Notes on Newton Bon. By C. B. Balfour. 295 



of Lauderdale, which Helen and Barbara Hangansyde, her 

 sister, as heirs portioners of Alexander Hanganside, resigned 

 in favour of Helen and her husband.^' 



Soon after this the lands appear to have become mortgaged. 



In 1615 James Seytoun of Fawside has a charter of the lands, 

 apparently having lent money over them, in which charter they 

 are stated to have belonged to Alexander Weddell, portioner of 

 Litill Newton, and then to Helen Hanganside, his relict ; who 

 married secondly Alexander McDowall ; and to Alexander her 

 son in fee.^^ 



John Halyburton of Newtoun also appears in the same year as 

 having a share in Seytoun's security,^^ 



In 1642 Andrew or Dand Plumbar, son of John Plumbar, heir 

 of Andrew or Dand Plumbar, writer in Edinburgh, is served 

 heir in a third part of the lands of Little Newton. ^^ 



It seems evident, therefore, that the Hanganside estates had 

 become heavily mortgaged, and that the heirs had parted with 

 them in the earlier portion of the 17th century; nor were the 

 lands of the Kers of Dalcove unburdened, for one Thomas Car- 

 michael in 1613 appears as having lent a sum of 8000 merks 

 over the nine husband lands in Little Newton given up by Sir 

 Patrick Hepburn to Eodolph Ker.'^^ Circumstances were accord- 

 ingly favourable for any man who had command of capital to 

 buy up all the portions of the estate, and the opportunity was 

 taken advantage of by Alexander Don. 



Alexander Don was a writer in Kelso,^® and before 1648 is 

 styled portioner of Little Newton. About that date he acquired 

 Newton — was J.P. in 1661 — and on 27th Jan. 1666 had a Crown 

 charter erecting various lands into the Barony of Newton ; was 

 Sheriff of Berwickshire, and was created a Baronet of Nova 

 Scotia 7th June 1667. He married Isobel Smith, daughter of 

 John Smith, messenger in Duns, by his wife Bessie Lin, who 

 was an heiress. Her father in 1624 bought Peelrig from Sir 

 David Home of Wedderburn ; his only son Thomas died without 



2' Reg. Magni Sigilli. 



22 Reg. Mag. Sigilli, 4th March 1615. 



23 do. 27th June 1615. 

 " Retours of Heirs, xvi. 314. 



25 Reg. Mag. Sigilli, 17th June 1613. 



2* Don Papers. — MSS. of G. Home-Drummond at Duns Castle, per Dr 

 Hardy. 



