William De Haya

HAY

m. EVA
d.c.1201

William was the cupbearer to the King as seen by the charter of Malcolm IV and in some early charters of William the Lion and a charter from himself in 1171.(1) William granted the lands of Ederpolls to the Abbey of Coupar for the benefit of the souls of King Malcolm, Ranulph de Soulis, his uncle and others which was confirmed by King William.(2) William obtained a charter to the lands of Erroll in Perthshire between 1178 and 1182.(3) He was one of the hostages for King William the Lion when he was released by Henry II in 1174.(4)

Ruins of Coupar Abbey

Issue-

· 2I. DAVID- m.1. ETHNA, 2. Eva, d. between 1237 & 1241

· II. William- ancestor of the Hays of Aithmuir

· III. John- m. Juliana de Lascelles. John was Sheriff of Perth. Ancestor of the Hays of Naughton.

· IV. Thomas-

· V. Robert- parson of Erroll

· VI. Malcolm- parson of Erroll

Ref:

(1) Diplomata- No.25; Registrum Prioratus S. Andree- No.313
(2) Reg. De Coupar- I, 336; II, 284
(3) Spalding Misc.- II, 303
(4) Cal. of Docs.- I, 139

Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage- Charles Mosley, Ed., Burke's Peerage Ltd., 2003- Vol. I, p. 1335
"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, pp.555-6

2I. DAVID (WILLIAM 1)

m.1. ETHNA GRAHAM, d. of Gilbert Graham, Earl of Strathearn
2. Eva
d. between 1237 & 1241

David had a charter from King William the Lion to the barony of Erroll 17 Sept. 1195/6.(1) He was Sheriff of Forfar between 1211 and 1214.(2) David received the lands of Flemingstoun from his uncle Adam which was confirmed by Alexander II in 1224.(3) In May 1237 David made an agreement with the abbot and convent of Scone about some lands and tithes in the Carse of Gowrie.(4)

Issue

· 3I. GILBERT- m. IDONEA COMYN

· II. William-

· III. David- parson of Erroll

Ref:

(1) Spalding Misc.- II, 304
(2) Reg. De Aberbrothoc- I, 43
(3) Harl. MS.- 4693, fol.33
(4) Slain's Charters

Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage- Charles Mosley, Ed., Burke's Peerage Ltd., 2003- Vol. I, p. 1335; II, p. 2188
"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, pp.556-7

3I. GILBERT (WILLIAM 1, DAVID 2)

m. IDONEA COMYN

Before 1233 Gilbert received a grant to the lands of Huchtercule in Mar from his father-in-law William Comyn upon his marriage to Idonea.(1)

Gilbert was appointed one of the regents and guardians to Alexander III when the government of Scotland was settled at Roxburgh 20 Sept. 1225 and was reappointed in 1228.(2)

Gilbert was one of the knights who swore along with Earl Walter Comyn that he was neither of counsel nor aid when any people were sent to attack or lay waste the King of England's lands in Ireland c.1244.(3) He confirmed to the Abbey of Lindores the donation which David de Haya made of the third part of the fishing of Glasbanyn and witnessed a charter from King Alexander III to the priory of St. Andrews in 1250/1.(4) About 1251 the Earl of Mar granted the lands of Dronlaw to the Hays.

Gilbert became Sheriff of Perth before 1262 and his account was given to the Exchequer by his son Nicholas in 1264 when he was no longer Sheriff.(5)

Issue-

· 4I. NICHOLAS- m. JOHANNA ______, d. before June 1306

· Ref:

(1) Brit. Mus. MS. Harl., 4693, fol.33
(2) Cal. of Docs.- I, 2139
(3) Ibid- 2671
(4) Chartulary of Lindores- 84
(5) Exch. Rolls- I, 1-3

4I. NICHOLAS (WILLIAM 1, DAVID 2, GILBERT 3)

m. JOHANNA ______
d. before June 1306

Nicholas acknowledged Margaret of Norway as the successor to Alexander III in Parliament at Scone 5 Feb. 1283/4 and also consented to her marriage with Edward of England at Brigham 18 July 1290.(1) He was Sheriff of Perth before 1288 and about 1290 he had a charter from David of Inchesyreth of all claim he had to any lands he had within or without the burgh of Perth.(2) From Duncan, Earl of Fife he had a charter to the lands of Inchesyreth upon the resignation of David.(3) Nicholas had a charter from John Baliol 1 Aug. 1294 making his lands of Erroll, Inchyra, Kilspindie, Dronlaw, Pethponti, Cassingray and Fossowa into a free warren.(4) He swore fealty to Edward I on 10 July 1296.(5)

Nicholas gave to the Abbey of Coupar a bovate of land in the Carse and he entered into an agreement with William Auld, Burgess of Perth in 1302 concerning the recovery of debts due to him and stating that William would receive one third of the amount recovered.(6) Nicholas was summoned by Edward I to attend the Parliament at St. Andrews 5 Mar. 1303/4 and was alive on 31 May 1305 but had died by June 1306.(7)

