Inquiry into the origin, pedigree, & history of the family, or clan, of Aitons in Scotland

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the king's licence " infeoft" Anthony Beke, hishop of Durham,
in the castle and lordship of Alnwick, and in some other of his
lands, in trust for hehoof of William his natural son ; to whom Le
also conveyed absolutely,, the domains of Hotonruscal and otb«>
lordships. William de Vescey died at Dalton, in 1297.
William de Vescey, natural son of William last mentioned,
succeeded his father, and was generally designed " William of
Kildare." William served in the expeditions of Edward T.
into Scotland, and married Maud, daughter of Thomas Nivel,
of Letham. But bishop Beke pretending some offence at Wil-
liam, refused to make over to him the lordship and castle of
Alnwick, or other estates conveyed to him in trust for William's
behoof; but sold Alnwick to Henry de Percy, ancestor of the
duke of Northumberland, on the 19th of November 1309, for
the sum of seven hundred merks sterling ; and the noble family
of Percy, have held the lordship of Alnwick ever since. This
William, who was the last of the name of Vescey, mentioned
by Sir William Dugdale, was killed at the battle of Ban-
nockburn, when fighting for Edward II., 25th June, 1314.
And having no lawful issue, he was succeeded in the remainder
of the Family estates, by Gilbert Aiton, who was the lenial
descendant of Gilbert, grandson of Yvo Vescey, the founder
of both families.
Thus it appears from the foregoing Genealogical account,
which is in substance that of Sir William Dugdale, who has
been long and justly esteemed an accurate Biographer, that
Yvo de Vescey, who held high rank in the army of William
of Normandy, married Alda, the daughter and heiress of Wil-
liam Tyson, lord of Alnwick,— that Eustace their eldest son,
carried on the line of Vesceys, lords of Alnwick, which passed
through the seven descents, and eight successions of that family
given above, when from the failure of male issue in the main
stem, the succession opened to a collateral branch of the same
family, who had assumed for several generations, the surname
of Aiton, (or Aton, according to Dugdale,) from their principal
estate of that name, in the county of Berwick. But who were