Volume 3

369
and Elizabeth of Polworth, taking Sir John Sinclair of Herdmanston for her
husband, transmitted those estates to the issue of her marriage. In this manner,
then, was Polworth and Kimmerghame acquired by Sir John Sinclair, whose son,
grandson, and great grandson, enjoyed them as the heirs of Elizabeth de Polworth.
Under James II. her grandson died without male issue, leaving two daughters,
Margaret and Marian; while Herdmanston went to the heirs-male of Sir William
Sinclair, who died last seized, Margaret, by marrying Sir Patrick Home, con-
veyed to her husband Polworth, and Marian, by marrying George of Wedder-
burn, Sir Patrick's elder brother, transferred Kimmerghame to him. In this
manner, then, arose the family of Home of Polworth; and on the 23rd of
April 1696, Sir Patrick Home, one of the most vigorous characters of his age,
was created Earl of Marchmont, Viscount Blassonbury, Lord Polworth, Bed-
braes and Greenlaw (c). Polworth continued a rectory till the Reformation,
and it was valued in the ancient Taxatio at 12 marks. In Bagimont's Roll,
the tenth of the rectory was rated at �4. Intimations these, which show that
the parish was but small and the rectory of little value (d). On the 28th of
August 1296, Adam Lamb, the parson of Pouleworth, swore fealty to Edward,
and in return obtained a precept for the restoration of his property (e). Adam
Home, the third son of Sir Patrick Home of Polworth, was rector of this parish
at the Reformation, and became the first protestant minister of the parish of
Polworth (f). [The parish church has 106 communicants; stipend, �330.]
The name of the parish of LANGTON was, like many others, derived from the
Kirktown, which extended to a great length eastward towards Duns ; and
the appellation of Lang-tun is purely Saxon, which signifies Lang-town, though
it retains in common use much of its Saxon form. It is an ancient parish.
During the reign of David I., the manor, with the advowson of the church, were
(c)  Dougl. Peer., 447 ;   Crawf. Peer., 310-17.    All those places belonged to this parish, except
Blassonberry and Greenlaw ; and Marchmont is merely the modern name of Bed-braes, which was
changed to Marchmont, the family seat.
(d)  In the Tax Roll of St. Andrews, 1547, the rectory of Polwarth, in the deanery of the Merse,
was included.
(e)  Rym., ii., 724.
(f) Dougl. Peer., 445 ; Stat. Acco., xvii., 96, which says that circumstance stands recorded on his
tombstone. There is on the front of the church an historical inscription in Latin by the first Lord
Marchmont, dated in 1703, in which there is some fiction as to the antiquity of the church. Id.
The well-known Scottish song of Polwarth on the Green, originated in a custom, which has fallen into
unmerited disuse, and which consisted in the marriage folks dancing round two thorn trees that graced
Polwarth on the Green. Other notices of this parish, the more curious reader may see in the Stat.
Acco., xvii., 93, and in the Tabular State annexed.
3                                                                  3 B