A Guide to The Eric Robertson Collection of Family Charters Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library University of Toronto 2014 MSS gen ovs 3
The Eric Robertson Collection of Family Charters The Eric Robertson Collection Of Family Charters This collection of Family Charters acquired by Eric Robertson from an Edinburgh bookseller many decades ago was donated to Toronto University s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library in 2014. The Collection predominantly covers the fourteenth (13 charters), fifteenth (14 charters), and sixteenth centuries (33 charters), but also two from the seventeenth and one from the eighteenth. They provide a valuable addition to the Charters currently held in the National Library of Scotland. 1. Period 1306-82: 2 charters The s were strong supporters of Robert the Bruce and subsequently gained Comyn s forfeited lands at Cumbernauld, Kirkintilloch and Lenzie. Following Bruce s death in 1329 Malcolm became a father figure to Bruce s son David II (1329-71). In 1341 Malcolm was rewarded with the earldom of Wigtown in the south-west of Scotland. Malcolm s death, between 1357 and 1362, resulted in the title passing to his grandson Thomas. However, in 1372, Thomas sold both the title and earldom to Archibald Douglas, lord of Galloway, who enjoyed far greater power and influence in that troublesome area. When Thomas died childless in or before 1382 his lands passed to Malcolm and the Biggar branch of the family.
2. Period 1383-1452: 14 charters Malcolm was the son of Patrick of Biggar, the younger brother of the first earl of Wigtown. It is not clear how Patrick acquired his title. One theory is that Patrick married the daughter and heiress of Nicholas of Biggar i after he died in 1292 without a male heir. Patrick also appears to have acquired possessions in Tweeddale through another marriage but again evidence is thin. He was, however, appointed Sheriff of Peebles by David II in 1346. It was Patrick s great-grandson, Malcolm, who accompanied the 6 th earl of Douglas to the infamous Black Dinner at Edinburgh castle in 1440 when both Douglas and were executed on the orders of William Crichton. Although James 11 (1437-60) was present at the dinner he was only ten years old and powerless to intervene; on reaching adulthood he made amends by restoring the forfeited lands of Malcolm to his son and heir, Robert. James 11 then made Biggar a burgh of barony in 1451 and in June of the following year created Robert a parliamentary lord, a title which was kept in the family until 1747. 3. Period 1453-1524: 20 charters Robert 1 st lord died in 1491. The last ten years of his life were tainted by many outrages and accusations of being insane. His grandson John succeeded to the title and became Vice-Admiral in the fleet of James IV (1488-1513); he was made Lord Chamberlain in 1516. Eight years later, in 1524, the 2 nd lord met his death in Kilbucho glen where he was killed by the Tweedies of Drumelzier as a result of a feud. 4. Period 1525-1572: 22 charters Malcolm 3 rd lord married Janet Stewart, an illegitimate daughter of James 1V. During an eventful life, he was captured at Solway Moss in 1542 and marched to the Tower of London. Subsequently released with his son held hostage, Malcolm at first appeared to support Henry VIII s proposal to marry the English king s son to the infant queen Mary but then changed his position. Prior to his death on the battlefield at Pinkie in 1547, he started work building a collegiate church in Biggar, the last of its kind in Scotland. Malcolm s eldest son James became the 4 th lord. His marriage to Barbara Hamilton brought the s into the Hamilton party fold; Barbara was the eldest daughter of the Duke of Chatelherault, heir to the throne prior to the birth of Mary s son, James, in 1566. The 4 th lord held the office of Lord Chamberlain and was one of four Scottish Commissioners to die from typhoid or poisoning in Paris in 1558 after the wedding of Mary, Queen of Scots to the French dauphin. James was followed by his brother John as 5 th lord. He was keeper of Dumbarton Castle and one of Mary s most loyal supporters during her personal rule (1561-7) and afterwards while she was imprisoned at Lochleven and then England. He died in 1572 in a bizarre accident; some French soldiers fired a friendly salute when they
recognized him in Edinburgh but one bullet ricocheted into his leg. He died from his wounds and was buried in Biggar kirk. Three of John s sisters were also very close and supportive of the queen: Mary, one of the Four Maries and wife of Maitland of Lethington; Agnes, wife of lord Livingston; and Margaret, wife of the earl of Atholl. 5. Period 1573 1619: 4 charters John the 6 th lord was only four years old when his father died. After some difficult times in his youth he became an important figure at the time of the Union of the Crowns in 1603. He was one of the few Scottish peers selected to accompany James V1 of Scotland and 1 of England to London and in 1606 was created 1 st earl of Wigtown. He died in 1619. 6. Period 1620 1769: 3 charters The line came to an end with the death of Charles 12 th lord and 7 th earl of Wigtown in 1747. The estates then fell to his niece, lady Clementina, who was married to Charles, 10 th lord Elphinstone. However, she was precluded from inheriting the title and it was dropped from the register of Scottish nobility in 1769.
