Sir William Stewart of Jedworth

SIR WILLIAM STEWART OF JEDWORTH

Sir William Stewart of Jedworth, here treated, is probably the son of Sir Alexander Stewart of Darnley, Kt. and his first wife sister of John Turnbull of Minto

Biographical Summary by Francis J. Grant, Rothesay Herald

Sir William Stewart: "The difficult question of his affiliation is also dealt with in the article 'Galloway'. He was certainly a nephew of Sir John Turnbull of Minto, and if it can be shown that he was a brother of John, first Lord of Aubigny, this of course would help to prove who the latter's mother was. He was ancestor of the family of Stewart of Garlies, now Earls of Galloway, and his affiliation becomes of importance on account of the claim of his descendants to the headship of the Stewarts on the extinction of the male line of the Earls of Lennox by the death of Henry, Cardinal York, 13 July 1807. It is not certainly known who his wife was, but her Christian name was apparently Isabel. This appears from a Commission, on 13 November 1400, by King Henry IV., to inquire into the report that William, Stewart of Scotland, Knight, and Isabel, his wife, sometime the wife of Richard Olyver, 'chivaler,' and Robert, Richard's son, have for no small time been adherents of the Scots, whereby all their lands and goods are forfeited, etc. This writ may explain the cause which brought about Sir William's tragic fate after Homildon Hill. The Scots Peerage V: pp. 345-6

Biographical Summary by J. K. Stewart

Sir William Stewart: "The affiliation of Sir William, the second son of Sir Alexander, has been disputed by some genealogists, and the question is more than usually important, as on it depends the title of heir-male of the house of Stewart. On this account Andrew Stuart of Torrance (one of the historians of the Stewarts), a rival candidate for the honour, sought to impose on the Stewarts of Garlies an entirely different origin, ascribing their male ancestry to a John le Seneschal of Jedworth, whose name occurs among the signatories to the Ragman Roll in 1296, and who, from inability to identify him otherwise, has been assumed by most genealogists to be identical with Sir John Stewart of Bonkyl already named. But 'John le Seneschal of Jedworth' was not a knight, which Sir John Stewart of Bonkyl unquestionably was, being so designated in the .Roll, while the Seneschal of Jedworth is not. John le Seneschal of Jedworth signs the Roll amidst a mixed multitude from the county of Roxburgh, while Sir John Stewart's name occupies the second place, immediately after that of his brother the High Stewart himself. In the Roll John le Seneschal shares the designation 'of Jedworth' with Guy le Clerk of Jedworth, Richard Fossart of Jedworth, and Henry Braceor of Jedworth, while Sir John Stewart's only title is 'brother of Sir James the Stewart'. In fact, the whole designation points to an office (of which there are numerous instances in the Roll), not to a surname, since the patronymic Stewart is always latinised in the Roll as Senescal or Senescalli never Seneschal and the substitution of 'of for the territorial ' de in this case still further emphasises the point.

Further, the arms of Sir John Stewart, the eldest son of Sir Alexander Stewart of Darnley (as proved by his seal in the French Record Office, and reproduced by Andrew Stuart in his Genealogy of the Stewarts), were a fesse chequy, surmounted of a bend dexter, while the arms of Sir William Stewart were a fesse chequy surmounted of a bend dexter, engrailed, to mark the younger son. The crest of Sir John Stewart was a 'bull's head erased', marking his descent maternally from the ancient Border family of Turnbull, who bore that cognizance. The actual crest of Sir William Stewart is not known, but he is called 'nephew' by Sir John Turnbull of Minto in a deed afterwards referred to. Sir John Stewart who bore the Turnbull cognizance, and Sir William Stewart who was the Turnbull's nephew, must therefore have been related maternally as well as paternally, and as Sir John was certainly Sir Alexander's eldest son, Sir William must also have been a son. Further, Matthew Stuart, Earl of Lennox (the descendant of Sir John), in a letter to the Earl of Shrewsbury, terms Sir Alexander Stewart of Garlies (the descendant of Sir William) his 'near kinsman', while Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, and his son, King James VI, also acknowledged the Stewarts of Garlies as cadets of their own house of Lennox. These facts will be cited in dealing with the individual descendants.

