RULES OF OLD
May Key 1
Aberdeen County
1.
Aberdeen 2.
Folla Rule 3.
Garioch |
Angus County
1.
Arbroath 2.
Boldavie 3.
Dundee 4.
Forfar |
Ayr County
1.
Dunlop 2.
Kilwinning 3.
Tarbolton |
Berwick County
1.
Bunkle 2.
Coldstream 3.
Edmundisfield 4.
Greenlaw 5.
Haliburton |
Dumfries County
1.
Annan 2.
Dumfries |
East Lothian County
1.
Bothwell 2.
Dunbar |
Edinburgh County
1.
Buteland 2.
Corstorphine 3.
Cranstron 4.
Dalkeith 5.
Edinburgh 6.
Liberton 7.
Newton 8.
Smeaton |
Fife County
1.
Balmerind 2.
Burntisland 3.
Kinghorn 4.
Pittenweem |
Inverness County
1.
Inverness |
Lanark County
1.
Bromilaw 2.
Cambuslang 3.
Glasgow |
Northumberland County
1.
Alnwick 2.
Berwick on Tweed 3.
Coupland 4.
Hesellrigg 5.
Ilderton 6.
Middleton |
Perth County
1.
Alyth 2.
Dunkeld 3.
Strathearn |
Map Key 2
Roxburgh County
1.
Altonburn 2.
Ashkira 3.
Cavers 4.
Denholm 5.
Hawick 6.
Hindhope 7.
Jedburgh 8.
Kelso 9.
Lilleburn 10. Makerston 11. Melrose 12. Newtoun 13. Nisbet 14. Plenderleith 15. Primrose 16. Rule 17. Sprouston 18. Yetholm |
Selkirk County
1.
Selkirk |
West Lothian County
1. Linlithgow |
PART IV
RULES OF OLD
As mentioned in the introduction the family of Rule is of quite ancient origin, and goes back at least to the twelfth century in Scotland. Considerable research has been done on this phase of this family history and the results are very interesting although far from complete. Additional information may, of course be discovered in the future, but records so far in the past are usually hard to find, and in a great many areas, non-existant, because of the continuous raiding and fighting that went on for generations along the borders of Scotland, which resulted in the destruction of so many volumes of records of all kinds.
See Part I, the mane of Rule, for comments on the
various spellings of the name.
Following is a compilation of a number of early rules
with bits of historic information relating to each individual where available:
1128 – 1140 “Adam Roule, Richard
Roule, Hugo Roule, William Roule, and John
Scotland Roule
all make their appearance in these early times
Ref. the Roules of
Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick
archeological society
on 20 March 1906.
1174 “In when William the Lyon was
besieging Alnwick, and the main
Northumberland body of his army ravaging the
surrounding country, an English
force marching
northwards to the relief of the town came upon
the king and his
companions engaged in the amusement of tilting.
The sportsmen were
overpowered and made prisoners, and the
Name of the knights
in attendance on the king have been preserved
among the details of
the negotiations following upon the capture.
They were Richard
Cumin, William of Mortemer, William of the
Isles, Henry Reuel,
Ralph de Vere, Jordan the Fleming, Waldive,
Son of Baldwin the
Bigger and Richard Melville.”
Ref.
the Rouels of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the
Hawick
archeological society of 20 March 1906.
1180 “Richard Reuel is present in a court of King
William at Alyth in 1180.
Perth Richard
Reuel is witness to a charter of William the Lyon, dated at Forfair, 16th
April 1205, confirming a gift of lands by William, Earl of Strathearn to
Gilchrist his son. At various dates
between 1188 and 1214, the year of William the Lyon’s death, Richard was
witness to the king’s numerous benefactions to the monastery of Arbroath which
he founded and largely endowed.”
Ref.
the Roules of Rouel water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick
archeological society
on 20 March 1906.
1204 “Henry Reuel is present in a court at
Kinghorn in 1204. At various
Fife dates between 1188 and 1214, the year of
William the Lyon’s death,
Angus Henry was witness to the king’s numerous
benefactions to the monastery
of Arbroath, which he founded and
largely endowed.”
Ref.
the Roules of Rouel water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick
archeological society
on 20 March 1906.
1231 “The jury comes to recognize,
by Gerard of Wudrington, Robert
Northumberland of
Newton, Nicholas of Denton, Robert of Trewick, Eustace of Denton, Robert of ……,
Henry of Icchington, Thomas of Rule, Henry of Ilreton, Thomas of Elenehul, Hugh
of Burneton, Adam of Newesum, Walter of Burdun, John of Lilleburn, Alexander
Marescall, Hugh of Hesellrigg, if 80 acres of land with the Appurtenances, which
the king claim V. John Le Viscomte, were of the King’s Demesne.”
