(Jody Gray) This Blog Post can be useful to anyone researching the Cockburn Family in Scotland, as such, I am not adding information relating to my own ancestry in the House of Cockburn ‘Pedigree’.
I downloaded the following book to my laptop. This is my source for the Cockburn Surname, Origins in Scotland. It is impossible to verify a “father-to-son” lineage of any specific branch. However, they were a prominent family with close connections to the monarchy and they were involved in historic events. For their service, monarchs granted them land, positions and titles. When they were on the losing side, they lost land, position and titles and often their lives -sometimes, imprisoned, found guilty of treason and executed. Due to their castles being sacked and burnt, many of the family documents were destroyed. But, using public records it is possible to locate prominent members of the Cockburn family throughout the history of Scotland.
Beginning with Malcolm Canmore’s return from exile in England to claim the Scottish throne [1058] and made earls, barons, and knights of many of his supporters -among them ‘Cokburn’. What I’m going to present, here, is the Cockburn Family foundation, beginning with the first ‘proved’ ancestor, I. Piers de Cokburn who had the “dominium” of Cockburn with its castle before the year 1230. V. Sir Alexander de Cokburn by marriage [Mariota de Veteri-Ponte] got the barony of Langton in the Merse. His son, I. Alexander, became Lord of Ormiston by marriage. His son IV. William, progenitor of the Cockburns of Skirling… VIII. William Cockburn, inherited the lands of East Reston.
*The House of Cockburn of that ilk and the cadets thereof: with historical anecdotes of the times in which many of the name played a conspicuous part. By Thomas H. Cockburn-Hood. pub 1888, Edinburgh. *of that ilk “of the same place, territorial designation, or name”
Dedicated to his much esteemed friend, Mariana-Augusta Cockburn, Lady Hamilton of Woodbrooke. Representative of the Baronial House of Langton, and to his cousin Sir Thomas Cockburn-Campbell, Bart. *
*The House of Cockburn of that ilk and the cadets thereof: *digital page numbers.
(pg 15) Contents
(pg 18) Map, The Merse, Sheriffdom of Berwick.
(pg 21) Prefatory Notes.
The surname of Cockburn is one of the oldest in Scotland, and has generally been deemed territorial, having been adopted, it is said, from lands so called, which the ancestor acquired in the Merse. Through them ran a small stream, the Cok-Burn, which falls into the River Whitadder, near the foot of the hill now called Cockburn-Law. These lands, whether they gave name to the owner or not -a matter open to doubt -lay in the Bonkyl country, and may have been acquired by the progenitor of the race by marriage with a daughter of the then Lord of Bonekyllschire, hard by whose castle was built the Cockbrun’s tower. The patriarch of the Cockburns came, according to Hector Boece, with the crowd of English colonists who crossed the Tweed after the marriage of Malcolm Canmore with the Saxon Princess Margaret, sister of Edgar Atheling. These new colonists, the able and learned historiographer Cosmo Innes remarks, in his preface to the “Origines Parochiales”, were of what we should call “the upper classes” of Anglican families long settled in Northumbria, and Normans of the highest blood and names, men of the sword, above all servile and mechanical employment. They were fit for the society of a court, and many of them became chosen companions of our princes”. Many of them, according to the old Canon of Aberdeen, were with that “nobleman Lord Patrick of Dunbar”...
“Malcolm Canmore, by support of Edward the Confessor, King of England 1042-1066, recovered his realme in the 13th year of the reign of the said Edward, and was crowned at Scone the 15th day of April. He made a general convention of his nobles that assisted him against Macbeth… He made many Earls, barons, and knights… as Fif, Menteith, Athol, Lennox, Murray, Caithness, Ros, and Angus. There was the first Earls among us, as our chronicles bears. Many new surnames come at this time”. Amongst them the enumerates are Dundas and Cokburn.
The patriarch of the latter patrician family may, as suggested, have been one of those distinguished colonists who came to England in King Malcolm’s reign, as he was apparently a contemporary. He or his descendants may also have placed the cock upon their shield in reference to the name assumed from their lands, but they may have been one of those old families who gave their own names to their possessions… The cock has been a favourite device of arms amongst nations generally, from remote antiquity… Langton, which was adjacent to their earliest possessions, was the seat of the chief from the time that Sir Alexander de Cokburn got it from David II’s reign, with the hand of the heiress of the great Norman house of de Vetere Ponte down to 1757, when hard fate deprived Sir James, the seventh Baronet, of his heritage. During the centuries that rolled by, from the day Sir Alexander received from his patron King David the important office of Ostiarius Parliamenti, to be held by him and his heirs forever, down to that which saw his lineal descendant Sir Alexander take his seat as Lord Chief-Justice of England, there are few intervals in the history of their country in which the name of at least one of the Cockburns is not found predominantly mentioned, either as a soldier, sailor, diplomat, statesman, or lawyer.
(pg 51) Genealogy of the Cockburns of that Ilk. Baronets. Illustration of the Coat of Arms.
(pg 53) Cockburn of the Ilk and Langton, Berwickshire. Illustration of Coat of Arms.
I. Piers de Cokburn is the first proved ancestor. He inherited the lands of Cokburn in the Merse in the reign of William the Lion, King of the Scots 1165-1214 son of Henry of Scotland and Ada de Warenne -daughter of William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey and Elizabeth de Vermandois -Ada was the great-granddaughter of Henry I of France m: Anne of Kiev -Ada was also the mother of Malcolm the Maiden aka Malcolm IV, King of Scots 1153-1165. In that of his son, Alexander II, King of Scots 1214-1249 he witnessed the donation to the Monastery of Soltra -charter was given before 1232.
Piers de Cokburn, who made his submission at Berwick in 1296 -(pg 63) illustration, Seal of Piers de Cokburn, 1296... Sir Piers de Cockburn, who had the “dominium” of Cockburn with its castle before the year 1230…
II. Sir Robert de Cokburn of that Ilk and Henderland. He was knighted by King Alexander III. In 1262 he witnessed the deed… (Robert de Cockeburn, Knights… given at Chirnside…)
Sir Robert having acquired very extensive territories in Tweeddale, resided there, and his name is not met with in records the Merse after 1262. (pg 61) ...There seems to be no reason for doubting that three of the name, prominent men in the latter part of the 13th century, were Sir Robert’s sons, namely, Nigel, Piers, and Thomas…
Son of II. Sir Robert de Cokburn (pg 64) Piers de Cokburn married Helena de Papedy or Pepdie… I. Edward and II. Adam mentioned below are taken to have been their sons.