Sir William Stewart, the first offshoot from the house of Darnley, was one of the most prominent Scotsmen of his own or any other day. He figures in the national records as soldier, statesman, administrator, and a loyal and faithful servant to King and country, from 1385 to 1402. He aided James, Earl of Douglas, to expel the English finally from Teviotdale and the Borders, was one of the Scottish leaders subsidised from France in 1385, and is named by Froissart, the French historian, as one of Douglas's captains at the Battle of Otterburn in 1388. He bore the coveted distinction of Knight Banneret, a dignity then only conferred for signal bravery under the Royal Standard displayed in battle. Among the civil offices and appointments held by this famous knight were Clerk of the Audit for the King from 1390 to 1402, Sheriff of Teviotdale (and probably also of 'Foresta' or Tweeddale), Ambassador to England, Scots Commissioner for a truce, and Conservator of the Peace on the Borders. He was also a member of both the General and Special Councils of the kingdom, and one of the 'wyse men and leal' appointed to act as the executive, or cabinet, during the Regency of David, Duke of Rothesay. For his great services he was rewarded by the King, who styles him 'dilectus et fldelis', with a grant of the lands of Synlaws and Merbottil (Roxburghshire) on 2 July 1385, and part of the lands of Minto 8 November 1392. He also received various hereditary pensions between 1390 and 1398, one, on 27 March 1392, bearing to be to 'our dear and faithful Sir William Stewart of Jedworth, Knight, for special service and retinue to us and to David Stewart our heir'. From Archibald, Earl of Douglas, he got the lands and Castle of Abercorn in Linlithgowshire on 28 October 1398, while on 4 January 1390-91 he had confirmation of a charter in which his uncle, Sir John Turnbull of Minto 'out wyth swerd', made him a grant of his lands of Minto. In that charter he is styled Sir William Stewart of Jedworth, Knight, and 'nepos' (or nephew) of the granter. He appears on record usually under the simple designation of 'Sir William Stewart', being then apparently too well known to require any more definite description, and is the first of the race to figure in the national records under the now familiar name of Stewart, instead of the old Latin Senescalli or Senescal. At other times the titles 'de Jedworth,' 'de Tevidale', and 'de Foresta' are given him. The first was no doubt derived from the lands of Jedworth, part of the Douglas patrimony, on which Sir William Stewart seems to have been stationed by his friend the Earl of Douglas as an outpost to guard against the raids of the Percies who pretended a right to these and other Douglas lands on the Borders, in virtue of grants from the English sovereigns. The title 'de Tevidale' evidently originated in his office of Sheriff, but that of 'Foresta' is more obscure. It has been supposed to be the Forest of Jedworth, but is undoubtedly identical with Selkirkshire, which even to the present day is known as Foresta or 'the Forest'. He was one of the Scottish notables captured at Homildon Hill in 1402, and, though thus a prisoner of war, was barbarously put to death by Hotspur Percy to gratify a private grudge, and his mangled limbs were thereafter exposed on the gates of York and other English towns. His virtues are summed up by the writer of the Scotichronicon in the noble epitaph, 'Valens miles et inter sapientes primus'.

The name of Sir William Stewart's wife has not been preserved, but after his death she married Sir Walter de Bickerton, and survived till 1420 at least, in which year she drew her 'terce' of Sir William's hereditary pensions.

Sir William Stewart had at least two sons : (1) John, his successor. (2) a son whose name is not known. He figures in his brother's marriage-contract as Sir William's 'other son', to whom lands of the annual value of 20 were reserved out of their father's estate. The Scots Peerage: pp. 146-9

