Sir Alexander Seton, IV

Sir Alexander IV de Setoun, Lord of that Ilk, was one of the Lords Auditors of Causes and Complaints in 1341. He joined the order of St. John of Jerusalem, apparently not long after that year. He must then have been expected to denude himself of his estates, in accordance with the rule of the order. He doubtless handed them over to his next heir; but he was still styled Dominus ejusdem in 1345, when, as Master of Torphichen, he granted a charter to William de Meldrum. He had been appointed to the charge of the House of Torphichen by the Grand Master at Rhodes. On 6 February 1346-47 he obtained an indult from Pope Clement VI. permitting him to choose a confessor, etc. On 12 August 1348 he had a safe-conduct to enable him to visit King David II. in the Tower of London, on business, which doubtless related to arrangements for the King's ransom. He seems to have died shortly afterwards.
Sir Alexander is said to have married Christian Cheyne, daughter of the Laird of Straloch, and to have had by her four sons:
1. Thomas, who was hanged by order of King Edward III. when a hostage in his hands during the siege of Berwick in 1333.
2. William, who was drowned in the Tweed while engaged in setting fire to some of the enemy's ships at the same siege.
3. Alexander V, who appears to have been knighted. He was probably the Sir Alexander de Seton who was sent on a mission to Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1323, and styled by King Robert I. his 'bachelor.' He was killed at Kinghorn in Fife, shortly after Edward Baliol's landing there on 6 August 1332. The designation "Sir Alexander the father" never appears after that date.
4. Sir John, who died vita patris after 1327 leaving issue:
(1) Alexander VI (or Sir Alexander), who married Margaret de Ruthven, apparently in 1346. On Easter Sunday, 16 April in that year, at Roxburgh, Sir "William Douglas of Liddesdale engaged to make certain payments to Sir Alexander de Seton, Knight, Lord of that Ilk, in consideration of the marriage of Alexander de Setoun, son of the deceased Sir John de Setoun, Knight, heir of the said Sir Alexander, with Margaret, daughter of the deceased Sir William de Ruthven. Alexander de Seton seems to have died soon after his marriage, and may perhaps have been one of the many Scottish gentlemen who fell at the battle of Durham, 17 October 1346.
Source: "The Scots Peerage" Vol 8, page 568.