(pg 65) I. Edward de Cokburn is found on 8/5/1300 in attendance upon Patric de Dunbar, first Earl of March, the feudal superior of the dominium of Cockburn, as his valet or page… (he later) drew his sword for King Robert, [King of Scots 1329-1371] in whose reign he is found possessed of the barony of Ord or Urde, County Peebles…
(pg 66) II. Adam de Cokburn, deemed to have been the progenitor of the Cockburns of Torrie, County Fife…
Son of II. Sir Robert de Cokburn (pg 67) Sir Thomas, supposed to have been the third son of Sir Robert de Cokburn, is styled “del Counte de Rokesburgh,” when he was, along with his brother Nigel, compelled to take the unlawful oath of fealty to “the Hammer of the Scottish Nation,” [Edward I, King of England 1272-1307] for which humiliation they were to have ample amends (see, Nigel, below)
Son of II. Sir Robert de Cokburn (pg 70) III. Nigel de Cokburn, of Henderland, succeeded his father Sir Robert... He made himself conspicuous by his devotion to the cause of Wallace, so his estates were forfeited like his brother’s by Edward I, King of England 1272-1307.
Nigel, like many of the foremost men of the time, submitted in 1306-7, and had his lands restored to him… Nigel Cockburn, who had stood it may be beside the dauntless Edward Bruce, and his gallant young brother Nigel [brothers of Robert de Brus who became King of Scots], mercilessly put to death when Kildrummie Castle was taken in the same year, submitted temporarily with the rest, when their great champion [Wallace] had suffered the frightful death at Edward’s hands. In 1297 Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick, wasted Douglasdale with fire and sword, and carried off the wife and children of Sir William Douglas.
IV. Sir Thomas de Cokburn, son of Piers, and father of Sir Alexander.
...there is no question that from Sir Alexander and his two wives… descended all the families of the Cockburns…
V. Sir Alexander de Cokburn of that Ilk and Henderland...
One of the latest favours conferred upon him was very shortly before his death, when [David II King of Scots 1329-1371] granted to him and his heirs forever the office of Ostiarius Parliamenti.
He married about 1335 Marion or Mariota, daughter and heiress of Sir William de Veteri-Ponte, who fell at Bannockburn. Her family possessed, besides other estates in Scotland, and in several counties in England, the Baronies of Langton in the Merse, of Carriden in Linlithgowshire, and Bolton in the constabulary of Haddington, which in 1312, on his forfeiting Sir William de Veteri-Ponte, Edward I, King of England 1272-1307 bestowed upon Alexander de Moubray.
By his fortunate match with the heiress of this illustrious Norman family, Sir Alexander de Cokburn got the barony of Langton in the Merse... also the Barony of Boltoun, County Haddington, and shortly afterwards King [David II King of Scots 1329-1371] granted to him that of Carridin, in Linlithgowshire, forfeited by Mariota’s kinsman, John de Veteri-Ponte, for alienation thereof without the royal consent, and consequently in the Sovereign’s hands… Mariota’s father, confirming William the Lion’s, of the three baronies of Langton, Carridin, and Boltoun, and [David II King of Scots 1329-1371] renewed the same to Alexander de Cokburn in the thirty-sixth year of his reign…
(pg 102) By Mariota de he had three sons -I. Alexander, his heir in Langton and Carriden, and II. John, who had the lands of Bolton from his father, with others, in the county of Haddington, and [I. Alexander] became Lord of Ormiston, in that county, by his marriage with Joneta, daughter and heiress of Sir Alexander Lindsay. From them the important house of Ormiston, of whom hereafter, descended. III. Piers, who was the author of that of Henderland, County Peebles...
(pg 103) V. Sir Alexander de Cokburn married, secondly, in 1363, Margaret, daughter of Sir John de Monforte de Braidwood, County Lanark, the widow of John de Cragi… The lands of Heudis she bestowed upon her son, Walter de Cragi. Soon after their marriage the King granted an annual payment… out of the customs of the burgh of Haddington to Alexander de Cokburn, and Margaret de Monforte, his spouse… By Margaret he had two sons, William and Edward…
IV. William, Sir Alexander’s fourth son, got Scraling, from his half-sister, Margaret de Cragi, and was [IV. William] progenitor of the Cockburns of Skirling..
(pg 104) V. Edward, the fifth son, second by Margaret de Monfode, had the lands of Cockburn, holding them from the Earl of March, the over-lord, and had some other estates, both in the counties Peebles and Haddington. He was in the Church, and was the King’s chaplain at Stirling Castle. His lands in Peeblesshire and Haddington were inherited by his nephew, the Laird of Skirling.
V. Sir Alexander de Cokburn was a very properous man. Things seem always to have gone well with him in consequence of his enjoying the favour of his sovereigns, David II King of Scots 1329-1371 and Robert II King of Scots 1371-1390. Besides the Carridin barony, he had grants from the former of other valuable estates… Dying in 1387-8, he was succeeded by his eldest son, Alexander [I. Alexander] -VI. Sir Alexander Cockburn.
(pg 106) VI. Sir Alexander Cockburn of Langton… He was in great favour at the courts of Robert II King of Scots 1371-1390 and Robert III King of Scots 1390-1406. From the Robert II he received the high office of Keeper of the Great Seal before 1389… He was one of the ambassadors sent to treat with the English in 1394…
(pg 107) He married Marjorie, daughter of Patrick Hepburne, Dominus de Halis et Oldhamstocks... adjoining Cockburnspath... Alexander Cockburn and Marjorie Hephurne had five sons -William, Patrick, Alexander, and John; the fifth was Henry Magister Hospitalis Sancte Laurencii de Haddington. William and John were taken prisoners at the battle of Nisbet, near Duns, in the Merse, fought on 6/22/1402… VI. Sir Alexander Cockburn of Langton was succeeded by his eldest son
VII. Sir William Cockburn of Langton, enjoyed the friendship and confidence of his sovereigns, James II King of Scots 1437-1460 and James III King of Scots 1460-1488… When quite a young man he was deputed in 1413 as ambassador to the English court, along with his kinsman Adam Cockburn of Ormiston, and his near relative Alexander Lindsay Earl of Crawford… He had from James III. 1/5/1441, confirmation of the grant… from Alexander, Earl of Douglas… VII. Sir William married Margaret, sister of John and Thomas Haliburton, who were taken prisoners with himself and his brother John at the battle of West Nisbet in 1402… [Margaret was a daughter of an old Saxon family, whose ancestor Roger was of Reston in 1168 when he witnessed a deed]
VIII. William Cockburn of Langton and that ilk married Helen, who inherited the lands of East Reston… [of interest, see, examples of Deeds of Sale… of Serfs…] VIII. William Cockburn was succeeded in Langton by his eldest son, Alexander [IX. Alexander Cockburn]; his second son, Patrick, had the East Reston lands. Whether he was married and was progenitor of any of the Cockburns in East Reston cannot be with certainty ascertained. There were always some of the Langton family resident there, it being apparently used frequently as a dowager’s provision...
