His eldest son John, Master of Forbes, and his half-brother "Black" Arthur Forbes signed a band on 27 April 1560 at Edinburgh with other Scottish nobles committing themselves to Protestant reformation, and to join with the English army sent to expel French troops from Scotland.
[1] In July 1568 Forbes was at Largs with the Earl of Argyll and with others signed a letter to the Duke of Alva complaining of the treatment of Mary, Queen of Scots in England, and asking him to write to Philip II of Spain to petition Elizabeth I of England and to send troops into Scotland against their enemies.
The English ambassador Henry Carey was inclined to view this as a "private quarrel" or feud between the Forbes and Gordons.
[3] In 1590 John, Master of Forbes, was accused of imprisoning his father in a chamber at Druminnor Castle and hitting him on the head with the pommel of his sword.
This was double wedding of sisters, daughters of the Master of Elphinstone celebrated at the Mint in the Cowgate, the other couple being, Anna Elphinstone and the Earl of Sutherland, James VI gave both brides a gold chain and fore and back gold garnishing for their hair.