Tweedie of Drumelzier

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Extracted from The Red Book of Scotland Fifth Series (2025) Volume 17, pp. 221-233.

 

TWEEDIE

of DRUMELZIER

 

Finlay of Tweedie, is the first for whom there is reliable evidence when he gave homage to Edward I on 28 August 1296,[1]but of his parentage and ancestry, nothing can be said. He was father of,

Roger, is styled son of Finlay of Tweedie in a charter to him by Roland, son of Bernard, for the house and tenement lying within the lands of Drumelzier which had previously belonged to William, son of Utting, dated circa 1320.[2] He had a second charter from that Bernard for all of his lands of the east side of the Water of Cossalays with the mills and sequels etc., and also dated 1320,[3] and had a further charter from Sir William Fraser for those same lands, which was confirmed by King Robert I on 12 June 1324.[4] He entered into a ten year lease with William de Mauchane for those of Edestoun on 2 February 1325[5]and received a charter from Sir Hugh de Gourlay for the lands of Glenbrak, in the barony of Drumelzier, in 1331.[6] He was dead by December 1355 and was in all probability the father of the next for whom there is record;

James of Tweedie of Drumelzier, who, on 8 December 1355, on coming into the king’s peace, had a regression from Robert, Steward of Scotland, of all of his heritable possessions and forbidding anyone from harming him.[7] He had charters under the Great Seal of David II for the lands of Drumelzier[8] and Hopkello,[9] and was succeeded by;

Walter of Tweedie, Lord of Drumelzier, who, if not senior in descent from James of Tweedie of Drumelzier, was at least heir male to him. He had succeeded by 1422 and about the year 1426, he granted an annualrent to be uplifted from his lands of Drumelzier to Thomas Frysale of Frude.[10] He had a resignation from that Thomas of all lands within the barony of Drumelzier that he held of Walter as his superior,[11] and died in 1441/42. His wife is said to have been a daughter of Sir James Douglas of Dalkeith, but there is no evidence for her.[12] He was father of,

  1. James of Tweedie of Drumelzier, (see below).
  2. Margaret of Tweedie, married as a second wife, to Andrew Ker of Auldtonburn,[13] by whom she had no apparent issue.

James of Tweedie of Drumelzier, is styled son and heir to Walter of Tweedie, Lord of Drumelzier, when witness to that person’s charter to Thomas de Frysale dated about 1426 and also to a resignation by John de Geddes to Walter Scott of Murdostoun dated 22 July 1434.[14] He had succeeded his father by 1442 when he had Sasine for the half part of the lands of Clifton[15] and on 8 March 1455, he had a Bond of Maintenance from the king in the following terms; “[James Tweedie] is becummyn til us of speciale manrent ande service for al the dayis of his lyve. ande is oblist til us that his house of Drimmellioure sal be redy til us ande oure lieutenant with mony or few also oft ande quhen as emplesis us, we wil, grantis and promittis to the saide James be thir oure letteris that we sal mainteine, supple ande defend him ande his saide house as we walde do oure castellis ande housis, and supple and defend him in al his actionis, causis ande querellis lauchful, leiful ande honest as oure avun special familier ande kyn ; ande als oft as oure heutenant in oure name has ony entre in his saide house it sal be frely til him delyuerit at his passage tharefra, ande he sal be maste maistir ande power tharein. al fraude ande gyle away put, for al the days of his lyve.”[16]

He married Catherine of Cawerhyll with whom, on 25 January 1422, he had a Papal Dispensation to marry even though they were within the third and fourth degrees of consanguinity,[17] and died on 24 May 1475.[18] He was father of,

  1. Walter Tweedie of Drumelzier, (see below).
  2. William Tweedie, is styled brother to the late Laird of Drumelzier in an action brought before the Lords Auditors on 10 May 1491.[19] He is generally considered to have been progenitor of the junior stirpes of Tweedie of Oliver.

Walter of Tweedie of Drumelzier, is styled son and heir of James Tweedie of Drumelzier when witness to a charter by James, Earl of Douglas, grantiong the lands of Dumsergard to his kinsman, James, Lord Hamilton, on 9 February 1454.[20]Succeeding his father, he had service as heir to him in the lands of barony of Drumelzier on 4 July 1475,[21] and was infeft the half-part of the lands of Clifton by Sasine dated in 1476,[22] followed by those of Hornhuntersland in 1479.[23] He was pursued by Mr Adam Cockburn of Skirling for the return of a “footed cup of silver” on 11 June 1478,[24] then by John Hay of Yester on 13 March 1479 for payment of 25 merks from the lands of Silyards[25] and died after then and before 29 November 1483.[26] He married Christian Dickson, one of the coheiresses of John Dickson of Smithfield, who survived him, and was father of,

