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Lady of Esperton Christiana _____
b.
Facts and Events
Christiana
- William & Christiana had three sons:
- 1. Richard 'Coque, or Cook' Symple
- 2. William Symple ‘Christianason’
- 3. Brounin Symple
- William Symple husband of Christiana conveyed the land of his wife to the Templar’s' for his lifetime and moved away from Christiana to live in the house of the Temple in Temple, Midlothian. Christiana and the children were left to dwell in a certain residence that he, husband William, had just left. Christiana and the children struggled, barely having sufficient support for herself, or her boys. Upon her husband William's death before 1292, the Master of the English Knights Templar Brian de Jay came with his followers from Esperston to egress her and the children from the land. Brian de Jay claimed Christiana's husband William Symple sold him the land. A quarrel ensued. Christiana claimed the land did not belong to her husband and it wasn't his to sell. The land had always been her property through heritage. A physical altercation ensued. Brian de Jay and his followers attempted to physically drag her from the home. Christiana held tight to the front door and would not let go. One of the Templar’s drew his knife and cut one of Christiana's fingers. Now, maimed and in pain, the family was forcibly and wrongfully expelled. Christiana pled her case before one of these rulers at that time, either Alexander III of Scotland or, John Balliol who succeeded him after Alexander III of Scotland's daughter Margaret died, still uncrowned. Christiana's property was returned and she remained in peaceable possession for a time.
- During the war between the Kingdoms, Master Brian de Jay again forcibly removed Christiana from the property (c. 1296) and it remained in his possession up until 1298. Just prior to the Battle of Falkirk, Richard 'Coque, or Cook'' the son of Christiana, appealed to Master Brian de Jay for the return of his mother’s property. Master Brian de Jay promised Richard justice in this matter in the morning, if he Richard Cook' would guide the Welshman in the command of Jay to Listoun. The next day, Richard 'Cook' Symple came to guide the said Welshmen from 'Balintrodokis' to Listoun they murdered the said Richard in the Wood of Clerkington which is now Rosebery and left his body there after they had rifled it. Christiana's land remained with Master Brian de Jay until 22 July 1298. Master Brian de Jay died at the Battle of Falkirk and legend says he had been killed by William Wallace himself. The Knights Templar hold had been quelled in this region since the death of Master Brian de Jay. The Knights Hospitaller was the main ruling Order at this time.
- In 1354 we see a Charter by Knights Hospitaller Brother Thomas De Lindesay Master of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem To Robert, Son of Alexander Symple of Haukerstoun, stating that William son of the aforsaid Christiana afterwards in the greatest and most urgent necessity, gave, granted, and heritably in all time coming disposed his said land or holding with all its pertinents to his dear kinsman (nee cousin) Alexander Symple before-named and his heirs for a certain sum of money which the said Alexander gave and fully paid. Therefore, We having God before our eyes and wishing to do justice to everyone do grant to the said Robert as son and heir of the aforsaid Alexander Symple the full investment lawfully due to him in the said land or tenement with all and singular the pertinents thereof in God's name, and do deliver to him heritable seizing with our own hands by common consent of our Brethren at Haukyrstoun, upon Monday on the Feast of St. Dunstan Archbishop, 19th May 1354.
- The Scots Peerage, Vol. 7, Page 527
- Thomas, son of Robert, Lord of Sympyll, granted a precept for infefting Sir Henry Douglas in Halkerton and Esperton, 20 December 1388.
- Note - Esperton, Temple, Midlothian
- Note - (Scots law) the official or symbolic bestowal of heritable land on a person, the process of infefting
- Note - Halkerton or Haulkerton, an estate in Laurencekirk parish, Kincardineshire, 1 mile N by W of the village.
References
- Edwards, John. The Scottish Historical Review: The Templars In Scotland Thirteenth Century. . (Glasgow, Scotland: James Maclehose And Sons, 1908)
Vol. 5. Pages 13...