IX. Alexander Cockburn of Langton and that ilk married first Elizaeth de Crechton, sister of William, Lord Crichton… by her he had William [X. Sir William Cockburn], his heir, Patrick, Robert, and Christopher.
Patrick,was tutor of Langton... He married Isobel, daughter of George Home of Wedderburn… [a link to the chain of intimate connection between the Cockburns and Sinclairs]…
Robert, went abroad, and rose to great distinction in the French court, and, with James Stewart, Earl of Moray, stood close by the Francis I King of France 1515-1547 at his coronation in 1515.
Christopher, was of Choicelee, a small estate in the vicinity of Langton which his descendants possessed, as vassals of their chief, for several generations.
IX. Alexander Cockburn of Langton. Alexander Cockburn married, secondly, Margaret de Dundas.- It does not appear that Margaret Dundas had any children…
X. Sir William Cockburn of Langton succeeded his father in 1480. He married Anna, daughter of Alexander, second Lord Home, and had by her I. Alexander, II. William, and III. Christopher, and a daughter, Margaret, married to her kinsman, Sir William Cockburn of Skirling. She was one of the ladies of Queen Margaret’s court [wife of King James IV], and appears to have been a great favorite and personal friend of Her Majesty, as her father and eldest brother were of King James IV… (William) went with his ill-fated sovereign to Flodden Field, and with him rode his eldest son, Alexander, and no doubt William, who was married to the daughter of Sir David Home of Wedderburn, who was there also with his stalwart sons, the seven spears of Wedderburn. The eldest, George, lay dead beside his father, and Alexander, apparent of Langton, did not return to tell the melancholy news of his father’s death. They lay all four beside many of the noblest of Scotland’s chivalry when this sorrowful battle was stricken and ended in this manner at the Flowdon Hills 9/9/1513.
(pg 127) There is no doubt that Sir William and his heir, and Sir David Home and his, died as brave soldiers on that day… (James IV King of Scots 1488-1513 was also killed in that battle)...
I. Alexander, eldest son and heir-apparent of Langton married Mariota Hepburne, daughter of Archibald, the grandson of Sir Patrick Hepburne, Dominus de Dunsyar and Sheriff of Berwickshire, where he held large estates. -Mariota appears to have been, like her husband’s sister, Margaret Cockburn, an especial favourite of Queen Margaret and of her husband James IV King of Scots, who, on 7/16/1510, granted confirmation of the new investitures taken out on their marriage… Mariota had as her dower lands in Quhitsun [Whitsome], in the Merse, held by her father from Adam Hepburn, Lord of Halis. They had, with three daughters [Mariota, Elizabeth, Jean], a son James, who succeeded his grandfather as eleventh Baron.
Mariota, the eldest daughter, was Prioress of North Berwick, which she resigned to Margaret Home in 1568.
Elizabeth married John Boswall of Bowhill...
Jean, married John Renton of Billie -The will of “Jean Cockburn, Lady Billie,” was recorded in 1586.
William, and Christopher,
II. William, second son, became of Cockburn, of whose family in its place. (Killed at Flodden, along with his father)
III. Christopher, their youngest son, [Cristofle de Quokebron, as his name appears sometimes in the record books of France, and at other Cokbron] went early to that country, where the spirited young men of the noble Scottish families were then went to seek a field for distinction and glory, as well as advancement in the world. His uncle, Robert Cockburn, had risen there to a high position, and, as mentioned above, with James Stewart, Earl of Moray, stood close by the King Francis I of France ] at his coronation in 1515. There were during many centuries several of the name of Cockburn constantly found on the rolls of the “Garde Ecossaise du corps du Roi.” In 1578 M. le Capitaine Cobron came to Scotland with letters from “M. de Castlenau au Roi,” dated 12th November of that year, in which he stated…
XI. Sir James Cockburn of Langton succeeded his grandfather, II. William, killed at Flodden. He was Sheriff of Berwickshire in the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots 1542-1567… he must have felt deeply for her when the execrable (husband) Bothwell fled, after refusing to enter the lists against that loyal warrior, “meek and gentle like a lamb in the house, but like a lion in the field,” Kirkaldy of Grange, or Murray of Tullibardine and Lord Lindsay of the Byres, who each challenged him to a duel to prove his innocence of Darnley’s murder, but he went off, and took ship at Dunbar, leaving Mary to submit to her enemies. XI. Sir James Cockburn of Langton and others of her faithful adherents hastily got some men together afterwards, and very nearly succeeded in intercepting the rebels, whom they learned were carrying their mistress [Mary, Queen of Scots] to Lochleven Castle…
XI. Sir James Cockburn married first Joneta, daughter of Sir John Ottirburn of Reidhall by his wife Joneta Stewart, and by her had I. Alexander, heir-apparent of Langton, II. William, III. Patrick, IV. Adam, V. James, VI. Thomas, and VII. John, and three daughters. Margaret married to Patrick Hepburne of “Quhitcastell;” they had joint charter 8/22/1566 from her aunt, “the Lady Elizabeth Hepburne, Prioress of Haddington,” of some properties; and Mariota married her cousin Thomas Ottirburn, younger of Reidhall…
I. Alexander, the eldest son and heir-apparent of Langton, had, 1/9/1543, new charter of the baronies of Langton and Carridin in similar terms as that granted to his grandfather by James IV. in 1510… he disposed of the lands and barony of Carridin, in Linlithgow... 2/18/1552… I. Alexander, appears to have died unmarried or without issue before 1574, in which year a deed was executed by his father, Sir James, and his second son, William, to be referred to presently, by which it appears that Alexander’s sale of Carridin had not then been carried into effect.