Ref.
Northumberland pleas from the Curia Regis and Assize Rolls. 1198 – 1272 p. 104 entry 331 roll no. 108.
1214 – 1249 “Between 1214 and
1249 we find Alan de Rule, Richard de Rule
Roxburgh and Thomas de
Rule as witnesses to charters.” (1)
“During
the first half of the thirteenth century, three Rules of the names of Thomas,
Richard
and Alan appear as witnesses to several charters.” (2)
“In
the reign of Alexander II, 1214-49, Sir Alan of Rule is a witness to the
charter by which William, the son of Patrick, grants to the church of St. Mary
of Coldstream and the nuns thereof the church of Herisille, he is also witness
to the gift of the one half of Eschirche (Ashkirk) to the Bishopric of
Glasgow.” (3)
“Between
1214 and 1249 charters are witnessed by Thomas of Rule, Richard of Rule and
Alan of Rule.” (4)
1.
Ref. the surnames of
Scotland p. 703 by George F. Black Ph.D.
Reg. 148.
2.
Ref. the history and
antiquities of Roxburghshire by Alexander Jeffrey Lib. De Mel. P. 237, 244-6,
260 Reg. Glas p. 126.
3.
Ref. the Roules of Roule
Water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March 1906.
4.
Ref. Rulewater and its
people by George Tancred.
1225 “Adam
Reuel of Stawelle, Brother and heir of Richard Reuel, resigned the
Fife lands
of Balmerinach in Fyfe in favour of Queen Ermengarde, widow of William the Lyon and mother of Alexander
II. On these lands of Balmerino the
Queen, two years afterwards, commenced the erection of a stately abbey, the
ruins whereof may yet be seen.”
Ref.
the Roules of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society
on 20 March 1906.
1240 “North Middleton called also
Middleton Morell, was holden by
Northumberland John
Morell of the Barons of Bolbeck in 1165, by one third of a knights fee, and
about 1240, Robert de Ryhull and Christiana,
his wife had one half of it, and John de
Middleton the other half.”
Ref.
a history of Northumberland by John Hodgson, vol. I p. 303
1247 “A William de Somerville witnessed the
resignation of the lands of Boncle
Berwick in
Berwickshire by Adam Spoth in favour of Randolph of Boncle in Berwickshire, 2
August 1247, a conveyance by Roger Lardenarious in favour of William, son of
Patrick, Earl of Dunbar and Christian Corbert his spouse, two charters of the
lands of Bruneonolleflat granted respectively by William Landels and his son
John in favour of the monks of Melrose, and a discharge by Richard de Rule of
205 a year payable from the same lands.” (Rule’s main are near Bunkle)
Ref.
the Scots peerage vol. 8 p. 3
1256 “A
grant to the prior and canons of Kirkham by Thomas Lord of
Northumberland Hilderton,
witness Thomas de Ruyl.”
Ref.
Northumberland and Durham deeds p. 226 no. 4
1260 “In
1260 Hugo Rouel is master of the hospital of St. John of Jerusalem.”
Scotland
Ref.
the Roules of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society
on 20 March 1906.
1296 “In
1296 Thomas and Adam Roule swore fealty to Edward I.” (1)
Roxburgh
“On
the 28th August, 1296 Adam de Roule signes the Ragman Rolls along
with Allyn, parson of the church of Roule in Roxburghshire, another signatory
on the same date being Thomas of Roule.” (2)
“Adam
de Roule and Thomas de Roule, both of county of Rokeburn, rendered homage in
1296.” (3)
“vol.
I p. 70 – 71 Ragman’s Roll 1291 (those pledging
allegiance to King Edward I)”
Roxburgh
County
Thomas
de Roule
Adam
de Roule
William
de Rouley (4)
1.
Ref. the history and
antiquities of Roxburghshire by Alexander Jeffrey.
2.
Ref. the Roules of Roule
Water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March 1906.
3.
Ref. the surnames of
Scotland p. 703 Bain II p. 199-209.
4.