Historical Notice of the Stewart Family, Earls of Galloway

When one considers the ancient lineage of the Earls and the large extent of their former lands in Galloway, these charters are disappointing. The foundation of the family fortunes dates back to 1396 when Sir John Stewart, eldest son of Sir William Stewart of Teviotdale, married Marion, daughter and heiress of Sir Walter Stewart of Dalswinton. Sir John is thereafter known as of Garlies and Dalswinton. In this charter chest there is nothing that throws light on the disputed paternity of Sir William Stewart of Teviotdale and not a single document bearing on the lands of Dalswinton, though Symson records that in his day the earliest writ of Dalswinton was a grant by Robert the Brus. Until the building of Garlies castle Dalswinton was the residence of the family and the titles of that property should throw much light on its early history. But the titles must be sought elsewhere. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Stewart family, Earls of Galloway (Galloway Charters), reference GD138

The earliest charter of Garlies is undated but was in the reign of David II, when John Randolph, Earl of Moray, granted the lands of Garlies, Glenmannoch and Corsok to Sir Walter Stewart the father of the above Marion. Not till nearly the middle of the 16th century is there another document relating to Garlies and Glenmannoch. By then Corsok was in other hands. Indeed the Exchequer Rolls reveal no Crown infeftment in the lands of Garlies till 1514. The reason may have been the disturbed state of Galloway a province acquired by the Douglases in 1369 and forfeited by them in 1455. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Stewart family, Earls of Galloway (Galloway Charters), reference GD138

Genealogy

1. The Scots peerage. Founded on Wood's edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland. Containing an Historical and Genealogical Account of the Nobility of that Kingdom. Edited by Sir James Balfour Paul, LL. D., Lord Lyon King of Arms. Volume V. (David Douglas, Edinburgh, 1908), 640 pp. including errata. See pp. 344-62 for the Stewart Dukes of Lennox
2. The Scots peerage. Founded on Wood's edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland. Containing an Historical and Genealogical Account of the Nobility of that Kingdom. Edited by Sir James Balfour Paul, LL. D., Lord Lyon King of Arms. Volume IV. (David Douglas, Edinburgh, 1907), 597 pp. See pp. 145-73 for the Stewart Earls of Galloway

Research Notes and Comments

He died on 14 September 1402, put to death by Sir Henry Hotspur after being captured by the English at the Battle of Homildon Hill.1

Sir William Stewart was invested as a Knight Banneret circa 1385.1 He was Clerk of the Royal Audit.1 He held the office of Scottish Ambassador to England.1 He held the office of Sheriff of Teviotdale.1 He lived at Jedworth, Scotland.1

The Stewarts of Garlies descend from Sir William.

notes

From The Scots Peerage, Vol 4, page 146:

The affiliation of Sir William, the second son of Sir Alexander, has been disputed by some genealogists, and the question is more than usually important, as on it depends the title of heir-male of the house of Stewart.
On this account Andrew Stuart of Torrance (one of the historians of the Stewarts), a rival candidate tor the honour, sought to impose on the Stewarts of Garlies an entirely different origin, ascribing their male ancestry to a John le Seneschal of Jedworth, whose name occurs among the signatories to the Ragman Roll in 1296/ and who, from inability to identity him otherwise, has been assumed by most genealogists to be identical with Sir John Stewart of Bonkyl already named. But John le Seneschal of Jedworth was not a knight, which Sir John Stewart of Bonkyl unquestionably was, being so designated in the Roll, while the Seneschal of Jedworth is not. John le Seneschal of Jedworth signs the Roll amidst a mixed multitude from the county of Roxburgh, while Sir John Stewart's name occupies the second place, immediately after that of his brother the High Stewart himself. In the Roll John le Seneschal shares the designation 'of Jedworth' with Guy le Clerk of Jedworth, Richard Fossart of Jedworth, and Henry Braceor of Jedworth, while Sir John Stewart's only title is 'brother of Sir James the Stewart.' In fact, the whole designation points to an office (of which there are numerous instances in the Roll), not to a surname, since the patronymic Stewart is always latinised in the Roll as Senescal or Senescalli — never Seneschal— and the substitution of 'of for the territorial 'de' in this case still further emphasises the point.
Further, the arms of Sir John Stewart, the eldest son of Sir Alexander Stewart of Darnley (as proved by his seal in the French Record Office, and reproduced by Andrew Stuart in his Genealogy of the Stewarts), were a lesse chequy, surmounted of a bend dexter, while the arms of Sir William Stewart were a lesse chequy surmounted engrailed, to mark the younger son. The crest of Sir John Stewart was a 'bull's head erased,' marking his descent maternally from the ancient Border family of Turnbull, who bore that cognizance. The actual crest of Sir William Stewart is not known, but he is called 'nephew ' by Sir John Turnbull of Minto in a deed afterwards referred to. Sir John Stewart who bore the Turnbull cognizance, and Sir William Stewart who was the Turnbull's nephew, must therefore have been related maternally as well as paternally, and as Sir John was certainly Sir Alexander's eldest son, Sir William must also have been a son. [6]

