Sir Edward Bruce of Blairhall and Easter Kennet

MASTER EDWARD BRUCE OF BALAIRHALL

Master Edward Bruce of Blaihall, here treated, is the son of Sir David Bruce, 7th Baron Of Clackmannan He is identified as: "magrm Edward Bruce filio David Bruce de Clakman militis" in a charter in his favour which was issued by James V, King of Scots, on 20 July 1533. Collections towards a History of the County of Clackmannan, charter number 41 on page 15

Wife

Alison or Cristina Reid See Discussion

Children

1. Robert, succeeded his father in Blairhall, and was ancestor of the Bruces of Blairhall, and the Bruces, Baronets of Kinross and Balcaskie. Both these families are extinct in the male line.

2. Edward, first Lord Bruce of Kinloss, of whom presently .

3. Sir George, of Carnock, ancestor of the Earls of Elgin and Kincardine. (See next article.)

4. William, of Cothill and Collestoune, in Aberdeenshire. He is said to have been first a priest4 in Kinloss Abbey, but signs as a witness various documents connected with Kinloss as ' brother - german and factor to my Lord Abbot of Kinloss.' He died s. p. before 24 May 1609, on which date his nephew Edward Bruce, afterwards second Lord Bruce of Kinloss,5 was served heir to him.

5. Margaret.

6. Bessie,1 married David Bar.

https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun03paul/page/474/mode/1u... p474

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

                   1

20 July 1533: Charter of Protection, by King James V., to Mr Edward Bruce, son of Sir David Bruce of Clackmannan, knight,. Collections towards a History of the County of Clackmannan, charter number 41 on page 15

                   2

22 April 1537: Charter by Robert Brady of Easter Kennet, to Mr Edward Bruce and his heirs and assignees, of three parts of his (the said John Brady's) lands of Easter Kennet, lying in the County of Clackmannan, also his croft lying in the territory and liberty of the town of Clackmannan, on the west side of the church thereof, and situate between the lands of David Bruce of Clackmannan in the east and west - item two parts of a Tenement of land called Baxters land - Croft of land called the Crooked croft, bounded by the high road on the east, and the lands of the foresaid David Bruce on the west, also two parts of the said Crooked croft and bounded as said is - annualrent of 40 pence money of Scotland, payable from the lands of John Arhle lying in the town of Clackmannan - annualrent of 10 shillings payable from the lands of Gilbert Coulsone lying on the north side of the town of Clackmannan, and annualrent of 20 shillings, payable from the lands of John Smith, lying as said is; and that in consideration of a certain sum of money paid to him by the foresaid David Bruce, in his urgent necessity - To be holden, the foresaid lands and annualrents, with the right of pasturage on the Commonty of Clackmannan used and wont by the said Edward Bruce, his heirs and assignees, of the King and his successors, in fee & heritage, for services used and wont, and services to the Courts of Clackmannan - Dated at Edinburgh. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Bruce Family of Kennet, Clackmannanshire. reference GD11/42

Note: An abstract of this charter was printed in Collections towards a History of the County of Clackmannan. See charter number 37 on page 9

                   3

1544: Charter by the said Commendator and Abbot in favour of the said Edward Brus [Bruce] and his spouse, Cristina Reid, of the said lands of Bargady and others. National Records of Scotland, Register House charters, 1st series, reference RH6/1337

                   4

1544: Precept of sasine by the said Commendator and Abbot for infefting the said Edward Brus [Bruce] and Cristina Reid in the said lands and others. National Records of Scotland, Register House charters, 1st series, reference RH6/1338

                   5

19 November 1546: Precept of sasine by the said Commendator and Abbot for infefting the said Edward Bruse [Bruce] and Cristina Reid in the lands of Corstoun in the lordship of Culros [Culross] and sheriffdom of Perth. National Records of Scotland, Register House charters, 1st series, reference RH6/1391A

                   6

1 December 1546: Discharge by William, commendator of culross, [comptroller] for £8 13s.4d. for the burgh maills and small customs of Cupar. Witnesses: master Edward Bruce Alexander Gaw, William Colvile and sir John Broun, chaplain. National Records of Scotland, Records of Cupar Burgh, reference B13/22/20

                   7

23 December 1552: Charter by William, Commendator of Culross, with consent of Robert, Bishop of Orkney and Abbot of Kinlos [Kinloss], in favour of Edward Bruce of Estir Kennett and Cristina Reid his spouse of the lands of Bargadye and others. National Records of Scotland, Register House charters, 1st series, reference RH6/1572

                   8

19 May 1564: Precept of clare constat by William, Commendator of Culros [Culross], for infefting Robert Bruce as heir of his father, Master Edward Bruce of Estir Kennet, in the lands of Bargadye and others. National Records of Scotland, Register House charters, 1st series, reference RH6/1951

                   9

7 February 1566-67: Precept of Clare Constat by Master Jerome Chene, archdean of Zetland and rector of parish church of Torrie, in favour of Robert Bruce as heir to deceased Master Edward Bruce of Eister Bennet [sic], in church lands and glebe of parish church of Torrie. National Records of Scotland, Erskine family of Cardross, Perthshire, reference GD15/849

                  10

3 October 1569: Procuratory of resignation by Mr Jerome Chene [Cheyne], Archdeacon of Zetland, parson and vicar of Torry, in the diocese of Sanctandrois [Saint Andrews] and sheriffdom of Fife, to resign the parsonage and vicarage of Torry into the hands of the King in favour of Edward Bruce son of deceased Mr Edward Bruce of Eister Kennit [Easter Kennet]. National Records of Scotland, National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Rollo family of Duncrub, Perthshire, reference GD56/33

                  11

8 July 1574: Charter under the Great Seal of Scotland by which James VI, King of Scots, confirms a charter dated 12 September 1559 which had been issued by Walter, Abbot of Kinloss. The charter in question confirmed that the Abbot had set in feu-ferme to (quondam) Master Edward Bruce of Easter Kennet the lands of Killesmond and others in the barony of Strathisla, Regality of Kinloss and Sheriffdom of Banff. The King also confirmed a charter dated 3 March 1573 by which Robert Bruce of Easter Kennet, son and heir of Master Edward Bruce of Easter Kennet conveyed part of this land to James Dempstar of Auchterles. RMS 1546-80: charter number 2268

Printed Evidence

1. 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
2. Collections towards a History of the County of Clackmannan, 43 pp.

Genealogy

Stirnet: Bruce 05

Biographical Summary by Darryl Lundy's Peerage

Sir Edward Bruce of Blairhall was born in 1505. He was the son of Sir David Bruce of Clackmannan and Janet Blackadder. He married Alison Reid, daughter of William Reid. He died in 1565. In 1537 he had charter of Easter Kennet. In 1540 he had charter of Bergandy and 2/3rds of Shirresmith, from William, commendator of Culross. In 1541 he bought Blairhall. He lived at Blairhall, Clackmannanshire, Scotland. Children of Sir Edward Bruce of Blairhall and Alison Reid (1) Robert Bruce (2) Sir George Bruce d. 6 May 1625 (3) William Bruce d. 1609 (5) Edward Bruce, 1st Baron Bruce of Kinlosse b. 1548, d. 14 Jan 1610/11 Darryl Lundy's Peerage

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.