II. William -XII. William. - who succeeded his father, of whom presently.
III. Patrick… In 1592 he came into court before his kinsmen, Sir John Cockburn of Clerkington, Lord Privy Seal, to give security… He married Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Home of Renton, his will, at Langton Castle in 1601, appointed her and her brother, John Home, portioner of Renton, executors.... He had three daughters…
IV. Adam, was Sheriff of Berwickshire, summoned, 1/10/1600, to account for the manner in which he had disposed of the revenues of their respective shires…
V. James, of Selburnrigg, in Lammermoor…
VI. Thomas, was named in his father’s will his executor. He married Elizabeth his kinswoman, daughter of William Cockburn of that Ilk, and widow of William Chirnside of East Nesbit… The Chirnsides of East Nesbit were cadets of the family of Chirnside of Chirnside…
VII. John, of Rowchester married Jane Ross, heiress of Shandwick, County Ross, representative of the ancient Earls of Ross. He assumed the additional surname of Ross, and, going to reside on his wife’s estate in Ross-shire [of which county, as well as of Berwickshire, he was a deputy-lieutenant], he sold Rowchester and his other lands in the latter county, and the name of Cockburn ceased to appear on the roll of its landholders after having been so prominent for seven hundred years. It still, however, continued to be represented there by his nephew, John Cockburn-Hood of Stoneridge, a Magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant for the shire, who also paternally descended from the family of Selburnrigg. He was the grandson of Thomas Cockburn of Rowchester and Agness Scott… Sir Alexander Cockburn-Campbell, Baronet, another grandson of the same Thomas and Agnes, inheriting under special limitation, a Campbell baronetcy, assumed that additional surname. His son, Sir Thomas Cockburn-Campbell, fourth Baronet, is the present representative in the male line of James Cockburn, first of Selburnrigg…
XI. Sir James Cockburn married secondly his cousin Margaret, daughter of Sir William Cockburn of Skirling… The contract was agreed to by William now heir-apparent of Langton, who promised “that shall in nowise marry during his father’s lifetime without his consent, and at the sight and judgment of [Margaret’s brother] James Cockburn of Scraling, John Cockburn of Ormiston, and Patrick of Clerkington; and in the event of the said William acting contrary to this, it being leisome to the said James to dispone all and sundry the aforesaid teind sheaves of the barony of Langton and the lands of Simprim and all other tacks and steadings which he presently has, to any person he may think expedient, it being leisome to the said Margaret to have free access to her terce and third of the baronies of Langton and Carridin.” ...By Margaret Cockburn he had three sons, VIII. Alexander, XI. Robert, and XI. Archibald, and a daughter Agnes married to James Craig sheriff-clerk of Berwickshire to whom she and her son Alexander gave at obligation dated at Langton 12/11/1590.
VIII. Alexander, called of Leyiswod and Stobbiswod, has been confused with his half-brother Alexander, heir-apparent of Langton referred to above. In consequence of Sir James having named his firstborn son by each wife Alexander, William the laird has been thought to have been the son instead of the brother of the elder Alexander, the son of Janet Otterburn…
XI. Robert, had the property called Blackis-milne adjacent to Selburnrigg in the barony of Langton, from his father Sir James, and was trustee under his brother Alexander of Stobbiswood’s will…
X. George is only found mentioned as brother-german of Robert and Archibald…
XI. Archibald, who had the East Reston lands, as heir of tailzie of his brother Alexander…
XI. Sir James Cockburn eleventh Baron died in Edinburgh 3/4/1578. His will was dated… he was succeeded by II. William -as heir XIII. William, below
XII. William Cockburn of Langton married Janet, daughter of John Home of Blackadder, by his wife Beatrice, daughter and co-heiress with his sister Margaret [married to John’s brother, Robert Home] of Sir Robert Blackadder of that Ilk, killed at Flodden, who had been named as one of the guardians of Alexander Cockburn’s son and heir Sir James, William, Laird of Langton’s father.
(Jody Gray) The author mentions clearing up doubts, regarding the next William’s descent, by reference to public records, i.e. wills, deed, etc. There is mention of obtaining a dispensation from the Pope due to consanguinity [they were within the third or fourth degree of consanguinity] -Cockburn marrying Cockburn kin is common. From this point, I cease to try to follow “father-to-son” lineage. .
XV. John Cockburn of Ormiston d. 1758 -often called the father of Scottish husbandry (by his 2nd wife)
XVI. George Cockburn of Ormiston m: Caroline, Baroness Forrester
(pg 234) illustration Coat of Adam Cockburn, Lord Ormiston, 1672.
(pg 239) Cockburn of Henderland, Peeblesshire. I. Piers de Cokburn, 3rd son of Alexander de Cokburn [V. Sir Alexander de Cokburn of that Ilk and Henderland] and Langton by Lady Mariota de Veteri-Ponte -I. Alexander, his heir in Langton and Carriden...
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(Jody Gray) I entered many, but not all, of the Surnames in the Index of this book (below) -a useful research tool. For my own research, I have used Red Font to draw attention to familiar names relating to my ancestors. Monarchs, Blue Highlight. Places in Scotland, Yellow Highlight.
There is a difference between the Book page numbers and the digital page numbers -an average difference of 60+.
*Cockburn Genealogy Book Index (begins on digital page 465)
Athole, Sir Adomar de Athol, 173
Athole Dukes of, 304
Becket, Thomas, Archbishop, 17a
Bruce, David, of Clackmannan, 42
Bruce, Robert, Earl of Carrik, The Bruce, vii, 338
Bruce, Edward, 16, 168
Bruce, Eleanor, her five husbands, 43
Bruce, Eupham, 236
Bruce, Geoffrey de, 20
Bruce, Nigel de, 16
Bruce, Piers de, 18a
Campbell, Archibald, 191 *there are several Campbells
Carnegie *there are several, of Sowthesk, 1 of Kinnaird
Chirnside of that Ilk, 65
Chirnside of East Nisbet, 75
Chirnside, Lands of, 189
Clare, Johanne de, Countess Fife, 344
Clare, Gilbert de, 344
Clare, Matillidis, Countess de Clare, 24
Clare, Maude de, 24, 361 (Pedigree)
Clare, Thomas de, her father, 24
Cockburn, Name of, xi, xx
Cockburn Dominium of, xi, xx,, xxii, xxv, xxvii, 308
Cockburn, Castle of, xi, xxviii, 309
Cockburn’s Barns, Simprim, 94
Cockburnlaw, Hill of, xi, 20, 59
Cockburnhaugh, Lands of, 52
Cockburn’s-Path, Castle of, xx
Cockburn’s-Path, Territory, 223, 308
Cockburn’s-Path, Mains of, 223
Cockburn Family, their Feuds, xvii
Cockburn of Langton, 1-109
Cockburn of Ormiston, 110-160
Cockburn of Henderland, 161-215
Cockburn of Skirling and Cessford, 216-256
Cockburn of Clerkington, 257-287
Cockburn of Choicelee, 288-306
Cockburn of Cockburn, 307-330
Cockburn of Torry, eeq-351
Cockburn of Blackisiln, 78, 303
Cockburn of Caldra, 291-301
Cockburn of Dalqueich, 346
Cockburn of East Borthwick, 43, 70, 71, 72
Cockburn of Reston, 79
Cockburn of Glen, 180
Cockburn of Herperden, 150
Cockburn of Kirkurd, 235
Cockburn of Kirklands of Bolton, 120
Cockburn of Ladiekiri, 300
Cockburn of Lethame, 237
Cockburn of Leysiwood, 72, 78
Cockburn of Meredene, 124
Cockburn of Newholme, 73, 236
Cockburn of Piltoune, 143, 149, 150, 283
Cockburn of Rowchester, 73, 74
Cockburn of Ryslaw, 297, 356
Cockburn of Sandybed, 156
Cockburn of Selburninrigg, 72, 74, 237
Cockburn of Stobbiswood, 296
Cockburn of Stonyflat, 252
Cockburn of Tempillhall, 137, 138
Cockburn of Vogrie, 305
Cockburn of Woodhead, 124
Pedigree, Cockburn. *in red font, the Cockburn’s I cover.
