Genealogical account of the family of Edmonstone of Duntreath

26 GENEALOGICAL ACCOUNT OF
Crauford speaks of having seen several charters ' in our archives ' with a
similar designation.
Sir David Edmonstone married, according to the Ednam pedigree,
Agnes, daughter of Robert Maitland of Thirlstane, but there is no evidence
to prove this connexion. He died in the prime of life, for as he could not
have been born before 1391, in 1426 there is an inquest serving James
Edmonstone as heir to his father. The terms of the inquest are thus given
in the Cartulary of Dumferline. ' Compertum est quod quondam David
Edmonston de eodem pater Jacobi Edmonston nunc de eodem abiit ad
fidem et pacem S. D. N. Regis in terris de Hallis et quod dictus Jacobus
est legitimus et propinquior heres quondam David de Edmonston, patris sui.'
This is dated September 1426. Likewise a charter for appointing John
de Edmonston, Tutorem dativum of all the lands of James Edmonstone,
son and heir of David Edmonston of Ednam, until he attain lawful age.
Who this John Edmonstone was does not appear, but there is a notice of
him as witness to a public instrument, in which William and Patrick,
Abbots of Dumferline and Cambuskenneth, and Walter, Abbot of St.
Colme, are concerned, dated 1420. The tutor dativus that is appointed
specially by the Crown need not be a near relation. Probably, however,
this John was a cousin of the Culloden or Duntreath branch. This, how-
ever, is mere supposition.
In 1430 James Edmonstone, though still a boy, was knighted by
James the First. This was occasioned by the birth of twin sons to the
King, who were immediately on their baptism knighted, and the same
favour was conferred on the youthful heirs of the Earl of Douglas, Lord
Crichton, Lord Borthwick, and other members of the nobility. 1
Sir James married, first, Isabella, daughter of Sir John Forrester,
ancestor of the Lords Forester of Corstorphine, by whom he had a son,
John, who succeeded him ; and secondly, Janet, daughter of Sir Alexander
Napier of Merchiston, ancestor of the Lord Napier, by whom he had two
daughters: Elizabeth, married to Sir Patrick Blackadder, second son of
Blackadder of that ilk ; and second, Margaret, married to Sir Walter, second
son of Sir Walter Ogilvie of Auchleven, from which marriage descended
1 Tytler's History of Scotland, vol. iii. p. 275, on the authority of Fordun. Note 33,
Appendix.