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Translation of Charter by Brother Thomas De Lindesay Master of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem To Robert, Son of Alexander Symple of Haukerstoun. 1354
Translation. To All the sons of the Holy Mother Church to whom these presents shall come Brother Thomas de Lindesay Master of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem within the Realm of Scotland [Wisheth] Everlasting Salvation in the Lord Whereas Robert Symple son of Alexander Symple of Haukerstoun in our Courts holden at 'Blantrodokis' and other public places frequently in the most earnest way possible besought us to grant him justice, and to give him an Assize of faithful men regarding a certain land or tenement lying within the territory of Esperstoun which belonged to the foresaid Alexander his father, declaring always before witnesses that if we refused to grant him full justice in our Court, he would in that case obtain redress by means of letters from the King's Chancery. Accordingly we being desirous to do justice and also fearing lest the King (1) or his Minister on our refusal, should take the matter in hand, which might result in great prejudice to our privileges, took counsel with our Brethren and legal experts first of all, and by common assent and consent of our Chapter held in our principal Court at 'Blantrodokis' on Wednesday the 3Oth day of the month of April A.D. 1354, the said Robert Symple having personally appeared in our presence seeking justice as formerly touching his petition, granted to him an Assize; to which Assize we did choose by ourselves and our brethren of the Chapter the soothfast and honourable men, as well free tenants as others underwritten, from the best and most reverend of our whole lordship through whom the truth of the matter might be better known, and for this purpose they touched the holy Gospels and took the greater oath, namely William Slyeth (2) of Temple, Laurence son of Peter, Thomas de Megeth, John de Elewoldschawe, Richard de Yorkistoun, Adam Hoy, Richard de Esthouse, William Broun, Richard Doune, Richard de Croshauhope, William son of Mariota, Hugh de Haukyrstoun, and Patrick son of David Sutor of Arnaldistoun : Who being sworn and accorded, narrating the whole progress [of title] of the said land or holding from the beginning unto the end, in what manner it came into the hands of the Templars and by what means
(1) Edward III. Edward III of England
(2) Bailiff of the Hospitallers at Balantrodach. Knights Hospitaller
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it had been recovered from them, in virtue of their oath duly given say that there was a certain man, by name Robert the Scot, who was true lord and just possessor of the said land and died lawfully vest and seized in the same; that he had a daughter who succeeded him as heiress, by name Christiana, whom William son of Galfrid of Haukirstoun (1) married, and by whom the said William had three sons, vizt. Richard ‘Coque, or Cook’, William called William son of Christiana, and Brounin his younger brother; that the said William son of Galfrid, more given to ease than to labour, during his life, conveyed the said land the patrimony of his said wife, for his lifetime, to the Templars in return for his maintenance, seeing that he could not make a more ample alienation of the said land ; whereby he moved it away from his wife and not away from himself. The said William accordingly lived in the house of the Temple and the said Christiana his wife dwelt in a certain residence on the said property assigned to her though barely sufficient for the support of herself and her boys, until the death of the said William her husband. On his death, there came to the home of the said Christiana the Master of the House of the Temple with his followers at Esperstoun. Wishing to drive her forth from her home and property, he said that he had bought the said land from her deceased husband; but this the said Christiana controverted and expressly denied, declaring to him that her husband neither sold to him the said land nor could in any manner do so, as that land was her property and not her husband's. But the foresaid Master, in no wise desisting on account of her declarations, ordered his followers to drag her forth from her house, and she, resisting this with all her might, closed the doors of the house by which the brethren followers of the said Master had entered, and they dragged her to the door, and when she had reached the house-door, she put her arms in the vault of the door and thus twining them she held on firmly so that they could not pull her forth. Seeing this one of the followers of the Master drew out his knife and cut off one of Christiana's fingers, and they thus forcibly and wrongfully expelled her, wounded by the amputation of her finger, sobbing and shrieking, from her home and heritage, and the Master foresaid in this manner intruded himself by main force [de facto] seeing that he could not do so 'de jure' The said Christiana, thus illegally expelled, maltreated and foully injured, approached the Royal Court and was at length conducted into the King's presence at Newbotill, and she then declared the whole facts and the injury done to her by the mutilation of her member. The King (2) having heard these things was greatly moved and ordered inquiry to be made in the premises by Writ in Chancery by which the truth was known and the said Christiana was forthwith again infeft in her said land and lawfully and honourably restored to the same, and thereafter remained in peaceable possession
(1) Galfrid le Simple appears more than once as a messenger in the English Wardrobe Accounts of 1299-1300 (Liber Quot. Card., pp. 297-8).