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Sir Alexander de Seton quartus - "The father
1280 - 1349.
We now return to the main line of the family in the person of this Sir Alexander, who occupied a much more important influence on events than did Sir Christopher. Like so many of his predecessors, his parentage has been completely misunderstood by the family historians, and the most unexpected and impossible conclusions have been arrived at by them. Maitland says he was grandson of "Gud Sir Christell" and the original Douglas Peerage of 1764 agrees; Nisbet, Lord Hailes and Wood's edition of the Douglas Peerage regard him as Sir Christopher's son, and therefore nephew of Robert Bruce.
As has already been shown:
i. Sir Christopher came of age on 25th March 1299, and could not have been even the father of this Alexander who did homage to Edward I on 28th August 1296, when he must have been of age.
ii. Christopher's parentage, origin and history are perfectly authenticated; and it is known he had no family.
The only doubtful point is whether Sir Alexander quartus was really the son of the Sir Alexander de Seton tertius , who appears to have died before 1296. It is just conceivable that he was the grandson, but there is no evidence of that; and it is assumed therefore that Alexander quartus, the Defender of Berwick, was son of Alexander tertius .
His career is interesting as typical of the period in which he lived, and was similar to those of most of the leading families of the country at that time. The earliest record of him is as "Alisanndre de "Seton, Vallet, del Count e de Edeneburgh" when he did homage to Edward I at Berwick on 28th August 1296 and signed the Ragman Roll. His lands, which had been in that King's lands, were formally restored to him on 5th September; and, for some years afterwards, he was in the service of the English Crown. The extent to which East Lothian was then a conquered country is shown by the fact that on 2nd June 1296 Edward had exercised his patronage in appointing one Thomas de Cornwall to the living of the Church of Seton - a remarkable instance of Edward's attention to matters of small concern.
What part, if any, Alexander de Setoun took in theearly efforts of Wallace and the National Party to free the country is not known. His name does not appear in any record until 1306 when, having gone on the King's business towards the Isles with John de Mowbray, he fell under suspicion, and Royal Orders were issued for him to be arrested and sent to the King on his return, and for the forfeiture of his goods and chattels. He does not seem to have been captured, but his properties were forfeited, and in August of that year, as "Mons Alexandre de Setone" he petitioned for restoration. When Robert Bruce, after his temporary eclipse at Methven returned to take up his victorious career Alexander, together with Sir Gilbert Hay and Sir Neil Campbell engaged to defend his right to the Crown; and this they swore to do upon the Sacrament at Cambuskenneth on 8th September, 1308.
The time however was not propitious for overt action and Alexander had to profess that he was "in the
"peace" of King Edward. In the autumn of 1310 Edward II invaded and occupied East Lothian, and many of the local Barons were forced to swear fealty to him. Alexander was no doubt among that number, as, on 20th February 1311/12 his name appears as a juror on an Inquisition into the forfeited lands of Sir Robert de Kethe, Sir Thomas de Haye, " and other Scottish enemies", in obedience to a Royal command.
Again no more is heard of Alexander until 1314. When Edward II invaded Scotland in that year, with the
intention of relieving the English garrison in Stirling Alexander was serving in his army, and continued to do so until the two armies faced each other at Bannockburn According to Scalachronica, Alexander must have observed the condition of the English army, and noted the results of the preliminary fighting on 23rd June. That night he went over to Bruce, and urged him to fight next day as he considered the English troops were demoralised. This decided Bruce to give up his idea of withdrawing during the night; and the battle of Bannockburn was the result.
Alexander had now burnt his boats, and was from this time onwards a wholehearted supporter of Bruce.
During the years 1315 to 1317 he served with Edward Bruce, the King's brother, in Ireland. He must have returned before his leaders final defeat at Dundalk in October 1318, as in 1317 he was sent by King Robert I on a diplomatic mission to England. In later years, 1320 and 1322 he was employed in the same manner, and, on the last occasion the King empowered his "bachelor" Sir Alexander de Setoun to make oath on his soul for Bruce' s action in regard to certain hostages. After Bannockburn Bruce rapidly consolidated his position, and carried the war into the enemies country. In 1317, he captured Berwick, to the intense annoyance of Edward, who tried in vain to recapture it. Nevertheless Edward refused to recognise Bruce as King of Scots, or the independence of the country. As late as July 1319 Seton's lands were still shown as being in the hands of the English King.
That Alexander had already been knighted by Bruce is certain, but the occasion is not known. On 6th April 1315 he certainly appears as "Sir "Alexandre de Setoun" when witnessing a charter. On 6th April 1320 was drawn up at Arbroath the famous document to Pope John XXII, in which the Scottish nation declared Its independence and claimed his support. Sir Alexander's seal is appended to the duplicate copy in the General Register House, Edinburgh. At this time he is said to have received from King Robert a "coat of augmentation", viz. gules , a sword supporting an Imperial Crown to perpetuate "the "memory of his own and progenitors worthy actions for "the King and country".
It seems probable that this may have been the occasion of his being also granted the double-tressure, though Nisbet does not mention it. He was certainly in high favour with the King, who, in addition to many other estates referred to below, gave him, before January 1528, the town of Berwick in "feu ferrae", and the Governorship; he was also for a time, Steward of the Household of David, Earl of Carrick - the King's son.
As, however, Bruce had given many of the estates to his supporters, and the presence in the country of
