Magnus Sinclair of Kynninmonth

MAGNUS SINCLAIR OF KYNNINMONTH

Magnus Sinclair of Kynninmonth, here treated, is the son of William Sinclair, 4th Lord of Sinclair RMS 1546-80: charter number 1402

His Wife's Last Will and Testament

Marion Bruce, Lady Airth, the wife of Magnus Sinclair of Kynninmonth, made her last will and testament on 18 June 1575. It was made in the Burgh of Dysart in Fife. She nominated and constituted her husband Magnus Sinclair of Kynninmonth and her second son Robert Bruce of Baldrig to be her only executors and intromitters with her whole goods and gear. Confirmation was granted to the executors on 11 August 1575. [National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh Commissary Court, The Testament Testamentar and Inventory of Marioun Bruce, Lady Airth, sometime spouse to Magnus Sinclair in Kynninmonth, reference CC8/8/3]

1. Image of Testament
2. Image of Testament
3. Image of Testament
4. Image of Testament

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

                   1

14 November 1561: Charter by which Robert Scot, portioner of Kynnynmonth, confirms that he has sold part of his lands of Kynnynmonth to Magnus Sinclair, son of William, Lord Sinclair, and his wife Mariote Bruce. This charter was confirmed under the Great Seal of Scotland on 6 December 1561. RMS 1546-80: charter number 1402

                   2

19 May 1564: Instrument of redemption by Robert Drummond of Carnok, knight, of a seventh part of the lands of Carnok on payment to Marion Bruce, Lady Airthe, and Mawnis Sinclare, now her spouse, of the sum of 567 merks 6s. 8d., the said Marion discharging the said Robert of all bygone rents and that in respect Alexander Bruce of Airthe had become obliged to pay 60 merks to Margaret Bruce, daughter of the said Marion as for complete payment of all bygone dues, the said Marion also renouncing and discharging a contract between her and the said Robert, dated 3 March, 1557, by which the said Robert bound himself to pay 100 merks to Alexander Bruce of Airthe and the said Marion. Dated 19 May, 1564. National Records of Scotland, Title deeds relating to the lands of Carnock and Plean, reference GD17/153

In dorso: Discharge by Alexander Bruce of Airthe in favour of Sir Robert Drummond of Carnok, knight, of the sum of 240 merks for which the said Alexander had been bound as cautioner to the said Robert, for bygone dues of the said lands. Dated 20 Nov., 1565.

Attached is discharge by Marion Bruce, Magnus Sinclar, son of William, Lord Synclar, her spouse, and Margaret Bruce, her daughter, in favour of the said Robert Drummond of the sum of 120 merks in complete payment of sum of 240 merks due as bygone duties of above lands. Dated 5 Nov., 1565.

                   3

2 January 1573: Bond of Reversion by Magnus Synclar [Sinclair] of Kyninmonthe [Kinninmonth] and Marion Bruiss [Bruce], his spouse, to John Maluyll [Melville] of Rayth [Raith], of annualrent of £20 Scots from lands of Rayth, on payment of 300 merks. [2 seals appended.] National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Leslie family, Earls of Leven and Melville, reference GD26/3/301

                   4

8 June 1576: Extract bond of caution by Henry, Lord Sinclair, as cautioner for Magnus Sinclair of Kynninmonth [Kinninmonth], to Andrew Bruce, son of umquhile Marion Bruce, spouse of said Magnus, of money received by Magnus on the reversion to James Gib [Gibb] of Ballinkirk of sixteen part lands of Over Stintoun [Over Stenton] in regality of Dunfermline and sheriffdom of Fife and reversion to Thomas Scott of Abbotshall of annualrent on lands of Abbotshall. Registered: B of C and S, 18 June 1576. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Sinclair Family, Earls of Rosslyn, reference GD164/8

Printed Evidence

Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum. The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, A.D. 1546-1580. Edited by John Maitland Thomson, MA., Advocate. (H. M. General Register House, Edinburgh, 1886), 1180 pp. including indices and errata

Genealogy

1. The Scots Peerage III: 473
2. The Bruces of Airth and their Cadets: 14-5
3. StirnetL Bruce 08

BRUCE, EARLS OF ELGIN AND AILESBURY Balfour Paul, James, ed. (1906). The Scots Peerage, Vol. III. Edinburgh: David Douglas. pp. 467–468. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.

