"There was a family of the name of Chalmers settled in France, who were barons
of Tartas in Normandy. They were said to have been descended from the
ancient family of Chalmers in Scotland by means of Job Chalmers who, leaving
that country, married in France Martha de Cuiglosse, heiress at Tartas, in
the year 1440. The reason of his leaving Scotland was that seven brethern of
the family of Chalmers, of which Job Chalmers was supposed
to be one, had murdered the baron of Balgome, and in consequence were
banished the Kingdom and their estates confiscated. In a letter written at
Paris the 26 the October 1644, by the Abbe Chalmers, a Scotsman, nominated
bishop of Vance in Provence, in answer to one from Mons. Chalmers, counsellor
to the King and Lieutenant-General Tartas at Tartas, whom he styles his
cousin he says that the decay of their ancient family in Scotland was "by
reason of the unhappiness of the times, and chiefly by means of the heresy
where of his greatgrandfather and grandfather were such furious protectors
that they were known to have ransacked the churches at Aberdeen, whereof
their ansestors were as perpetual governors for five hundred years,"as, he
adds, "may be seen at this day by their magnificient tombs in the said
city." He also says that the baron of Balgome was killed by the
seven brethern "for ane abuse done to their father." A memorandum sent to
Blaise Chalmers, Lieutenant-general of Tartas, by David Chalmers, lord of
Darmont (Ormond), a judge of the court of sessions, (of whom a notice follows), about a hundred
years before, states that the baron of Gadgirth was the chief of the name of
Chalmers. The father of this David Chalmers, as we learn from that document, was
Andrew Chalmers of Strequelin (Strichen), in the county of Aberdeen. Mention
is also made of Peter Chalmers, councilor to the King (of France) and
Lieutenant general of the jurisdiction of Tartas. Of all these parties the arms
were stated to be the same as thsoe of Gadgith. Notwithstanding their thus
connecting themselves with the Ayrshire family, we rather think that the branch
in France belonged to the house of Chalmers of Aberdeenshire, which was altogether of
distinct origin."