Ref. the history of
Selkirkshire by T. Craig Brown vol. I p. 70-71
1300 “Adam de Roule (C. 1300) made a grant of four
acres of land in Molle to
Roxburgh the
monks of Kelso. Witnesses – Hugh de Roule and William de Roule.” (This William de Roule or Rule was probably
the one who became the first Turnbull. See introduction). (1)
“Adam
of Roule gifted to Kelso certain acres of land in Molle, part of the lands of
Stapelaw. Adam’s wife, who is united
with him in the gift, was Johanna Wyschard, daughter and heiress of the deceased Sir Henry of Halyburton, knight these
Halyburtons being noted as among the earlier benefactors to the house after its
foundation by David I in 1128.” (2)
“About
1300, Adam de Roule and his wife, Johanna, daughter of the said Henry
Halyburton granted the monks ‘four acres of land in the tenement of Molle’,
which lay in the upper part of Stapelaw, to be held so as they were not
entitled to claim any commonty within their demesne – lands of Molle, for which
grant the monks received the granters into their brotherhood and participation
in their prayers, and engaged to celebrate one mass weekly for their souls.”
(3)
“Lady
Cecilia of Molle, daughter of Henry of Molle, married Simon Malevere but no
information
exists to show what became of her three
sisters. During the lifetime of
Cecilia, Sir Gilbert Avenel appears in possession of portions of the estate of
Molle upon which he had built a hall.
Chalmers states that Cecilia was married to Robert, a younger son of
Gervase Avenel, and that Gilbert was the issue of that union. Morton, author of the ‘Monastic Annals’,
takes the same view, but both are undoubtedly mistaken. The charters in favour of the monks of Kelso
prove that Cecilia was married to Simon Malverer, and that at the period these
grants were made by here with consent of her husband the lands conveyed are
described as being bounded by the property of Gilbert Avenel. Gilbert may have her newphew, but her son could
not be. At the death of Cecilia, about
1250, the family became extinct, and the lands not gifted to the monks devolved
upon the said Gilbert Avenel, but who does not seem long to have enjoyed them
as they were in the hands of Sir John Halyburton whose daughter Johanna,
carried the estates of Apam of Roule whom she married after the death of her
first husband Ralph Wyschard. About the
end of the 13th century, those lands were possessed by Alexander
Molle, and in the beginning of the next century by John Molle. Before 1357 the
lands seem to have been in the keeping of John de Copeland, probably Edwards,
sheriff of the county, and about that date all the lands and tenements in
Auldtownburn, with their pertinents, which formerly belonged to Adam of Roule,
were resigned by Copeland in favour of John Ker of the forest of Selkirk.” (3)
“About
1300, William of Rule is a witness to a grant by Adam of Roule to the monks of
Kelso.” (3)
“Haliburton
is a place name in the county of Berwick, one of the earliest notices of which
is found in a grant 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. Walther, son of David, son
of Truite, confirmed his
father’s
donation and witnessed a charter of Eustachius de Vescy, Lord of Sprouston,
about 1207. He had perhaps three sons:
1. William 2. Adam, whose name occurs as a witness in two charters of Matilda,
countess of Angus circa 1242. 3. Sire
Henry. He also witnesses 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 of Roule and Johanna Wyschard his spouse, daughter and
heiress of the late Sir Henry Haliburton granted certain lands in Molle to the
abbey of Kelso.” (4)
1.
Ref. the surnames of
Scotland p. 703 Kelso – 168
2.
Ref. the Roules of Roule
water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March 1906.
3.
Ref. the history and
antiquities of Roxburghshire by Alexander Jeffrey. p. 276 – 279 Lib. de Cal p.
136, 458
4.
Ref. the Scots peerage.
Vol. 4 p. 330
1302 “In 1302 William de Rue was king’s clerk to
Edward I, then at Roxburgh
Roxburgh castle. (This is possibly William de Rouley).”
Ref. the history of
Selkirkshire by T. Craig Brown Vol. I p. 70-71
1304 “A donation by a burgess of Glasgow, which
though without date, must be
Glasgow referred
to this period, is of interest, - ‘seven rigs of land lying in the field of
Bromilaw between the land of Sir Walter of Roule on the east, and the land of
Sir Walter of Roule on the east, and the land of Saint Mary, which is held by
Sir John Wyschard, on the west, also another rig lying in the same field,
between the land of Sir Walter of Roule on the west, and the land of Agnes
Broune on the east.’ Donated to the
friars
preachers. Charter granted in 1304 by
Robert Wischard, bishop of Glasgow.”
Ref
translation from Latin of deeds scholarships of Glasgow University a Maitland
club publication.
1320 “On 30th July, 1317, Alan of
Roule, then an English subject, granted to
Roxburgh Adam
of Yetham, his manor of Roule with Neyfs and their sequals, to which Alan
affixed his seal in presence of Donald, Earl of Marre and other notables.”