a number of discontented landless barons would have been embarrassing, the Regent refused to implement the Treaty. After negotiations lasting some eighteen months Edward decided once again to take a hand in Scottish affairs and to put Edward, son of John Balliol, on the Scottish throne. With a force of "disinherited" barons and English troops Balliol effected a latiding at Kinghorn in Fife on 6th August 1332. According to Maitland, Sir Alexander happened to be in the neighbourhood "quha set upon the said Edward "Balliol and his cumpanye at thair landing, and slew "dyvers of thame"; but was overcome by numbers and was killed. Maitland may well have been right about the action, but he was certainly wrong about Sir Alexander "the "father"; the individual concerned was his son, known as "le fils".
Just before Balliol landed, the Regent, Randolph, died; and his successor, Donald Earl of Mar, was not
a man of the same stamp. Mar met the invaders on 12th August 1332 at Dupplin, and was defeated and was himself killed, along with Randolph's son and successor, Thomas second Earl of Moray. Balliol was then crowned at Scone, and, on 23rd November formally recognised Edward III as his liege lord.
Scotland again rallied and chose Sir Andrew Moray of Bothwell as third Regent. He, with his kinsman John, now third Earl of Moray, and Sir Archibald Douglas, raised a force and routed Balliol at Annan on 16th December, 1332, and drove him out of the country. Before leaving, however, Balliol forfeited Sir Alexander Seton's estates.
The Siege of Berwick:
In the following spring Balliol again appeared with a large force at Roxburgh and prepared to lay siege to Berwick. That town had been surrendered by Balliol 's father to Edward I in 1295 but had been recaptured by Robert Bruce in 1317. Edward II had tried to recover it in 1319, without success. Now, in 1333, it was destined to fall into the hands of Edward III. Sir Alexander, Maitland tells us, was "capitane "and keiper of Berwick". Actually he was in command of the town and Patrick, ninth Earl of Dunbar, commanded the Castle. The garrison made sorties, and succeeded in turning some of the English ships; in one of these attacks Thomas Seton, one of Sir Alexander's sons, was taken prisoner and hanged in front of the town walls.
Another son, William Seton, was drowned.
The Scottish Army returned from Northumberland, and, on 19th July, with the fatal optimism which so
often characterised their operations, attacked a carefully selected English position at Halidon Hill outside
Berwick. The result was a crushing defeat, the Regent himself was killed, and, practically, the whole work of the Bruce was undone in a day. Meanwhile Sir William Keith appears to have got into the town and assumed the Governorship, and it was he who surrendered it to Edward about 22nd July, 1333. Once again Sir Alexander found himself a forfeited man, and compelled by circumstances to swear fealty to Edward III and Edward Balliol. It is certain, too, that he sat in Balliol's Parliament on 10th February 1334, and was one of the signatories of the Deed of Cession of Berwick. Once again the country rallied however, and the disinherited barons, who had been the origin and cause of the disaster, quarrelled among themselves, some siding with Balliol and others with David II. The Earl of Moray too returned from Prance, and Philip VI of France told Edward he was interested in Scotland. The National Party gradually retook the Scottish castles from their English garrisons; but, in 1337, when Edward declared himself King of France and went to war, French troops began to come in to the help of Scotland. By 1341 the country was considered safe for the return of David.
Whether Sir Alexander recovered his estates after doing homage to Edward in 1333 is doubtful. There is
no doubt the "baronia" of Seton was in the hands of William of Eylesford in 1336. This suggests that he
had repudiated his allegiance; and, on 19th June 1336, he is referred to as one of the "ductores de Scocia "contra Angliam". In 1337, and again in 1340, Sir Alexander was sent to England on diplomatic missions. In 1341 he was appointed one of the "Lords Auditors of Causes and Complaints". With advancing years he became religious. In 1337 he made a donation of twenty shillings annually to the Friars of Haddington for the welfare of his soul, and for the souls of his ancestors and descendants.
Later he became a Member of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and, about 1345, was appointed "Guardian" Master of Torphichen by the Grand Master of that Order.
According to the Rules he must have resigned his estates to his successor before taking that office; whether he did so is uncertain as, in 1345, he was still styled "Dominus de Setoun". In 1347 he obtained from Pope Clement VI an "Indult" permitting him to choose a Confessor, and In August 1348 he had a safe conduct to London in connexion with the business of the Order. On this occasion he was styled "Prater Alexander "de Seton, Miles, Hospitalis S. Johannis Jerusalem".
Sir Alexander probably died in 1349. Few men of his time can have led a more strenuous life than he,
during his 69 years. The honours and rewards that came to him however can scarcely have compensated him for the loss of all his sons.
Many charters give details of grants to Sir Alexander by Robert I of lands forfeited by those who had fought on the English side during the War of Independence . On 26th March 1320 he had a charter of the Lands of Barns and the East Mill of Haddington "for his good "service in Ireland and Scotland, doing therefor to the "King and his heirs the service of two bowmen for the "Army" and in April 1322 this estate was erected into a free Barony. The King also granted him an addition to his arms of a sword erect, in pale, supporting a Crown". In 1320 he also had a Royal Confirmation of a charter by Patrick Earl of March granting him Halsington in Berwickshire. In 1322 he was given the Barony of Elphinstone .on its forfeiture by Peter Liband; also "the whole land "of Fawside", part of the barony of Tranent, and the Lordship of Milles or Myles which had belonged to Sir William de Ferreirs, son in law of Roger de Quincy. Another important acquisition was the Lordship of Dundas with land In South Queensferry, and the Lordship of Wester Craigie. To this was added Niddrie, which had belonged to Sir Alan la Suche, another son in law of Roger de Quincy.
The original estate of Seton was confirmed to him "in free warren and forest", and the town was erected
into a free burgh with a weekly market "to be holden "on the Lord's day". Prom other superiors Sir Alexander acquired at different times Hartshead in Berwickshire, Gogar in Edinburghshire, Culloden. in Morayshire and a piece of land in Aberdeen. Some of these had belonged to John Comyn, Earl of Buchan, the third of the sons in law of Roger de Quincy.