XXIV. Sir Alexander, Lord Chief-Justice of England, eleventh Baronet, 109
Sir Piers de Cokburn, 7
Sir James, of Skirling, 77, 241
Sir James, of Ryslaw, 297, 356, 359
Sir George of Ormiston, 147
General Sir George, K.C.B., of Shaganak, 151
Sir John of Ormiston, 116
Sir John of Ormiston, Lord Justice-Clerk, 141
Adam, Lord Ormiston, Lord Justice-Clerk 154
…
Robert, eighteenth Bishop of Ross, 228, 229
… Agnes m: William Murray of Touchadam, 121
*there are several married to Hamilton's
Elizabeth m: Wm. Murray of Stanhope, 205
Egidia (Giles) m: Alexander Murray of Traquair, 177
Isobel m: James Cockburn of Selburnrigg, 237
Jean m: Richard Cockburn of Clerkington, 153
Jean m: Sir John Murray of Touchadam, 147
Margaret m: Sir Alexander Murray of Blackbarony, 92, 282
Margaret m: Gideon Murray, 285
Margaret m: Sir Richard Cockburn of Clerkington, 83, 281
Marion, m: P. Cockburn of Clerkington, 238
Mariot, Prioress, North Berwick, 60
Colville, Alexander, Justice-Depute, Letter from, 144
Colville, Sir Robert Colvyle, 339
Davidson, John, of Burnrigg, 317
Davidson, James, in Nodday, 317
Davidson, T. Randall, of Muirhouse, 152
*LOTS of Douglas
*Lots of Dunbar
Edinburgh, Town, Siege of, 257
Edinburgh Castle, Siege of, xxiii
*lots of Elliot
Fleming of Biggar and Cumberland, 7
*several Fleming
Flodden, Battle of, 56, 61
Galloway, Alan, Lord of, 357, Note IV
Glencoe, Massacre of, 101
Gospartric, The Earl, iv., 28 aka Patric or Patrick of Dunbar, 1st Earl of March -the feudal superior of the dominum of Cockburn
Haddington, Town of, burnt, 125 (see, Seton Castle, burnt)
*LOTS of Hamilton
Christian, Wife of Sir Mungo Murray of Blebo, 304
Marie, wife of Robert Cockburn of Buttirdene, 279
Lady Susannah, Wife of Adam Cockburn, Lord Ormiston, 155
Marion, daughter of Sir John Hamilton, wife of James Cockburn in Claverhill, 241
Hastings, Battle of, 18
*Lots of Hay
*LOTS of Hepburne
Family of, 44, 45
Sir Adam Hepburne, Janet his daughter, Janet, Wife of John Cockburn of Ormiston, 153
Sir Alexander Hepburn, Helen his daughter, Wife of Alexander Cockburn of Cockburn, 315, 359
Archibald Hamilton and Mariota Normanville, Mariota, their daughter, Wife of Alexander Cockburn, younger of Langton, 60
David Hamilton, Jeane his daughter, Wife of William Cockburn of Cockburn, 326
Margaret Hamilton wife of John Cockburn of Ormiston, 121
Patrick Hamilton, Lord of Halis and Auldhamstokkis, Marjorie his daughter, Wife of Sir Alexander Cockburn of Langton, 43
Sir Patrick Hamilton, Margaret his daughter, Wife of Thomas Cockburn of Clerkington, 271
Patrick Hamilton of Whitecastle, his wife Margaret Cockburn
Robert Hamilton of Keith-Marischall, his wife Jean Cockburn
Herries, William -Janet his daughter, wife of Sir James Cockburn of Skirling, 206, 245, 246, 247
Home or Hume, Family of, v.
*LOTS of Home or Hume
Alexander, 2nd Lord Home, his daughter, Anna, wife of William Cockburn of Langton, 55, 61
Alexander Home of Renton m: Margaret Cockburn
Alexander Home of Manderston, his daughter Janet, Wife of Sir John Cockburn of Ormiston, 141, 318
… his daughter, Margaret, Wife of William Cockburn of Cockburn, 318
Anna Home, wife of Patrick Cockburn of East Borthwick, 76
Isobel Home m: William Cockburn of Cockburn, 84, 308, 309, 358
John Home of Blackadder, Janet his daughter, wife of William Cockburn of Langton, 80
Patrick Home of Renton, Elizabeth his daughter, Wife of Patrick Cockburn of East Borthwick, 71
Sir Patrick Home of Polwarth, Jeane his daughter. Wife of Christopher Cockburn of Choicelee, 303, 320
King James V, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 193, 194
King James VI, Birth and Baptism of, 242
Jedburgh, Hoist at, 180
*LOTS of Kerr’s
Andrew Kerr of Lintoun, Jean his daughter, Wife of James Cockburn of Ryslaw, 299
Andrew Kerr, First Lord Jedburgh, 358, Note XV
Ann Kerr (Carre), Duchess of Bedford, 358, Note XV
Thomas Kerr of Kersheugh, Helen his daughter, Wife of Patrick Cockburn, 115
Langton, Barony of, 37, 331
Langton Castle of, xxviii, xxix, 5
Langton Mill, Gudeman of, 303
Langton Church of, 6, 22, 35
Langton, Queen Mary at, 66
Langton, King James VI at, 68
*lots of Lindsay
Sir Alexander of Ormiston, Janet his daughter, Wife of John Cockburn, 38, 114
Loch Leven Castle, Defence of, by Alan de Veteri-Ponte, 34, 35
Maitland, Family of Lauderdale, 178, 274
Sir Richard of Lethington, Helen his daughter, Wife of John Cockburn of Clerkington, 274, 275, 358, Note XII
Marie of Lorraine, Queen, 194
Margaret, Queen, Widow of James IV, 310
Margaret, King William the Lion’s Daughter, 19
Margaret [The Lady] Daughter of Robert II. 307
Marjorie, Princess, 165
Mary, Queen of Scots, xxix, 131, 132
Monfode, de, Family of, 255, 256.