Issue-

· 5I. GILBERT- d. Apr. 1333

· II. Nicholas- parson of Fossoway, Dean of Dunkeld

· III. John- parson of Erroll

· IV. Hugh-

Ref:

(1) Foedera- II, 266, 471, 553D
(2) Cal. of Docs.- II, 347; Exch. Rolls- I, 49; Gray Inventory- I, 322
(3) Gray Inventory- I, 322
(4) Slains Charters; Spalding Misc.- II, 313
(5) Cal. of Docs.- II, 767
(6) Slains Charters; Reg. of Coupar- II, 288; Spalding Misc.- II, 315
(7) Cal. of Docs.- II, 1468, 1670, 1782

5I. GILBERT (WILLIAM 1, DAVID 2, GILBERT 3, NICHOLAS 4)

d. Apr. 1333

Gilbert swore fealty to Edward I at Aberdeen 16 July 1296 and in 1304/5 he petitioned the King for relief for his lands which had been so destroyed in the war that he would be ruined if he paid the total tax along with his mother's dower and the tax of his freeholders from whom he had taken nothing and that he would be obliged to sell his lands, he being also in debt to the extent of £400. The King gave him £100 and allowed him to pay the balance at 20 marks per year.(1)

Gilbert joined the Bruce in March 1306 and remained faithful to him throughout the war. Edward I issued orders 19 June 1306 to Aymer de Valence to burn, destroy and strip his lands because after the King's great courtesy to him in London he was now a traitor.(2) For his services to King Robert he received a charter to the lands of Slains, Aberdeenshire as well as the office of Constable of Scotland. As Constable of Scotland he is mentioned in a letter to Philip the Fair, King of France 16 Mar. 1308/9 and in a donation by Robert I to the Abbey of Scone 7 Apr. 1313. This office became hereditary by a charter from King Robert at Cambuskenneth 12 Nov. 1314.(3) He was also granted Delgatie castle after the Battle of Bannockburn. On 18 Sept. 1314 he was an ambassador to England and was granted a safe-conduct from Edward II. Gilbert was one of the signers of a letter to Pope John asserting the independance of Scotland dated at Arbroath 6 Apr. 1320. In 1323 he was one of the conservators of a truce with England.(4)

Delgatie Castle

The chronicles of the time called him the "Loyal Hay" and the family war cry was "The Hay! The Hay!"

" The King had in hys cumpany
James alsua of Douglas,
That wycht, wyse and worthy was ;
Schyr Gilbert de la Hay alsua.''

When the King and his followers were on one occasion attacked by the men of Lorn, it is related that:

" James off Douglas was hurt that tyd,
And als Sir Gilbert de la Hay..."

" The King now takys hys gate to ga,
And with hym tuk he sergeands twa,
And Schyr Gilbert de la Hay left he
Thar for to rest with hys menye."

On the 6th May 1324, Sir Gilbert Hay made a grant in pure and perpetual alms to Almighty God and to the blessed Dominic, for the maintenance of one burning lamp and another burning lamp before the great cross in the Church of the Dominican Friars, Perth, to be paid half at the Feast of Pentecost, and the other half at the Feast of St Martin in the winter.(5)

Issue-

· 6I. NICHOLAS- d. before 1333

Ref:

(1) Cal. of Docs.- II, 195, 1738
(2) Ibid- 1787
(3) Spalding Misc.- II, 211
(4) Crawford's "Peerage"- 138
(5) Annals of an Angus Parish-Rev. W. Mason Inglis, John Leng & Co., Dundee, 1888- pp. 58-9

6I. NICHOLAS (WILLIAM 1, DAVID 2, GILBERT 3, NICHOLAS 4, GILBERT 5)

d. before 1333

Nicholas de la Haye is mentioned in a demission granted between 1305 and 1309 by his father to the Abbot and Convent of Coupar of the whole herbage and fishing of the pool of Ederpoles.(1) He witnessed charters from Robert the Bruce in 1325 and 1328.(2) In the Exchequer accounts of 1328 and 1329 there is mention of a sum granted to him by King Robert for the marriages of his daughters and in 1331 he was due a debt from the King.(3) Nicholas probably died in battle before his father.

Issue-

· 7I. DAVID- m.1. ______ KEITH, 2. Margaret ______, d. 17 Oct. 1346 Battle of Durham

Ref:

(1) Reg. of Coupar- II, 286
(2) Antiq. of Aberdeen- III, 317; II, 386
(3) Exch. Rolls- I, 115, 216, 375, 402

7I. DAVID (WILLIAM 1, DAVID 2, GILBERT 3, NICHOLAS 4, GILBERT 5, NICHOLAS 6)

m.1. ______ KEITH, daughter of John Keith of Innerpeffer
2. Margaret ______
d. 17 Oct. 1346 battle of Durham

David was a witness to a charter of David II on 17 June 1341 and again in 1344.(1) He was killed at the battle of Durham (Neville's Cross) in 1346.(2) The Chieftains of the Clan Hay, known as the MacGaraidh Mor, was traditionally the Commander of the Royal Bodyguard and this fact caused many Hay chieftans to be killed in battle while protecting the king.