Citations

1. [S1924] #189 The Scots Peerage: Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland, Containing an Historical and Genealogical Account of the Nobility of that Kingdom, with Armorial Illustrations (1904-1914), Paul , Sir James Balfour, (9 volumes. Edinburgh: D. Douglas, 1904-1914), FHL book 941 D22p; FHL microfilms104,157-104,161., vol. 4 p. 148.
2. [S1924] #189 The Scots Peerage: Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland, Containing an Historical and Genealogical Account of the Nobility of that Kingdom, with Armorial Illustrations (1904-1914), Paul , Sir James Balfour, (9 volumes. Edinburgh: D. Douglas, 1904-1914), FHL book 941 D22p; FHL microfilms104,157-104,161., vol. 5 p. 345.
3. [S21] #226 The Peerage of Scotland: Containing an Historical and Genealogical Account of the Nobility of That Kingdom, from Their Origin to the Present Generation (2nd edition, 1813), Douglas, Sir Robert, (2nd edition. 2 volumes. Edinburgh: A. Constable, 1813 NOTE: Caution should be taken with this peerage, and compared with other peerages to obtain accurate information about the families. Some of the lineages are confused, but can be used for supplemental information.), FHL book Q 941 D22d; FHL microfilm 1,440,956 items., vol. 1 p. 615.
4. [S21] #226 The Peerage of Scotland: Containing an Historical and Genealogical Account of the Nobility of That Kingdom, from Their Origin to the Present Generation (2nd edition, 1813), Douglas, Sir Robert, (2nd edition. 2 volumes. Edinburgh: A. Constable, 1813 NOTE: Caution should be taken with this peerage, and compared with other peerages to obtain accurate information about the families. Some of the lineages are confused, but can be used for supplemental information.), FHL book Q 941 D22d; FHL microfilm 1,440,956 items., vol. 2 p. 91.
5. [S21] #226 The Peerage of Scotland: Containing an Historical and Genealogical Account of the Nobility of That Kingdom, from Their Origin to the Present Generation (2nd edition, 1813), Douglas, Sir Robert, (2nd edition. 2 volumes. Edinburgh: A. Constable, 1813 NOTE: Caution should be taken with this peerage, and compared with other peerages to obtain accurate information about the families. Some of the lineages are confused, but can be used for supplemental information.), FHL book Q 941 D22d; FHL microfilm 1,440,956 items., vol. 1 p. 616.
6. [S1924] #189 The Scots Peerage: Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland, Containing an Historical and Genealogical Account of the Nobility of that Kingdom, with Armorial Illustrations (1904-1914), Paul , Sir James Balfour, (9 volumes. Edinburgh: D. Douglas, 1904-1914), FHL book 941 D22p; FHL microfilms104,157-104,161., vol. 4 p. 146.

Links

• https://histfam.familysearch.org//getperson.php?personID=I201567&tr...

Sir William Stewart of Jedworth

• Died 1402, Homildon Hill
• Father  Sir Alexander Stewart, of Darnley,   d. Bef 24 May 1402 
• Mother  Janet Turnbull, of Minto

Married

1. [Unknown],   d. Aft 1420. "She survived Sir William and married Sir Walter de Bickerton next." (TSP Vol 4 p 149)

Children 

1. Sir John Stewart, 1st of Garlies,   b. Abt 1381,   d. Bef 23 Oct 1420. Married Marion Stewart
2. [Unknown] Stewart.

   ---

http://fmg.ac/phocadownload/userupload/scanned-sources/tgb/Vol02-PD...