William (Striveling) Stirling (abt. 1435 - 1505)

Ancestors

Descendants

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William (Striveling) Stirling was a prominent member of a Scottish Clan. Join: Scotland Project Discuss: Scotland

Note on Name: His surname is noticed as Strivelyng in some sources and Striveling in others. The name used on these profiles will be Striveling. The name will later become Stirling.

Note on the lands: The lands referred to are now, in modern terms, Cadder near Glasgow. The boundaries of the estate are now lost. The estates are near unique in Scotland for the period (13th C) and represented a barony held of a subject, rather than the King viz., the Bishops of Glasgow. They are sometimes seen as Cawdor but should not be confused with Cawdor castle, in Nairnshire, which was the property of the Calder family, and later the Campbells.

Biography

William (Striveling) Stirling is a member of Clan Stirling.

William Striveling was the son of Sir William De Striveling.^[1] The date of his birth is not provided in source and is based on life events.

There is a Charter, dated 13 Jan 1461, by Sir Alexander Montgomeri of Ardrossane, Knight,, where "William Stervelyng, son and heir apparent of the Lord of Cader" was a witness. This suggests that he was of age at the time and that his father was still alive. Thus his year of birth is estimated at c. 1435/40.^[2]

William was served heir to his father in the lands of Cader on 30th May 1487.^[3] William Striveling was also infeft in the lands of Kirkmichael Stirlyng, on 31st December 1487, and was served heir to his father in the lands of Letter, in the earldom of Lennox and shire of Stirling, on 29th May 1487.^[4]

On 7th January 1492, William Strevelyne of Cader granted a procuratory to Robert and Andrew Strevelyne, his brothers, for resigning his lands of Kirkmichael and Blarnarn, in the hands of the superior, in favour of William Strevelyne, his son and heir apparent, and Elizabeth Buchanan, his wife.^[5]

He died 11 Feb 1505.^[6]

Family

His wife is not named in source material but he is stated to have had a son:

• William Striveling, who "On 23rd March 1505, he was served heir of his father, the deceased William Striveling of Cawder, who had died about forty days before".

Armorial

There is an extant copy of his seal; it bears on a Bend engrailed, three buckles. The crest is a swan's head issuing out of a coronet, being the same as the original crest of the Earls of Crawford. However this statement, by the Family Historian, Fraser, may not be accurate.

The arms are discussed in Stoddart ^[7] under Streuelinge of Cadder where he provides "There has been all along an uncertainty as to the tinctures (colours) of the arms of the Stirlings, and the entry made about 1672, in the name of Sir John Stirling of Keir, seems to show that the puzzle was insoluble, even by that accomplished herald Sir Charles Erskine." Further "The Lyon Office possesses a MS. by one of the heralds present at Holyrood House, when Sir George Stirling of Keir was knighted, 2nd June 1662." The arms were argent, on a bend engrailed sable three buckles or. The arms of eight Stirlings are registered with the bend engrailed azure. Drumpellier has the bend sable with buckles argent, and in no instance is the bend vert recorded, contrary to that which appears, incorrectly, in the Family History by Fraser.

Stoddart then states that the seals of the early Stirlings of Keir, from 1448 to 1579, are all three buckles on a plain bend, but in 1580, and subsequently, the bend is engrailed.

Sources

Footnotes:

1. ↑ William Strivelyng on thepeerage.com
2. ↑ The Stirlings of Keir; Fraser; page 11
3. ↑ The Stirlings of Keir; Fraser; page 11
4. ↑ The Stirlings of Keir; Fraser; page 11
5. ↑ The Stirlings of Keir; Fraser; page 11
6. ↑ The Stirlings of Keir; Fraser; page 12
7. ↑ Scottish arms; Stoddart, vol 2, page 80

Publications:

• The Stirlings of Keir, and their family papers. (With plates, including portraits and facsimiles).; Fraser, Sir William; 1858; available at archive.org and electric scotland

• Scottish arms : being a collection of armorial bearings, A.D. 1370-1678, reproduced in facsimile from contemporary manuscripts, with heraldic and genealogical notes; Stoddart; 1881, Volume 2, available at archive.org

• William Strivelyng on thepeerage.com