Ref.
the Roules of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on
20 March 1906.
1321 “From 1321 onwards we find Walter of Rule
precentor of Glasgow and in
Glasgow 1333
in the seventeenth year of Pope John XXII in the kalends of April there is a
papal letter addressed to the abbot and convent of St. Mary and St. Wynnin,
Kilwinning, containing a confirmation of the grant to them of the church
Dunbreton by King Robert the Bruce, wherein we find Walter referred to.” (1)
“Walter
de Roule, precentor in Glasgow, is mentioned between 1321 and 1333.” (2)
1.
Ref. the Roules of Roule
water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March 1906.
2.
Ref. the surnames of
Scotland p. 703
Reg 268, 271-2
Kelso 486
Pap. Lett. II 382
1328 “John de Roule witnessed a quitclaim by
Robert de Colleuyll in 1328.”
Scotland
“Ref. the surnames of
Scotland p. 703 Kelso 480
1328 – 1371 “Part of the clan was no doubt wiped
out as the result of adhering to the
Roxburgh losing
cause. Thus in the reign of David II
(A.D. 1328-71), we find a crown confirmation to Thomas of Cranston of a charter
in his favour by William, Earl of Douglas and mar of the lands of Little-Rulwod
near Denum in the Barony of Cavers. In
the same reign the lands of Butland or Buteland in the Sheriffdom of Edinburgh
are resigned by Thomas Rouk, (Roull) in favour of James Douglas of Strathbrok,
these lands were afterwards acquired by the Borthwicks.”
Ref. the Roules of
Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1329 “In 1329 Thomas Roule is rector of
Cambusland.”
Lanark
Ref. the Roules of
Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1335 – 1336 “In 1335 36 certain tenements of
land in the Barony of Cavers are
Roxburgh declared
to be in the hands of the King of England by the forfeiture of Thomas of
Roulwode.”
Ref. the Roules of
Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1348 “In 1348 Thomas Ruwell
was witness in a justiciary court case is
Angus Dundee.”
Ref.
the surnames of Scotland p. 703 Raa II 22
1354 “In 1354 Adam of Roule grants a charter of
his lands of Altonburn to John
Roxburgh of
Coupland, who in 1357 conveyed them to John Kerr, the witnesses to this latter
deed including William of Gledstones and William de Roule.”
Ref. the Roules of
Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1358 – 1361 “Thomas
de Rowle or Roule witnessed the grant of the Forest of Eteryck
Roxburgh to
John Kerre in 1358, and was juror on an inquisition at Roxburgh in 1361.”
Ref.
the surnames of Scotland p. 703
Roxburgh
p. 9
Bain
IV 61
1361 “On
the 15th June 1361, there is
an inquisition taken at Roxburgh before
Roxburgh Robert
of Tugghalle, the English Chamberlain of Berwick of Tweed by William of Roule,
Nicolas of Rothersford, David of Quitton, and nine other jurors, who say that
Sir Edward Balliol, formerly king of Scotland, gave by charter to Sir Alexander
of Mowbray and his heirs before the battle of Halydoun Hillle six messuages and
three carucates of land in the town of Malcarstone in the country of Rozburgh,
which were Sir Patrick charters’s and Thomas charters’s, Scots enemies,
forfeited by their rebellion.”
Ref. the Roules of
Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1364 “Bernard
de Roule resigned the lands of Fouceroule (now Folla Rule) in
Aberdeen Aberdeenshire
to Hugh de Ross on January 20 1364.”
1367 “In
March 1367, Thomas of Roule is acting on an English jury to ascertain
Roxburgh what
lands in Scotland were taken from certain English subjects by the Scots
enemies. Even so late in the day as
1391 we find English king issued a
warrant to his chancellor, dated at Westminster 15th June in that
year, for letters in favour of Thomas Sparrowe, late prisoner with the Scots,
who has paid one hundred marks for ransom, wherefor the king has given him and
his heirs the lands of Promset in Tevydalle in Scotland, forfeited by Robert of
Roule a rebel and traitor, or the letters to be without fine as the lands are
at present in the enemy’s hands and thus valueless.”
Ref. the Roules of
Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1387 “Among
the petitions presented to Pope Clement VII in 1387 is one by
Glasgow Matthew,
Bishop of Glasgow for the promotion of certain of his clergy. The first was on behalf of John of Hawick of
that diocese for a ganonry of Aberdeen in expectation of a prebend,
notwithstanding that he has the vicarage of Dunlop which he is ready to resign.
The second is on behalf of Walter de Roull for a canonry of Glasgow with
expectation of a prebend notwithstanding that he has the church of Torbolton in
the same diocese, both petitions were granted.”
Ref. the Roules of
Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1390 “A
branch of the family attained to much importance in Aberdeen. About
Aberdeen 1390
Thomas Roule was a burgess of that city.