Issue-

· 8I. THOMAS- m. Princess ELIZABETH BRUCE, d. July 1406

Ref:

(1) Reg. of Aberbrothos- II, 541; Reg. Mag. Sig.
(2) Hailes' "Annals"- II, 240

8I. THOMAS (WILLIAM 1, DAVID 2, GILBERT 3, NICHOLAS 4, GILBERT 5, NICHOLAS 6, DAVID 7)

m. int. 7 Nov. 1372, Princess ELIZABETH, daughter of Robert II
d. July 1406, bur. Coupar Abbey

Thomas was Constable of Scotland and was one of the commissioners appointed to negociate with the English for the release of King David II in 1353 as well as a hostage for his ransom in 1354.(1) He sold land in the barony of Slains to Sir John Fenton of Fenton in 1368.(2) As Constable of Scotland he officiated at the coronation of Robert II at Scone 26 March 1371 and the next day he took the oaths of homage and fealty and he was one of those who swore to the maintenance of the Act of Settlement of the Crown of Scotland on 4 Apr. 1371.(3)

He had a charter to £300 worth of lands in the tenement of Slaines in Aberdeenshire which Robert I had given to Gilbert de Haya and his heirs. This charter is dated 5 Jan. 1376/7.(4) On 7 Nov. 1372 he and Elizabeth had a charter to an annual rent of 18 marks from the lands of Inchetuthyll 30 June 1378.(5) Thomas received 400 francs of the 40,000 francs which the King of France sent to be divided among the principal persons in Scotland.(6) He was served heir to his grandfather Sir John Keith of Innerpeffer 19 Jan. 1389/0 and had a charter from Robert III to the lands of Galbrydstain and the barony of Capet (Caputh).(7)

Issue-

· 9I. WILLIAM- m. MARGARET GRAY, d. 1436

· II. Gilbert- m. Elizabeth Reid. Ancestor of the Hays of Delgaty and Park. He was one of the Scots knights with Joan of Arc at the coronation of King Charles VII of France.

· III. Elizabeth- m. Sir George Leslie of Rothes

· IV. ______- m. Norman Leslie of that Ilk

· V. Alicia- m. Sir William Hay of Locharret

Ref:

(1) Foedera- VI, 619
(2) Slains Charters; Antiq. Aberdeen- II, 132
(3) Robertson's Index
(4) Reg. Mag. Sig.
(5) Slains Charters
(6) Foedera- VII, 485
(7) Slains Charters; Spalding Misc.- II, 319

Britain's Royal Family: A Complete Genealogy- Alison Weir, The Bodley Head, London, 1999- p. 222
Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage- Charles Mosley, Ed., Burke's Peerage Ltd., 2003- Vol. I, p. 1335
"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, pp.561-2

9I. WILLIAM (WILLIAM 1, DAVID 2, GILBERT 3, NICHOLAS 4, GILBERT 5, NICHOLAS 6, DAVID 7, THOMAS 8)

m. MARGARET GRAY of Broxmouth
d. 1436

William was Constable of Scotland and succeeded his father in 1406 and had an acquittance from his uncle Robert, Duke of Albany of the relief duty due to the Crown of all his lands which he held of the King 3 Aug. 1406.(1) He had a charter from the Duke of Albany to the barony of Cowrie in Kincardineshire upon the reisgnation of William Fraser of Philorth 14 May 1415.(2) William was one of the hostages for King James I when he was allowed to visit Scotland 31 May 1421 and in 1423 he was a member of the commission appointed to negociate with the English for the release of the King.(3) William was knighted at the King's coronation and was appointed one of the Wardens of the Marches in 1430.(4)

Issue-

· 10I. GILBERT- m. ALICIA HAY, d. 7 Sept. 1436

· II. William- d. before 2 Feb. 1471/2

· III. Walter-

· IV. David-

· V. Thomas-

Ref:

(1) Antiq. Aberdeen- II, 134
(2) Reg. Mag. Sig.; Spalding Misc.- II, 321
(3) Foedera- X, 125
(4) Ibid- 125, 307, 325, 332, 491

Britain's Royal Family: A Complete Genealogy- Alison Weir, The Bodley Head, London, 1999- p. 221
Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage- Charles Mosley, Ed., Burke's Peerage Ltd., 2003- Vol. I, p. 1335
"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, pp.562-3

