HISTORICAL NOTES OF THE RULE FAMILY

BERWICKSNIRE

 

FROM THE SCOTS PEERAGE VOL 4 PAGE 330

 

            Haliburton is a place name in the County of Berwick, one of the earliest notices of which is found in a grant of the date about 1176 by David son of Truite by which he gave to the mother church of Greenlaw and to the Abbey of Kelso the chapel of his vill of Haliburton.

 

            Walter, son of David, son of Truite, confirmed his father’s donation and witnessed a charter of Eustachius de Vascy, Lord of Spouston, about 1207.

 

He had perhaps three sons:

  1. William
  2. Adam, whose name occurs as a witness in two charters of the Matilda, Countess of Angus circa 1242.
  3. Sir Henry. He also witnessed a charter of the Countess of Angus, also another by Richard of Lincoln in 1250 to the Abbey of Kelso of the pasturelands of Molle.  His line probably came to an end in a female, as there is an undated charter by which Adam de Roule and Johanna Wyschard his spouse, daughter and heiress of the late Sir Henry Halfburton (alternative: smugged text “Haltburton”) granted certain lands in Molle to the Abbey of Kelso.  He is probably a different person from the Sir Henry aforementioned, but the name occurs continuously in the records from 1242 to 1306 and it may not impossibly belong to the individual.

 

FROM THE SCOTS PEERAGE VOL 8 PAGE 3

 

            The last person mentioned WM. Somerville was succeeded by one or more persons of the same name; for a William de Somerville witness the resignation of the lands of Bonele in Berwickshire, by Adam Spoth, in favor of Randolph of Boncle in Berwickshire, 2 August 1247, a conveyance by Roger Lardenarius in favor of Willaim, son of Patrick, Earl of Dunbar and Christian Corbet, his spouse, two characters of the lands of  Brunecnolleflat granted repectively by William Landels and his son John in favour of the monks of Melrose, and discharge by Richard do Rule of 20s a year payable from the same lands.  In June 1270 a William de Sumyrvil witness a character by Henry de Hualyburton of the lands of Molle to the monks of Kelso. (we found Rule’s Mains near Bunkle.)

 

Glasgow

 

            From the “Deeds and Scholarship of Glasgow University, a Maitland Club Publication.

 

Preface:  A donation by a burgess of Glasgow, which though without date, must be referred to this period, is of inter-

 

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est as supplying the first mention that has been observed of a name and place ehich the commercial enterprise of later times has made widely known.

 

            “Seven rigs (sp?) of land lying in the field of the Bromilaw between the land of Sir Walter of Roule on the cast, and the land of Saint Mary, which is held by Sir John Wyschard, on the West, also another rig lying in the same fields, between the land of Sir Walter of Roule on the West and the land of Agnes Broane (sp?) on the east.

 

            Donated to the Friars preachers (sp?).  Charters granted in 1304 by Robert Wischard, Bishop of Glasgow.

 

Aberdaenshire (sp?)

 

            Sir Wm. St Clair had a son Thomas, Baille of Orkney (alt spelling: Grkney) for the King of Norway: a witness to the resignation by Bernard de Rowle to Hugh de Ross of the lands of Foaleroule (alt spelling: Fouleroulle) now Folla Rule in Aberdeenshire on January 20, 1364 (alt spelling 1564).

 

Roxburanshire (sp?)

 

From             RuleWater and Its People by Geo. Tancred (sp? Tanored)

 

Hobkirk. In the 18th century the church, which seems to have been known as the Church of Rule belonged to the Canons of Jedburgh.

 

Town o’ Rule on the Hallrule estate is a name of great antiquity.  It appears in the old ecclesiastical records of Jedburgh Abbey.  This place formed a large part of the extensive Barony of Feu-rule, and this territory in early times occupied the whole breadth of Hobkirk parish.  It was undoubtedly a place of much importance and the town or village the principal one in the district.