In 1406, as one of the Bailies, he renders to the royal treasury on
behalf of the Burgh the account of the customs for the preceeding year, and he
appears from the exchequer rolls to have done so regularly down to 1435. In 1417 we find him designed provost of
Aberdeen and he is no
doubt the Thomas of Rowle who is a witness in
1424 to the charter of Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar and Garioch to Alexander
of Seton of Gordon of the lands of Mekylwardris in the earldom of Garioch and
sheriffdom of Aberdeen.”
Ref. the Roules of
Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1429 Thomas
Roule, Burgess etc. is not to be confused with his contemporary,
Glasgow an
eminent Ecclesiastic, Mr. Thomas Roule, one of the king’s chaplains who was
high in favour with James I. In 1429
Mr. Thomas Roule was presented by Archibald, Earl of Douglas to a canonry in
the cathedral church of Glasgow. From
1426 – 32 he was the annual ambassador of the king of England, and in the safe
conduct issued regularly to him by the monarch of that nation he is designed
chaplain to the king of Scots. The
warrant for 29th of December 1431 bears that Mr. Thomas Roule with
ten servants, Scotsmen, in his train, is allowed to come to England and to
return pleasure. In 1429 he is one of
the sub-commissioners for Scotland appointed to settle conditions for
observance of order on the marches.” (1)
“Thomas
Roule was rector of Cambuslang in 1429 (2)
1.
Ref. the Roules of Roule
water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March 1906.
2.
Ref. the surnames of
Scotland p. 703 reg 385
1430 “On
6th August 1430, Andrew Roule, lord of Primsyde with consent of
Roxburgh George
his son and heir sold to Andrew Ker of Altonburn, his ten husbandlands of
mains, witness Archibald of Douglas, Lord of Cavers, James Rutherfurde of that
ilk, Thomas of Crenneston of that ilk, William of Liberton, Provost of
Edinburgh, and Alexander Napar, John Bercare and Henry Demp-
ster
Bailies of that city. In 1432 Andrew
Roule designed of Prymside in the barony of Sprouston and sheriffdom of
Roxburgh, the same person as the preceeding, resigned his lands of Prymsyde in
favour of George of Roule his son and heir, and Margaret Ker daughter of a
prudent squire, Andrew Ker of Altonburn, wife of George, infeftment being given
by John Turnbull of the Fulton, Bailie of the regality of Sprouston. In 1454 Andrew Ker of Altonburn acquired the
lands of Prenderlath in the barony therof from the four heiresses of Andrew
Roule of Prymside, Marjorie, Isabella, Janey and Ellen.” (1)
“Richard
Ker dies in January 1437 – 38. Andrew Ker
succeeded his brother. As Andrew Ker
lord of Altonburn, he had a charter from Archibald, fifth Earl of Douglas,
confirming to him a least 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, 29 January 1429 – 30. The discrepancy between the dates of lease and charter may be a
clerical error, the 4 June 1413 was also a Sunday and may be the date of
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 consent of George, his heir, granting to Ker the ten
husbandlands of the Maynis lying on the south half of the town of Primside,
(the same lands as formerly lease). If
they did not extend to ten husbandlands the deficiency was to be made up by the
granters land on the north side of the town. P. 230. Andrew Ker had, on 4 May 1439 charters from Archibald, Earl of
Douglas, granting him the land of Primside resigned by three daughters of the
late Adam Roule, and on 13 Feb. 1439 – 40 the four parts of Primside resigned
by the same sisters and by 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 record, he had issue
so
far as known: 1. Andrew, his successor. 2. James, to whom his father gave a charter, with
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 28 April 1432. P. 322. Further lands of the Roule
family came into his hands on 12 Feb. 1454 – 55 when he had sasine of his lands
of Plenderleith and Hindhope, lying in the barony of Plenderleith in
Roxburghshire, resigned by the four co-heiresses of the late Andrew Roule.” (2)
1.
Ref. the Roules of Roule
water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March 1906.
2.
Ref. the Scots peerage
Vol. VII
1444 “In
1444 Sir Robert Roule is Chaplain of the altar of Saints Laurence and
Aberdeen Ninian
in the church of Saint Nicholas in Aberdeen, and in 1468 he is chaplain to the
altar of Saint Mary Magdalene in St. Nicholas, and in the same year he is a
witness to a charter by Thomas of Maule, lord of Panmur, knight, to Andrew
Alanson Burgess of Aberdeen of Lands in the parish of Ecclesgreig and
sheriffdom of Kincardine.”
Ref. the Roules of
Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1464 “On 4th May
1464 Robert Roule is on a Berwickshire inquest.”
Berwick
Ref. the Roules
of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1468 “In
1468 also we find Sir John Roule one of the priests of the king’s Scotland household.”
