John Forsyth in service of the Queen (Mary Stuart/Stewart)

Our clan history is woven throughout Scotland’s legal and royal archives — including the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland. The record highlighted today, dated 1557–1558, names Johannis Forsyth, who served as claviger to the crown — literally the “keeper of the keys.”

Keeper of the Keys was a trusted household or administrative role — not a merchant or farmer, but someone serving in a court-related capacity. This entry places a Forsyth directly inside royal administration during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, and connects him to the lands near Forres and Westfield in northern Scotland.

In the passage, land transactions involving the Innes family and Elizabeth Dunbar include a note that 5 pounds Scots were paid pro salario Johannis Forsyth clavigeri — “for the salary of Johannis Forsyth, the key-bearer.”

Yet again, Forsyth service to Scotland appears quietly — but unmistakably — in the nation's oldest state records.

Why this matters for Forsyth history

This entry provides:

✅ documented Forsyth royal service before 1560
✅ connection to high-status land transactions
✅ presence in northern Scotland government activity
✅ evidence of professional/administrative roles

It reinforces Forsyth status as servitors, officers, and crown loyalists in the 16th century — not merely landowners.

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