 

p.56  Chapter III  Farwood which is now a nice sporting estate of somewhat over 5000 acres, belonged to the year 1561 to Hector Lorrane, who at the same time owned the lands of Hawthornside, all of which were in the Barony of Feu-rule.  (The Harwood Estate consists of Langburnshiels, Templehall, Tythehouse, Harwood Mill.  The moor carries about 300 brace of grouse besides the black game.

 

The Town o’ Rule gave surname to a family who appear in the records for several centuries.  Between 1214 and 1249 charters are witnessed by Thomas of Rule, Richard of Roule, and Alan of Rule.  About 1328 we have John of Roule.  The name appears as Roule or Roall from 1429 to 1567. 

 

From Scots Peerage vol. 7

 

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Richard Ker dies in 1437-39.  Andrew Ker succeeded his brother.  As Andrew Ker, Lord of Altonburn, he had a character from Archibald, fifth Earl of Douglas, confirming to him a lease made by Andrew Roule, Lord of Primside, of the lands of Primside.  The lease is dated at Primside.  Sunday 4 June 1430.  The charter is dated at Bothwell, 26 January 1429-30.  The discrepancy between the dates of the lease and charter may be a lerical error.  The 4 June 1413 was also a Sunday and may be the date of the lease.  Andrew Ker did not long hold the lands of Primside in lease, for on 20 November 1430 he had a charter from Andrew Roule with the consent of George, hus heir, granting to Ker the ten husband lands of Maynis lying on the south half of the town of Primside (the same lands as formerly leased).  If they did not extend to ten husbandslands the deficiency was to be made up by the granters lands on the north side of the town.

 

P 320 Andrew Ker had, on 4 May 1439 characters from Archibald, Earl of Douglass, granting him the lands of Primside resigned by three daughters of the late Adam Roule, and on the 18 Feb 1439-40 the four parts of Primside resigned by the same sisters and a fourth sister. 

 

Andrew Ker dies about Christmas 1444, as appears from the retour of his son Andrew to the lands of Primside.  The name of his wife is not on the record, he had issue so far as known. 

 

  1. Andrew – his succssor
  2. James to whom his father gave a charter with the consent of Andrew Ker, his son and heir, of his lands of Primside, dated 1444.
  3. Thomas, holding lands in Primside, adjacent to those granted to James.
  4. Margaret, designed “daughter of a prudent squire Andrew Ker of Altonburn” and “pretended wife” of George Roule, son and heir of Andrew Roule of Primside, who had sasine with him in the lands formerly belonging to his father in the Town of Primside, now resigned by him 22 April, 1432.

 

P 322  Further lands of the Roule family came into his hands on 12 Feb 1454-55 when he had a sasine of his lands of Plenderleith and Hindhope (alt spelling: Mindhope) lying in the barony of Plenderleith and Roxburghshire, resigned by the four co-heiresses of the late Andrew Roule.

 

Selkirkshire

 

From the History of Selkirkshire by T. Craig Brown Vol I p. 70-71 Ragman’s Roll 1291 (those pledging allegiance

 

 

 

 

 

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To King Edward I)

 

Roxburgh

 

Thomas de Roule

Adam de Roule

William de Rouley

 

In 1302 a William de Rue was King’s Clerk to Edward I then at Roxburgh Castle.

 

Vol II p 38  A charter was granted to the burgh of Belkirk granting it Libery as a free burgh and the right to hold a fair annually on St. Laurence Day.

 

The town council on May 13, 1537 appointed George Roull as the most able to make the town’s service duly, and no other minstrel to be employed.  The council discharged all minstrels except the said George and decreed that none be received “to nae bridal nor feasts”, but the said George, common minstrel, under pain of 8s (sp?), paid by those who received any other.

