North of the earldom of Stratherne, and within the range of the Grampians, lay the ancient earldom of Atholl. It is from this district that the royal dynasty emerged which terminated with Alexander the Third, the founder of the house having been lay abbot of Dunkeld, and possessor of the _abthanrie_ of Dull,[380] and from his son Duncan proceeded not only the kings of Scotland, but likewise the ancient earls of Atholl. The _abthanrie_ of Dull was a very extensive district, and embraced a large portion of the western part of the earldom, and may be viewed as the original patrimony of the royal house. It contained within it two thanages, viz., those of Dull and of Fothergill, now Fortingall. Thus we find Alexander the Second issuing a mandate addressed to his theyns and other good men of Dul and Forterkil, in which he grants to the canons of Scon the right of taking materials from his thanages of Dul and Forterkil for the work at their church of Scon.[381] In the reign of Alexander the Third we find in 1264 Alan the Hostiary bound to account for the _firma_ of Dull, and in 1289, Duncan, earl of Fife, is _Firmarius_ or renter of the manor of Dull, the rent for two years being five hundred pounds seven shillings and fourpence.[382] He is also keeper of the prison of Dull, but while the _abthanrie_ with its two thanages is thus in the Crown, the church of Dull, with its chapels of Foss and Branboth in Glenlyon, belonged to the earls of Atholl, and was granted by Malcolm, earl of Atholl, to the priory of St. Andrews after the death of William his cleric. This grant is confirmed by the bishop of Dunkeld, reserving a right to give the latter, to the extent of ten merks, to a vicar, and an annual rent of twenty shillings due to him and his clergy from the _Abthanrie_ of Dull.[383] By king David the Second the bailiary of the _abthain_ of Dull was granted to John Drummond, and in his reign the thanages began to be broken up, for he grants a charter to John de Loorne, and Janet, his spouse, and our cousin, of the whole lands of Glenlion; another to Donald M‘Nayre of the lands of Estirfossach or Foss, in the abthanrie of Dull, which had been resigned by Hugo de Barclay; and a third to Alexander Meinzies of the barony of Fothergill, in the county of Perth.[384]