Notes on the Scottish De Quencys of Fawside and Leuchars. by William W
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SCOTTIS E QUENCYSHD F FAWSIDO ' E AND LEUCHARS. 5 27 . II . NOTES ON THE SCOTTISH DE QUENCYS OF FAWSIDE AND LEUCHARS. BY WILLIAM W. IKELAND, M.D., F.S.A. SOOT. Nothing is more striking than the rapid degeneracy of the Germanic races who settled amongst the Latinised peoples of Western Europe. e descendantTh e conquerorth f o s s fel a prel n theii y e r th tur o t n incursions of the Northmen who occupied various parts of England and Scotland d foundean , a dpowerfu l dukedo e nortth f Eranceo hn mi . But instead of sinking into sensuality and sloth, the Normans showed a spirit of heroic adventure which lasted through many generations. It is a signal proof of the superiority of the race that many of them found successful careers beyon e countriedth s which they conquered. Norman soldier f fortuno s e sought foreign lands, gained powe wealthd an r d an , founded great familie eved an sn royal dynasties e pitilesTh . s spoliation e Saxonoth f s afte Normae th r n Conques f Englano t d might well have mad rulere eth f neighbourino s g countries war f allowinyo gfootina o gt those encroaching adventurers, yet we find the Gaelic kings of Scotland, who gave a refuge to the fugitives from the cruelty of William the Conqueror, welcoming Normans amongs e Saxoth t n populatioe th f o n Border counties. Tha e nobilitth t f Englano y s e Normath wa d s wa n resul f conquesto t , thae nobleo manth s t f f Scotlano o ys d werf o e Norman origi s e electioowin e th Scottisnwa th o t gf no h kings. This practice of favouring the stranger commenced with Malcolm Canmore, and went on under David I. and Malcolm IV. During these times there was much intercourse between the two countries; the Scottish kings frequently visited England, and gradually introduced feudal law into e lowland,th f Scotlando s n grantinI . g fief o Normant s s they probably counted upon their fidelity as the creatures of the royal favour, and hoped to avail themselves of their skill in organisation to bring a rude people under order and law. William the Lion, though, unfortunate in his war with England, continued the policy of his predecessors in welcoming younger sons of 6 27 PROCEEDING E SOCIETY , 18989 TH Y F .O SMA , noblemee th f Englanno givind dan g them land Scotlann si d whicd hha e Crowth falle o t n through demis r forfeitureo e . Amongse th t familie o thuwh ss found entry int Northere oth n Kingdom were Baliol, Bruce, Cumin, Soulis, Mowbray, Saint Clair, Hay, Giffard, Eamesay, Laundel, Somerville, Bysey, Berkeley or Barclay, Walenge, Boys, Montgomery, Vanlx, Coleville, Fraser, Seton, Agnew d Gurlayan , . •Most of these names are still common in our country, and many of them are memorable in our history ; but the family which forms the subjec f thio t s paper passed away from Scotland without leavin gtraca e behind, so that many educated persons not versed in our antiquities are unawar e Quencyed tha e th t s were once amongs greatese e th t th f o t Scottish nobility. The Quencys came from Normandy with Duke William. The name e rolf Batteth o l n io sl Abbey. Saie e Quencd rgrana d ytha l from Henry II. of the Manor of Busliby, in the county of Northampton. Dugdale makes this Saie Quencye d r e fatheth , f boto r h Rober Saied e an td r 1 Quency, the Earl of Winchester. Robert had a brother called Saier, but it was his (Robert's n whso )o became Ear f Winchestero l . Dugdale also tells s thau t this Robert, being in the Holy Land (2 Richard I.), upon the recess of the King of France, was made captain of those soldiers then left behind for the defence of his country ngains e infidelsth tals o H o .attende d King Richard sixte th hn reigns i , yeahi f o r, in that expedition whic e theh n made into Normandy (Baronage f England,o tom. 686)p . ei . Burton (Desertion of Leicestershire, containing Matters of Antiquity and History, by William Burton, Esq., London, 1622, p. 37) makes this Robert the father of Saier. same Whetheth r anothe es o wa t i rr Rober accompanieo wh t d Richard seems a question to be solved. If Robert the Lord of Fawside and Robert the Crusader were the same, it is singular that this should not be alluded to by some contemporary writer. Robert, the companio Richardf no