Sir John de Monfode of Braidwud, Margaret his daughter, Wife of Sir Alexander Cockburn, 17, 39, 40, 216, 217
*several Moray
Sir William of Dreghorn, Jeane his daughter, Wife of William Cockburn of Choiceless, 304
Moubray, Alexander de, 18
Geoffrey of Ecford, 14
Sir John, 33
*LOTS of Murray’s
Sir John of Touchadam m: Jean Cockburn, 147
Sir John [Earl of Annandale], 143
Isobel, Wife of J. Cockburn of Glen, 180, 181
Bessie, her Granddaughter, 181, 182
Sir Mungo of Blebo, Henrietta his daughter, Wife of Francis Cockburn, 304
Murray, The Regent, 77, 313, 314
William of Touchadam m: Agnes Cockburn, 121
William of Traquair, 177
William of Tullibardine, 67, 304
William of Stanbope m: Elizabeth Cockburn
William of Romanno, Christian his daughter, Wife of William Cockburn of Henderland, 198, 199
Napoleon, The Emperor, taken to St. Helena, 107
Newcastle-on-Tyne, Prisoners sent to, 10
Nisbet-West, Battle of, 43, 44, 48
Northumberland, Princes of, 161
Northumberland, Earl of, 43
Nova Scotia Baronets, Grants of Land to, 88, 89
Octavians, The, 280
Ormiston of Ormiston, County Roxburgh, 66
Lands of, County Haddington, 111, 158
Family Vault at Ormiston Hall, 136
Osulfus, Rufus, Sale of himself and his family, 51
Otterburn, Battle of, 13, 44, 148
Otterburn, Sir John of Reidhall, Joneta his daughter, Wife of Sir James Cockburn of Langton, 68, 356
Peebles, Alexander, buys Skirling, 251
Peebles, Bridge over Tweed at, 174
Peebles, Burough-Moor of, 212, 241
*several Prendergest
Alina, Wife of Adam de Cokburn, 339
Quincy, Sir Robert de Qynci, 355, Note III
Hawise, his widow, 355, Note III
Roger de Qenci, 355, Note IV
Saher de Quincy, Earl of Winchester, 18a, 355, Note IV.
Quhitsun [Whitsome] alias Hepburne, Quarter Lands and Parish of, 60, 290, 314, 315, 319
Quhittislaid [Whitslaid], Lands of, 122, 201
Randolph, Thomas, Earl of Moray, vi, viii, xx, xxiii, 14
*several Ross
Henry Cockburn, Bishop of Ross, 229
Robert Cockburn, Bishop of Ross, 229
De Ros of Roos, Family of Ross, 332
Rosslyn, Battle of, 9
Roxburgh, Auld, The Manor of, 162, 165
Roxburgh Castle, iii, 6 *see, David I, King of Scots -favorite Castle.
*several Ruthirfurd’s
Alison m: Patrick Cockburn, 156
Katrine m: William Cockburn of Henderland, 180, 193
Ruthven, Raid of, 277
Ryslaw, Lands of, 298, 299, 300
St. Anne’s “Chappell” of Haddington, 284
St. Andrews, Cathedral of, 23
St. Eustatia, Surrender of, 363
St. Egidia (St. Giles), Edinburgh, 312, 313
St. Helena, Admiral Cockburn conveyed Napoleon to, 107
Sandilands, Sir James, the Sandilands, 137
Devorgilla Comyn, his wife 137
Sir James, Princess Johanna, his wife, 187
James, one of the many husbands of the Countess of Carrik, 43
Sir James of Calder, Alison his daughter, wife of John Cockburn of Ormiston, 128, 131, 141
Sark, Battle of, 115
*LOTS of Scott’s
Walter Scott of Harden m: Mary, the Flower of Yarrow, 203
Seton, Castle of, destroyed, 125
The Lord Seton (1545), 66, 125
Janet, wife of Sir John Bellenden, 142
John, Portioner of Gargunnock, 348
Sir George of Barnes, 149
Margaret de Cetone wife of Sir John Cockburn of Ormiston, 119
Robert of Mounie, 301
William de Setyone, 113
Shaftesbury, Abbess of, xxiv
*Lots of St. Clair’s (m: Cockburn)
*several Sinclair’s (m: Cockburn)
Skelton, John, C.B., 274
Skiftonholme, Lands of, 176, 193
*lots of Somerville’s (m: Cockburn))
Skilring, Barony of, 39
Castle blown up by Murray, 245.
James VI, gives new Charter of Skirling to Sir William Cockburn, 250
*lots of Somerville (m: Cockburn)
*lots of Soulis
*lots of Spottiswoode
*LOTS of Stewart’s
Stirling Castle, Siege of, 35
Stobbiswood, Lands of, 60, 76, 77, 303
*Swinton, Family Feuds, xvii
Ughtred, Thomas de, xxv
*LOTS of Veteri-Ponte (m: Cockburn)
*Veteri-Ponte, Family of, 18
Wallace, Sir William, 35, 306
Walpole, Sir Robert, Wig-pulling encounter, 155
Ysabel, “Daughter of King of Scots”, 19
Zouche, Sir Alan le Suche, 218
(end 484)
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(Jody Gray) this is important information, regarding errors in ‘Pedigree’ (lineage). I ran into this problem when I first began to build my Family Tree: there was an erroneous ‘Pedigree’ for lineage to William the Conqueror. This ‘Pedigree’ gave him a daughter, Gundred, for whom there is no evidence ever existed. Errors are most prevalent in the early ‘Pedigree’ lineage charts of the 1800’s -when genealogists and family historians tried to create a “father-to-son” lineage before there were written civil (government) records and church records of births, baptisms, marriages, deaths, etc. In early ‘Pedigree’ charts, they often use the abbreviation “fl” preceding “in the reign of King Edward, etc. referring to the person witnessing an official civil document. Death dates were the first available ‘verified’ dates, particularly for monarchs and nobility (prominent people) who were buried inside churches. Infact, surnames first became established for the Domesday Book of 1086; beginning with landowners (for tax-collecting purposes), ‘commoners’ gradually acquired surnames in the decades to follow.
*Noted errors in pedigree.
(454) Cockburn, called of Cockburn and Ryslaw, Baronet. Will, 11/16/1667. Appears to be erroneous…
(460) *this is the boldest and at the same time the most unlucky guess hazarded in this pedigree… None of its representatives married.. Nor did any Cockburn ever possess Ryslaw… (461) The present representative of the family under notice has doubtless taken for granted that the pedigree which has appeared in Sir Bernard Burke’s “Peerage and Baronetage” yearly since 1829 is founded upon facts, or he would have taken steps to have it eliminated or corrected…
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*Variations of Cockburn.
