Robert de Lawedre of Bass (bef. 1350 - bef. 1425)

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Biography

There are a huge number of archives pertaining to this Sir Robert de Lawedre.

Young describes this Sir Robert de Lawedre as "eldest son of Alan Lauder of Haltoun".^[1] The Rotuli Scotia records a safe-conduct from King Edward III for Robertus, fils Alani de Lawedre, dated 4th November 1364. It has been suggested that as Alan also had a Safe-conduct at this time that his son was travelling as his Page. Anderson records that "Alan de Lawedre had ROBERT, his successor"^[2], and Reid (1885) writes "that Alan de Lawedre was dead by 20th March 1407 is clear, as his son Robert accounts as executor testamenti quondam Alani de Lawedre patris sui nuper defuncti."^[3]

It seems clear that this Robert was invested in fee by his grandfather, Sir Robert de Lawedre of The Bass (d.c1370) in the feudal barony of The Bass etc., and all its lands in his lifetime.^[4] Neither Robert's father Alan or Alan's elder brother William (d.s.p.) ever had possession, or were described with the territorial designation "of The Bass".

In a charter of Sir "Robertus de Lawedre, Dominus de Quarrelwood in Moravia" (and of The Bass) (d.1370) he gave some lands in and near "his burgh of Lauder" to Thomas de Borthwick, a relation, which is witnessed by John de Mauteland [Maitland] (c1330-c1395) the sixth of the Lauderdale family^[5], his brother William [Maitland], and also by Sir Robert's own son Alan, as well as his grandson, [this] Roberto filio Alani tunc Ballio de Lawedre." Stewart-Smith says that this was in 1370^[6] and Anderson states it was "in the reign of David II" (1329-1371).^[7]

In 1369 Robert de Lawedre was a witness, with Lord (Domino) Robert de Congleton, Rector of Dunbar, to a charter of the lands of Mochram to George de Dunbar, [9th] Earl of March.^[8] In the second half of the 14th century a charter was made from Dryburgh Abbey to John Maitland, Lord of Thirlestane (c.1330 - c1395), son and heir of the deceased Lord Robert Maitland of Thirlestane (d.1346), of the lands of Snowdon, Egrop, Stoneylaw etc. The witnesses were, amongst others, John, son of the Earl of Dunbar [Patrick, 7th Earl de Dunbar or March], Lord Robert de Keith, and Robert de Laweder.^[9]

Robert de Laweder, Dominus de la Bass witnessed a charter of Richard Edgar to Robert Edgar of Wedderlie in 1384.^[10][11][12]

Between 1384-1388 Robert de Lawedre, Lord of the Bass, William de Lindsay of the Byres, John de Haliburton of Dirletoun, Robert Colville of Oxnam, William de Borthwick of Catcune, all of them knights, plus Alexander de Cockburn, Alan de Lawedre [Robert's father - a regular in Douglas charters], Adam Forrester "and may others" witnessed a charter by James, Earl of Douglas, to John, son and heir of the late Richard Kerr, of the whole of the town of Samuelstoun etc in Haddingtonshire [not Berwickshire], to be held in blench ferme of the Earl.^[13]

"Froissart mentions 'Sir Robert Lauder, a renowned hero' as having been present at the battle of Otterburn, which took place on the 19th August 1388."^[14]

A Notarial Instrument of Adam Hepburn, Lord of Hailes, dated 23rd March 1417, refers to a Letter Patent of the late Countess of Mar signed at dated at Tantallon Castle on 10th December 1389, which was read out in the church of the Friars Minors of Haddington in the presence of Sir Robert Maitland of Thirlestane, Sir Robert de Lowedir, Lord of the Bass, Sir Alexander de Cockburn Lord of Langtoun, all knights, and others.^[15]

Towards the southern end of Lauderdale is the town of Earlston, an ancient superiority of the Earls of Dunbar or March. "Robertus de Lawedre, consanguineus noster" (blood cousin) witnessed a charter of "Georgii comitis Marchie", superior of Sorrowlessfield [a still extant property on the (A68) road south of Earlston] in the reign of Robert III (1390 - 1406).^[16]