5 Box & Date of Instrument Place of Principal Party(ies) 1.1 18 April 1369 Edinburgh Robert of Erskine; Patrick ; Malcolm, Lord of Biggar Seal wanting 1.2 10 May 1390 Athloch [?] Henry of Brogane; John Foches 1.3 20 Aug. 1392 Aberdeen With red wax seal 1.4 19 July 1434 (?) Edinburgh Malcolm, Lord ; Patrick McRay With remains of s seal, 1.5 15 Feb. 1443 Biggar Robert With red was seal 1.6 20 Dec. 1480 Edinburgh Robert With red wax seal 1.7 4 Jan. 1497 Edinburgh John, Lord of Biggar; Andrew Brown With remains of red wax seal 1.8 June 1498 Edinburgh John, Lord With red wax seal 1.9 13 June 1498 Edinburgh John, Lord With red was seal 1.10 20 Oct. 1498 Calder [?] John, Lord With red wax seal 1.11 20 Aug. 1509 Edinburgh John, Lord ; Robert Brown; Gilbert Brown With red wax seal 1.12 30 April 1560 John, Lord With red was seal pendant 1.13 2 April 1571 Barbara Hamilton, Lady ; William Hamilton 2.1 25 Jan. 1365 Edinburgh King David II; Thomas 2.2 14 March 1390 Scone King Robert III; David 2.3 1 Oct. 1391 Aberdeen James de Lindsay, Lord Buchan 2.4 21 Oct. 1391 Aberdeen James de Lindsay, Lord Buchan Henry de Brogane; his father John de Fothes. With red wax seal Conferring a new charter for the Earldom of Wigton. With red wax seal With remains of white wax seal With remains of white wax seal With red wax seal
Box & Date of Instrument Place of Principal Party(ies) 2.5 20 Aug. 1392 Aberdeen Thomas de Lask & John de Fothes; David. 2.6 20 Aug. 1392 Aberdeen Thomas de Lask & John de Fothes; David. 2.7 24 Aug. 1393 [Stirling?] King Robert III; Robert Erskine, Patrick 2.8 22 May 1395 Lythals King Robert III; Malcolm, Lord of Biggar; his son Patrick. 2.9 1 Nov. 1395 Cumbernauld King Robert III; Malcolm 2.10 10 May 1399 Edinburgh King Robert III; David With two red wax seals With two red wax seals With white wax seal With red wax seal With red wax seal With white wax seal 2.11 3 Nov. 1421 Cumbernauld Castle, Lanark Malcolm, Lord of Biggar; James Indenture form with red wax seal 3.1 25 Jul. 1475 Dalkeith James Douglas, Earl of Morton; Robert, Lord With red wax seal 3.2 18 July 1476 Edinburgh Robert, Lord With red wax seal 3.3 18 July 1477 Edinburgh Robert, Lord With red wax seal 3.4 undated s.l. Robert, Lord With red wax seal 3.5 1 June 1482 Edinburgh King James III; David With remains of red wax seal 3.6 27 Aug. 1495 Glasgow Thomas With red wax seal 3.7 3 Jan. 1502 Glasgow John, Lord ; William, Lord Bord. 3.8 11 May 1502 Glasgow William, Lord of Bord; George Colquhoun. 3.9 9 Jun. 1508 Edinburgh James IV; John Murray of Blackbarony With red wax seal With red wax seal With red wax seal
Box & Date of Instrument Place of Principal Party(ies) 3.10 16 June 1512 Edinburgh John, Lord Hay With red wax seal 3.11 10 Mar. 1515 Edinburgh James, Lord of Bord The presbyter John Jackson appointing tutor (guardian?) of George Hume. With three wax seals 3.12 13 Dec. 1515 Edinburgh John, Lord With red wax seal 3.13 13 Dec. 1515 Malcolm, Lord With remains of red wax seal 3.14 30 April 1523 Edinburgh John, Lord ; Patrick Dickson 3.15 7 May 1525 Edinburgh King James