III. Christopher, their youngest son, [Cristofle de Quokebron, as his name appears sometimes in the record books of France, and at other Cokbron]
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*Variations of the surname Cockburn and ‘places’ in Scotland.
In the preface
(pg 40) This place (Cokburn’s-peth) was also called Colbrand’s-peth [or Forest]. Here Colbrand the Dane, it is said, built a stronghold, being one of the “generals”, as an old writer calls him, who came with the Danish invaders in 1068, “encouraged by the malcontent Lords to unite with them in an enterprise against England”. So Cockburn has been considered to be a corruption of Colbrand. It is impossible to prove now that it is not, and that the first ancestor who settled in the Merse was a Saxon and not a Dane. The name of his supposed first foothold, now so familiar from being a station upon a main line of railway, has long been called by the name Blind Harry, as his translator gives it. In a charter of King David’s it appears as Colbrance-peth, in other old charters Colburnis-pet, Colbrandis-pad, and/etc., and sometimes in a sort of transition form, Cokbrandis-peth, which is certainly suggestive. In a perambulation of the bounds of the Merse mentioned by Hector Boece, the march line ran from Cokburn’s-peth by Soltrehege. Following this quaint, credulous old churchman in his history, Holinshed says, speaking of the times of Malcolm Canmore aka Malcolm III -”After this the realme continued in great peace certain years, till in chanced that a great number of theeves and robbers assembling themselves together at Cocbounres-Pethes did much hurt by robbing and spoiling the people in the countries of the Mers and Louthane; howbeit, at length one Patrick Dunbar of Dunbar, by commandment of the King, Malcolm III, fought with them, slue their captaine with six hundred of his companie, and took fourscore prisoners, the which he caused to be hanged; and thus having delivered the country of these pillars, with loss of fortie of his own men, he returned to the King, Malcolm III with the head of the captain of that route, so that for his manhood herein shewed, he was made by the King, Malcolm III [the] Earl of March, and for the maintenance of his estate had the lands of Cocbourne-Pethes given to him and his heirs forever, upon the condition that in tymes coming the Earle of Marche should purge Mers (Merse ?) and Louthan (Lothian ?) of all theeves and robbers”. This story may be a mere mythical tradition; but although Hollinshed is not an authority to be deemed reliable one in many things, any more than the old Canon of Aberdeen, when the latter has left the region of fabulous romance, and is not telling us of the wondrous merveils shown in the realme, and is merely mentioning the name of the place as known in his own time, it is shown for certain that the lands so long held by the descendants of Gospatric were associated with the name of Cockburn in early times. -(Jody Gray): I have not found a marriage (lineage) connection between the Cockburn and Gospatric descendants. Variations of Gospatric: Gospatricius (Gospatrick or Gospatric or Patrick *there are many Patrick Cockburn and Cadet Branches), or Quaspatricius.
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*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_I_of_Scotland David I of Scotland. Burghs founded in the Reign of David (1113/24-1153)
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*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Borders Scottish Borders is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Midlothian, South Lanarkshire, West Lothian and, to the south and east, Northumberland in England. The administrative centre of the area is Newton St Boswells. The term Scottish Borders is also used to designate the areas of southern Scotland and northern England that bound the historical Anglo-Scottish border. Largest towns (connected to my ancestors): Peebles, Selkirk, Kelso, Jedburgh, Eyemouth, Duns, Coldstream.
History. The term Borders also has a wider meaning, referring to all of the counties adjoining the English border, including Dumfriesshire and Kirkcudbrightshire -as well as Northumberland, Cumberland and Westmorland in England.
Roxburghshire and Berwickshire historically bore the brunt of the conflicts with England, both during declared wars such as the Wars of Scottish Independence, and armed raids which took place in the times of the Border Reivers (raiders, thieves). Thus, across the region are to be seen the ruins of many castles, abbeys and even towns.
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*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berwickshire Berwickshire is a historic county in the Scottish Borders. It takes its name from Berwick-upon-Tweed, which was part of Scotland at the time of the county’s formation, but became part of England in 1482. Formerly the county was often called “the Merse”, from Old English “border”... The county borders Roxburghshire and Selkirkshire to the west, East Lothian and Midlothian to the north, the North Sea to the east and a portion of the Anglo-Scottish border with Northumberland to the south.
Burghs (1975): Coldstream, Duns, Eyemouth. Berwickshire, districts: Berwick East, Berwick Middle, Berwick West. Berwickshire County Council was abolished by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and the county was instead governed by the Borders Regional Council.
Map (on the wikipedia page): Civil parishes. (connected to my ancestors) Cockburnspath, Coldingham, Chirnside, Duns, Eyemouth, Langton.
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Is a Scottish surname that originated in the Borders region of the Scottish Lowlands. In the United States most branches of the same family have adopted the simplified spelling ‘Coburn’; other branches have altered the name slightly to ‘Cogburn’...
Family origins. The Cockburn surname had appeared by the early 13th century, when it was employed to identify individuals from a district or location called Cockburn (modern spelling). The name Cockburn has been viewed as originating from the juxtaposition of 'Cock', derived from the Old English word 'cocc' meaning 'moor-cock', 'wild bird' or 'hill', with 'burn' derived from the old word 'burna' meaning 'brook' or 'stream'. There are several possible candidates for this geographical name including: a former 'Cokoueburn' district in early medieval Roxburghshire; a place called 'Calkesburne' that was mentioned in a charter from 1162 to 1190 that awarded the land of Hermanston in East Lothian; the hill called Cockburn Law, north of present-day Duns in Berwickshire, which was fortified in Iron Age times; and the town of Cockburnspath, originally known as 'Kolbrand's Path', on the eastern coast of Scotland. There are several Cockburn placenames that are located near Cockburn Law along Whiteadder Water including Cockburn farm, Cockburn Mill, and the now ruined farm Cockburn East. A Cockburn Tower reportedly existed in this same general area. It is unclear, however, whether this region in Berwickshire is in fact the true origin of the family name…
Historically there have been many alternative spellings of the family name. Early medieval spellings included 'Cokburne', 'Cokeburne', 'Kokeburne' and other variations. In Scotland the spelling of the family name had stabilized to 'Cockburn' by the late 17th century, and this is the spelling most commonly used today in British Commonwealth countries. In the United States, the simplified spelling 'Coburn' is more widely used than 'Cockburn'. In Cumberland, England, the 'Cockbain' family emerged from Scottish Cockburn ancestors. A branch of the family was established in France in the 16th century by mercenary soldiers. In 1494, a Thomas Cocquebourne was serving as an archer in the Garde Écossaise, which was the personal bodyguard of the King of France. Many more Cockburn mercenaries served the Kings of France in this elite unit over the next century. Cockburn descendants in France today use the family name 'de Cockborne'. Another branch of the family used the name Cokborgne and formed part of the nobility of Champagne. The early 17th century mercenary leader Samuel Cockburn used the spelling 'Cobron' while working for the King of Sweden. In the late 17th century, a Cockburn merchant established a German branch of the family, which adopted the surname 'Kabrun' in the Hanseatic port of Danzig. A great-grandson of this Scottish-German Kabrun was the wealthy merchant and renowned book collector, art collector and philanthropist Jacob Kabrun Jr. (1759–1814)...*II. Robert de Cockburn mentioned as a ‘serviens’ (sergeant) in a charter dating from 1232 to 1242, in which land is granted to the Chapel of St. Nicholas, next to a bridge over the River Spey in Moray. The knight Sir Roberto de Cokeburn (perhaps the same Robert) is mentioned in a charter that was prepared in Chirnside 11/4/1261 during the reign of Patrick III, Earl of Dunbar (1248-1270). Roberto de Cokeburne mentioned in another charter (dated to 1269-1289) as being the constable of the royal burgh of Roxburgh… it appears that at least one other Cockburn landowner incurred the disfavor of Longshanks at about this time. In a charter, 3/20/1312, King Edward II restored to III. Nigel de Cockburn is former land in Megget… which had been awarded to another man by the previous English king because Nigel had been declared a rebel…
The rise and fall of the Cockburn landowners.
