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The founder of
the ancient Scottish family of Lauder was a Norman mercenary knight named
Sir Robert de Lavedre (for origins of this surname and its early
spellings see The Lauder Surname in The Scottish Genealogist
Volume XLV number 2, Edinburgh, June 1998) who was recruited at the English
Court by Malcolm Canmore to assist the latter to recover his father’s crown
from the usurper Macbeth. Proceeding to Scotland in 1057 Sir Robert
was involved in many skirmishes and battles, notably at Dunsinane, and
Birnham Wood where, according to J. Stewart Smith writing in The Grange of
St.Giles (Edinburgh 1898) he "signally distinguished himself by his
prowess in the field against Macbeth". Sir Robert received for his services
estates and lands in the Lothians, Berwickshire, and Moray, the latter being
part of Macbeth’s own properties. The early Lauder family had an ancient
coat of Arms which was simply a shield with a white background bearing a
griffin rampant. There would later be cadet variations on this.
In 1138
numerous minor Scottish/English conflicts and arguments resulted in the
major Battle of the Standard at North Allerton in North Yorkshire.
Joanni Lavedre, filio secunda de Laudertown, a
descendant of the first Sir Robert Lauder, is recorded as being amongst the
mounted knights under Prince Henry, King David’s son, on the Scottish right.
This was a defeat for the Scots and John Lauder and many others barely
managed to escape.
In 1188
another descendant, Sir Robert de Lavedre appears on the scene as on
of the Scottish nobles who accompanied King William the Lion’s brother
David, Earl of Huntingdon, to fight in the Third Crusade. As an emblem of
his presence in Palestine, Sir Robert, upon his almost miraculous return,
got for his personal crest a Saracen’s head on a sword.
In 1297
the great Scottish hero Sir William Wallace (of Braveheart fame) led
a rebellion against the overlordship of the English King Edward I. One of
Wallace’s foremost supporters was yet another Sir Robert de Lawedre,
again a descendant of the first. He was then designated Laird of Congaltoun
& Bass near North Berwick. Sir Robert is described as Wallace’s "trusty
friend and faithful companion in arms from the beginning of his [Wallace’s]
career to the sad ending of his heroic life. Such was Sir Robert’s eagerness
to march with Wallace against Cospatrick, Earl of Dunbar, who had espoused
the English cause, that he would rather have lost his beloved Bass than have
been denied this gratification." (ref: The Grange of St.Giles). In
Blind Harry’s famous Wallace we read how Sir William met Lauder at
Musselburgh and how they became friends and co-belligerents in the
"resistance". Sir Robert was present with his hero at the Battle of Stirling
Bridge on 12th September 1297, a disaster for the English
forces. The following year, however, the Scots and Wallace lost the Battle
of Falkirk. Present with him in the cavalry were Sir Robert de Lawedre of
Bass and his eldest son, Robert fils (junior). Both were already old
men and Sir Robert senior died in May 1311 and was buried in
the Kirk at North Berwick. His gravestone has been commented upon by
Alexander Nesbit in his Systems of Heraldry.
Sir Robert de
Lawedre of The Bass, who succeeded his father as laird in 1311 was
present at the disastrous English defeat at the Battle of Bannock Burn in
1314. He subsequently acted as an ambassador and peace treaty signatory
for King Robert The Bruce at Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 23rd May
1323, again at Edinburgh on 17th March 1327 and then
at Northampton on 4th May 1328. In a charter dated 1331
Sir Robert is designated Roberto de Lawedre, militbus, Justiciario
Lowdonie (knight, Justiciary of the Lothians). At an inquest at Aberdeen
on 11th September 1333 he is styled Chamberlain of
Scotland. He was by now very old.
His son,
again, Sir Robert de Lawedre of Quarrelwood (Macbeth’s old lands in
Moray) was described in a 1316 charter of the Bishop of St Andrews as
then being "a page" and present with his father during the signing of it. By
1332 he was in the thick of matters and was with Archibald Douglas’s
party when they ambushed John Balliol, an opponent of the Bruce dynasty, at
Jedburgh in Roxburghshire. It is recorded that Robert de Lawedre fils
was taken prisoner at this event but he must have been released in a
prisoner exchange later as the following year he fought alongside Sir
Archibald Douglas, Scotland’s Regent, in the third division at the Battle of
Halidon Hill, near Berwick-upon-Tweed, on 19th July
1333.
This was a
terrible defeat for the Scots with some estimates of their losses at 14000.
Interestingly Sir Robert’s father, Sir Robert of Bass was also present at
this battle, but up on the hill only as a morale booster and observer.
Knighton tells us that he was too old to dismount in his full armour and
took no part in the fighting, retiring with his retinue when it became clear
the battle was lost. His son Sir Robert escaped and fled north to
successfully hold Urquhart Castle, on Loch Ness, against the English, one of
only five Scottish strongholds to defy Edward I. In 1335 he was one
of three Scottish Commissioners to deliberate the latest English/Scottish
Peace Treaty. As usual that was a very temporary thing and in 1341
the Scottish armies marched south again to do battle with the English. On 16th
October that year, at Neville’s Cross near Durham we again hear of Sir
Robert although it is not clear what part he played in the battle. What is
clear is that a Safe-conduct was issued for him on the 8th
December 1346 stating clearly that he had been captured at the Battle of
Neville’s Cross and that he was now free to go. He died by 1366. His
son was
Alan Lauder of
Whitslaid
(nr Lauder) & The Bass, sometimes also described as ‘of that
Ilk’ and ‘of Haltoun’, was married to Alicia, daughter of Sir
Colin Campbell of Loch Awe, 9th of the Argyll family.
