James Haig, his successor, had the misfortune in his later years to be mixed up in the unhappy state of affairs which followed upon the rebellion of James the Third's nobles against HAIG, him at Lauder in 1486. He was married to Margaret, daughter of Sir David Scott of Branxholm, 3 one of the progenitors of the Buccleuch family, which was then beginning to figure more prominently in national affairs, in contradistinction to that active participation in Border quarrels which had hitherto distinguished it. By his marriage he had one son, William, and a daughter, named Elizabeth, whom Douglas 4 identifies with Elizabeth Haig to whom King James IV., who calls her "our dear servatrix," granted at Stirling, on 4th July 1499, a charter under the Great Seal of the lands of Hallbank, near the town of Dunfermline.
The first mention of James Haig is in a retour of the year 1461 ; and on 4th March 1466, he is one of the witnesses to a commission granted to Walter, Abbot of Dryburgh, by William Crayton of Corsby, knight, " Justiciar besouth Forth, specially constitute." : He then disappears from sight till twenty years afterwards, when we find him ranged on the side of James the Third in the troubles that had then broken out. On the 12th February 1490, James Haig accordingly executes a procuratory of resignation of his lands of Bemersyde, in which he states that, " not led by force or fear, nor fallen into error, nor circumvented by fraud, but of his mere, pure, and spontaneous will," he appoints " a noble and mighty man," Alexander Home of that Ilk, Great Chamberlain of Scotland, as also these " honourable men," Patrick Home of Fastcastle, John Home of Earlstoun, John Home, son and apparent heir of George Home of Ayton, William Sinclair, and Thomas Donaldson, conjointly and severally his procurators for the resignation of his lands of Bemersyde, "by exhibition of staff and baton," into the King's hands; reserving to himself the " frank tenement " or liferent of the said lands, with a " reasonable third part " of the same to Margaret his spouse after his decease. This deed of resignation was given effect to on the following day ; and the instrument which records what then took place preserves to us the curious feudal ceremonial of" staff and baton " which formed part of the transaction. Encumbered as the record is with the vain repetitions of the law, it yet presents a striking picture of what took place in the Palace of Holyrood at eight of the clock on that February morning, when, in the presence of the Court and nobles assembled, the Great Chamberlain," kneeling on bended knees as became," surrendered by staff and baton the estates of the elder Haig of Bemersyde into the hands of the King, who thereupon delivered the said staff and baton to the younger Haig, "a prudent man, then present," in token of his legal investiture in his father's privileges and possessions.
Resignation by James Haig of Bemersyde, 12th February 1490.