10 I. GILBERT (WILLIAM 1, DAVID 2, GILBERT 3, NICHOLAS 4, GILBERT 5, NICHOLAS 6, DAVID 7, THOMAS 8, WILLIAM 9)

m. ALICIA HAY of Yester
d. 7 Sept. 1436

Gilbert went to England as a hostage for Murdach, son of the Regent, Duke of Albany in 1412 and was one of the hostages for the ransom of James I in 1424 when his income was estimated at 800 marks. He was in England in 1426 as a hostage when Alicia obtained a safe-conduct to go to him, but had an order of release 9 March 1426/7 and six horses were ordered to be provided for his conveyance from the Tower of London to York 13 Apr. 1427.(1) He returned to Scotland before 14 Aug. 1432 when he appears as a witness.(2)

Issue-

· 11I. WILLIAM- m. before 17 Mar. 1449/0 BEATRIX DOUGLAS (m.2. before 12 Oct. 1463 Arthur Forbes, alive in 1490), d. Oct. 1462

· II. Gilbert- m. Beatrix Dunbar of Crethmond, d. before 12 Sept. 1487. Ancestor of the Hays of Urie

Ref:

(1) Foedera- X, 372-3
(2) Swinton Charters- No. 28

11I. WILLIAM (WILLIAM 1, DAVID 2, GILBERT 3, NICHOLAS 4, GILBERT 5, NICHOLAS 6, DAVID 7, THOMAS 8, WILLIAM 9, GILBERT 10)

m. before 17 Mar. 1449/0 BEATRIX DOUGLAS
d. 15 Nov. 1461

William succeeded to the estates in 1436 and had sasine of the lands of Inchira on 25 Jan. 1443/4.(1)

William was made first Earl of Errol 17 Mar. 1452/3 and received charters for various lands in 1446 and 1450. He granted a charter to the lands of Achmore to Sir David Hay of Yester in 1452. On 31 July 1452 he had two charters under the Great Seal to the lordship of Erroll and the regality of Slains.(2)

He was made Lord High Constable for which he received the revenues from the hearth tax. James II received large amounts of money from William's constable fees. In 1457 William was one of the commissioners to negociate a treaty with the English.

There is an obligation by Friar James Lindsay, vicar-general of the friars minor of Scotland to Beatrix dated at Dundee 12 Mar. 1481/2 to sing a mass daily for William, Earl of Erroll, her husband and William, Earl of Erroll her son.(3)

Issue-

· I. Nicholas- m. 1461, Elizabeth Gordon, d.s.p. 1470

· 12II. WILLIAM- m.1. ISABEL GORDON, 2. int. 14 Oct. 1485 Elizabeth Leslie (m.2. Sir William Edmonston of Duntreath, d. before Aug. 1511), d. 1506

· III. Gilbert- d.s.p.

· IV. Elizabeth- m.1. Aug. 1471 George Gordon, Earl of Huntly, m.2. Andrew Gray

· V. Margaret- m.1. c.1470 Alexander Fraser of Philorth, 2. before 1486 Sir Gilbert Keith of Inverugie, 3. Jan. 1499/00 Robert Douglas of Lochleven

· VI. Isabel- m. Lawrence Oliphant

Ref:

(1) Gray Inventory- I, 323
(2) Slains Inventory
(3) Spalding Misc.- II, 324

Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage- Charles Mosley, Ed., Burke's Peerage Ltd., 2003- Vol. I, pp. 23, 1335-6
"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, pp.564-5

12II. WILLIAM (WILLIAM 1, DAVID 2, GILBERT 3, NICHOLAS 4, GILBERT 5, NICHOLAS 6, DAVID 7, THOMAS 8, WILLIAM 9, GILBERT 10, WILLIAM 11)

m.1. ISABEL GORDON
2. int. 14 Oct. 1485 Elizabeth Leslie (m.2. William Edmonston of Duntreath, d. before Aug. 1511)
d. 14 Jan. 1506/7

William, 3rd Earl of Erroll, 4th Lord Hay, was one of the Privy Council of James III and in 1472 he was nominated a commissioner to negociate a treaty with England.

In 1488 at the Parliament held at Edinburgh castle by King James III both William Hay, 3rd Earl of Erroll and John Hay of Yester were among the many Lords who sided with the King while a rebel army, using Prince James (later James IV) as a figure head, marched from Linlithgow. William was one of the Lords who insisted the King flee to Fife as the rebels reached the outskirts of Edinburgh. The rebels, led by the 'Red' Douglas, Archibald 'Bell the cat', while pursuing the King to Leith seized several wagons containing some of the King's money and clothes. William was with the Lords who marched north with the King to Aberdeen to muster support in the highlands to oppose the rebels in the south. But at the battle of Sauchieburn near Stirling the Hays, like so many of the other Lords at the Parliament, abandoned the King to his own fate. The Royal army was routed by the rebels and the King, badly wounded, fled to a nearby mill house where he was murdered by a rebel pretending to be a priest. By 1489 we find William Hay supporting the new regime under King James IV.