  1. James Tweedie, is styled eldest son and heir of Walter Tweedie of Drumelzier on 14 May 1473, when, on his father’s resignation, he and his wife, Margaret Giffard, had a conjunct charter under the Great Seal for the lands of Hopkelyow.[27]He died s.p. before November 1483 when his brother, John, was infeft in their father’s lands as heir to him.
  2. John Tweedie of Drumelzier, (see below).
  3. Walter Tweedie, was provided by his father to one-half of the lands of Halymre on 20 September 1480.[28]
  4. William Tweedie, was included with his brother Walter in a grant of a liferent to them by their father from the lands of Halymre on 20 September 1480.[29]
  5. Elizabeth Tweedie, was provided by her mother, Christian Dickson, to the lands of Denys by charter dated 23 October 1488.[30] She married Robert Scott of Alanhaugh and on 25 May 1498, her mother took instruments declaring that he had wrongly withheld and “theftuously stolen” from her a reversion for the lands of Denys which had been promised to Elizabeth as tocher.[31] She died by 15 September 1505, when Mr Richard Lawson of Helmpriggs had a gift of the ward of the lands and mill of West Denys,[32] and had issue.

John Tweedie of Drumelzier, succeeded his father and was infeft in the lands of Halmyre as heir to him on 29 November 1483,[33] then in the lands and barony of Drumelzier also as heir to him by Sasine dated 3 June 1490.[34] He received a gift of the escheat goods of Ninian Dickson on 22 March 1500/01,[35] then for the ward of the lands belonging to John Porteous of Glenkirk on 7 April 1518[36] and on 7 April 1529, he gave surety for he and his kinsmen that they would appear before the justice-aire of Peebles to answer for the murder of John, Lord Fleming.[37] He was alive on 25 November 1533[38] and dead by October 1537, when his son and heir, James, was infeft in his lands as heir to him. He was father of,

James Tweedie of Drumelzier, who, when still heir to his father, had a charter for the half part of the barony of Clifton on 15 May 1505[39] and had a respite under the Privy Seal for the “cruel slauchter” of John, Lord Fleming, firstly, on 14 November 1524,[40] then again on 6 June 1526.[41] Succeeding his father, he had Sasine for the lands of Drumelzier as heir to him on 19 October 1537.[42]

His first wife is generally said to have been Elizabeth, daughter of John, 2nd Lord Hay of Yester,[43] with whom, upon their marriage in 1511, his father conveyed the west part of the town of Drumelzier,[44] but there does not appear to be evidence for that. She must have been dead by 1526 when he was contracted to marry a daughter of John, 2nd Lord Fleming, although that does not appear to have been fulfilled. He did marry Mariote, daughter of James Stewart, 1st of Traquair, whom he infeft in a liferent of Drumelzier on 31 October 1537,[45] and with whom he had conjunct infeftment in those same lands, firstly, on 25 June 1540[46] and again on 26 February 1541/42.[47] He died in June 1556[48] having had issue;

  1. John Tweedie, fiar of Drumelzier, (see below).
  2. James Tweedie of Frude, had married by 26 March 1531, to Katherine Fraser, Lady Frude, when he consented to her disponing the lands of Urrisland to Malcolm, Lord Fleming, in settlement of a dispute between Lord Fleming’s late father and James Tweedie, son and heir of John Tweedie of Drumelzier,[49] and in which he is styled “nepoti” or grandson to that John. He and his brothers Patrick, William and John, and their nephew James Tweedie of Drumelzier, received a remission on 13 September 1559, for having killed William Geddes, son and heir of Thomas Geddes of Cuthilhall,[50] and was killed, apparently in revenge, in the house of William Tweedie, burgess of Edinburgh, in December 1561, by James Geddes, Robert Fokkert and their accomplices, who had a remission for the crime on 24 July 1565.[51] He was father of,

2a} James Tweedie of Frude, succeeded on his father’s death in 1561 and was a pursuer of his father’s killers. He had Sasine for the lands of Mosferran and Urrisland on 12 March 1571,[52] and was father of,

2b} John Tweedie of Frude, who, on 30 December 1570, when still heir apparent to his father, had a gift of the ward and nonentry of the lands of Mosferran, Smallhoppis and Urrislands since the death of William Fraser of Frude.[53]

  1. William Tweedie, is styled brother german of the deceased James Tweedie of Drumelzier in a gift to him on 2 September 1577, for his lifetime of the chaplainrie and alterage within St Andrews Kirk in Peebles.[54]
  2. John Tweedie, secundus, who, on 30 January 1577/78, along with his brother, William, had a nineteen year respite for being “art and part” in the murder of William Geddes, son of Charles Geddes of Cuthilhall in September 1559 and in which they are styled sons of the deceased James Tweedie of Drumelzier.[55]
  3. Patrick Tweedie, is named with his brothers in a remission to them dated 13 September 1559.

