An Account of Simprin, Berwickshire, by Jas. Hardy. 295 



Patrick, second Earl of that name, of a gift of the lands of 

 " Putanyshalwa," south of the Leit, in the barony of Hirsell, to 

 the Priory of St. Mary of Coldstream.*' In 1251, David, bishop 

 of St. Andrews, permitted the Kelso monks to apply the whole 

 fruits of the church to their own use, to enable them to assist the 

 poor, and exercise hospitality to strangers. This grant was con- 

 firmed by John, the prior of St. Andrews, at the head of his 

 chapter, f This bountiful prelate, David de Bernham, a native 

 of Berwick-upon-Tweed it may be interesting to know, died at 

 Nenthorn, and was buried in Kelso, j 



Somewhere about 1272-1276, the period being conjectured 

 from dated deeds, with corresponding signatures, Walter de 

 Simpring and Cecilie his wife, daughter of Marjorie Eede, grant 

 a charter of a toft and croft below the village of Coldingham, to 

 wit under Pernkinhow, to "Walter, the brother of Gregory de 

 Coldingham ; and the same parties give charter of a toft and 

 croft in Coldingham to the monks. The witnesses are Sir John 

 Gray, Sir Peter de Morthington, Sir Henry de Prendergest, 

 knights ; John Eidel, John de Piston, Gilbert de Lumesden, and 

 his son of the same name, and Thomas de Prendergest. § 



Nothing more appears about Simprin, till the year 1298, when 

 in an Ancient Rental of the possessions of the monastery of Cold- 

 ingham, under a defective heading ; — but internal evidence shews 

 that it had been Swinton ; — it is said that the vill of Sempring 

 claims to have community in the peat-moss or turbary of the 

 prior, but why is not known. Also, the lord of Sempring hath 

 set to the lord of Letham a particular portion of the turbary for 

 10s per annum. And the said lord de Letham hath restored to 

 the said lord de Sempring the said turbary, but is unwilling to 

 restore the farm. The value of the whole was £21 6s. || In that 

 age, Leitholm in the adjoining parish of Eccles was written 

 Letham, and its proprietor then called de Letham, appears to 

 have farmed a portion of the Coldingham lands in Swinton, and 

 was unwilling to quit his lease. 



* Historic Memorials of Coldstream Abbey (Priory). Cbart., No. xxiii.) 



t Caledonia, ii., p. 360, and Morton's Teviotdale, p. 127 ; on the authority 



of the Kelso Charters. 



X Keith's Catalogue of Bishops, p. 11., note. 



§ Coldingham Charters, Nos. ccxi, ccxcii. — Raine' s North Durham, App. p. 58. 



|| Inventories and Account Rolls, p. lxxxv. 