Sir David Bruce, eldest son of the second marriage, succeeded his father in Clackmannan, to the exclusion of his elder half-brother Robert and his son David. On 11 September 1497 he had a Crown charter of Clackmannan, subject to his father's liferent and that of his mother Mariota Herries. On 3 February 1506-7 he had a Crown charter erecting Clackmannan, with other lands, into a barony, when he is styled ' David Bruis de Clackmannan miles, Alius quondam David Bruce de Clackmannan,' his nephew, David Bruce of Rait, having resigned any interest he might have in it. The estate must have been a very large one, from the enumeration of the lands incorporated in the barony. He had a licence to hold a fair at Clackmannan on the Feast of St. Bartholomew annually, 18 April 1517, which was confirmed 18 September 1542. Sir David was on an assize 1 December 1554, On 21 January 1550-51 he gave a charter to Robert Bruce, his grandson and apparent heir, and Janet Levingstone, his wife, of an annualrent of forty merks, and was alive 12 June 1556, when he gave a precept of sasine for infefting Robert Bruce, brother- german of the deceased Mr. John Bruce, in the lands of Wester Kennet. Sir David married Jean, daughter of Sir Patrick Blacadder of Tulliallan, by whom he had issue five sons and four daughters, viz. : —

1.John, died vita patris before 14 February 1550-51, but carried on the line of the Clackmannan family, which became extinct in the male line on the death, 8 July 1772, of Henry Bruce, fifteenth and last Baron.
2. Edward, of Blairhall born 1505, had a charter of the lands of Easter Kennet, 1537, on the resignation of Robert Brady. This charter was confirmed11 by James v. 24 April 1537. He had also a charter 12 from the Abbot of Culross 7 June 1540, confirmed 15 February 1542-43, of the lands of Bergady and two parts of the Shire mills
3. David, of Green. He was ancestor of the Bruces of Kennet, Lords Balfour of Burleigh. (See vol. i. p. 547.)
4. Robert, of Lynmylne. The Swedish Bruces ennobled in 1668 were probably descended from him.
5. Patrick, of Valleyfield. He had a charter of Valley-field from the Commendator of Culross, 8 June 1540, to himself and Margaret Falconer, his wife, which was confirmed7 15 February 1542-43. In this confirmation charter he is called son of Sir David Bruce of Clackmannan, Knight. He is said to have resigned the lands and barony of Valleyfield to James Preston of Craigmillar, and to have died s. p., leaving the estate of Green to his brother David ; but, on the other hand, David appears as a witness to a charter under the designation 'of ' de Greyne,' 30 January 1536-37. He is also a witness to a precept of sasine 6 November 1536, and in an ancient MS. pedigree, endorsed 1640, Patrick is styled of Valleyfield,' and David is called ' of Greyne.' It would, on the whole, seem that Patrick never possessed Green, but only Valleyfield.
6. Elizabeth, married, first, to Alexander Dundas of Fingask ; they had a charter of Cottis, 8 August 1542. She was married, secondly, to Robert Oolless of Bonneymoon.
7. Marion, married, first, about 1500, to John Menteith of Caverkay ; secondly, to Robert Bruce of Airth ; and thirdly, to Magnus Sinclair of Kynninmonth, second son 7 of William, Lord Sinclair. She died July 1575; will dated at Dysart 18 June 1575, confirmed 11 August 1575.8
8. Agnes, married to John Elphinstone, parson of Invernochty, with issue.
9. Alison, married to Sir James Oolville of Ochiltree, circa 1530. They had a charter of East Wemyss 20 August 1533.