He was also father of a natural son;

  1. Thomas Tweedie, in favour of whom a precept for a legitimation passed the Privy Seal on 20 January 1553/54.[56]

John Tweedie, fiar of Drumelzier, the eldest son, who married Agnes, daughter of Hugh, 5th Lord Somerville, (marriage contract 19 November 1533.[57] She survived him and had a gift of the escheat goods of John Crawford in Hopcalze and others, on 28 December 1565[58]) and died v.p. in September 1547,[59] in all likelihood at the battle of Pinkie fought in that same month. He was father of;

  1. James Tweedie of Drumelzier, succeeded and had Sasine for the lands of Hornhunterlands on 9 November 1556.[60] He was served heir to his grandfather, James Tweedie of Drumelzier, in the lands of Halmyre on 27 April 1557[61] and had Sasine for Drumelzier on 25 May following,[62] then for the half-part of the barony of Clifton on 12 May 1561.[63] He married Janet, daughter of Sir James Douglas of Drumlanrig, (marriage contract November 1557.[64] She survived him and married secondly, to Sir Walter Ker of Cessford) and died s.p. in August 1561.[65]
  2. William Tweedie of Drumelzier, (see below).
  3. John Tweedie, acquired the templelands of Kirkurde from John, Lord St. John, in August 1554[66] and received a gift of the ward of the lands of Furde on 12 May 1556, on the death of the superior, John, Lord Hay of Yester.[67] He is styled brother to William Tweedie of Drumelzier in a gift to him on 17 January 1570/71, of the ward and nonentry of the lands of Cruisktoun belonging to the late James Tweedie of Innerlethan and to endure until the entry John Tweedie, son and heir of that James,[68] and served as tutor to his nephew, James Tweedie of Drumelzier, during his minority. He married firstly, to Katherine Stewart and secondly, to Magdalen Lawson, and was murdered on 24 July 1590, by James Veitch, younger of North Syntoune, and Andrew Veitch, brother to of Tourhop, who were called to answer for the crime on 28 November following.[69] He was father of,

3a} Marion Tweedie, married at Edinburgh, on 20 December 1621, to James Law[70] and to whom her grandson, Peter Dunlop, son of Mr William Dunlop, apothecary in Edinburgh, was served heir in the temple lands of Kirkurde on 6 August 1658.[71]

3a} Janet Tweedie, who died s.p. and to whom her sister, Marion, was executor on 22 March 1636.[72]

3a} William Tweedie, is styled eldest son to John Tweedie, sometime tutor of Drumelzier, by Magdalen Lawson, his wife, in a Bond of Caution by Mr Thomas Nasymth of Posso dated 15 September 1589.[73]

  1. Helen Tweedie, in favour of whom a precept passed the Privy Seal on 20 January 1551/52, for a confirmation under the Great Seal to her for the lands of Syngle.[74]

William Tweedie of Drumelzier, succeeded his brother James and had service as heir to him in the lands and barony of Drumelzier on 21 October 1561.[75] He received the gift of the relief of his own lands of Drumelzier and Halmyre on 14 February 1561/62[76] and was one of those who, on 19 March 1565, was indicted for the murder of David Riccio,[77] but he was subsequently absolved of those charges.

He married by 10 February 1562/63, to Catherine, daughter of John Bethune of Balfour, when a precept passed the Privy Seal for a confirmation of their grant of the lands of Denys to his kinsman, John Tweedie.[78] He died in August 1571[79] and had issue;

  1. James Tweedie of Drumelzier, (see below).
  2. Robert Tweedie, was included with his brother James Tweedie of Drumelzier, and John Tweedie, in a complaint brought before the Privy Council on 12 January 1592/93 by Marie Veitch, relict of James Geddes of Glenhegden, for their having killed that James in Edinburgh on the previous 29 December.[80] He is styled uncle to James Tweedie of Drumelzier when he consented to a contract between that person and Sir Robert Stewart of Schillinglaw and Alison Cockburn, his wife, over the lands of Hopcalzie-Wester, dated 13 June 1613.[81]
  3. John Tweedie, is included with his brothers James Tweedie of Drumelzier and Robert Tweedie in a Bond of Caution dated 24 March 1607 by which they became bound not to harm William Horsburgh in Scrogis.[82]
  4. William Tweedie, was included with his brother James Tweedie of Drumelzier and many of their kinsmen in a Bond of Caution by Charles Geddes of Rauchan not to harm them, dated 19 February 1592/93.[83]
  5. Walter Tweedie, is styled brother to the Laird of Drumelzier in a complaint brought by him before the Privy Council on 21 June 1610, against Simon Graham, son of the late John Graham, merchant burgess of Edinburgh, for non-payment of £130 principal and £20 expenses.[84]

