Genealogical account of the family of Edmonstone of Duntreath

7 6 NOTES TO GENEALOGICAL ACCOUNT OF
Sir James Edmonstone of the Thanedom of Boyne, in the shire of Banff, and of the lands
of Tillyallan, into the hands of James the Second, for a new infeftment to the said Sir
James and Janet Napier, dated Falkland, January 28, 1456. Also a Royal charter
grounded on this resignation, dated three days later, to both which George, Bishop of
Brechin, the Chancellor of Scotland, and John, Earl of Athole, are among the witnesses.
The direct descent of John Edmonstone is moreover proved by a decreet before the
Lords of Council, namely, Andro, Lord Avondale, Chancellor of Scotland, Colin, Earl of
Argyle, Andrew, Lord Gray, Alexander, Lord Glammis, William, Lord Forbes, and many
others of the nobility, at the instance of William Douglas of Culney Warden, of Janet
Napier, and others, against John Edmonstone of that Ilk, son and heir of the deceased
Sir James, concerning the terce of the lands of Edmonstone pertaining to Sir James at
his death, dated St. Andrews, March 16, 1464. This disputing of Janet Napier's legal
right would seem still to convey doubts as to the legality of the previous divorce of (pro-
bably) John's mother, Isabel Forrester.
Twenty years later there is an instrument of resignation by Janet, Lady Edmonstone,
of her fee of the lands of Tillyallan, and of the Thanedom of Boyne, in favour of Eliza-
beth and Margaret, her daughters and heiresses thereof. This is dated St. Andrews,
June 3, 1484.
A year earlier, namely, January 3, 1483, is an instrument of seisin of Elizabeth Edmon-
stone of half of the lands of Tillyallan, as one of the heiresses of her father Sir James.
And on 13th February 1485 is a precept by Margaret Edmonstone, the other daughter of
Sir James and wife of Walter Ogilvie of the Thanedom of Boyne, and for giving seisin to
her sister Elizabeth, wife of Patrick Blackadder, of half of the lands of Tillyallan and
patronage of the church in exchange for the half of the Thanedom of Boyne and a rent
of six merks due out of the town of Banff. This refers to the exchange as mentioned in
the text.
Mr. Riddell has afforded me also the following notice from the inventory whence the
information given above is derived, namely, a dispensation by Robert, Archbishop of Glas-
gow, inconsequence of a rescript from Julian, Bishop of Ostia, allowing Patrick Blackadder
and Elizabeth Edmonstone to be married again, and legitimizing their former children,
' their former marriage being void in regard the said Patrick had carnaliy known a woman
related to the said Elizabeth in the fourth and fourth and another fourth degrees of affinity,'
dated at Glasgow, June 5, 1494. Witnesses, Charles and John Blackadder. I do not
pretend to understand what these degrees of affinity mean, but there is one curious cir-
cumstance here, that the Robert, Archbishop of Glasgow, 1 through whom this dispensation
was obtained, was son of the same Patrick Blackadder and Elizabeth Edmonstone, and
consequently his own legitimacy was concerned. He was appointed to the see of Glasgow
in 1484, which was raised to an Archepiscopate during his incumbency.
In conclusion, we may remark that Janet Napier, the mother of these coheiresses,
must have married Sir James Edmonstone very young, and, moreover, must have lived
1 Keith's Catalogue of Scottish Bishops.