An Account of Simprin, Berwickshire, by Jas. Hardy. 299 



(perhaps from having a lease of that place), as we are informed 

 by David Hume of Godscroft, tried to stir up strife at Simprin.* 

 Sir George Hume of Wedderburn, Godscroft's eldest brother, at 

 the instigation of Manderston, was then under suspicion of being 

 adverse to the government, remanded to Perth in a sort of banish- 

 ment, which necessitated his estates being committed to Gods- 

 croft's management. Eamrig then appertained to "Wedderburn, 

 and there was a pendicle of debatable land between it and the 

 Swinton propert}^, in dispute betwixt him and George and John 

 Swinton. David of Cranshaws now preferred a right to it, also, 

 as a pertinent of Simprin ; and prepared to intrude himself into 

 possession ; but David of Godscroft becoming aware of his de- 

 signs, wrote to the husbandmen of Eamrig not to permit it ; and 

 that he himself if need were, would come to their support ; and 

 at the same time he charged his brother's vassals to arm ; and 

 leaving Edinburgh, proceeded to Langton, and obtained from his 

 sister, the lady of Sir William Cookburn, the promise of being 

 strengthened by her husband's dependents likewise to resist the 

 encroachment. Cowed by these precautionary measures, Cran- 

 shaws desisted ; and by the importunity of Godscroft, Wedder- 

 burn was soon afterwards released, to superintend his own 

 affairs. f On the 10th September, 1584, his disturber Cranshaws, 

 alias "Davie the Devill," was slain by the Earl of Bothwell. 

 "Upon the tenth of September, the Erie of Bothwell, accom- 

 panied with fortie horse, invaded David Hume, sonne to the 

 goodman of Manderstone, and slue him."! Meanwhile, whether 

 Bothwell, as commendator of Kelso regained Simprin, and it was 

 involved in his forfeiture in 1592, and annexed to the Crown, is 

 uncertain. When Godscroft composed the History of the House 

 of Wedderburn in 1611, he incidentally states that Bartholomew 

 Hume (or Home) was then a proprietor in Simprin. This 

 Bartholomew, he narrates, was the third in descent from Bartho- 

 lomew, 8th son of David, third of the name, but fourth as pro- 

 prietor of Wedderburn. His grandsire having gone into Clydes- 

 dale, settled and acquired some landed property there. § In 



* According to Godscroft, Cranshaws had received Simprin, from the 

 Treasury ; " Simprinise, quam dono a fisco accepit." 



t Godscioft, De Familia Humia Wedderburnensi, pp. 75, 76. 



X Calderwood's Hist, iv., p. 260; and viii., p. 275. 



§ Godscroft, p. 19. 



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