 

‘Whether,” says Sir Walter Scott, “the ballads were originally the compositions of minstrels, professing the joint arts of poetry and music, or whether they were the occasional effusions of some self-taught bard is a question into which I do not mean to inquire, but it is certain that till a very late period the piper, of whom there is one attached to each border town of note, and whose office was often hereditary, were great depositaries of oral and particularly of poetitcal traditions.  About springtime and after harvest it was the custom of these musicians to make a progress through a particular district of the country. The music and the tale repaid their lodging, and they were usually gratified with a donation of seed-corn.  This order of minstrels is alluded to in the comic song of Maggie Lauder, who thus addresses a piper, ‘Live ye ape’ the border’”.

 

Edinburgh

 

From the Scots Peerage Vol 3 page 437

 

Sir Neil of Langshaw or Lainshaw married Margaret Mure, heiress of Quentin Mure of Skeldon.  Had dispensation July 21, 1525 because of consanguinity (sp?).  She was only 11 when married.  Sir Neil was salin by the Boyds in fued at Irvine in June 1547.  His wife survivied and married John Kennedy of Skeldon and was alive in Feb 1560-61.  They had two sons and three daughters.  Neil of Lanshaw, who married Jean, heiress

 

 

 

 

 

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of John, 4th Lord Lyle.  The main line of Montgomeries of Langshaw is supposed to have become extinct at he death in July 1726 of James Montgomerie of Lanshaw without issue.  The inventory of his effects is given by his sister Jean, relict of the late Mr Alexander Lang, minister of Donghadee, Ireland.  He assumed the title of Lord Lyle as a descendent of Jean Lyle and presented himself to vote as a Peer in 1721 and 1722 but was refused.  He married (contract dated 21 March 1698) Barbara, daughter of John Kennedy of Craig and Barbara Rule, his wife.  She was invest in her husband’s lands in January 1728.

 

From the Commissariot of Edinburgh Consistorial Processes and Decreets 1658-1800 p14 #206

 

Process of adherence:  Mary Hepburn only lawful daughter of Captain Thomas Hepburn, residenter in Burntisland, against Wm. Kennedy, son to deceased John Kennedy of Craig, her husband.  Marriage by declarator 20 Feb 1714 and ceremony on 25 July 1714.  II 311 13 March 1718.

 

Inverness

 

From Scots Peerage vol 2 p 3, 4, 6

 

Sir Walter Ogilvy’s son was Sir William of Stratherne, Lord High Treasurer of Scotland.  ON 19 June, 1507 he and his wife Alison Roull, received grant of the barony of Stratherne in the sheriffdom of Inverness, the reason assigned by tradition for the gift being Alison was the first to make known to the King James IV the birth of a son by his wife Maragret Tudor.

 

Alison Roull, who is first mentioned in the Lord high Treasurer’s accounts under date January 1505-6 was the recipient of a gold necklace from the King (James IV).  She predeceased her husband.   They had an only child, John.

 

Perthshire

 

From the Baronage of Scotland by Sir Robt Douglas 1798

 

Methven of that ilk in Scotland now represented by Paul Methven of Corsham Esq. In England –1st Methven accompanied Queen Margaret from Hungary to Scotland.  King Malcom Canmore bestowed upon him the lands and barony of Methven in Perthshire.

 

p.143 IX  John de Methven de eodem, who is particularly named in a character under the great seal, from King James to Mr. Edward Bruce, of certain lands about Clackmaman.  Whose

 

 

 

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situations and boundings are mentioned as follows; viz jacen inter terras Johannis Rule ex occidentali and teras Johannis de Methven ex orientali Ac etiam, de annuo redditu levand de terries Gilberti Colston, Jacen. Ex boreali vile de Clackmannan, inter terras Andrea Methven, ex orinetali etc. Charter dated 24 April 1527.

 

Edinburgh

 

From Epitaphs in Greyfriars Churchyard p. 306

PRINCPALS AND PROFESSORS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH INTERRED IN THE GROUNDS

 

Dr Gilbert Rule, elected Principal 26 September 1690.  He had at one time been Regent in the University of Glasgoe, afterwards sub-Principal of King’s College, Aberdeeb and before the restoration was minister at Alnwick in Northumberland.  Having been ejected from his parish by the Act of Uniformity in 1662, he came to Scotland and shortly thereafter was imprisioned in Bass from preaching in St. Giles Church and baptizing two children.  At the revolution he became one of the ministers of Greyfriars Church and subsequently Principal of the University.  He dies in 1701 and was buried in the church.