Ref. the Roules
of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1470 – 1478 “Between 1470 and 1478 we find
George and John Roule witnesses to Scotland charters
by Alexander, Duke of Albany.”
Ref. the Roules
of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1472 “In 1472, in the reign of James III, a safe
conduct to England was issued
Scotland for
the ambassadors of Scotland whose names occur in the list in the following
order: the bishops of Glasgow, Aberdeen and Orkney, the abbot of Holyrood, John
Liard of Rule, John Lord Hamilton, George Lord Seton, and Lord Lisle, with five
Ecclesisatics of lesser rank, the objects of the mission being to appease the
troubles on the borders, and to confirm the existing truce, both were
successfully accomplished.”
Ref. the Roules
of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1476 “On
2nd August 1476 there is a letter of summons under the signet at the
Berwick instance of Sir John of Swinton of that ilk,
knight, against John of Roule,
Patrick of Smetone, and others, for the wrongous spoiliation,
awaytaking and withholding fra him of four hors out of his land of Cranschawis,
the summons was served on John of Roull at the castle of Dunbar on 9th
of August 1476.”
Ref. the Roules
of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1479
“John of Roule was
steward of Alexander, duke of Albany in 1479.”
Scotland
Ref. the surnames of Scotland p. 703
1489
– 1490 “In 1489 – 1490 George
Roule of Edmondisfield engaged in a litigation
Berwick with
Archibald, Earl of Angus, to compel the earl to deliver t him a charter of a
ten merk land in the barony of Bonckle or to pay him one thousand merks
according to the contract made between them, and also to warrant to George the
office of captain and constable of the castle of Boncle and Bailiary of the
barony thereof during George’s life.
The litigation continued for several years, but the result has not been
clearly ascertained.”
Ref. the Roules
of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1492 – 1503 “In
the ledger of Andrew Halyburton, a merchant and shipowner of the
Scotland name
(Roule) appears.”
Ref. the Roules
of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1496 “In
1496 Richard Roull receives a remission of the wheat fermes due by
Scotland him to the crown for the lands
of Osanisden.”
Ref. the Roules
of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1499 “In 1499 Sir Patrick Roule is provost of the
collegiate church of the
Edinburgh blessed
Nicholas of Dalkieth and in 1508 he is a witness to the sasine in favour of
Thomas Wache son and heir apparent of John Wache, carpenter to the Earl of
Morton (an ancestor doubtless of the immortal Mansie) in a tenement and garden
lying on the south side of the highway in the town and territory of Dalkeith.”
Ref. the Roules
of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1499 “In 1499 a Patrick Roule is serving in the
king’s spicery.”
Ref. the Roules
of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1506 “A tuneful individual in found in the person
of Bryane Roule, ‘Fiftelar’,
Scotland who
with a number of harpers, pipers and other minstrels, received payment for his
services at court in 1506.”
Ref. the Roules
of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
1509 “Sir
Walter Ogilvy’s son was Sir William of Stratherne, lord high
Perth treasurer
of Scotland on 19 June 1507 he and his wife Alison Roull received a grant of
the barony of Stratherne in the sherifdom of Inverness, the reason assigned by
tradition for the gift being that Alison was the first to make known to King
James IV the birth of a son by his wife Margaret Tudor. Alison Roull, who is first mentioned in the
lord high treasurer’s accounts under date January 1505 – 6 as the recipient of
a gold necklace from the king (James IV).
She predeceased her husband.
They had an only child, John.” (1)
“James
IV, the register of the great seal, has various entries, the first on June 19th
1507 ‘Rex ad foedifirmam.’ According to
a firm compact, the king has left to his family friends M. William Ogivly from
Gedes and Alison Roull, his bride, the lands and barony of Strathern, the
adjacent lands, and following farms.
November 16th 1508: The king has firmly established the lands
from Baldavy for his family friends M. William Ogilvy Strathern, his bride
Alison Roule, and even a ‘queen harassed by slavery - - vic Banff.’
March 10th 1509 another grant of the barony of Strathern.
(spelling Alisone Roule). May 8th
1509: confirmation of above (Alisone
Roule). October 22nd 1510: confirmation
of landsin Banffshire (Alisone Roule).