Robert de Lawedre, Knt, is a witness to a Royal Charter to the Priory of Coldingham confirming them in all of their ancient possessions, signed at Linlithgow on 2nd January 1391-2.^[17]

"Robert de Lawedir, Lord of The Bass", is one of the nobles who witnessed a charter by James de Sandilands, Lord of Calder, to George Douglas, Earl of Angus, circa 1397.^[18]

This Sir Robert de Lawedre of The Bass is called 'cousin' when witnessing a charter of George, Earl of Dunbar and March, in 1400.^[19]

Sir Robert de Lawedre of The Bass took part in in the battle of Nesbit Moor on 22nd June 1402 and was captured.^[20][21][22] The date of his liberation does not appear to be on record but in 1405/6^[23] he accepted Prince James into his safekeeping on The Bass. King Robert III [reigned 1390-1406], apprehensive of danger to his son James (afterwards King James I) from the Duke of Albany, placed the youthful prince in the safe-custody of his friend Sir Robert Lauder in his secure castle on the Bass prior to an embarkation for safer parts on the continent.^[24]

This "Robertus de Lawedyr, miles", had a safe-conduct from King Henry IV dated 13th June 1411.^[25]

The most crucial piece of information on this Robert and his family is the very long Latin charter in the Registrum Glasguense^[26] dated 1st August 1414. In this charter Robert is making a settlement upon Glasgow Cathedral where his stated eldest son and heir, William, is the Lord Bishop. He states this several times. In addition he mentions his 'consort', Annabel, and it is witnessed in "the presence of my said wife, the above-written Bishop, my son, and my sons [present] John, Robert, James, Alan, and Gilbert de Lawedre. The charter was confirmed at Renfrew on 28th September 1414 by Robert, Duke of Albany, witnessed by the Reverend Fathers in Christ, William, Bishop of Glasgow, and Gilbert Bishop of Aberdeen, Chancellor of Scotland; Robert Makiswell of Calderwod and Patrick de Dunbar of Cumnok, knights, and Andrew Hawik our secretary, Rector of Listoun.

It has been stated in several books that William the Bishop was a son of Alan de Lawedre but this is untrue, as the above charter demonstrates. Moreover, the great historian Cosmo Innes states of William de Lawedre, Bishop of Glasgow, that "his parents were Robert and Annabella de Lawedre, and both Crawford and Keith are mistaken to this Bishop's parentage. They both say his father was Alan de Lawedre of Haltoun. They both quote Fordun, who does not mention it, although I find it in Spottiswood, who makes other mistakes."^[27]

Sir Robert de Lawedre of The Bass received payments from the customs of North Berwick in 1413, 1414, 1415 and 1420.^[28]

In 1420 Robert de Lawedre of The Bass was appointed Exchequer Auditor of Burgh & Baillie Accounts.^[29]

Safe-Conducts were issued by King Henry VI to "Robertus de Laweder de Basse, chr." and Jacobus de Lawedre de Scotia, dated 13th December, 1423.^[30] In 1424 Sir Robert Lauder of Bass, with 18 men, had a safe-conduct with a host of other noblemen etc., as a hostage for King James I at Durham.^[31] Sir Robert Lauder of The Bass "was one of the few people whom King James I [reigned 1406-1437] admitted to his confidence. The heir of Albany, Walter Stewart, was shut up in the strong castle of the Bass, belonging to Sir Robert Lauder, a firm friend of the King".^[32]

Sir Robert de Lawedre of The Bass died 10 days after his eldest son and heir-apparent, William, Bishop of Glasgow. His next eldest son, John, had died in 1421, and his heir was now his third son, Sir Robert de Lawedre of Edrington, Knt., Justiciary of the Lothians, and he is already designated "of The Bass" when he witnessed a charter on 24th June 1425. We know it is him because he was the Justiciary, not the father.^[33] The Bass and other properties were subsequently confirmed to Robert the son on the 14th December 1425.^[34]

Sir Robert and his wife Anabella had ten known children (one daughter), three of them Bishops. Sir Robert settled upon his fifth son, Alan, both superiorities and feus in and around the Royal Burgh of Lauder in Berwickshire, where Alan was progenitor of the subsequent "of that Ilk" family.

