Paisley Abbey plus Stuarts as Dapifers

From:

John Macky – A Journey Through Scotland, 1729:

This County of Lenox gave the title of Earl and Duke to a branch of the family of Stuart, before they came to the crown of Scotland. The first was Allen, second son to Walter, the Stuart or Seneschal 1 of Scotland, who in some charters is also called Dapifer 2 Scotiae, and was uncle to him, who by marrying King Robert Bruce’s daughter, came to be king. From this office of High-Steward they took the sirname of Stuart, which is now branched out into many families, who all give the arms the family bore before they were kings, which is a blue and white chequer.

This town of Greenock is much embellish’d by its Proprietor, Sir John Shaw, one of the richest Commoners in Scotland, with a very fine Harbour; and is in the Shire of Renfrew, the ancient Inheritance of the Stuarts, before they were Kings; they were Barons of Renfrew, but Robert coming to be King, made it a Shire; however, Baron of Renfrew is still one of the Royal Titles, and the first Roberts generally kept their Court here. What the Stuarts were originally, no Historian can tell; but that they were also Treasurers to the King’s Household, and Stewards of the Kingdom, from which Office the Clan took the Sirname, all agree. The best account of them is given by Sir James Dalrymple, from undoubted Authorities; which is as follows:

Their Barony was the Shires of Renfrew and Bute, and the Stewartry of Kyle. The first of that Family I find mention’d in Charters and Records, is Walter, the son of Allan, Dapifer Regis, Founder of the Monastery of Paisley, who in the Register Book of Charters of the Abbacy of Paisley, now in the Custody of the Earl of Dundonald, Proprietor of these Lands, and where he hath his chief Residence, is mentioned as the Founder, and son of Allan; and particularly in a Discharge granted by himself to the Monks, of two Chaldrons 3 of Meal, payable out of the Mill, he is designed Walter, the Son of Allan; and in Confirmation by Pope Alexander, of the Abbacy of Paisley, to Alexander Stuart of Scotland, he is designed Heir by Progress to Walter the Founder. There are also Charters extant, granted by this Walter, designing himself the Son of Allan, and Dapifer Regis. The Chronicles of Melross and Fordon do design him Walter the Son of Allan, Dapifer Regis Scotiae, qui fundavit Pasletum; and that he died in the year 1177 by the former, and 1178 by the latter, which was in the twelfth or thirteenth year of the Reign of King William. And frequently in King William’s charters, in the said register of Register of Paisley, Allan Dapifer is mentioned, and also in the foresaid Confirmation by the pope, he is designed Allan the Son of Walter the Founder; he died in the Year 1204. To him succeeded Walter his son, designed Senescallus Scotiae. Fordon relates that King Alexander the Second, at the feast on his Birth-day, in the year 1231, made Walter, the son of Allan, Steward of Scotland, Justiciar of Scotland. A manuscript of Andreas Wintonius, Prior of the Inch in Lochlevin, who wrote in the time of Government of Robert First Duke of Albany, and uncle to King James the First, dedicated to Sir John Weems, Predecessor to the Earl of Weems, agrees with Fordon, that at St. Andrews. King Alexander made Walter (Allan’s son) Steward of Scotland, the King’s Justiciary. The manuscript contains many things useful to the history, and is in the hands of the Reverend Mr. James Kirktoun, one of the Ministers of Edinburgh, a Person well known in Scottish Antiquities. This Walter is an ordinary Witness in King Alexander the Second’s Charters, under the Designation of Senescallus & Justitiarius Scotiae. And, as the same Winton mentions, Walter (Steward and Justiciary of Scotland) was, in the year 1238, sent over to France, to bring Mary, Daughter to Ingram de Coucy, to be queen to King Alexander. Anno 1241, obiit 4 Walterus, Filius Allani junioris.

To Walter succeeded his son Alexander, Steward of Scotland, frequently so designed in his own and other Charters, recorded in the Register of Pasley. Fordon mentions him to be killed in the Battel of the Largis in Cunningham, which he places in the Year 1263, (Chron. De Melross, 1262.) where the Norwegians were defeated, and ever since banish’d from any Possession of the Isles. He is designed Alexander Stuart of Dundonald, great Grand-child to the first Walter Stuart, and Grand-father of the noble Walter, who married King Robert the Bruce’s daughter. Beside the Records of Pasley, many of the Charters are extant; and I have seen one by this Alexander, confirming the donation which Walter the father gave to the Church of St. Andrew’s of Bromholm, 5 of twenty Shillings yearly, to be taken out of the Burgh of Renfrew, with the Seal entire; himself on horseback on the one side, and the Chequer on the other for his Arms, which the Sirname of Stuart do still bear.