James Tweedie of Drumelzier, succeeded when still under age and as a consequence his ward and the nonentry of his lands were gifted to James Douglas, Earl of Morton, on 22 August 1571.[85] He was served heir to his father in the lands of Drumelzier on 6 March 1588,[86] then to his paternal grandfather, John Tweedie, in those of Hopkelzo-Wester on that same day,[87] and had Sasine for Drumelzier, Hunterland, Halmyre and Hopkelso in 1589.[88]

He died on 28 July 1612[89] having married firstly to a woman whose identity has not been discovered but by whom he was father of;

  1. James Tweedie of Drumelzier, (see below).
  2. Robert Tweedie is styled brother german to James Tweedie of Drumelzier in a contract by him anent the lands of Hopcalzie-Wester dated 13 June 1613.

He married secondly, to Helen, daughter of Sir John Carmichael of that Ilk, (she was widow of William Cockburn, eldest son and apparent heir of Sir James Cockburn of Skirling, whom she had married in July 1586[90]) with whom he is named in a contract of 27 February 1597/98,[91] and by her he had further issue;

  1. Marc Tweedie, was served heir general to his father on 18 October 1621.[92]
  2. William Tweedie. He and his brothers german all being under age at their father’s death ahd their eldest half-brother, James Tweedie of Drumelzier, appointed tutor to them in 1613.
  3. John Tweedie,

James Tweedie of Drumelzier, succeeded and had service to his father in the lands of Drumelzier on 22 October 1612,[93]then to his paternal grandfather, William Tweedie of Drumelzier, in the lands of Halmyre and half of the barony of Clifton on 2 November 1615.[94]

By 15 July 1623 his estate had become encumbered by debts and on that date John, Lord Hay of Yester, apprised the lands and barony of Drumelzier in lieu of 6,825 merks.[95] He then had him imprisoned for non-payment and 7 August 1627, he complained to the Privy Council that “he has been kept in the tolbooth of Edinburgh for the past five years and four months by John, Lord Hay of Yester, his cousin german, in his own name and under pretence of others. Besides this Lord Hay has apprised the lands and heritage of the complainer, with legal reversion thereof, uplifted all the rents and duties of the same for the time stated, which must far exceed any debt the complainer is due him, and stopped the decree of liberty which was ready to be pronounced by the Lords of Session, of intention to appropriate the complainer’s whole estate and keep his person in prison to his dying day. Further, as Lord Yester has all that belongs to the complainer, the latter has only been prevented from starving by the generosity of the goodman of the tollbooth.” Being brought before the Lords of the Privy Council with Lord Yester on that same day the latter agreed to his release “in respect of either debt due to him personally or by assignation from others, provided that he is free from all further payment of the pursuer’s jailor’s fee.”[96] He died after then and before February 1628.

His first wife is said to have been Elizabeth, daughter and coheiress of William 6th Lord Hay of Yester, but that is not correct as that lady was alive on 17 May 1620 when she and her three sisters were served heirs portioners to their great-grandfather, John, Lord Hay of Yester.[97] By that first wife, whose identity has not yet been established, he was father;

  1. James Tweedie of Drumelzier, (see below).

He married secondly, to Margaret, eldest daughter of Sir James Anstruther of that Ilk, (marriage contract at Anstruther, on 13 November 1606[98]) by whom he had further issue;

  1. John Tweedie, being under age at his father’s death he chose curators at Anstruther, on 12 February 1628. He was served heir to his father on 24 March 1630 and is then styled heir to him by his late wife, the Margaret Anstruther.[99]

Also surviving that wife, he married thirdly, by 20 June 1617, to Elizabeth Hay,[100] who was in all probability the daughter of William 6th Lord Hay of Yester, who has so often been confused with his first wife. By her he had no apparent issue.

James Tweedie of Drumelzier, was the eldest son by his father’s first marriage and had service as heir to his late father in the lands of Frude on 3 February 1631,[101] but the estate being exhausted by debts and his father’s treatment at the hands of Lord Yester, he disponed any remaining rights to Drumelzier to Lord Yester, who had a confirmation under the Great Seal for them on 1 March 1643.[102]

 

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[1] Cal. Docs. Scot. Vol. 2, p. 202.