(2) Edward I of England. He was at Newbotle on Tuesday, 5th June, 1296, and left for Holyrood next day. Gough, Itinerary, ii. p. 280.
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thereof for a lengthened period. But afterwards war having broken out and increasing between the Kingdoms, the gates of justice were closed and the foresaid Master of the Temple a second time took forcible possession of the said land, the said Christiana being illegally driven forth as formerly; and having thus taken possession he retained it contrary to justice, for some time, namely, up to the date of the Battle of Falkirk (1) in which battle the said Master whose name was Brian de Jaia took part and led from England with him a large body of Welshmen and came to ‘Blantrodokis’ four days before the said battle and there dwelt. Thereupon Richard ‘Coque, or Cook’ the above mentioned eldest son of the said Christiana heard of the arrival of the foresaid Master and appeared in his presence and sought of him his land, which the Master himself retained having illegally expelled his mother. But the Master deceitfully requested him on the morrow to come and guide the said Welshmen to Listoun, promising to do him justice regarding his land there; but the said Master meanwhile arranged with the Captain of the said force to slay the said Richard, which was done; for on the morrow as the said Richard came to guide the said Welshmen from 'Balintrodokis' to Listoun they murdered the said Richard in the Wood of Clerkyntoun (2) and left his body there after they had rifled it. And thus the said land was illegally retained in the hands of the said Templars, where it remained for some time afterwards, namely up to the time of their destruction (3) which took place in the reign of the most serene prince King Robert the Illustrious, in whose time William son of the said Christiana and at that time heir to her and to his brother the said murdered Richard obtained formal letters from the King's Chancery directed to the Sheriff and Bailies of Edinburgh regarding his right in and to the said land which had belonged to his said mother; whereupon a faithful Inquisition being made with diligence by the said Sheriff in the premises by means of the elder and more trustworthy men of the whole neighbourhood (4) it was clearly ascertained that the said land or holding was the property of the said Christiana the mother of the said William in which she was vest and seized; which land the said Christiana never gave nor sold nor alienated in any way in favour of anyone. And although William the son of Galfrid her husband beforementioned placed the said land in the hands of the Templars by a certain agreement for his lifetime, it was rendered null by law, since this agreement had and could have no force after his death, seeing that the said land was the estate of his wife, and consequently the foresaid Templars could have no right by virtue of such an agreement or alienation made by her said husband in and to the said land on his death, nor was their claim of any validity after his death: Moreover it was ascertained that William son of the said Christiana was son and nearest heir
(1) 1298.
(2) Now Rosebery.
(3) In Scotland, November, 1309. See Processus contra Templarios in Scotia (Spottiswoode Miscellany, vol. ii. p. 7).
(4) Patria. This term is used in a restricted sense, signifying the vicinity outside the walls of the Religious house. Vide Raine, North Durham, p. 124.
Note: 2nd to the last of the English Knights Templar Master Brian de Jaia mentioned above appears to be on a List of Knights Templar as Brian le Jay (1296–1298).
Note: Rosebery, an estate, with a small mansion, in Temple parish, Edinburghshire, on the left side of the river South Esk, 4 miles SW of Gorebridge. The ancient barony of Nicolson, in the quondam parish of Clerkington, it was purchased in 1695 by Archibald Primrose, M.P., and erected into the new barony of Rosebery-a title assumed by him on his elevation to the peerage of Scotland as Viscount in 1700, and Earl in 1703. He sold it in 1712; but the fourth Earl repurchased it in 1821. Its large and ancient mansion-house was demolished in 1805-12. See Dalmeny.—Ord. Sur., sh. 32, 1857.
Source: Francis Hindes Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1894), Page 257.
