Records of the Pringles of the Scottish Border, by Alex Pringle

Chapter 13

KELSO AND DISTRICT

SHARPITLAW, KELSO

ROBETT HOPPRINGILL, son of David of Hounam, first of Sharpitlaw, became tenant of the 7-merk lands thereof under Francis Earl of Bothwell about 1573. Bothwell made his attempt to seize King James VI. in Holyrood Palace in December 1591, and among the Earl's followers summoned for treason in April following was Robert. His uncle William being dead he succeeded to the kirklands in Eckfurd, acquired by William's brother James in 1590 (see Hounam). Robert died in March 1603. He left David Pringill, younger, of Hounam to be Tutor to his son George, live at Sharpitlaw, bring him up, and account to him when of age ; also certain property in Kelso with the mail of which to bring up his deceased brother William's two sons George and James (T. E.).

GEORGE 1

In 1609 George was confirmed in Sharpitlaw and the anna in the Tweed by the Lords (A. D., Gibson). In 1623 he got sasine of the kirklands of Eckfurd, the witnesses being Mark Pringill in Sprouston and Robert in Caverton, the former of whom became first of the house of Clifton and Haining. He was succeeded by his son

ROBERT 2

who appears as laird in 1635. In 1640 he was retoured heir of his father in the Eckfurd kirklands. In 1664 on a precept from the Earl of Roxburgh, now the superior, he got sasine of the 5-merk land of Sharpitlaw and the anna, in Tweed, and of a tenement in Kelso. In 1624 Robert disponed the Eckfurd lands to Alexander Pringle, surgeon, Kelso (Sas. Rox.). He was succeeded by his son

GEORGE 2

who was born 1641. He wadset an acre of Sharpitlaw. His Testament was registered in 1685 (Test., Peebles). He was succeeded by his son

ROBERT 3

who, having refused to enter heir to his grandfather Robert, and pay a bond for 400 merks granted by him in 1649, and assigned in 1688 by the grantee to Andrew Harvie, had in 1689 his lands of Sharpitlaw adjudicated in favour of Harvie (A. D., Dalrymple). ln 1705 Robert still retained the tenement in Kelso. In 1730 his two married sisters Anna and Janet were served hair portioners to him.

NENTHORN, KELSO

Walter Hoppringill, apparently from Hounam, is mentioned in Nenthorn in 1573, also in 1582.

Alexander Pringle in Nenthorn mill and his brother John are quoted in 1609, also his son Walter in 1619. In 1621 his son Andrew was apprenticed with David Pringill, surgeon, Edinburgh. In April 1617 when the parishes of the south-east counties were required to furnish a certain number of horses each to convey King Charles's luggage on 13th May ensuing from Berwick to Dunglass, on his way from London to Edinburgh, William Pringill was appointed Constable for the parish's quota of 10 horses (P. C.). In 1634 the Lords ordain 18 of the tenants in Nenthorn, including Alexander in the Mill, to pay their rents to Sir James Pringle of Galashiels, appointed factor for James Earl of Home in 1631 (A. D., Gibson).

In 1641 Walter Pringill in the Mill, at the horn for not paying certain bonds, has his goods, movable and immovable, escheated, and granted under the Privy Seal to Andrew (P. S.). In 1654 Andrew, surgeon, gets sasine from Andrew Ker of Littledean of an annual rent of £126 furth of his lands of Nenthorn (L. Ch.). In 1659 Alexander Pringill, natural son of Andrew, surgeon, was apprenticed with James Borthwick, surgeon, Edinburgh.

In 1669 Mark Pringle. only son of James, elder brother of Andrew, surgeon, is retoured heir of the said Andrew his uncle, and in his annual rent of £126 furth of Nenthorn, in which he was given sasine in 1673 by order from Chancery; Mark there- upon giving sasine of the same to Walter, eldest son of Alexander Pringle of Sneep, to whom he had disponed it (L. Ch.). Mark in 1671 had also sold to Alexander Pringle, now surgeon in Kelso, on annual rent of £89 payable by George Pringle of that Ilk. In January 1682 the Lords grant the claim of Mark and Walter Pringle to uplift from 20 tenants in Nenthorn and Andrew Ker of Littledean the rents 1673 to 1680, which the latter had drawn, and they order a messenger-at-arms to pass and point their readiest movables, and failing that, the ground (A. D., Dalrymple). In 1705 Walter, now an apothecary surgeon in Earlston, assigned his lien over the Nenthorn lands to John Hoppringle of that Ilk. In 1717 the lien was extinguished by Ker of Littledean paying Walter £450, and Walter paying John Hoppringle £480 and some property in Earlston (S. E.)