Issue- first four children by Isabel, last three by Elizabeth

· 13I. WILLIAM- m.1. before 1495 CHRISTIAN LYON (d. after 21 Aug. 1508), 2. Margaret Ker (m.1. Sir James Sandilands of Calder), killed 9 Sept. 1513 Flodden

· 14II. THOMAS- m. 1493 MARGARET LOGIE (m.2. Robert Murray), killed 9 Sept. 1513 Flodden

· III. John-

· IV. Beatrix- int. 12 Oct. 1501 Alexander Keith of Inverugie, d.s.p. before 1505

· V. John- m. Elizabeth Bunch (alive in 1562), d.s.p.

· VI. William- m. Barbara Gordon

· VII. Elizabeth- m. before 6 Nov. 1500, David Lindsay, Earl of Crawford, living 24 Jan. 1510/1

Ref:

The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, ed., new ed., Alan Sutton Publishing, Gloucester, U.K., 2000- Vol. III, p. 514
Britain's Royal Family: A Complete Genealogy- Alison Weir, The Bodley Head, London, 1999- p. 232
Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage- Charles Mosley, Ed., Burke's Peerage Ltd., 2003- Vol. I, p. 1336
"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, pp.565-7

13I. WILLIAM (WILLIAM 1, DAVID 2, GILBERT 3, NICHOLAS 4, GILBERT 5, NICHOLAS 6, DAVID 7, THOMAS 8, WILLIAM 9, GILBERT 10, WILLIAM 11, WILLIAM 12)

m.1. int. 24 Apr. 1492 CHRISTIAN LYON (alive 21 Aug. 1508), d. of John Lyon, Lord Glamis
2. int. 17 May 1509, Margaret Kerr (m.1. Sir James Sandilands of Calder)
killed 9 Sept. 1513, battle of Flodden

William and Christian had a charter from his father to the lands of Capeth or Inchtuthill which was confirmed by James IV 21 Aug. 1497.(1) William had a gift of the relief of his father's land on 18 Jan. 1506/7 and had a precept for infefting him as heir in Petponte on 21 Feb. 1507/8.(2)

William was made sheriff of Aberdeen upon the resignation of John, Earl of Crawford 10 Feb. 1510/1. He had a charter to one-sixth of Inchmartin 17 June 1512 and renounced his rights as one of the heirs of James, Earl of Douglas and Avondale in favor of Andrew, Lord Avondale 30 Nov. 1512.(3)

He accompanied James IV to the battle of Flodden where he was killed.

Battle of Flodden Memorial

Issue-

· 15I. WILLIAM- m. ELIZABETH RUTHVEN (m.2. Ninian, Lord Ross of Halkhead), d. 28 July 1522 Edinburgh

· II. Elizabeth- m.c.1512, William Abernethy, Lord Saltoun, d.c.1576

· III. Isabel- m. William Forbes of Tolquhon

Ref:

(1) Reg. Sec. Sig.- I, 86
(2) Antiq. Aberdeen- III, 139
(3) Ibid; Slains Inventory

Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage- Charles Mosley, Ed., Burke's Peerage Ltd., 2003- Vol. I, p. 1336
"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, pp.567-8

15I. WILLIAM (WILLIAM 1, DAVID 2, GILBERT 3, NICHOLAS 4, GILBERT 5, NICHOLAS 6, DAVID 7, THOMAS 8, WILLIAM 9, GILBERT 10, WILLIAM 11, WILLIAM 12, WILLIAM 13)

m. ELIZABETH RUTHVEN (m.2. Ninian, Lord Ross of Halkhead)
d. 28 July 1522 Edinburgh
bur. Coupar

According to Calderwood, William was well: "learned both in humanitie and divinitie and speciallie weill versed in the New Testament. He would rehearse word by word the choicest sentences, speciallie suche as served to establishe solid comfort in the soule by faith in Christ. Much suffered he for the cause of Christ. Mr. Robert Alexander, advocate, who had been his schoolmaster, set forth his testament in Scottish metre, which was printed after in Edinburgh, anno 1571, by Thomas Bassandine, printer. It was dedicated to Lilias Ruthven, Ladie Drummond."(1)

William was one of the Privy Councillors to James V and in 1515 he was one of the commissioners sent to France to try to get the Scots included in their treaty with the English. In 1516 he and others were sent by the estates of Scotland to the King of England with their refusal to remove the Duke of Albany from the guardianship of the young King.