 

From the works of Right Rev. John Sage – The Fundamental Charter of Presbytery pub. By the Spottiswood Socirty.

 

This book has 95 page preface mostly a tirade against Gilbert Rule who is referred to, sarcastically as the “the vindicator of the Kirk”.

 

Stirling

 

From the Commissariot Record of Stirling 1607-1800 (located in the Special Collection at University of Baltimore, American Clan Gregor Society, Series II. Marshall Magruder Library, The Archives and Special Collections Langsdale Library 1420 Maryland Ave. Baltimore,MD 21201)Register of Testaments Scottish History Society p. 140
 
Rule, Mr. Robert, minister at Stirling T.3 Feb.1704
 
From the Diary of Sir Archibald Johnston of Wariston 1655-60 published by Scottish Historical Society
 
Vol III p.38 1656 June 5, 1656  “I got from Mr Rob Reule M.J. Guthrie’s letter whrein he writes weal his suspicions of Argyle being on a design of implyment and to haive me ingaged to talk off the reproach ----- I got a letter from Sir Brice Cochran out of Irland of his represnting my condition fully to my Lord Protector and his being satisfied with it and promising a satisfactory answer to it and apoynt a committee of the Counsel to consider it, and that he was confident of a good issue of it.  I though it remarkable this letter coming to me after my morning comustment and after M.J. Guthrie’s letter to me---“
 
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P-73-74 1657 - 18 March---I heard this daye of the Parlia­ments slighting and slightly going throw the mater of reli­Sion by settling no other thing in it but universal tolera­tion which was destructive to it. Then at night I heard of my Lord Brochil his high words anent the business of Stir­ling, that eyther the Counsel wer knaives or thes who had given in that petition for Stirling, and that eyther the Counsel or Parliament would redresse it, that their was mor godly men in Stirling for Mr.Simpson nor for Mr. Reule; that non had separated from M A Cants ministerye; that the protesters their was most rigid against independents; that Mr. Guthry was the greatest enemye to the Gouvernment and that Mr. Guthrye fand the committee passing from their for mer report and seeking new ouvertures to please both pairtyes-­For the Matthias, Simpson, Rule Controversy see Extracts from the records of the Royal Burghs of Stirling (Glasgow 1887) pages 220-227
 
Northumberland
 
From a History of Northumberland by John Hodgson
 
Vol.I p 303 North Middleton called also Middleton Morell was holden by John I'iorell of the Barons of Bolbeck, in 1165, by one-third of a knight's fee, and, about 1240, Robert de Ry iull and Christiana his wife had one half of it, and
John de Middleton the other half.
 
From Northumberland & Durham Deeds pub. by the Newcastle upon Tyne Records Committee
 
p. 269 #4 (c.1256) Notification by chirograph writing by Thomas Lord of Hilderton, son of Sir, Henry de Hilderton that he and his heirs or assigns are bound to the prior and canons of Kirkham or his proctor in three pounds of wax to be rendered yearly to them at Michaelmass on the altar of Hilderton, for burning in the Church before the said altar, for the tithes which they deraigned in judgment from him before don Robert sub-prior of S.Andrew of York and don John de Langetoft monk of S.Mary of York, acting for the priors of S.Andrew and S.Mary of York, judges assigned by the Lord Pope, namely for the tithes of the money for turbaries and herbage sold outside the parish. Grant also that the prior and canons and their clerks or proctors shall have all liberties and easements appurtenant to the vill. of Hilderton, as in the charters of his ancestors, which the prior and canons have of them is more fully contained, namely 15 cows, one bull with the issue of two years, 6 mares with the issue of two years, 6 sows and one boar with the issue of two years, and 8 oxen and 4.0 wether sheep (Multones) and all lambs which come yearly to the Church of Hilderton by way of tithes, until

