La Haye o La Haye Hue can be traced back tae the 12t century, that is, when William II de Haya wis first kent tae be in Scotland. Wagner therefore concludit that the Hays o Erroll an the Hayes o La Haye wur relatit. He forby pointit oot that the Hays wur linked tae the pouerful Normandy faimily o Soulis Ranulf I de Soules in that La Haye-Hue, nou cried La Haye-Bellefond, is locatit juist athort the sma Soules River frae Soulles, the seat o that faimily. Seicondly, the Soulis name, rare in Ingland, an the mair common Hay, are baith foond in the records o Dover castle in the early 13t century.

A third pynt, which Wagner did no mention, is that William I de Haya marriet Juliana de Soulis an thir twa wur the parents o William II de Haya.

### Successors o William II de Haya

David De Haya, who weddit Helen, dochter o Gilbert (or Gille Brigte), Earl o Strathearn, an haed:
*1 Gilbert, who succeedit his faither at Erroll, wis ancestor o the Noble hoose o the Earls Errol, which endit in heiresses in 1717: the youngest o whom espoused the Earl o Kilmarnock, an her descendant is nou Earl O Erroll.
*2 William De Haya, obtained frae his brither Gilbert, in 1235, a grant o twa carucates o land, in Errol, cried Leys; which grant wis efterwards confirmed, in 1451, bi William, Earl o Errol, tae Edmund Hay, o Leys, the lineal descendant of this William. This branch wad later chynged thair name tae Hay-Balfour o Leys in the coonty o Perth, an o Randerston, in Fife. Accordin tae John Burk, the Hay-Balfours o Leys are the *"[[heir male|male representative]] o the noble family o Hay"*.
*3 David, parson o Erroll.

Gilbert, who succeeded his faither at Erroll, wis Sheriff o Perth afore 1262. He wis appointit ane o the regents an guardians tae Keeng Alexander III. He marriet Idonea, dochter o William Comyn, Earl o Buchan, an haed a son, Nicolas.

### Wars o Scots Unthirldom
His son, Nicolas de Haya o Erroll wis Sheriff o Perth afore 1288. He swore fealty tae Keeng Edward I on 12 Julie 1296. He wis summoned bi Edward I tae attend parliament at St. Andrews in 1303-04. He haed fower sons:

* 1 Gilbert
* 2 Nicolas, parson o Fossoway, then Dean o Dunkeld
* 3 John, parson o Erroll
* 4 Hugh, ane o the companions of Robert the Bruce, an probably the same Hugh who, in 1296, swore fealty tae Edward I.

The son, Gilbert de Haya of Erroll, swore fealty tae Edward I at Aiberdeen in 1296. Housomeivver, in 1306 he jynt Robert the Bruce an continued faithfully tae him throughoot the War o Unthirldom. In consequence Edward I declared Gilbert a traitor, but Robert the Bruce rewardit him wi a chairter ower the lands o Slains in Aiberdeenshire an the office o Constable o the realm o Scotland.

### 16t century an Anglo-Scots Wars
Durin the Anglo-Scots Wars the Clan Hay suffered vera hivy casualties in the Battle o Flodden in 1513. Anither Hay, named Sir Gilbert an aw, wis a Scots knight who focht for Joan o Arc durin the Hunder Years' War.

Follaein the Reformation, the Hays remained lyal tae Catholicism an sicweys wur allies tae Mary, Queen o Scots, who appointit George Hay, the 7t Earl o Erroll, Lord Lieutenant o aw central Scotland. Francis Hay, 9t Earl o Erroll, wis involved in a conspiracy wi Keeng Philip II o Spain, tae owerthrow Queen Elizabeth o Ingland, convert Keeng James VI tae Catholicism an sicweys mak Breetain a Catholic stranghauld. Wi the defeat o the Spainyie Armada, housomeivver, the conspiracy came tae nothing.

### 17t century an Ceevil War
Durin the Ceevil War James Hay led his forces as Ryalists against the Covenanters at the Battle o Aiberdeen in 1644 whaur thay wur victorious.

### 18t century an Jacobite Uprisins

Follaein the Act o Union in 1707, the Hays wur sympathetic tae the Jacobite cause. The ruins o thair fortress o Slains Castle, on the northeast coast o Scotland, wis a frequent meetin place for Jacobite conspirators. In 1745, the Clan Hay supportit Bonnie Prince Charlie an assistit in financin his rebellion.

Wi the collapse o Jacobotism, the Hays became lyal Breetish subjects, an mony Hays wur involved in expandin the Breetish Empire.

