Alexander de Lawedre (abt. 1392 - 1440)

Ancestors

Died 11 Oct 1440 at about age 48 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.

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Alexander de Lawedre was a member of Scottish Nobility. Join: Scotland Project Discuss: Scotland

Biography

Spottiswood states: "Alexander Lauder was made Bishop of Dunkeld in May 1440.^[1] He had previously been Rector of Ratho and was the son of Alan Lauder of Haltoun, and brother-german to Bishop Lauder of Glasgow. He died 11th October 1440 at Edinburgh and was interred in Lauder church with his ancestors."^[2]The parentage is wrong as neither were sons of Alan. Innes correctly states the parents of William de Lawedre, Bishop and Chancellor, were Robert and Annabella de Lawedre.^[3]

When William de Lawedre was Bishop of Glasgow he gave to the chapter library a volume by Peter de Braco (a lawyer from Piacenza) with the provision that it should be lent to "his brother Alexander", a member of the chapter pro vita. Alexander was also allowed to borrow a Speculum Judiciale of Durandus if he left his Decretum of Gratian as a pledge. (Durandus lived 1230-96 and taught in Bologne and Mantus and was Bishop of Mande in 1286.) ^[4]

A supplication recorded at Rome on 2nd December 1420 which states: 'Nova proviso' - Formerly, before his deposition, Peter de Luna (Benedict XIII) gave mandate of provision of the parish church of Rathow, St.Andrews diocese, to Alexander de Lawedre, subdeacon, said diocese, *brother-german of the Bishop of Glasgow*, Lic. Dec. of Paris and Archdeacon of Dunkeld, who obtained peaceable possession of same.^[5] There is much more to this supplication but the important thing in this primary source is that his relationship to the Bishop of Glasgow is clearly stated to be a full brother.

It was agreed in Council at Westminster on 13th May 1423 to grant a Safe-conduct for 6 months for Master Alexander de Lawedre, Dean of Dunkeld, and his retinue of 8 persons, to come and go between Flanders and England.^[6]

Bower states: "The successor as Bishop of Dunkeld, on 6th June 1440, by Papal provision at the King's request, was Master Alexander Lauder, Rector of Ratho, a venerable man who was notable in every kind of upright behaviour. He was uterine brother [incorrect] of William Lauder, Bishop of Glasgow, Chancellor of the Kingdom." He died unexpectedly at Edinburgh 11th October 1440 and was "buried in his parents' grave in the parish church of Lauder."^[7] This was St.Mary's church near the old fort at Lauder^[8], demolished in the 17th century by the Duke of Lauderdale.

Sources

1. ↑ Milne's Vitae Dunkeldensis, Ecclesiae Episcoporum also confirms this.
2. ↑ Keith's Scottish Bishops by John Spottiswood, Edinburgh, 1824.
3. ↑ Early Scotch History by Cosmo Innes, Edinburgh, 1861, p.57.
4. ↑ "Records of the Scottish Church History Society", vol. xi, Glasgow, 1955, The Ecclesiastical members of the Lauder Family in the 15th Century by the Rev. Duncan Shaw, p.161.
5. ↑ Calendar of Scottish Supplications to Rome edited by Messrs. Lindsay & Cameron, Scottish History Society, Edinburgh, 1934, p.235-6.
6. ↑ Calendar of Documents relating to Scotland edited by Joseph Bain, F.S.A.Scot., etc., 1357-1509 (Addenda 1221-1435), Edinburgh, 1888, vol.iv, p.187, no.926.
7. ↑ Scotichronicon by Walter Bower, edited by D.E.R.Watt, volume 8, Book xvi, p.299, Aberdeen University Press, 1987.
8. ↑ The Grange of St.Giles by J. Stewart-Smith, Edinburgh, 1898, p.168.