Sir Robert and Anabella are said to have been interred in St. Mary's Church, near the fort at Lauder, Berwickshire. Their son Alexander, Bishop of Dunkeld, was also interred there.^[35] This church was demolished in the 17th century by the Duke of Lauderdale as being inconvenient for the new Thirlestane Castle. Any tombs have vanished.

Maxwell-Findlater suggests that it was this Robert Lauder of the Bass who had new Arms granted with a double tressure and different tinctures.^[36]

Sources

1. ↑ Notes on Historical References to the Scottish Family of Lauder edited by James Young, Glasgow, 1884, p.45.
2. ↑ The Scottish Nation by William Anderson, vol.ii, Edin,1861.
3. ↑ "Early Notices of the Bass Rock and its Owners'" by John J. Reid, BA., FSA Scot., in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 14th December, 1885.
4. ↑ Young, 1884, p.45.
5. ↑ Young, 1884, p.38.
6. ↑ The Grange of St. Giles by J. Stewart-Smith, Edinburgh, 1898, p.165.
7. ↑ Anderson, 1861, vol.ii, p.338.
8. ↑ Genealogical Collections by Walter MacFarland made in 1750-51, Scottish History Society, Edinburgh, 1900, p.522.
9. ↑ Liber St. Marie de Dryburgh edited by John Spottiswood and William Fraser, Bannatyne Club, Edinburgh, 1847, charter 284, p.231/2.
10. ↑ Young, 1884, p.45.
11. ↑ John Jamieson's Illustrations to Slezer's Theatrum Scotiae, [John Slezer died in 1714 and was writing this in 1678] Edinburgh, 1874 p.123.
12. ↑ Systems of Heraldry, Edinburgh, 1722, vol.i. p344.
13. ↑ Memorials of the Earls of Haddington by Sir William Fraser, KCB, LL.D., vol.ii: Correspondence and charters, Edinburgh 1889, p.225.
14. ↑ Young, 1884. p.45.
15. ↑ National Records of Scotland
16. ↑ Young, 1884, p.19.
17. ↑ The Great Seal of Scotland confirmed 16th March, 1391/2, no.839.
18. ↑ The Douglas Book by Sir William Fraser, Edinburgh, 1885, vol.iii, p.51.
19. ↑ Reg.Melrose p.506. Cited in The Armorial of Sir David Lyndsay of the Mount by Alexander Maxwell Findlater, Heraldry Society of Scotland, Edinburgh, 2018, ISBN: 978-1-9999794-1-6, vol.ii, p.165.
20. ↑ Sir James Balfour's (1600-57) Annals, Edinburgh, 1824 edition, vol.1, and Fordun's Scotichronicon (c1450), Edinburgh 1759.
21. ↑ History of the Scottish People by Hector Boece, 1527.
22. ↑ Young, 1884, p.46.
23. ↑ as the year 1405 did not end until March it could be 1406.
24. ↑ De Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland by Andrew de Wyntown.
25. ↑ Young, 1884, p.46.
26. ↑ National Records of Scotland.
27. ↑ Early Scotch History by Cosmo Innes, Edinburgh, 1861, p.57.
28. ↑ Early Notices of the Bass Rock and its Owners by John J. Reid, BA., FSA Scot., in "Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland", 14th December, 1885, p.58.
29. ↑ The Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, vol.iv.
30. ↑ Rotuli Scotiae in Turri Londinensi et in Domo Capitulari Westmonasteriensi assertvati, London, 1814-1819, 2 vols.
31. ↑ Calendar of Documents relating to Scotland 1357 - 1509, vol.iv, Edinburgh, 1888, number 942, 3rd February, 1423/4, edited by Joseph Bain F.S.A.,Scot.
32. ↑ The History of Scotland by Patrick Fraser Tytler, Edinburgh, 1866, vol.iii, p187/p190.
33. ↑ Reid, 1885, p.59.
34. ↑ The Great Seal of Scotland, no.29.
35. ↑ Scotichronicon by Walter Bower, edited by D.E.R.Watt, volume 8, Book xvi, p.299, Aberdeen University Press, 1987.
36. ↑ The Armorial of Sir David Lyndsay of the Mount by Alex Maxwell-Findlater, Heraldry Society of Scotland, Edinburgh, 2018, vol.ii, p.164-5.