Records of the Pringles of the Scottish Border, by Alex Pringle

Chapter 3

CORTLEFERRY

MALCOLM

MALCOLM HOPPRINGILL Of Cortleferry was a son of James of Tynnes and his spouse Agnes Forester, and a brother of John of Buckholm. He was thus a great-grandson of Alexander of that Ilk. In August 1561 a charter is granted to him by John, Archbishop of St Andrews, of the half lands of Cortleferry; and failing his heirs male, to his brother John by the resignation of his elder brother James 3 of Tynnes, confirmed in 1564 (P. S. and in 1565 G. S.). In 1564 Malcolm witnesses the grant by Michael Balfour, Commendator of Melrose Abbey, his maternal brother, to the Earl of Moray of the lands of Rodono and others (P. B., Grote). As Chamberlain to the Commendator Malcolm would live much at the Abbey. In 1569 William Ker of Yair grants an obligation to Agnes Forester Lady Burleigh, and her son Malcolm. In 1575 of the twelve Hoppringills summoned to compear on 25th May before the Council, re the Elliot feud, Malcolm and William Hoppringill of Torwoodlee alone comply. In 1575 Malcolm and the Hoppringills of Whytbank, Blindlee, and Torwoodlee grant James Lauder of Muircleugh an acquittance as regards the claims of Catharine Gray, widow of George Hoppringill of Cortleferry and their bairns, Alexander, Thomas, and others (R. D.). In 1583 the Lords ordain Malcolm, John Hoppringill of Muirhouse, and William Borthwick of Soutra, to restore to two tenants of Legerwood kirklands the four score ewes they took from them, at 33s. a head (A. D.). In 1593 Malcolm, having trouble with the tenants, renounces the tack of Houliston he obtained in 1587 to Lord Borthwick for £1000 who thereupon infefts in it his sister Marie and her husband John Home, who paid him 2000 merks (R. D.). In 1595 Malcolm sues Robert Ormiston in Westhouses for abstracting from Melrose Abbey in 1568 his stallion horse worth 200 merks, and for the profits of its labour and hiring till 1580 (A. D., Hay). In 1596 the Lords ordain Alexander Horsburgh of that Ilk and John Govan of Cardrona to restore to Malcolm the teind-sheaves, nolt, horse, and others, taken from Houliston, and withheld since March 1590, of the avail specified, and pay his expenses (A. D.). In 1598 Malcolm and related Hoppringills find caution not to harm Govan or his three sons. But an intermarriage did not quite end the matter, for in 1618 John Govan sues George Pringill of that Ilk to deliver to him the acquittance for his sister Marion's tocher of £1000 subscribed by Malcolm and his son John (A. D., Hay).

Malcolm died apparently in 1618. By his wife Elizabeth Cairncross he had issue :

1. William, his heir.

2, John, servant to Sir Alexander Gibson of Durie, Senator of the College of Justice, marr. Marion Govan of Cardrona. Alive in 1653.

3. George.

WILLIAM

William appears several times during his father's life. He and his brother John in 1606 find caution with other Pringills not to harm Sir Robert Stewart of Shillinglaw. In July 1607 he and his future spouse Mariota Stoddart get from George Archbishop of St Andrews sasine of the half lands of Cortleferry (S. E., Secy,).

In January 1608 Alexander Pringill in Marchcleuch and his spouse Joneta Pringill get sasine of the other half lands of Cortleferry (G. S.).

In December 1615 John, William's brother, has owing to him by the late John Hoppringill of that Ilk 600 merks.

In July 1619 two children of Alexander Stoddart in Overshiels and their two tutors sue William, now of Cortleferry, intromitter with their father's effects since his death in May 1614, to account for the same valued at £3259; and the Lords ordain William to pay them the half of 4800 merks; while in July 1621 he is put to the horn for not handing the money to John Stoddart, one of the tutors (A. D. Hay).

In August 1621 William has conceded to him by Mr James Mitchelson, minister of St Bothans, a charter of half Corshope, some time occupied by Alexander Mitchelson and his spouse Mariota Pringill, now in Blackhauch ; also along with George Pringill in Hoppringill, equally between them, a charter of alienation, conceded by David Preston of Whitehall, of the lands, town, and tower of Halltree (S. E.).

In July 1622 a charter of Remission is granted " to my loved John Pringill, son of the late Malcolm of Cortleferry, now servant of our loved Alexander de Durie, Senator of the College of Justice, for art and part in the slaughter of the late James Mitchelson of Nether Lugate and his brother Robert by the late Walter Cairncross of Over Lugate (P. S.).

In February 1632 William appeals against a horning by Sir James Pringill of Galashiels, who had disponed the lands of Cribbilaw and Stow to Sir Gideon Murray, whose son Walter disponed them to him under reversion for £5000, and he denied that he had received the legal 40 days' notice to receive the money in St Giles Kirk : the Lords declare the horning orderly and ordain William to surrender the rights to the lands (A, D., Gibson). In November 1632 a bond for 500 merks granted to William by a brother of Patrick Home of Broomhouse, payable in 1631 under a penalty of 200 merks, is transferred to his son John (A. D., Gibson). William died in 1632. By his wife, Mariota Stoddart of Overshiels, he had issue:

1. John, his heir.

2. James, apprenticed in 1634 with George Wauchope, merchant, Edinburgh.

3. George.

4. Isabella, marr. Malcolm Inglis of Manorhead, issue, John Inglis.

5. Mariota, marr. John Hunter of Cousland, issue, Helen and Christian Hunter.

6. Elizabeth, marr. James Urquhart, minister of Galashiels (see Buckholm, 1648).

JOHN

In January 1633 Alison Pringill, second daughter of James Pringill of Buckholm, gets sasine from her future spouse John Pringill of an annual rent of 480 merks furth of his lands of Cortleferry. In September 1641 George Pringill now in Halltree, some time in Hoppringill, gets sasine, conceded by

David Preston of Craigmillar, the superior, of the half lands of Halltree that formerly belonged to William Pringill of Cortleferry, then to his son and heir John who resigned them, together with his half of the lien of 12,000 merks on Halltree.

On 4th January 1653 is registered the renunciation by Alexander Pringill, portioner of Cortleferry, with consent of his mother, Jean Johnston, of his half of the lands in favour of John Pringill. John had lent Alexander 5650 merks in 1647, and Alexander had disponed to John his half in security of the loan, and now John pays a further sum of 2350 merks and buys up Alexander's right of reversion, and becomes sole possessor of the whole lands of Cortleferry.

In December 1655 John, having a charter with precept of sasine from the Earl of Haddington, the superior, gets sasine, of Wooplaw, Colmslie, Wester Langlee, and Merton Mill, apprised by him from James Cairncross, the proprietor, for £25,780, and 1243 merks expenses.

John, who died in 1659 or 1660, and his spouse Alison Pringle had no issue. Alison survived her husband, and appears in a list of Gala Water landowners in 1665. John's heirs were his two sisters Isabella and Mariota, mentioned above. In 1664 John Pringle of Williamlaw was retoured his heir masculine in half Cortleferry. On his death without issue in 1675, the two sisters became heirs portioners of Cortleferry, Corsehope, and Colmslie. In 1680 Mariota having acquired her sister Isabella's half of Colmslie, her daughters, Christian Hunter, wife of Francis, brother of James Scott of Gala, and Helen, wife of James Pringle of Craigend, get charters of the lands.

In 1692 Alex. Cairncross, late Archbishop of Glasgow, gets sasine of half Colmslie conceded by Christian Hunter.

John Inglis, Isabella's son, who married a Marie Pringle, gets sasine of West Langlee.