[2] Drumelzier writs, No. 4.

[3] Drumelzier writs, No. 5.

[4] Drumelzier writs, No. 6.

[5] Drumelzier writs, No. 7.

[6] Drumelzier writs, No. 8.

[7] Drumelzier writs, No. 9.

[8] Robertsons Index.

[9] Robertsons Index.

[10] Drumelzier writs, No. 12.

[11] Drumelzier writs, No. 13.

[12] Sir Robert Douglas, Peerage, Vol. ii, p. 267.

[13] Sir Robert Douglas, Peerage, Vol. ii, p. 441.

[14] GD89/1/312.

[15] Ex. Rolls, Vol. 9, p. 657.

[16] Drumelzier writs, No. 14.

[17] Drumelzier writs, No. 11.

[18] Date of death narrated in the service of his son Walter as heir to him in July following.

[19] PA2/6/f.32v-33r.

[20] Douglas charters, no. 428.

[21] Drumelzier writs, No. 15. In which his father’s date of death is narrated.

[22] Ex. Rolls, Vol. 9, p. 677.

[23] Ex. Rolls, Vol. 9, p. 680.

[24] PA2/2/f.57r.

[25] PA2/2/f. 84r.

[26] She was an heir of John Dickson of Smithfield.

[27] C2/7/239.

[28] Drumelzier writs, No. 74.

[29] Drumelzier writs, No. 74.

[30] C2/12/163.

[31] Drumelzier writs, No. 77.

[32] Drumelzier writs, No. 80.

[33] Drumelzier writs, No. 75.

[34] Drumelzier writs, No. 16.

[35] PS1/2/36.

[36] PS1/5/122.

[37] Pitcairn, vol. 1, p. 141.

[38] C2/25/93.

[39] C2/14/103.

[40] PS1/7/100.

[41] PS1/7/2.

[42] Drumelzier writs, No. 21.

[43] Peerage, viii. p. 434, citing Crawford’s edition.

[44] Tweedie of Drumelzier, J.W. Buchan and Rev. H. Paton, (published 1925-7).

[45] Drumelzier writs, No. 22.

[46] Drumelzier writs, No. 23.

[47] C2/28/79.

[48] Dated narrated in the service of his grandson and heir, James, to him in 1557.

[49] C2/24/121.

[50] PS1/30/2.

[51] PS1/33/92.

[52] Ex. Rolls, Vol. 20, pp. 415-416.

[53] PS1/49/52r.

[54] PS1/44/103r.

[55] PS1/45/11v.

[56] PS1/27/48.

[57] C2/25/88.

[58] PS1/34/74.

[59] Dated narrated in the service of his grandson and heir, James, to him in 1588.

[60] Ex. Rolls, Vol. 18, p. 609.

[61] Drumelzier writs, No. 27.

[62] Ex. Rolls, Vol. 19, p. 409.

[63] Ex. Rolls, Vol. 19, p. 471.

[64] C2/31/564.

[65] Date of death narrated in the service of his brother William as heir to him in 1561.

[66] GD89/1/377.

[67] PS1/28/25.

[68] PS1/39/53v.

[69] Pitcairn, Vol. 1, p. 205.

[70] OPR – Edinburgh.

[71] C22/25/91.

[72] GD118/297.

[73] RPC First Series, vol. 4, p. 414.

[74] PS1/24/114.

[75] Drumelzier writs, No. 28.

[76] PS1/31/39.

[77] RPC First series, Vol. 1, p. 437.

[78] PS1/31/72.

[79] Drumelzier writs, No. 32.

[80] RPC First Series, Vol. 5, pp. 36-37.

[81] C2/47/282.

[82] RPC First Series, Vol. 7, p. 670.

[83] RPC First Series Vol. 5, p. 382.

[84] RPC First Series, Vol. 8, p. 478.

[85] PS1/39/114v.

[86] C22/1/110.

[87] Drumelzier writs, No. 34.

[88] Ex. Rolls, Vol. 22, p. 437.

[89] Dated narrated in the service of his son and heir, James, to him in 1612.

[90] GD89/1/24.

[91] GD120/90.

[92] C22/8/317.

[93] Drumelzier writs, No. 40.

[94] C22/6/78.

[95] C3/2/252.

[96] RPC Second Series, Vol. 2, p. 428.

[97] C22/7/294.

[98] Drumelzier writs, No. 37.

[99] Drumelzier writs, No. 43. See also: C22/12/67.

[100] Drumelzier writs, No. 107.

[101] C22/12/69.

[102] C2/57/238.