Issue-

· 16I. WILLIAM- b.c.1521, m. HELEN STEWART (m.2. Aug. 1548 John, Earl of Sutherland), d. 11 Apr. 1541

Ref:

(1) "History of the Kirk of Scotland"- Calderwood- Vol. I, p. 134

16I. WILLIAM (WILLIAM 1, DAVID 2, GILBERT 3, NICHOLAS 4, GILBERT 5, NICHOLAS 6, DAVID 7, THOMAS 8, WILLIAM 9, GILBERT 10, WILLIAM 11, WILLIAM 12, WILLIAM 13, WILLIAM 14)

b.c.1521
m. HELEN STEWART (m.2. Aug. 1548 John, Earl of Sutherland)
d. 11 Apr. 1541

William received his father's lands at Slains in Sept. 1522 but Erroll remained in the King's possession because of his minority.(1)

Issue-

· 17I. JEAN- b. 1540, m. ANDREW HAY

Ref:

(1) Exch. Rolls- XV, 602; XVII, 93

14II. THOMAS (WILLIAM 1, DAVID 2, GILBERT 3, NICHOLAS 4, GILBERT 5, NICHOLAS 6, DAVID 7, THOMAS 8, WILLIAM 9, GILBERT 10, WILLIAM 11, WILLIAM 12)

m. 1493 MARGARET LOGIE (m.2. Robert Murray)
killed 9 Sept. 1513, battle of Flodden

As heiress of Logiealmond Margaret resigned her lands to Thomas which was granted to him in Oct. 1493.(1)

Issue-

· 18I. GEORGE- m.1. MARGARET ROBERTSON (m.1. Thomas Innes of Elrick), 2. int. 12 June 1561 Helen Bryson of Pitcullen (m.2. int. 4 Nov. 1575 Patrick Cheyne of Essilmont), bur. 30 Jan. 1573/4 Erroll, Perth

· II. Beatrix- m. Walter Bovar of Keltie

Ref:

(1) Red Book of Grandtully- I, 173

18I. GEORGE (WILLIAM 1, DAVID 2, GILBERT 3, NICHOLAS 4, GILBERT 5, NICHOLAS 6, DAVID 7, THOMAS 8, WILLIAM 9, GILBERT 10, WILLIAM 11, WILLIAM 12, THOMAS 13)

m.1. int. 12 Nov. 1528 MARGARET ROBERTSON of Strawan (m.1. Thomas Innes of Elrick)
2. int. 12 June 1561 Helen Bryson of Pitcullen (m.2. int. 4 Nov. 1575 Patrick Cheyne of Essilmont)
bur. 30 Jan. 1573/4 Erroll, Perth

George was served heir to his mother and seised in the barony of Logiealmond in Oct. 1536.(1) He was served heir to his cousin William, Earl of Erroll in the lordship and barony of Erroll which had been in the King's hands for over 19 years.(2) He had charters to the lordship of Erroll and to the lands and baronies of Capeth, Inchiref and Fossoquhy, Perthshire, Cowrie in Kincardine, Cassingray in Fife, and Dronlaw in Forfar, all of which was made into the barony of Erroll 5 Dec. 1541. On 13 Dec. 1541 he received charters to the barony of Slains, Aberdeenshire, Innerpeffer, Forfarshire and the office of constabulary.(3) He granted a bond to pay 4,000 marks to the King to secure Helen, Countess of Erroll, 400 marks yearly, and to marry his oldest son to Jean Hay the last earl's only daughter dated 2 Sept. 1541.(4)

He was made by Francis and Mary their lieutenant between the water of Erne and the north water on 22 July 1559 and in 1562 he was appointed along with several others to resist the Earl of Huntly.(5) George was one of the Lords who signed the bond of consent to the marriage between Mary, Queen of Scots and the Earl of Bothwell.

Issue- first nine children by Margaret, last two by Helen

· 19I. ANDREW- m.1. JEAN HAY (d. Aug. 1570), 2. int. 20 & 21 Sept. 1581 Agnes Sinclair (m.2. 1588 Alexander Gordon of Strathdon, d. 6 Nov. 1619), d. 8 Oct. 1585

· II. John- m. Elizabeth Butter of Gornoch (m.2. Hugh Maxwell of Tealing), d. May 1579 Murchalls

· III. Lawrence- d.s.p.

· IV. George- m. Marjory Keith. Lived at Ardelthen.

· V. Thomas- parson of Turriff

· VI. Alexander- alive 16 Jan. 1601

· VII. Elizabeth- m. contract 13 Jan. 1543/4 William Keith, Lord Keith

· VIII. Margaret- int. 11 May 1551, Lawrence Oliphant, Lord Oliphant

· IX. Beatrix- m. William Hay of Dalgaty

· X. Euphame- d. young

· XI. Isobel- m.1. 1582 John Leslie of Balquhain (divorced for adultery 9 March 1597/8), 2. James, Lord Balfour, Baron of Glenawley

Ref:

(1) Red Book of Grandtully
(2) Slains Charters
(3) Reg. Mag. Sig.
(4) Acta Dom. Conc. et Sess.- XVI, 138
(5) Spalding Misc.- II, 328; P.C. Reg.- I, 223