 

 

 

 

 

the nativity of S.John Baptist (24 June). All these aforesaid beasts shall go well and peaceably freely etc. within all the enclosed lands (defensis) of the territory of Hilderton and without, as well in woods as in moors and in all other pastures appurtenant to the said vill. - forever, but the said lambs shall be removed after the nativity of S.John Baptist. Further grant that the prior and canons etc. may take sufficient timber (mayerenium read merenium) and wood for all necessary purposes in the woods of grantor his heirs or assigns at his manor of Hilderton by the view of the grantor or his foresters, and the men abiding on the land of the Church may take the same wherever and. in like manner as the grantors men. Likewise they may take in turbaries and all other easements (haisiamentis) of the same vill. and the beasts of the men of the Church shall go with those of the men of the vill. Warranty The Grantor has sworn this for himself and his heirs on the Holy Gospels. Mutual sealing. Witnesses, sir Robert de Ros, sir Nicholas de Halys, sir. William de Lilleburn, Thomas master of Coupeland, William master of Bouelton, Thomas de Ruyl, Thomas de Ak--, John de Archeton, Robert Ayr, Nicholas de Midelton.

 

From a History of Northumberland by John Hodgson

 

Vol-II P-4.76 Copied from Lord Dacre's Ledger Book for 1523 Places on the middle niches hereafter written by John Eure peticapitan in the absence of Sir William Eure knight lieutenant of said niche by the commandment of Thomas Lorde Dacre to him given by his familiar and trusty svant Cuthbert Heton, gentilman, thought unto the said John most beneficiale for garrysons to be said in as well for defence of the said border as to the annoyance of the Scotts, which townships and places has promised and ar contented to take soldiors to burde that is to say, Heppell - John Bilton, Sande Snaclon & Thomas Johnson XX ti persons - Harbottell - Ann Lighton Hew Green XVIIj - Alwenton - Willm Brown Xlj - iurrodon - John Wardhaugh XIj - Bittlesden - Persevell Selby TX - Scranwood - Sande Layng, John Scroggs, Robert Howey tic George Howy XXXi j - Alnem - Robert Howy, Robert Watson, Willm, Gair & Thomas Mantyll XXX - and between the towns of Scranwood & Alnem X psons - Ingham - George Ogle IX -'Whittingham - Thom Roull, Thomas Tailyor, Cuthbert Dychebum & Thomas Yong XXXVj Unthank - John Unthank Xij at ijs Viij p per week each persons borde (id. No.216)

 

From the Churchwardens accounts of Pittington and other Parishes in the Diocese of Durham 1838

p.126 Vestry book of the Parish of St. Oswald

1598 for Staules Item of Thomas Rowell for a stall for his wife, 4d.

p. 164 Vjth Aprill 1613

 

Stalles rec. of Christofor Rowle for a stall to himeselfe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

111j d.

 

p.171 Extracts from accounts of 1615-16 & subsequent yrs. Receipts Rec. of Christofor Rowle for one stall rome for  his wife, being in the all above the middle alle, 111jd. p.212 1698-9 to Nicholas Rowell and John Griffith for whiteing the church, p aistering the South windows, filling up the needle points, and. beam-filling about the new cieling, and for plastering lime 41 9s 6d.

 

Vestry book of St.Nicholas

p.217 Receipts of Lairestalls. items reel d 1666 Mr. Rowall for his wife lairestall 3s 4d.

 

Kent County

 

From Antient Records, Charters and Instruments of Dives Kinds. The Ecclesiastical History and Antiquities of the Diocese and Cathedral Church of Rochester.

p.226 John Rowle, yeoman of Rochester (Kent County) was one of a group appointed to make settlements of properties on land where the Hospital. of St. Bartholomew in Chatham was built in the 17th year of the reign of King James. (King James I began reign in 1603)