mentiones i , Geoffren di Viusaue d y fItinerarys f Richardo . I Holye tth o Land, boo . chapiv k e tell. H s iii thau e sDuk. th tf Burgundyo e , Drogo d'Amiens, and Robert de Quency were sent on a second embassy to the Marquis of Montferrat to order him to come with them to the army and give up the hostages. They thu t possessiogo s e hostagesth f werno o ewh , cruell deato t t hypu Richardy b . "Wahlte der Herzog von Burgund zu gefahrten den Bischof von Beauvais, und den Grafen Drogo von Amiens uud Wilhelm von Merlon, siimmtlich Freunde des Markgrafen, welchen Richar n seinedvo r Seite nocn Rittede h r Rober Quiucn vo t y beyga diesd un eb; Herren zoge achtem na n August nach Tyrus." - (Gcschichte der Kreuzzuge, von Dr Friediich Wilken, vierter Theil, p. 384.) SCOTTISH DE QUENCYS OF FAWSIDE AND LEUCHAKS. 277 Dugdale tells us that he had a son called Robert, who accompanied Richard Cceu e Liod r o Palestinet n . It was either this Robert, or a scion of the same family of the same name, who, comin o Scotlandt g , received from King Malcole th . mIV e Manogranth f f Travernento o rt r Tranento 1 n Iladdingtonshirei , . This seem o havt s e reverte e Kingth e deatn o 1154i th t d, f ho y b , Thor, the son of Swan. The first mention of Robert de Quency occurs in a charter of Robert Avenel of Eskdale, in which the said de Quency is quoted as a witness to a previous grant made in the reign of King Malcolm t I e doeQuenct d appea. no sw ho yr obtaine e landth df o s Fawside, e whichtimeth f Davin o si , d I., were hel y Edmunb d f o d Fawside, who was a witness in a grant of that King.2 In addition to this, the old castle of Forfar was given to Robert de Quency by King William yearla t a , poune y renon pepper,f f do o t paie b t Easterda o t 3 . Robert de Quency increased his possessions by marrying Eva, the daughte f Williamextensivd d heireso an ha rn f o Nessso o s wh e ,e th , estates in Fife. The site of the stronghold of this old Celtic chieftain i se see b stil no t l nea village th r f Loucharseo raisea , d mound witha flattened surface looking ovee plaith r n around. Her a ecastl s wa e built, whice English s taketh hwa y b n , unde e Ear th rf Pembroke o l n i , 1327. In 1336 it was retaken by Sir Andrew Moray. Only a few scattered stones now remain to indicate that the ground was once occupie y buildingsb d d ther e an tracea ,moa ar e f o st which onco inclosed about three acre f groundo s . The part of the old church of Leuchars still standing is one of the finest relics of the early Norman style in all Scotland.4 In its archi- tecture it resembles the churches of Dalmeny and Birnie, which date 1 Trov-er-nent, in the British speech, signifies the habitation or village on the ravin r valeo e; Tranent same th en i language, , signifie e sameth s . Both forme ar s equally descriptive of the situation. Chalmers' Caledonia, London, 1810, p. 523. Fawsidese Noticee th Se 2f o . f Bedfordthato H . C Ilk, y ,b F.S.A. e Scot.th n i , Proceedings, vol. xxiv. p. 370. 3 See Liber Oartarum Prioratus Sancti Andree in Scotia, Edinburgh, 1841, p. 354. e Scottisth n I h charter name sth generalls ei y writte Quencye nd I hav o s ,e adopted spelline th g which they themselves used. 4 See The Kirk and the Manse, by the Rev. Robert "W. Eraser, M.A., p. 199, and Liber Cartarum Prioratus Sancti Andree ut cit., . 254p . 278- PROCEEDINGS' OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 9, -1898. about .the same time. It appears that it was built by Ness, the son of William d presentean , canone Cathedrae th th f o t dAndrewst o sS f o l . Only the chancel now remains, the ruius of the body of the old structure having been removed to give e moderplacth o t e n parish churchI . have been told that there were many grave-stones and inscriptions on the floor of the old church, and a few such monuments still remain in the chancel, but none of them of a date very far back. Most likely, Ness, Bobeii de Quency, and his lady were buried here, and their tombs were swept away whe modere nth n plac f worshieo erecteds pwa . Seyr de Quency, the son of Eobert, granted three marks of silver in- annual gift from his mill at Leuchars to the canons of St Andrews.1 Prom a charter in the muniments of the Abbey of Melrose,2 Eva, the wif f Eobero e e Quencyd t , survivenamen so r e husbandhe don d dan John.