About 1311 Sir Alexander married Christian, daughter of Cheyne of Straloch in Aberdeenshire.
By her he had four sons:
1. Thomas hanged by the English at Berwick in July 1333.
2. William drowned at Berwick while trying to set fire to English ships. Wyntoun says of him "Than Williame off Setoun faucht sa fast among "the schippys, quhill at last his fadyv into the "Se saw him drown"
3. Sir Alexander quintus "the son". He was so called to distinguish him from his father. It was apparently he who was sent on a mission to Newcastle in 1323, and was styled by Robert I his "bachelor". He was killed, opposing the landing of Edward Balliol, at Kinghorn on 6th August 1332. Sir Alexander married Jean, daughter of Sir Thomas Haliburton of Dirleton, and by her probably had a daughter Margaret, who carried on the succession.
4. Sir John of whom nothing is known. Maitland says he married Elizabeth heiress of Sir Cecil Ramsay
of Parbroath, and founded the cadet branch of Seton of Parbroath.
Source: "The House of Seton" Vol 1, page 85.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Seton_(Governor_of_Berwick)

Sir Alexander de Seton

Sir Christopher Seton was, by order of Edward I., executed at Dumfries. He appears to have been succeeded by his brother Sir Alexander Seton, who signed, with other patriotic nobles, the famous letter to the Pope in 1320, asserting the independence of Scotland.

He had grants from King Robert I. of various lands, as well as of the manor of Tranent and other extensive possessions previously belonging to the noble family of De Quincy, attainted for their espousal of the cause of Edward. He also got the lands of Falside or Fawside, forfeited by Alexander de Such, who married one of the daughters and heiresses of Roger de Quincy, earl of Winchester. Falside castle, situated near the boundary with Inveresk, was one of the ancient strong fortalices of the Setons. A younger branch of the family styled themselves the Setons of Falside. Their principal castle was Niddry in Linlithgowshire, the ruins of which still remain. Sir Alexander de Seton had a safe-conduct into England 7th January 1320, and Robert I. applied for another, 21st March 1327, for him to treat with the English. He was governor of the town of Berwick when it was besieged by the English in 1333. His son Thomas was given as a hostage to King Edward III., that that place would be surrendered on a certain day if not relieved before then. Sir William Keith having arrived with succours, assumed the governorship, and refused to deliver up the town. Edward ordered Thomas Seton, and, some accounts say, two sons of Keith, who had fallen into his hands, to be executed in sight of the besieged. The day after the defeat of the Scots army at Halidon-hill, 19th July 1333, Berwick surrendered to the English. Sir Alexander Seton was present in Edward Baliol’s parliament, 10th February following, when he witnessed the concession of Berwick to the English. He had a safe-conduct to go to England, 15th October 1337, and in August 1340, he was one of the hostages for John, earl of Moray, when he was liberated for a time. He appears to have entered into a religious order in his old age, as “Frater Alexander de Seton miles, hospitalis sancti Johannis Jerusalem in Scotia” had a safe-conduct into England on the affairs of David II., 12th August 1348.