March 7th 1513: Rex, -- for gratuitous service freely given
to him not only in the kingdom but even for going repeatedly beyond the kingdom
in special service on behalf of royal business executed in Gaul and lower
Germany, the king has established for his family friend William Ogilvy for
Strathern, an attendant, and his bride Alison the lands and barony of
Strathern. This is matched by a charter
in the register of the privy seal of March 12th 1513: “A letter maid
to William Ogilvy of Stratherne, knight, -- makand mention that the king’s
grace gaif to him and Alison Roule his spous, all and hole his landis and
barony of Stratherne.’ In both these
charters the special services of William Ogilvy are mentioned, in the latter in
a long passage not quoted above.”
(Note: some of the above entries have been translated from the Latin).
(2)
“Margaret
Tudo, widow of King Jas. IV and friend of Alison Roull (wife of Lord Wm
Ogilvie, lord high treasure of Scotland) James having been killed in the Battle
of Flodden, took for her second husband in August 1514, Archibald Douglas 6th
Earl of Angus, from whom she procured a divorce in March 1526. Third marriage in 1526 was to Henry Stewart
who was created Lord Methven 17th July 1528. Margaret Tudor died at Methven 18th
October 1541 and was buried in the Carthusian monastery of Perth.” (3)
1.
Ref. the Scots peerage
vol II p. 3, 4, 6
2.
Ref. the register of the
great seal
3.
Ref. the Scottish kings
p. 221
1507 “Roull is included in the slender list of
names which attained to distinction
Aberdeen in our early Scottish
literature. That delightful poet
William Dunbar in his
Edinburgh ‘Lament for the Markaris’, writes
about 1509:
I
see that Makaris Amang the Laif, playis heir thair padyanis syne gois to graif,
spairit is nocht ther facult: timor mortis
conturbat me.
He
has Tane Roull of Abirdene, and Gentill Roull of Corstorphine, two better
fallowis did no mane se: timor mortis conturbat me.
Who
were those members of the clan whose loss the poet laments has been a subject
of inquiry ever since the days of Lord Hailes.
His lordship observes ;so little is known concerning these two
ecclesiastics as to leave it uncertain which of them should be considered
author of the singular invective “Rowlls” cursing which indeed is the solitary
memorial that remains of the talents of either one of other of two men, who
received from their illustrious friend this testimony to the excellence of
their natural dispositions.’ David
Laing after half a century’s enquiry could throw no light on the point. To which of the two sir David Lindsay of the
mount, referred in his lines:
“Quinty,
Merser, Rowle, Henderson, Hay and Holland. Thocht they be died, thair libellis
bene leand, qurilkis to reheirs makeith redaris to repose.”
Is
now impossible to say. The only work of
either poet which has come down to us is titled
‘The
cursing of Sir Johne Rowlis upon the steilaris of his fowlis.’
Laing
describes the poem as a strange rhapsody and Pinkerton denounces it as a stupid
and detestable production, I venture to dissent from those views. The work is a very remarkable one and proves
the author to have possessed powers of versification of the very highest order,
-- the torrent of language pours in a hearty and genuine stream, and the words
‘come skelpin’ rank, an’ file.’ The
curse is called down upon the vagabonds male and female who stole:
‘Fyve fat geiss of schir Johine Rowlis,
with caponis, henis,and othir fowlis,
That
brak his zaird and stall his frutt, and raif his erbis vp be the rute, his
qumeit, his aitis, his peiss, his beir, in stowk or stak, to do him dier, in
barn, in houses, in kill or mill, except it had bene his awin will, his wow,
his lamb, his cheis, his stirk, or ony teyndis of haly kirk, and all that lattis
unkend or knawin, the vicar to dispone his awin.’
He
invokes upon them every imaginable disease that afflicts the human frame, and
no part the sinner’s anatomy is exempted from the denunciation. But the most surprising part of all is the
conclusion, conceived in a spirit to which we are little accustomed in
literature of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
‘Now
Jesu, for thy passioun,
That
deit for our redemption,
Of
mankind haif mercy sone,
Latt
never this sentence fall thame vpone,
But
grant thame grace aye till forbeir,
Resset
or stowth of vthir menis geir,
And
als agane the geir restoir
Till
Rowle, as I have said before,
And
to repent they may in time
Pray
we to God. Thus endis the ryme.
This
tragedy is callit, but dreid,
Rowlis
cursing, quha will it ried
Finis Quod
Rowll.’
Proving
that under the rose of the priest there beat a kindly forgiving Scottish
heart. As to the authorship, the only
‘Rowll of Abirdene’ in addition to the provost, to whom reference is made on
record, is that Sir Robert Roull, chaplain at the altars of St. Ninian, St.
Lawrence, and St. Mary Magdalene in the church of St. Nicholas above referred
to, in no way to be confounded with Sir John.
