William (Douglas) Douglas of Whittinghame Knt. (bef. 1439 - aft. 1512)

Born before 1439 in Scotland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died after Mar 1512 after age 73 in Whittinghame, Berwickshire, Scotland

Biography

William (Douglas) Douglas of Whittinghame Knt. is a member of Clan Douglas.

Sir William Douglas was a member of the aristocracy in British Isles.

This William Douglas is given as the progenitor of the Douglases of Whittinghame. He is given as also having a son named William.^[1]

A confirmation dated 12th January 1452 was made of a regrant to William de Douglas of Morton, Knt., and his spouse Eupheme [maiden name not given] of the lands and village of Whittingham, personally resigned by said William for a regrant.^[2] This would indicate the marriage had already taken place, making them under-age children of about 12 years old. Eupheme must have died young as Sir William appears to have married again, Margaret, daughter of James de Dunbar of Beil, Haddingtonshire.^[3] There were a whole family of Dunbars (decendants of the Earls of Dunbar and March) based at Beil and it is unclear who James is. The term 'of' was often used in a loose fashion. Walter MacFarlane writes that Sir Gavin Dunbar's heiress married Douglas of Whittinghame.^[4] It seems unlikely that it is Gavin's daughter as he resided at Cumnock in Ayrshire.

On 30th May 1459 at Stirling Castle (confirmed 1st June) Whittinghame was confirmed to Sir William de Douglas, Knt., in perpetuity following Letters of Resignation by James, Earl of Morton & Lord Dalkeith. The leading witness was George Bishop of Brechin, Chancellor and another was William, Lord Borthwick. It is noted that previously the Superior Landlord of Whittinghame had been George de Dunbar, Earl of March. In a further section, He is described as Sir William de Douglas of Morton, Knt., and his mother's son (she is now Countess of Caithness) in a Parliamentary Decree of Ratification dated 9th October 1459. His mother resigned her rights to the feudal barony of Morton in Dumfrieshire (which had been settled on her by her husband James, Lord Dalkeith) in favour of her son, Sir William and his heirs. Confirmed 7th November 1459. The leading witness is George, Bishop of Brechin, Chancellor.^[5]

This William Douglas of Whittinghame and Morton, resigned his rights to Morton in Dumfrieshire in favour of the 1st Earl of Morton in 1474.^[6][7]

There are Letters of summons under the Great Seal at the instance of John de Swynton of that Ilk, Knt, summoning previous jurors on a Retour, amongst whom is included William Douglas of Quhitingehame [Whittinghame], Knt., dated 16th March, 1476.^[8]

Edward Maxwell of Tynwald and Murithe, co.Wigton, granted to Margaret Douglas, relict of Herbert Maxwell, "his children" (filii sui), for the filial affection he bears for her, part-lands in Murithe. The leading witness is William Douglas of Whittinghame, and William Borthwick, rector of Pitcocks in Haddingtonshire. Dated at Edinburgh 9th May 1491.^[9]

On March 28, 1511/2, at Edinburgh, William Douglas of Whittinghame settled upon his son William and his [1st] spouse Jonete Mathesoun the lands of Whittinghame in Haddingtonshire and their heirs, failing whom to Richard Douglas, his [William jnr] brother-german failing whom to revert to heirs of the father-granter William. Witnesses were "George Douglas, his brother" [William senior], William Lauder, Robert Young, Walter Young, cleric, and others. Confirmed 20th April 1512.^[10]

George Johnston [rather inaccurately] says of him: "Sir William Douglas, son of the first Lord Dalkeith (No. 257) by his second wife, Janet Borthwick, succeeded to Whittinghame and Morton on the death of his father about 1441. According to the Great Seal Register he and his wife, Euphemia, had a charter of Whittinghame, 12th January 1452-53. Sir William must have married a second time, and have died before 5th February 1484, for in the Privy Council Register of that date mention is made of Margaret Fleming, widow of Sir William."^[11] [This has to be an error in transcription.]

Johnston continues saying that William had 3 sons, William, James, and George.

Research Notes

• http://www.thepeerage.com/p53951.htm#i539510

Sources

1. ↑ A History of the House of Douglas by Sir Herbert Maxwell, London, 1920, vol.1, p.237.
2. ↑ The Great Seal of Scotland, no.595.
3. ↑ The Spottiswoode Miscellany Edinburgh, 1845, vol.ii, p.329.
4. ↑ Genealogical Collections 1750-51 made by Walter MacFarlane, edited by James T. Clark, Keeper of the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh, Scottish History Society, Edinburgh, 1900, p./516-7.
5. ↑ The Great Seal of Scotland, no.993, which is very extensive and includes notes on previous charters.
6. ↑ Maxwell, 1902, p.237.
7. ↑ ' 'A History of the Douglas Family of Morton in Nithsdale & Fingland & their descendants by Percy W.L. Adams, F.S.A., etc., Bedford, 1921, chart III, and p.96.
8. ↑ National Records of Scotland, GD12/51.
9. ↑ The Great Seal of Scotland, no.2039, confirmed at Edinburgh 14th May 1491.
10. ↑ The Great Seal of Scotland, no.3725.
11. ↑ Johnston, George Harvey. "The Douglases of Morton." The Heraldry of the Douglases: With Notes on All the Males of the Family, Descriptions of the Arms, Plates and Pedigrees. Edinburgh: W. & A.K. Johnston, Limited, 1907. 67. Print.