BRUCE, EARLS OF ELGIN AND AILESBURY Balfour Paul, James, ed. (1906). The Scots Peerage, Vol. III. Edinburgh: David Douglas. pp. 467–468. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.

Sir David Bruce, eldest son of the second marriage, succeeded his father in Clackmannan, to the exclusion of his elder half-brother Robert and his son David. On 11 September 1497 he had a Crown charter of Clackmannan, subject to his father's liferent and that of his mother Mariota Herries. On 3 February 1506-7 he had a Crown charter erecting Clackmannan, with other lands, into a barony, when he is styled ' David Bruis de Clackmannan miles, Alius quondam David Bruce de Clackmannan,' his nephew, David Bruce of Rait, having resigned any interest he might have in it. The estate must have been a very large one, from the enumeration of the lands incorporated in the barony. He had a licence to hold a fair at Clackmannan on the Feast of St. Bartholomew annually, 18 April 1517, which was confirmed 18 September 1542. Sir David was on an assize 1 December 1554, On 21 January 1550-51 he gave a charter to Robert Bruce, his grandson and apparent heir, and Janet Levingstone, his wife, of an annualrent of forty merks, and was alive 12 June 1556, when he gave a precept of sasine for infefting Robert Bruce, brother- german of the deceased Mr. John Bruce, in the lands of Wester Kennet. Sir David married Jean, daughter of Sir Patrick Blacadder of Tulliallan, by whom he had issue five sons and four daughters, viz. : —

1.John, died vita patris before 14 February 1550-51, but carried on the line of the Clackmannan family, which became extinct in the male line on the death, 8 July 1772, of Henry Bruce, fifteenth and last Baron.
2. Edward, of Blairhall born 1505, had a charter of the lands of Easter Kennet, 1537, on the resignation of Robert Brady. This charter was confirmed11 by James v. 24 April 1537. He had also a charter 12 from the Abbot of Culross 7 June 1540, confirmed 15 February 1542-43, of the lands of Bergady and two parts of the Shire mills
3. David, of Green. He was ancestor of the Bruces of Kennet, Lords Balfour of Burleigh. (See vol. i. p. 547.)
4. Robert, of Lynmylne. The Swedish Bruces ennobled in 1668 were probably descended from him.
5. Patrick, of Valleyfield. He had a charter of Valley-field from the Commendator of Culross, 8 June 1540, to himself and Margaret Falconer, his wife, which was confirmed7 15 February 1542-43. In this confirmation charter he is called son of Sir David Bruce of Clackmannan, Knight. He is said to have resigned the lands and barony of Valleyfield to James Preston of Craigmillar, and to have died s. p., leaving the estate of Green to his brother David ; but, on the other hand, David appears as a witness to a charter under the designation 'of ' de Greyne,' 30 January 1536-37. He is also a witness to a precept of sasine 6 November 1536, and in an ancient MS. pedigree, endorsed 1640, Patrick is styled of Valleyfield,' and David is called ' of Greyne.' It would, on the whole, seem that Patrick never possessed Green, but only Valleyfield.
6. Elizabeth, married, first, to Alexander Dundas of Fingask ; they had a charter of Cottis, 8 August 1542. She was married, secondly, to Robert Oolless of Bonneymoon.
7. Marion, married, first, about 1500, to John Menteith of Caverkay ; secondly, to Robert Bruce of Airth ; and thirdly, to Magnus Sinclair of Kynninmonth, second son 7 of William, Lord Sinclair. She died July 1575; will dated at Dysart 18 June 1575, confirmed 11 August 1575.8
8. Agnes, married to John Elphinstone, parson of Invernochty, with issue.
9. Alison, married to Sir James Oolville of Ochiltree, circa 1530. They had a charter of East Wemyss 20 August 1533.