By his wife, Christian, daughter of Cheyne of Straloch, he had three sons and a daughter, namely, Alexander, killed in opposing the landing of Edward Baliol near Kinghorn, 6th August 1332; Thomas, already mentioned; and William, drowned in an attack on the English fleet at Berwick, in sight of his father, in July 1333. The daughter, Margaret, became heiress of Seton. She married Alan de Wyntoun, supposed to have been a cadet of the Seton family. This marriage, we are told, produced a feud in East Lothian, and occasioned more than a hundred ploughs to be laid aside from labour. His children took the name of Seton. He died in the Holy Land, leaving a son, Sir William Seton, and a daughter, Christian or Margaret, countess of Dunbar and March.

Source: Electricscotland.com - Google (17.6.2010)

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M, #262620, d. circa 1348

Last Edited=23 Jan 2008

    Sir Alexander de Seton married Christian Cheyne.1 He died circa 1348, without surviving male issue.

He had numerous grants of land, including the terrorial Baronies of Seton and Winchburgh.1 He held the office of Governor of Berwick between 1328 and 1333.1
Child of Sir Alexander de Seton and Christian Cheyne

unknown de Seton+ 1

Citations

[S37] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 1285. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.

From: http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/families/setons.htm

Sir Alexander sought refuge from his sorrows and troubles in a hospital of the order of St. John of Jerusalem, and his daughter Margaret became the heiress of his extensive estates. She married ALAN DE WYNTOUN, who is believed to have been a cadet of her own family, for Philip Seton obtained a charter of the lands of Wyntoun from William the Lion. This marriage led to a sanguinary contest with rival and disappointed suitors, called ‘the Wyntoun’s war,’ which, according to Wyntoun, the metrical chronicler, caused more than a hundred ploughs to be laid aside from labour. Alan de Wyntoun died in the Holy Land, leaving a daughter, who became Countess of Dunbar, and had an only [surviving] son, SIR WILLIAM SETON, of whom it is recorded that ‘he was the first creatit and made lord in the Parliament, and he and his posteritie to have ane voit yairin, and be callit Lordis.’

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Source:

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles

Alexander Seton Pedigree

Birth: About 1266 Of, Seton, East Lothian, Scotland Death: 12 JUN 1298 , Dumfries, Scotland

Parents: Father: Christopher Seton; Mother: Christian Bruce

Marriages:

 Spouse:  Christian Cheyne

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Record submitted by a member of the LDS Church. The record often shows the name of the individual and his or her relationship to a descendant, shown as the heir, family representative, or relative. The original records are not indexed, and you may have to look at the film frame-by-frame to find the information you want. A family group record for this couple may be in the Family Group Record Collection; Archive Section. (See the Family History Library Catalog for the film number.) These records are alphabetical by name of the father or husband.  

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Source Information: Film Number: 537275

Issue- I. Alexander- killed 6 Aug. 1332 battle of Kinghorn, Fife II. Thomas- executed 1333 III. William- drowned July 1333 in the Tweed while engaged in setting fire to some of the enemy's ships ?9IV. MARGARET- m. ALAN De WYNTON- V. John- d. after 1327

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VIII. Sir ALEXANDER SEATON, a man of most remarkable valour and magnanimity, who gallantly defended the town of Berwick against king Edward, and the whole English army.

King Edward having summoned the town to surrender, threatened, in case of a refusal, to put to death the governor's two sons, then in his hands as hostages; but nothing could prevail with the brave sir Alexander to give up the town, as long as it was possible to de∣fend it. King Edward thereupon most bar∣barously executed those two hopeful young men, William and Thomas Seatons, even in their father's view;* which shocking sight he bore with a constancy of mind scarce to be paralleled.

After the unfortunate battle of Halydon∣hill, when there was no further hope of re∣lief, sir Alexander was at last obliged to sur∣render that important place to the then vic∣torious English,*anno 1333.

He married Christian, daughter of— Cheyne of Straloch, a lady endowed with a most heroic spirit, who was a great comfort to her husband, in the afflicting scene of their sons murder, which she also bore with a con∣stancy of mind beyond her sex.

By her he had issue four sons.

1. William.

2. Thomas.

These two were put to death by king Ed∣ward, as above.

3. Sir Alexander, who carried on the line of this family.

4. Sir John,* ancestor of the Seatons of Par∣broath, Lathrisk, &c.

Sir Alexander obtained a safe conduct and protection to go into England in the year 1337,* and dying soon thereafter, was succeed∣ed by his son, http://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/ecco/004896980.0001.000/1:253?rgn=div1;...