To him succeeded James, Great Steward of Scotland, his Son, who was one of the Wardens of Scotland after the Death of Alexander the Third, and one of those who treated with K. Edward the First of England, in relation to the Marriage betwixt the Maid of Norway and King Edward’s son, and in the competition concerning the Crown, betwixt Bruce, Balliol, and others. As also, after Balliol was defeated, and resigned the Crown, he is amongst those whom Ptynne’s History bears to have given allegiance to Edward Longshanks, and designed James Seneschall de Scoce saluz, 6 &c. A little after, 15 die Maij apud Rokesburgh, venit Dominus Joannes quondam Seneschallus, praedicti Domini Jacobi Germanus, Miles. 7 And I have a Charter of James Stuart of Scotland, designing himself Son to Alexander Stuart of Scotland, and confirming the Charter formerly mentioned, granted by Alexander Stuart of Scotland, his Father, and Walter his Grandfather: his seal appended is also entire. He died in the year 1309.

At the Battel of Falkirk, 1298, Sir John Stuart, designed of Bute, who contended with John Cummins for leading the vanguard of the Army, was killed: It seems he was the same Person who (in the year 1296) in Prynne’s History is called Frater Germanus Domini Jacobi; 8 and, in the absence or restraint of his elder brother, the Steward of Scotland, acted as Steward for him. This probably hath been the mistake, why our historians omitted James Stuart of Scotland, Predecessor and God-father to all the King James’s, and insert John Stuart to be Father to Walter Stuart of Scotland, who is well known to have been Husband to Margery Bruce, the King’s daughter; and, by her, Father to Robert Stuart, who, (in the absence of King David Bruce his Uncle, and in defence of his title against Edward Balliol) did many brave actions, from the year 1335 to the year 1338, when he was chosen Governor of the Kingdom; which he freed from the English and Balliol’s Claim, and restored it to King David Bruce at his return from France. This King being afterward taken prisoner at the Battel of Durham (commonly placed in the year 1348) was again Governor till the King returned from England, (in the year 1359) by the help of his two eldest sons, John (then Lord Kyle, designed Seneschallus de Kyle, afterwards King 9) and Robert (designed Seneschallus de Monteith) afterwards Duke of Albany.

  1. Seneschal: Steward or senior administrator in a royal or noble household.
  2. Dapifer: Senior steward in a royal household.
  3. Chaldron: Webster’s Dictionary: chalder – A unit of capacity for dry measure equal to 12 quarters or about 96 Winchester bushels.

The Concise Scots Dictionary: chalder – 11 quarters 5 bushels 1.615 gallons = 3386.624 litres.

  1. obiit: died
  2. Bronholm Cluniac Priory, near Bacton, Norfolk.
  3. Sir James Stuart, the Steward of Scotland, swore fealty to Edward I at Roxburgh on May 13th, 1296. Not sure what Scoce saluz means. Scoce may be Ecosse (Scotland). Most translators give saluz as salute. My school French dictionary says that salut may mean bow or greeting so saluz may just mean that he bowed or gave allegiance to Edward.

7. On the 15th day of May at Roxburgh, came Lord John, formerly the steward of the aforesaid Lord James, knight.

8. Brother of Lord James

9. King Robert III was born John Stuart

From Monuments and Monumental Inscriptions in Scotland Volume 1 by Charles Rogers, 1871:

Parish of Paisley:

Malcolm IV, on attaining his majority in the summer of 1163 visited his Castle of Fotheringay, in Northamptonshire; and on the 1st of July of that year met his second cousin, Henry II of England at Woodstock. The King of Scots was accompanied by Engelram his chancellor, Walter his steward, Richard his chaplain, and a retinue of attendants becoming his dignity. During the residence at Fotheringay, Walter the High Stewart sealed a charter establishing a house of devotion at Paisley of Cluniac monks from Wenlock, Shropshire, the county of his progenitors. The house was founded as a priory; fifty-six years afterwards, in 1219, it was constituted an abbey by Pope Honorius III.

The priory consisted of a chancel, choir, transept, and nave, and was munificently endowed by the Steward and his successors. The abbey buildings were burned and destroyed by the English in 1306, and were not fully restored till 1451. It may properly be designated the burial-place of the House of Stuart. It contains the remains of Walter, the founder of the church, his son Alan, his son Walter; his grandson James, his son Walter, and Marjory Bruce his wife, daughter of King Robert the Bruce, and of Elizabeth Mure and Euphemia Ross, the two consorts of Robert II. In a charter erecting the village of Paisley into a burgh of barony on the 19th August, 1488, James IV, refers to the monastery as the burial place of many of his ancestors.