The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, ed., new ed., Alan Sutton Publishing, Gloucester, U.K., 2000- Vol. I, pp.160, 383, 1336; VIII, p. 479
"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, pp.568-71

20I. ANDREW (WILLIAM 1, DAVID 2, GILBERT 3, NICHOLAS 4, GILBERT 5, NICHOLAS 6, DAVID 7, THOMAS 8, WILLIAM 9, GILBERT 10, WILLIAM 11, WILLIAM 12, THOMAS 13, GEORGE 14)

m.1. int. 16 June 1552, JEAN HAY (d. Aug. 1570)
2. int. 20 & 21 Sept. 1581 Agnes Sinclair (m.2. 1588 Alexander Gordon of Strathdon, d. 6 Nov. 1619)
d. 8 Oct. 1585

By his marriage with Jean the male heirs and the female heirs were united. Andrew was one of Queen Mary's Privy Councillors. He had charters to the barony of Erroll 10 Feb. 1548/9, to the barony of Slains and Innerpeffer 19 May 1565, and to the barony of Logie upon his father's resignation 13 Jan. 1573/4.(1) Andrew was imprisoned by his brother Lawrence at Slains castle in 1576.

Issue- first four children by Jean, next two children by Agnes

· I. Alexander- Alexander was a deaf mute and was declared insane in 1596.

· 21II. FRANCIS- m.1. int. 22 & 28 Apr., 27 June 1584 Margaret Stewart (d.s.p.), 2. int. Jan. 1586/7 Mary, daughter of the Earl of Athol (will 12 Apr. 1588), 3. before 10 July 1590 ELIZABETH DOUGLAS, d. 16 July 1631 Slains castle

· III. Thomas- d.s.p. Thomas was also a deaf mute and declared insane in 1596.

· IV. Eleanor/Helen- m. 26 Jan. 1583/4 Alexander Livingstone, Earl of Linlithgow

· V. George- m. Isabel Cheyne of Esselmont (m.1. Patrick Hay of Megginch

· VI. William- m.1. Lilias Gordon of Gight, 2. Marie Innes. William lived at Fetterletter.

· VII. Margaret- d.s.p.

· VIII. Agnes- m. Patrick Bruce of Fingask

Ref:

(1) Reg. Mag. Sig.

The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, ed., new ed., Alan Sutton Publishing, Gloucester, U.K., 2000- vol. XII/2, p. 69
Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage- Charles Mosley, Ed., Burke's Peerage Ltd., 2003- Vol. I, p. 1336
"The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
"The Scots Peerage"- Vol.III, pp.571-4

21II. FRANCIS (WILLIAM 1, DAVID 2, GILBERT 3, NICHOLAS 4, GILBERT 5, NICHOLAS 6, DAVID 7, THOMAS 8, WILLIAM 9, GILBERT 10, WILLIAM 11, WILLIAM 12, THOMAS 13, GEORGE 14, ANDREW 15)

m.1. int. 22 & 28 Apr., 27 June 1584 Margaret Stewart (d.s.p.)
2. int. 17, 20, 24, 28 Jan. 1586/7 Mary, daughter of the Earl of Athol (will 12 Apr. 1588)
3. before 10 July 1590 ELIZABETH DOUGLAS
d. 16 July 1631 Slains castle, bur. Slains church

Francis had a charter to the lands of Argath and Inchmicihael, Perthshire 22 Aug. 1582 (1) and to the barony of Erroll and Slains 29 March 1584.(2) Upon his father's death he became the 9th Earl of Erroll being then under age.(3) On 6 Feb. 1587/8 he had a charter to the Kirktown of Slains.(4)