Besides, St. Nicholas was a charge in a burrows town, while there
are
details in the ‘curse’ which show that it was written by a parish priest in a
rural charge. I take it therefore that
the Sir John who was author of the work was the Corstorphine priest. The only Roull whose name I have yet met
with in connection with that parish is the John Roull above referred to, who is
a witness along with Sir James Ramsay, prebendary of Corstorphine to his own
sister’s charter in 1523, but Dunbar’s poem alludes to the gentle Roull of
Corstorphine as dead in 1507. Sir John
Roull who was one of the royal chaplains in 1468 may possibly have been the
author, but his connection with Corstorphine has yet to be established.”
Ref. the Roules of
Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.
Ref. the
surnames of Scotland p. 703
1523 “Thom. Roull consented to
take soldiers to board.”
Northumberland
Ref.
a history of Northumberland by John Hodgson
Vol. II p. 476
1523 – 1524 “In 1523 – 24 Sir
James Ramsay, prebendary of Corstorphine,
Edinburgh and
John Roull, are witnesses to a charter by Margaret Roull, sister of John of the
lands of Medhope in Linlithgowshire. In
1523 John Roule, possibly the same individual is a witness to the act of
collation of Sir John Crawford as perpetual chaplain of the chaplaincy of the
B.V.M, at Kirkyntulloch on the presentation of John, Lord Fleming, the patron.”
Ref. the Roules of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the
Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March 1906.
1526 “John Rouil, afterwards Sir John Rowl, prior
of Pittneweem before 1526,
Perth was a dignitary but not an ornament of the
pre-reformation church.” (1)
Fife
“One
of the most notable churchmen of the fam-
ily
was Sir John Rowll, prior of Pittenweem, a great ally of Cardinal Beaton, and
whose name occurs at witness to several of the cardinal’s charters. He was a follower of that Ecclesiastic in more
senses than one. We find at different
periods in the records of the privy seal, letters of legitimation to four sons
of the prior, viz, -- John, James, William, and Ninian, he obtained a charter
under the great seal erecting Pittenweem int oa burgh of reality, in a
subsequent charter to the burgh he designs himself prior of Pittynweeme, alias
Isle of St. Adrian of Maye and the convent thereof of the order of canons
regular of St. Augustine, in the diocese of Dunkeld.” (2)
1.
Ref. the surnames of
Scotland p. 703
2.
Ref. the Roules of Roule
water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March 1906.
1531 “In 1531 Thomas Rowle is a tenant in Newtown,
Roxburghsire.”
Roxburgh
Ref. the Roules of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick
Archaeological Society on 20 March 1906.
1537 “A charter was granted to the Burgh of
Selkirk granting it liberty as a free
Selkirk burgh
and the right to hold a fair annually on St. Laurence Day. The town council on May 15, 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 other 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 as paid by those who receive 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 pipers, of whom there is one attached to each
border town of note, and whose office was often hereditary, were the great
depositaries of oral and particularly of poetical 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 upo’ the border?”
Ref.
the history of Selkirkshire by T. Craig Brown Vol. II p. 38
1567 “James
Roull was a tenant of the abbey of Kelso in 1567.”
Roxburgh
Ref.
the surnames of Scotland p. 703
Kelso
p. 519
1570 “John
Rowll signed the band of Dumfries in 1570.”
Roxburgh
Ref.
the surnames of Scotland p. 703
R.P.C.
XIV p. 66
1574 “In
1574, Martin Roule is owner of a tenement in the Walkargait
Roxburgh of
Jedburgh.”
Ref. the Roules of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick
Archaeological Society on 20 March 1906.
1620 “John Rowle, Yeoman of Rochester (Kent
County) was one of a group
Kent appointed
to make settlements of properties on land where the hospital of St. Bartholomew
in Chatham was built in the seventeenth year of the reign of King James.” (King
James began his reign in 1603).
Ref. from the antient records, charters and
instruments of dives kinds the Ecclesiastical history and antiquities of the
diocese and
cathedral church of Rochester. P. 226
1671 “Mention is made of William Rewell, in
dweller in Brughtoun in 1671.”
Peebles
Ref. the surnames of
Scotland p. 703
Edinb. App
Roxburgh “Robin
of Rulewater, a poet, who was presumably a member of the clan, was killed by a
brother minstrel, Rattlin’ Willie.
Rattlin’ Willie in turn, in revenge for the slaughter of Robin met his
death at the hands of the Elliots, and so was:
‘Fettered
the gude right hand,
That
keepit the land in mirth.’
The
incident is alluded to at the end of the fourth canto of the ‘lay of the last
minstrel’.”
Ref. the Roules
of Roule water by Andrew Ross at the Hawick Archaeological Society on 20 March
1906.