VI; Malcolm, Lord ; Walter Ogilvy With red wax seal Record of a tack or lease by Patrick Dickson to John, Lord, of his 6 merk 3s. 4d. lands of Glencotho for nineteen years. With red wax seal 4.1 6 May 1533 Edinburgh Malcolm, Lord With red wax seal 4.2 1 July 1534 Edinburgh Malcolm, Lord With white wax seal 4.3 26 Nov. 1534 Edinburgh James Douglas, Earl of Morton & Baron Dalkeith. Transcript of elevation. With red wax seal 4.4 22 July 1535 Dalkeith Castle James Douglas, Earl of Morton; Malcolm, Lord. With red wax seal 4.5 8 Jun. 1536 Robert Cashton; Malcolm, Lord With red wax seal 4.6 3 Sep. 1536 Boghall Malcolm, Lord With red wax seal 4.7 22 Aug. 1540 Troyes, [France] John Livingston; Janet Livingston; William of Bord With three red wax seals 4.8 18 Feb. 1541 Edinburgh Malcolm, Lord ; William of Bord. With red wax seal
Box & Date of Instrument Place of Principal Party(ies) 4.9 5 Mar. 1541 Edinburgh James Douglas, Earl of Morton; Malcolm, Lord. 4.10 155- James, Lord ; John 4.11 13 Nov. 1554 Edinburgh Mary, Queen of Scots; her cousin James, Lord 5.1 4 Sep. 1556 Dunblane Harry Drummond; James, Lord 5.2 3 Feb. 1557 Edinburgh James, Lord ; John. 5.3 3 Feb. 1557 Edinburgh Thomas, Mabel Grey his wife; James, Lord With red wax seal Blanks left for day and month of charter; place of signing not provided. Red wax seal With red wax seal With three red wax seals With red wax seal With two red wax seals 5.4 10 Mar. 1557 Paris John With red wax seal 5.5 7 Aug. 1559 Edinburgh George Colquhoun; John, Lord. 5.6 16 April 1567 Edinburgh Mary, Queen of Scots; her cousin, John, Lord. 5.7 21 Feb. 1575 Edinburgh Mark Ker, Commendator of the Monastery of Newbottil ; John, Lord 5.8 3 Nov. 1576 John Stark, William Stark; John, Lord of Bord With red wax seal With white wax seal With red wax seal Letter of reversion from John Stark, son of William Stark, of the lands of Nether Auchenreoch. With red wax seal 5.9 1592 Edinburgh John, Lord With red wax seal 5.10 30 Jan. 1597 Cumbernauld Castle, Lanark John, Lord With red wax seal
Box & Date of Instrument Place of Principal Party(ies) 5.11 15 Aug. 1684 Edinburgh Charles II appointing James Drummond, Duke of Perth, guardian of John [], Earl of Wigtown. 5.12 5 Mar. 1740 Edinburgh Appointment of John, Earl of Wigton as Burgess and Guild Brother. 6 26 Mar. 1635 Judgment of John, 2 nd Earl of Wigton against Sir William Livingston, Laird of Kilsyth. Document slightly damaged with some parts illegible. Seal covered in white paper. Roll. i Nicholas of Biggar was the great-great-grandson of Baldwin, a mid-twelfth century incomer to Biggar, widely assumed to be of Flemish origin; by 1162 he held the office of sheriff of Lanark. The growing status of the family within Scottish politics by the end of the thirteenth century was reflected in Nicholas of Biggar s collusion with Robert de Bruce, grandfather of the future king, over Bruce s plans to acquire lands in Garioch in 1290. When Nicholas died in 1292 he left a widow, Marie, and two daughters, Marjorie and Ada, as wards granted by Edward I to Robert, bishop of Glasgow.