298 An Account of Simprin, Berwickshire, by Jas. Hardy- 



Hutton, Mordington and its bastel, Edram, East-Nisbet, Kellaw, 

 and Kemergham, the two Swyntons and the bastel, and Simprin^ 

 and Crossrig.* 



In the time of Edward I., the church of Sempringe belonging 

 to the Abbey of Kelso, was estimated at £12 of annual value, as 

 a subject of Papal taxation. f In the Rent Roll of the Abbey, 

 there were at Simpring two oxgangs of land, which produced one 

 merk per annum ; and the church for the Abbey's own use, was 

 valued at £10 per annum.;}; In 1630, the Earl of Roxburgh, ac- 

 counted for his relief, as from the Abbacy of Kelso, to the 

 minister of Simpren, 2 chalders ; and as teinds one chalder ; 

 while Sir James Durham of Duntarby, drew a pension of 5 

 chalders, " furth of the teynds of the kirks of Langton and Simp- 

 rem."§ 



After the Reformation, Simprin had been bestowed on William 

 Maitland, the politic Secretary of Queen Mary ; and after him on 

 his brother, Sir John Maitland, subsequently Lord High Chan- 

 cellor of James VI., who for a time held the main part of the 

 estates of Kelso Abbey in commendam, but before 1565-6 had ex- 

 changed the commendatorship of Kelso, with Francis Stewart, 

 afterwards Earl of Bothwell, for the Priory of Ooldingham.|| At 

 that unsettled period courtiers had a constant struggle to retain 

 their newly-acquired preferments or lands, against rival in- 

 triguers. In 1581, Sir John Maitland is specially, by Act of 

 Parliament, dispossessed of the lands of Simprin, in favour of 

 Alexander Hume of Manderston, and Alexander, Commendator 

 of Coldingham, his son, both partisans of the upstart favourite, 

 the Earl of Arran. They obtained " all and haill the landis of 

 Symprene over and nether toftis with thair pertinentis," " as be 

 cum in his hienes handis be reasoune of foirfalture ordourlie led 

 and deducit agains vmquhill William Maitland sumtyme apperand 

 of Lethingtoun, and John Maitland sumtyme priour of Colding- 

 ham, his "brother, for certane crymis of treasoun and lesemaieste 

 commitit be thame quarof they wer convict in Parliament, as the 

 proces led and deduceit thairupon proportis."^[ Manderston 

 entered possession ; and his son David Hume, called Cranshaws 



* Hall's Cbron. fol. 54. f Coldm. Account Rolls, p. cxv. 



X Morton's Teviotdale, pp. 127, 128, 169. 



§ Ibid, pp. 173, 178, 179. || Ibid, p. 104. 



11 Acts Pari. Scot, iii., pp. 270, 271. 



