330 The Swintons of that Ilk, by A. Campbell Swinton. 



VII. and YIII. a second and third Sir Alan, IX. and X. 

 two Henries.* More authentic and detailed particulars 

 of the lives and actions of succeeding members of the house are 

 afforded by the histories of the times, and by a connected progress 

 of original writs in the possession of the family. 



XI. Sir John Swinton, supposed to be the son of the second 

 Henry, obtained from him a charter of the lands of Little 

 Swinton, the precept of sasine following on which is dated at 

 Scone in the year 1379. There is also a charter in his favour 

 by the Abbot of Dunfermline, with consent of the monks of 

 the Priory of Coldingham, of the whole lands of the Lordship of 

 Meikle Swinton, of which confirmation was granted on the 30th 

 October 1382, by John Earl of Carrick, Stewart of Scotland, 

 eldest son of King Robert II. There are further confirmations of 

 the Dunfermline Abbot's charter, by the Bishop of St. Andrews, 

 by King Eobert II., and by Pope Clement VII, the latter with 

 leaden seal attached ; and two ratifications by John Steyl, Prior 

 of Coldingham, on the 5th March, 1393, and 22nd November, 

 1394. Sir John Swinton took a prominent part both in civil and 

 military affairs during the reigns of Eobert II. and Eobert 

 ILL With both of these kings he seems to have been in great 

 favour, and received from each of them a pension, amounting in 

 the one case to £20 sterling, and in the other to 200 merks. He 

 was twice employed as ambassador extraordinary to negotiate 

 a treaty of peace with the English court, for which purpose he 

 obtained safe conducts from Eichard II. in 1392, and from Henry 

 IV. in 1400. But it was as a military leader that he was most 

 conspicuous. He has sometimes been identified with Sir John 

 Assueton (a name unknown in Scotland) ; of whom it is told, that 

 being one of the Scottish knights serving in the English army 

 against France, in or about the year 1369, he won the respect 

 and admiration of the enemy, by the gallantry with which he 

 entered alone and on foot within the barriers of Noyon, a city 

 of Picardy, and fought single handed " near the space of an 

 hour, during which time he wounded several."! It is certain 

 that Swinton was engaged at the battle of Otterburn on the 31st 

 July, 1388; and it is said to have been greatly owing to his 

 intrepidity that the Scottish army obtained the victory, though 



* Douglas's Baronage, pp. 127, 128. 

 f A"bercromby's Achievements of the Scots nation, vol. ii., p. 169. 



