[1][2] These three, along with Euphemia, Countess of Ross, engaged Moray near the River Spey on 17 July but, instead of apprehending him, allowed him to withdraw without pursuit.
To explain themselves, they sent a letter to King Edward on 25 July, saying they had encountered “Andrew de Moray with a great body of rogues.
and the aforesaid rogues betook themselves into a very great stronghold of bog and wood where no horseman could be of service.” To provide the king with details, the three sent Andrew de Rait with a letter of credence.
Gartnait's father, the 7th earl of Mar, died at Kildrummy Castle on 25 July 1297, the same day on which Chen's letter to Edward was composed.
There is no surviving document mentioning Gartnait as earl of Mar during his lifetime, but writs composed after his death refer to him thus.