The designation of 'Farrier' or 'Ferrator' is very ancient, and may have been in general use before the introduction of the Norman one. For instance, in the reign of Alexander II. of Scotland, at the commencement of the 13th century, a family named Ferrier lived in Tranent, in Haddingtonshire, whose seal of arms was appended to an alienation of some lands in that locality to the family of Seton, and on this seal was a shield charged with three horse-shoes.[1]
It is somewhat surprising to find the mareschal as an officer of importance in the household of the ancient Celtic, or rather Hebridean, chiefs in the Western Isles of Scotland. Every family had two of these functionaries, who, in their language, were called 'Marischal Tach,' both of whom had an hereditary right to their office in writing, and each had a town and land for his service. Some of these rights Martin has seen fairly written on good parchment.[2]
For the year 1240, the Ferrator is mentioned as being, it would appear, on an equal footing with the cook: 'Besides these there were two offices of the same kind, namely, the office of cook and that of "Ferratoris;" the liberty of exercising these lies with the citizens and the clergy.'[3] And in the Miracles of St Ambrosius it occurs: ' D. Gescæ uxor Fei Ferratoris de populo S. Martini.'[4] 'Fabros' is sometimes substituted for 'ferrator,' as, for example, in a charter of Henry V. of England (1413),[5]