In 1330, V. Sir Alexander de Cokburne became the Baron of Langton (in Berwickshire), Carriden (in West Lothian) and Bolton (in East Lothian) following his marriage to the wealthy Anglo-Norman heiress Mariota de Veteripont… The greatly enlarged Cockburn lands were split up among his three sons… For the next 400 years, the Cockburns of Langton were prominent landowners in Berwickshire. Other branches of the family acquired estates in Ormiston and Clerkington (just southwest of Haddington) in East Lothian. The Cockburns of Henderland held land in Megget then in southern Peeblesshire, while the Cockburns of Skirling held land in the western part of Peebleshire.
William Cockburn of Henderland was a notorious border reiver in the early part of the 16th century. His well-known thievery and his purported close connections with his English counterparts just south of the border made him a target for the young King James V, who wished to clearly establish his authority over the more lawless parts of his kingdom. William Cockburn was arrested in 1530, taken to Edinburgh, tried, convicted of treason and beheaded. His lands and property were forfeited to the Crown. His son, also a William, succeeded in regaining his family’s estate following an appeal in 1542 to the Regent, James, 2nd Earl of Arran. However, his great-great-grandson, Samuel Cockburn, found it necessary to sell the Henderland estate in 1634.
By the middle of the 18th century, as a result of financial difficulties, the Langton and Ormiston branches of the Cockburn family lost most of their land holdings. Sir Archibald Cockburn, 4th Baronet of Langton borrowed increasing sums of money, primarily from the Cockburn of Cockburn branch of the family, to help finance ambitious agricultural reforms on his Langton estate… (1747) The resulting bankruptcy led to the auctioning off of the Estate of Langton, which was purchased in 1757 by David Gavin… Despite the loss of their land, the Langton branch of the Cockburn family would continue to be prominent in Great Britain well into the 19th century, but now in the military and judicial areas. The Cockburn of Langton baronetcy went dormant in 1880 when the 12th Baronet, Sir Alexander Cockburn, died without legitimate heir.
The Ormiston branch of the Cockburn family stems from the marriage in 1370 of John Cockburne, second son of Sir Alexander de Cockburne, to Johanetta de Lyndesay (Lindsay), an heiress who owned the estate of Ormiston in East Lothian. John Cockburn of Ormiston and his brother Ninian Cockburn were Protestant supporters of the Scottish Reformation and came to support the English cause in 1548 during the Rough Wooing. XV. John Cockburn of Ormiston was another enthusiastic proponent for the modernization of Scottish agricultural practice. The financial consequences of his plans were as ruinous to the Ormiston branch of the Cockburns as they were to the Langton branch. He attempted to demonstrate the benefits of his reforms in a model community at Ormiston… He was required to sell the estate of Ormiston in 1747…
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(Jody Gray) Of interest, example of Deeds of Sale… of Serfs… *relating to Traditions and Culture of the times. Serfs were chattels (property, not human beings) belonging to the landowners. -Source: House of Cockburn, genealogy book -(digital pg 121).
VIII. William Cockburn of Langton and that ilk married Helen, who inherited the lands of East Reston…Being within a short distance of Coldingham, there were many dealings between them and the priors and their monks, especially in the matter of slaves, as likewise had many of their neighbours and relatives, such as the Prenderguests.
...there follows examples of Deeds of Sale… of Serfs…
(pg 121) whereby Henry de Prendergest certifies to have sold, free of all claim from his or his forever, Joseph, son of Elwold… He also disposed of Roger, son of Walter, and all who might be born of him, for two merks, which amount he received in goods from the Monastery in his great necessity…
Adam of Restun-Parva sold Adam, son of Turkill, with his progeny, for three merks of silver before the same witnesses mentioned… Bertram, son of Adam de Ristona, sold Turkill Hog and his sons and daughters very cheap, getting only three merks for the family. Robert de Prendergest got a high price for Osulfus Ruffus, and Walter, his son, and all who might descend from these doubtless superior specimens of the serf -no less than ten marks, the value of which he had got from the Monastery in his great need. Possibly it was a good day for Osulf the Red and his son Walter when they removed from their throats the gorgets denoting that they were the born thralls of Robert de Prendergest, and entered the easier service of the Monastery, going to live amongst the Prior’s thegns and drengs at Horndean, and there cultivate small holdings for their own advantage. Their progeny would also escape being called upon to attend William de Prendergest [as ‘soldiers’] when he plundered the bakery and brewery of the monks of Lindisfarne in 1326.
When in a generous or a penitential mood the Barons sometimes gave their stock of this kind as gifts to their spiritual counsellors… Bertram son of Adam, son of Cospatric of East Restun, bestowed upon them, for the good of his own soul and his wife Margaret’s, some land in Prior Anketin’s time… witnessed the grant of Alan “de Superiori Swyntoun” to the Priory for the welfare of his own soul and his wife Lucia, 3/20/1271.
The day had gone by when William Cockburn would have gained chattels of this description by marrying a daughter of this old Saxon family, whose ancestor Roger was of Restun in 1168, when he witnessed a deed…
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