KELSO

The early Hoppringills in Kelso would be largely from East Teviotdale. In 1567 in the rent rolls of the Abbey among those in the town paying small mails were Robin and Dand. In April 1592 Robert in Sharpitlaw and 4 Hoppringills and others in Kelso were summoned for treason (A. P.). They had accompanied Francis, sometime Earl of Bothwell, in his attempts to seize King James VI. in Falkland and Holyrood Palaces.

In May 1603 James Pringill and 12 others in Kelso are ordered by the Privy Council to buy, each of them, from Sir Michael Balfour a complete stand of footman's arms, if they are found liable (P. C.). Also in May 1603 was registered the testament and inventory of Margaret Douglas, spouse of James Pringill, who died in December 1602, made by him as administrator to William and Alexander their bairns ; inventory £264 ; debts in by Pringills of Lynton, Tofts, Smailholm, and Alexander Haitlie of Lambden, £410 ; debts out, John Pringle servant's fee £20, to Robert Pringill, Sharpitlaw, for malt, etc. £630 ; Free Gear £44 (T. E.).

ALEXANDER

In January 1621 on a complaint by Lord Erskine that a number of tanners refused to receive the instructions of the English tanners brought in by the Lords of Council to teach a better art in tanning leather, some 40, including Alexander Pringill and 5 others in Kelso, 5 in Lauder, and 2 in Earlston, Fans, Legerwood, Langton, and Lintlaw respectively, were denounced rebels for not compearing (P. C.). ln 1652 Alexander is granted the escheat of all goods movable and immovable that belonged to James Pringill denounced rebel for not paying certain bonds for which he was conjointly a cautioner. In 1633 Alexander is appointed by the Council Constable for Kelso to take charge of the 56 horses which as a parish it is required to furnish to help convey on a certain day King Charles's luggage from Berwick to Dunglass on his way to Edinburgh (P. C.). In 1663 Agnes and Isabella Pringle, retoured heirs of the late Alexander Pringle in Kelso, sold with consent of 'their husbands the 7-merk lands in Clifton called Oxnamsyde, which their father had bought in 1641 (S. E.).

WILLIAM (BREWER)

William Pringle, maltman in Kelso, and his son. George in 1659 were witnesses at Stow to a bond granted by George Hoppringile of that Ilk. In 1664 William Pringle, brewer, Kelso, and his 2 daughters, Isabella and Agnes, and their eldest sons, have, on a precept from the Earl of Roxburgh, sasine of certain lands and tenements in Kelso (S, E.). About 1670 William has similar property disponed to him by his brother James, and his spouse Christian Handyside gets sasine of an annual rent of. £87. In 1676 William, portioner, and Alexander, Robert, and William Pringle, Kelso, witness there the subscription by the Arbitrators of their decreet anent the division of Selkirk Commons (A. P.). William appears to have died by 1678. He had issue, George, his heir ; Robert, surgeon ; James, notary.

In 1679 Francis Pringle, Bailie of Kelso, brother of Sir Robert of Stitchill, created a commotion in the town by taking the side of the Covenanters, who were collecting to fight for liberty. On 13th June Francis was committed to prison, and notice sent to the informers against him to come to Edinburgh. On 4th July the case was heard. The King's advocate complained that a considerable party of the rebels having approached the town and stolen several gentlemen's horses and arms with a view to enter it, the Lieutenant of the Militia caused beat the drum for calling them together, yet the said Francis, Bailie of Kelso, did what in him lay to make the town a prey. He, or some other by his direction, did beat the drummer, beat out the drum head, and imprison him. And thereafter some of the town having got notice of the Bailie's intention of betraying it caused ring the common bell, whereupon the said Francis did cause cut the bell rope. Both parties compelling personally, the Lords find Francis Pringle had done wrong in stopping the Militia drum, but in regard to his former good behaviour ordain him to have a reprimand and also to find caution (P. C.).

