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



1588, among the "professed Papists" of the age, was reckoned 

 "Bartill John in Simprein," who may have been Bartholomew, 

 the grandson's, son John.* At the date of May 30th, 1605, a 

 Bartholomew Home becomes the heir of George Home in Horne- 

 den, his father, in the moiety of three hnsbancllands in the town 

 and territory of Horneden, and the privilege of digging "lie 

 dayis wark of trnffis," annually on Hutton moor.f This may, or 

 may not, be a separate individual, as we have only the name, and 

 the peculiarity of a divided property as a guide ; and the inherit- 

 ance at Simprin at the same time ranking also as a subdivision. 

 June 15, 1626, Jasper Home becomes heir of Bartholomew Home 

 portioner of Symprene, his father ; in 4 husbandlands out of the 

 10 husbandlands of the Kirklands of Symprene, within the vill 

 and territory of the same ; valued at £4 6s 8d. \ The Homes 

 continued as small lairds there till about 1699, when the Rev. 

 Thomas Boston occupied as a temporary residence, what had been 

 their dwelling. Dec. 7. " The manse being in ruins, I settled in 

 an old house in the west end of the town, formerly belonging to 

 Andrew Home, sometime portioner there ; and there I dwelt till 

 toward the latter -end of the year 1702." The house was in such 

 a pitiful condition, that one night in Jan. 12th, 1700, during a 

 boisterous wind, Boston was obliged to quit his own bed, and be- 

 take himself to his father's, lest the apartment should collapse. § 



I cannot fix the precise period when the Cockburns of Lang- 

 ton became landholders in Simprin ; but on May 21st, 1629, Hr 

 William Cockburn of Langtoun, knight baronet, became heir of 

 Sir William Cockburn of Langtoun, his father, in the lands and 

 barony of Langtoun; and likewise the 10 husbandlands in Sym- 

 pring — The Kirklands ; the latter estimated at £10 of feu-farm ; 

 and 20s in augmentation. || His widow, Dame Helen Elphing- 

 stone, 5th daughter of William 4th Lord Elphinstone, and relict 

 also of Mr Henry Rollock, minister in Edinburgh, had received 

 from her first husband, Sir William Cockburn, a life-rent of a 

 division of his lands under her own distinct control. In 1648-9, 

 this lady and her tenantry of the parishes of Simprein and 

 * Calderwood, iv., p. 662. 

 f Inquis. Ret. Abbrev. Ber. No. 57. % Ibid, No. 149. 



§ Boston's Memoirs, pp. 87, 98. 



|| Inquis. Ret. Abbrev. Ber. No. 16fi. The Cockburns may have had a 

 Crown charter of lands, other than ecclesiastical, in the parish, of an early- 

 date. 