Abercombie’s Martial Achievements describes Alan as
"one of Scotland’s bravest warriors – famous in all martial exercises,
renowned in feats of chivalry and foremost in his country’s service." He was
Constable and Keeper of Tantallon Castle, one of the Douglas strongholds
near North Berwick. King Robert II held Alan in such high esteem that he
bestowed upon him una protectione perpetua. He died before March 20,
1407. His eldest son and heir was:
Sir Robert de
Lawedre,
also often referred to in charters as ‘of Edringtoun’, Berwickshire, and
Dominus de la Bass, whom Froissart refers to as "a renowned hero"
who was present at the Battle of Otterburn (or, as the English sometimes
call it – The Battle of Chevy Chase), a Scottish victory in 1388. He
reappears too in 1402 according to Fordun’s Scotichronicon
(Edinburgh, 1759) when the Scottish Border Barons – "the Hamiltons,
Hepburns, Cockburns and Lauders" – under the command of Sir Patrick Hepburn
of Hailes, engaged the English on 22nd June at Nesbit Moor in
Berwickshire. This was a catastrophic defeat for the Scots and this Sir
Robert de Lawedre was taken prisoner. King Henry IV issued, on 15th
June 1411, a safe-conduct to Robertus Lawedyr, miles, and
whether this was just to travel through England as a visitor or it was
issued upon his release is not shown. He went with his son William Lauder,
Bishop of Glasgow and Lord Chancellor of Scotland, in 1423 and
1424 to treat for the release of the captive King James I. He died in
early 1425.
Alan de
Lawedre’s younger son, and also a knight, was Sir George de Lawedre, Provost
of Edinburgh, who established a separate family branch as laird of Haltoun
in Edinburghshire. (He changed that branch’s coat of arms and the griffin
featured upon them subsequently had a sword in its hand with a Saracen’s
head upon it, no doubt taken from his ancestor the crusader’s personal
crest.) Sir George was married to Helen, daughter of Archibald, 3rd Earl of
Douglas, nicknamed 'The Grim'. Their son was:
Sir
Alexander de Lawedre, younger of Haltoun, who was married to
Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Forrester of Corstorphine and Sir Alexander,
with Archibald, 4th Earl of Douglas, and his father-in-law Sir
John Forrester, all fell at the Battle of Verneuil in Normandy on 17th
August 1424 fighting alongside the French against the English
forces under the Duke of Bedford.
Sir George de
Lawedre’s second son was the famous – or notorious - Sir William Lauder
of Haltoun, Knt. A Safe-Conduct was issued by King Henry VI on 5th May
1429 to "Williamus de Lawedre" for travel in England. William de Lawedre
witnessed a Douglas charter signed at Douglas Castle on 29th June 1444.
Another Safe-Conduct was issued by King Henry VI on 26th June 1446 to "Willielmus
Lawedre de Halton, armiger" to travel in England. In a charter by John Lord
Haliburton, dated at Dirleton on 11th April 1450, one of the witnesses was
William Lauder of Haltoun; another was William, Earl of Douglas. Further
Safe-Conducts for travel in (or through) England were granted by King Henry
VI to "Willielmus de Lawdre de Halton, and Alanus de Lawdre" on 12th
November 1450, and 12th May 1451. These were to accompany the Earl of
Douglas to Rome via Flanders and France, as numerous barons and knights,
including Lawder, are mentioned in this respect.
Sir William
Lauder of Haltoun was a confidant of both his King and his friend the Earl
of Douglas. In February 1452 he was the famous King's Messenger, sent to
escort Douglas to Stirling Castle: In "The Historie and Cronicles of
Scotland" (by Robert Lindesay of Pitscottie, edited by A.E.J.G.Mackay,
Edinburgh, 1899, volume 2, Notes: James II, p.351) "The Auchinleck
Chronicle" is quoted as saying "the foresaid King James send out of
Strivling with William Lauder of Haltoun a special assourans [assurance, or
Safe Conduct] and respit under his preve sele [Privy Seal] and subscrivate
[signed] with his awne hand." King James II had deliberately despatched Sir
William Lauder of Haltoun, who had attended Douglas in his pilgrimage to
Rome, with a message to him, expressive of the desire of the King to enter
into a personal conference, promising absolute security for his person". The
Earl was subsequently brutally murdered by the King.
Haltoun Tower
was then besieged by the Douglas followers who clearly felt that Sir William
Lauder was party to the King’s plot. During that siege Sir William was
killed. Haltoun tower was subsequently restored to good condition by the
King, at Exchequer expense.
Sir William’s
three grandsons:
Sir George
Lauder of Haltoun, Knt., (who was married to Katherine, daughter of John, 3rd
Lord Somerville of Carnwarth), Sir Alexander Lauder of Blyth, Knt.,
Provost of Edinburgh, and James Lauder of Burngrange, near Lauder
burgh, all fell at the battle of Flodden on 9th September 1513. |