GEORGE (BAILIE)

In 1659 George Pringle, son of William, brewer, Kelso, married at Edinburgh Anna Livingston. He is mentioned in 1670, and in 1679 gets sasine of 3 1/2 - merk lands in the overfields, and a rig in the crofts. In 1685 George summons George Home of Eccles to pay various bonds granted by his father and assigned to him, amounting now to £6830, and George Home refusing to enter heir to his father, the Lords adjudge the lands and barony of Eccles to belong to George Pringle in satisfaction of his claim (A. D., Durie). In October 1688 the lands of Bankhead, Eccles, are disponed to George Pringle, merchant, by Alexander Pringle, surgeon, Kelso (S. E.). In 1689 George, now Bailie of Kelso, is granted a bond by Charles Earl of Home for £1118, which, with consent of the said Alexander Pringle, he assigns to James Pringle of Rowchester (Test., Lauder). In October 1697 George, Bailie, sifting in judgment in a lawful fenced court, having consulted with several neighbours, enacts that the free burgesses of Selkirk, according to their petition, shall have liberty to buy hides in the land market of Kelso at any time of the day, like as the magistrates of Selkirk declare they will defend the wonted privileges of Kelso in the burgh of Selkirk (C. B.). In 1700 George, Bailie, and Alexander Potts, Town Clerk, sign the petition to Parliament of 40 heritors of Roxburghshire (A. P.). In 1705 Robert Handysyde, merchant in Edinburgh, retoured heir of the late Robert Handysyde in Kelso, having refused to pay to William Pringle, son of the late George, Bailie of Kelso, his wife Jean Handysyde's tocher of 1000 merks and his elder sister Alison's of 5000 merks, both of which were assigned to him, and a bond for 1000 merks granted by Robert himself, the Lords, on a summons of adjudication, decern the heritages, tenements and others, reversions, rents, etc., in Kelso to belong to William Pringle in satisfaction of his claim (A. D., Dalrymple). Robert Pringle, writer in Edinburgh, another son of George, Bailie of Kelso, appears first in the office of Roger Oswald, W.S., in 1724. He is mentioned two or three times afterwards. He died in March 1747. By his will, for the love he bore to his nephew Robert Pringle, writer in Kelso, he bequeathed to him his whole heritable and movable goods, his house near the Fountain Well, and another in James Court, Edinburgh, his loving spouse Jean Haitlie to have the liferent of the two houses with the plenishing and £50 sterling yearly. He left to his three sisters legacies of £30 yearly, and £50 sterling to each of the seven children of his deceased brother William, the five children of the deceased George Adams, his nephew John son of Charles Waldie, his niece Elizabeth daughter of William Chatto, the Orphan Hospital, Edinburgh, and the S.P.C.K. (T. E., 1750).

In 1793 at Kelso died Mrs Pringle, widow of Robert Pringle, writer there.

ROBERT (SURGEON)

in Kelso, another son of William, brewer, and brother of George, bailie of Kelso, was born in 1655, and died in 1684. His testament and inventory, made by himself so far, and by his relict Agnes Pringle as one of the Tutors to their children, William, John, and Isabel: inventory, drugs and gear in his shop £600, horse £30, plenishing £100, total £730 ; debts in, owing by some 82 clients, including James Lord Cranston £33, the Laird of Mainhouse £199, of Linton £35, of Kimmerghame £100, Eccles £65, Soutra (David Pringle ?) £90, Lady Littledean £36, etc., total £1004 ; debts out, to each of his three sisters £333, etc. ; free gear £1280. He appointed his spouse and brother George to be Tutors, and Sir Robert Pringle of Stitchill, Robert Handysyde, merchant, and James Pringle, notary, to be Overseers to his children (Test., Peebles).

JAMES (NOTARY)

was another son of William, brewer, Kelso, and was born in 1656. In 1679 he is quoted along with his brother George.

He had sasine of certain land in Kelso in 1682, and he appears as the notary in about a dozen transactions. His son William, who appears along with him in 1680, succeeded him as a notary, acting as such at the sasine of George Pringle in Greenknow in 1699.