## Clan profile

*Gaelic Names: *MacGaraidh* (Surname) & *Clann 'icGaraidh* (Collective).
*Motto: *Serva Jugum* (Keep the yoke).
*Slogan: "A Hay! A Hay!".
*Pipe Muisic: "Delgaty Castle".
*Crest: Issuin oot o a Crest Coronet, a falcon volant Proper, airmed, jessed, an belled Or.
*Clan badge: Mistletoe.
*Ainimal Seembol: Falcon.
*Chief's Airms: Argent, three escutcheons Gules

## Chief

*Merlin Sereld Victor Gilbert Hay, the 24t Earl o Erroll, the Lord Hay, the Lord Slains, Baronet an Chief o the Name an Airms o Hay

## Branches

*Hay o Erroll (Lord Hay; Lord Slains; Earl o Erroll; Lord Heich Constable o Scotland)
**Hay o Leys
***Hay o Pitfour
***Hay o Kinfauns (Baron Hay o Kinfauns, Viscoont Duplin, Earl o Kinnoull)
****Hay o Cromlix (Lord Cromlix; Viscoont o Innerpaphrie; Earl o Innerness; Duke o Innerness in the Jacobite Peerage)
****Hay o Seggieden
**Hay o Tweeddale (Baron Tweeddale; Lord Hay of Yester; Viscoont o Walden; Earl o Gifford; Earl o Tweeddale; Marquess o Tweeddale)
***Hay o Linplum (Baronet of Linplum)
****Hay o Alderston (Baronet o Alderston)
*****Hay o Restalrig (Baronet o Restalrig in the Jacobite Peerage)
***Hay o Seton House an of Mapes Hill House
***Hay o Belton
***Hay o Newhall
***Hay of Spott an Lawfield
***Hay o Drummeizier
****Hay o Duns Castle
****Hay o Nunraw
***Hay o Haystoun (Baronet o Smithfield an Haystoun)
*Hay o Lochloy
*Hay o Delgatie
**Hay of Park (Baronet of Park)
*Hay o Cardeny
*Hay o Hayfield
*Dalrymple-Hay o Park Place (Dalrymple-Hay Baronets)

## Castles
*Delgatie Castle, Aiberdeen, Scotland wis gien tae the Clan Hay efter the Battle o Bannockburn in 1314.
*Slains Castle wis awned bi the chiefs o Clan Hay frae 1597 tae 1916.
**(Auld Slains Castle, Aiberdeenshire, Scotland)
**(New Slains Castle, Aiberdeenshire, Scotland)
*Dupplin Castle, Perth, Scotland
*Duns Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland
*Inshoch Castle, Nairnshire, Scotland
*Megginch Castle, Perth, Scotland
*Neidpath Castle, Peebles, Scotland
*Park Castle, Galloway, Scotland
*Yester Castle, East Lothian, Scotland

## Septs an Tartans
The septs an associatit Families o Clan Hay are:

*Hay
*de la Haye
*MacHay
*O'Hea
*Hayson
*Hayes
*Hays
*MacGaradh
*MacGarra
*McArra
*MacGarrow
*Garra
*Garrad
*Garrow
*O'Garra
*O'Garrow

*Leish
*Leith
*Des Hay
*Peebles Hayton
*Hayston
*Haydock
*Haytor
*Hayden
*Hayens
*Haylees
*Haynes
*Hayse
*Deshays
*Alderston
*Kellour
*Laxfirth
*Locherworth
*Yester
*Drumelizior
*Hayfield

*Ay, Aye
*Ayer
*Constable Haywood
*Hayter
*Haylor
*Hayburn
*Hayward
*Hayne
*Haynie
*Haystoun

*Hey
*Haye
*Heyes
*De Hay
*da Hay
*de Haya
*da Haya
*Dellahay
*de la Hay
*Hea
*O'Hay Aue
*Peeples Gifford
*Beagrie
*Tweeddale
*Delgatie
*Erroll
*Kinnoull
*Slains
*Turriff
*Dupplin
*de Plessis
*Arroll
*Conn, Con

*Hayhoe
*Hayson
*Hayhow
*Hawson
*D'Aye, D/Ay Fowks
*(recent additions)
*Hey - (Holland, Europe)
*Hej - (frae Hey)
*Geij - (Roushie, Pols, frae Hej)

## Relatit pages
*Scots clan
*The Earls o Erroll
*The lands o Errol
*Hay Baronets

## notes

## References

## Freemit airtins
*Clan Hay Society - Offeecial Wabsteid (beginnin 2010)
*Clan Hay Society (umwhile Offeecial Clan Hay Wabsteid - circa 1998-2010)
*Clan Hay Society - American Branch 
*Clan Hay Society - Canadae Branch 
*The Clan Hay Pipe Band
*The Hay DNA Project
*Clan Hay Forum (open public forum)
*Clan Hay page in The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs Wabsteid
*Clan Hay page in Armoria Familia Wabsteid