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of his said mother and of lawful age : And the truth of the matter having been thus faithfully ascertained and declared in due order of law, the said William son of Christiana obtained heritable seizin of the said land or tenement with its pertinents which belonged to his foresaid mother, justly and legally, and thus brought into true and peaceful possession of the same, and freely and peacefully vest and seized, he enjoyed for many years the said land with all its pertinents :And the said jurors say unanimously that these things are true
:And they say further that the said William son of the foresaid Christiana afterwards in the greatest and most urgent necessity, gave, granted, and heritably in all time coming disponed his said land or holding with all its pertinents to his dear kinsman Alexander Symple before-named and his heirs for a certain sum of money which the said Alexander gave and fully paid :Of which land or holding with its pertinents the foresaid Alexander obtained from the Superior who at that time held the lordship of 'Blantrodokis' (1) heritable seizin in due form, and being lawfully put into corporal possession of the same, remained vest and seized of the said land or tenement with its pertinents for many years in peaceful possession :And they say that the said Robert Symple is the son and heir of the said Alexander his father and of lawful age :These things say the said jurors with one accord in all the premises in virtue of their oath taken by them
:Therefore We having God before our eyes and wishing to do justice to everyone do grant to the said Robert as son and heir of the foresaid Alexander Symple the full infeftment lawfully due to him in the said land or tenement with all and singular the pertinents thereof in God's name, and do deliver to him heritable seizin with our own hands by common consent of our Brethren at Haukyrstoun (2)
:upon Monday on the Feast of St. Dunstan Archbishop (3)
:in the year above mentioned, before these Witnesses William Sleeth of Temple, Laurence son of Peter, William Tod, John son of Roger, Laurence Squire and many others
:Nevertheless we ordain by these our letters patent Adam called Morcell our Serjeant of ‘Blantrodokis' to put the said Robert Symple upon the ground of the said land or holding into corporal possession of the same with its pertinents saving the rights of every one
:Which Adam Morcell, having cited the worthy men by virtue of our precept, upon the ground of the said land or holding gave corporal heritable seizin of the same with all its pertinents to the said Robert Symple upon Tuesday on the morrow of the said feast of St. Dunstan in the year before written in the presence of the good men witnesses to the said seizin, vizt.
:William Slieth foresaid at that time our Bailiff at ‘Blantrodokis’, Laurence son of Peter, Adam de Hermistoun, Thomas de Megeth, Alan de Yorkystoun, Adam de Wedale, at that time our Forester at Blantrodocis', John de Catkoyn, John Tod, Alan de Wedale,
(1) Probably Reginald More, who had a grant from Brother Ralph de Lindesay [i39- I 333]-
(2) Ha/kerstoun, prebenda In co/kgio de Crelchtoun (Reg. Mag. Sig. I. Jac. iv. No.784)-
(3) 19th May. Dunstan
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William son of Mariota, Richard de Yorkystoun, William Tod, William Brown, John de Camera, Alan son of Symon de Herioth, Thomas son of Hugh de Middletoun, Robert Morcell, Oliver Fuller, Patrick Sutor, Patrick Morcell, John Bell de Locworward, the said Adam Morcell our Serjeant and many others : And that all these premises may be kept in memory, that the truth of the matter may be known in future time we have caused these our Letters patent to be sealed with our Common Seal
:Given at 'Blantrodocis' on the day and year above said.
- Liste des commanderies templières dans le Lothian, in Wikipédia.
List of Templar commanderies in Lothian
Brian de Jay, who was the front last master of the province of England has shown how inglorious while it was still that master of the baillie of Scotland. A case of spoliation in the years 1290/1300 opposed it the family of the Lord of Halkeston. The Lady of Esperton, his widow, was to retrieve the goods warranty by her husband if she survived him but the Templars refused and expelled him... She had a finger cut on this occasion, took the case to the King, would succeed but not recovered his property because the war had resumed between England and Scotland. In 1298, her son Richard of Esperton came meets Brian de Jay who had to stop with a detachment of archers at Balantrodoch. The latter asked him to guide them to Falkirk and did murder among the one hundred forty-four Templars from the British Isles who were interviewed during the trial of the Knights Templar, only two were in Scotland
- Patrick Hogue (Samples). The Samples / Semples Family.
- Christina of Balantrodach ( Temple ), in THE AUTONOMOUS GRAND PRIORY OF SCOTLAND.
- Scotland and England in the late Thirteenth and early Fourteenth Centuries, in Barrow, G. W. S. The Aftermath of War: Transactions of the Royal Historical Society (Fifth Series). (Cambridge University Press, 1978)
Vol. 28, Pages 112 to 115.
- Macquarrie, Alan Denis., in The Impact of the Crusading Movement In Scotland, 1095 - c. 1560, (PhD Dissertation, University of Edinburgh)
Part II, Page 230, 231, 232, 297, 1982.
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