Old Slains Castle

Francis was a member of the Catholic faction along with the Earls of Crawford, Huntly and Bothwell, which in 1589 corresponded with King Philip of Spain and the Duke of Parma and rebelled.(5) The goal was to overthrow Queen Elizabeth and convert James VI to Catholicism and make Britain a Catholic stronghold, however, with the defeat of the Spanish Armade the conspiracy came to naught. On 29 Feb. 1588/9 he was ordered to appear before the Privy Council on the charge of perverting the true religion, but failing to appear was denounced as a rebel on 21 March and on 7 Apr. he was ordered to deliver up his castles of Slains and Logiealmond.(6) They surrendered to the King at Aberdeen and were brought to public trial where they were convicted of repeated acts of treason but, were released a few months later as an act of clemency on the King's approaching marriage. On 31 July 1592 Francis was again committed as a papist and was locked up in Edinburgh castle, but soon released and again corresponded with Spain. He was summoned to Parliament 8 Jan. 1592/3 and on 5 Feb. he was denounced as a rebel for trafficking with Jesuits, Seminary Priests and others.(7) On 25 Sept. 1593 he and the Earls of Angus and Huntly were excommunicated and on 17 Oct. they appeared before the King and offered to submit to a legal trial. On 26 Nov. it was decided that they and their followers would be exempted from prosecution if before 1 Feb. 1594 they would submit to the church and renounce the errors of popery or leave the Kingdom. On 31 Jan. 1593/4 he was ordered to Edinburgh Castle until the trial and on 8 June he was found guilty of treason.(8) The group refused to agree to those conditions and attacked and defeated the King's troops under the Earl of Argyle at the battle of Glenlivet 3 Oct. 1594. The 300 soldiers of Francis Hay and George Gordon routed the Campbells of Argyll and the MacLeans who were fighting on behalf of King James VI. Patrick Con of Auchry, was captain of the cavalry in the army of the Earl of Erroll, Lord High Constable of Scotland. The outcome of the battle was greatly affected by the skillful handling of a disciplined body of 100-200 picked horsemen of Erroll’s. Francis Hay himself was wounded in the leg while leading the mounted charge.King James arranged to have Huntly castle destroyed as he marched north to personally blow up Old Slains castle. The King also attacked, but didn't destroy, the other Hay castle at Delgatie. With the King now advancing against them they obtained permission to go abroad upon giving security they should not return without his license nor engage in further intrigues against the reformed religion or peace of the Kingdom. Francis went to Holland but was arrested by order of the Estates of that country and was imprisoned at Middleburg under the care of Robert Danielstoun, conservator of the privileges who, however, let him escape.(9) Francis returned home without the King's consent landing at Stonehaven 20 Sept. 1596 and on 22 Nov. a proclamation was issued prohibiting the lieges from communicating with him.(10) However, on 16 Dec. 1597 his forfeiture was reduced by an Act of Parliament.(11) He and Elizabeth then had a charter to the lordship of Erroll, the lands of Logy and others 10 Aug. 1600, to the lands of Turnaluif 29 July 1607, to the barony of Crimond 7 June 1608, and to the dominical lands of Esslemont 13 March 1623.(12) Instead of repairing the Old Slains castle he rebuilt Bowness castle and renamed it New Slains. The castle was added to over the years, however, was abandoned in 1916. In 1895 at New Slains castle Bram Stoker was inspired to write his classic Dracula.

New Slains Castle c.1900

Francis became so much in favor with James VI that he was apponted by Parliament one of the commissioners to negociate the Union with England 11 July 1604, but on 11 Oct. 1608 he was still refusing to conform to the reformed religion, was excommunicated and ordered by the Privy Council to go to Dumbarton Castle within 10 days which he did, his place of imprisonment being changned from time to time. He was not absolved from the excommunication until 1617.(13) On 28 March 1620 he was accused of sending his son to France in the company of Patrick Con the younger of Auchrie, a papist.(14)

Having been sick for a long time he had on 9 March 1629 a Royal Warrant to go abroad for the benefit of his health under a caution for £10,000.(15) He died at Slains in 1631 and was buried in the church there. In his will dated 9 June 1628 he declares that he died as he had lived a true and sincere apostolic Roman Catholic and expressed the wish that his children, friends and all others should embrace that faith.(16)

Issue- all children by Elizabeth

· I. William- m. 1618 Anne Lyon, d. 7 Dec. 1636

· 22II. JEAN- m. 6 Feb. 1610 Edinburgh Castle, JOHN ERSKINE

· III. George- d. before 1629 Avignon

· IV. Francis- d.s.p. Dec. 1627 Edinburgh, bur. Holyroodhouse

· V. Thomas-

· VI. Lewis- d.s.p. Slains

· VII. Anne- m. 26 Apr. 1609 George Seton, Earl of Winton

· VIII. Mary- m. int. 11, 15 Oct. 1616 Walter Scott, Earl of Buccleuch, d. 11 Apr. 1631 Newark Castle, Yarrow

· IX. Elizabeth- m.1. int. 27 Nov. 1620 Hugh Sempill, Lord Sempill, 2. before 20 May 1643 James Douglas, Lord Mordington

· X. Sophia- m. 1626 John Gordon, Viscount Melgum, d.c. 12 March 1642

· XI. Margaret- m. 1642 Sir John Seton of Barns

· XII. Isabel- bpt. 11 Apr. 1611, d.s.p.

Ref:

(1) Reg. Mag. Sig.
(2) Ibid
(3) Reg. of Deeds- XXIII, 242
(4) Reg. Mag. Sig.
(5) Robertson- II, 365
(6) P.C. Reg.- IV, 361, 366, 371
(7) "Criminal Trials"- Pitcairn- 283
(8) Ibid- 314
(9) P.C. Reg.- V, 314
(10) Ibid- 329
(11) Ibid- 428
(12) Reg. Mag. Sig.
(13) P.C. Reg.- VIII, 176
(14) Ibid- XII, 240
(15) Ibid- 2nd series, III, 86
(16) Slains Charters

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