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

Chapter 20

TRINLYKNOWE

CADDONFOOT, SELKIRKSHIRE

ALEXANDER 1

ALEXANDER HOPPRINGILL, first of Trinlyknowe, was a son of James of Smailholm, Ranger (Cursor) of the Ward of Tweed. In 1480, 1485, and 1487, he renders to the Exchequer the accounts for his father James (E. R.). In 1843 he is a witness to the Sheriff of Edinburgh serving a summons for treason on Liddell of Halkerston, a fellow conspirator of the Duke of Albany (A. P.).

In September 1484 the West stead of Windydoors or Trinlyknowe was let to him. In 1486 he sat on the inquest of 15 that retoured John 4th Lord Maxwell as heir of the lands of Maxwell, Roxburghshire.

ROGER

Roger, who was associated with his father Alexander in the lease in 1485, succeeded him. In 1502 at the Justice Ayre, Selkirk, he, David Hoppringill in Ernecleugh, and another, produced a remission for art and part in a slaughter. In April 1510, like many other tenants of Ettrick Forest, he had the lands leased by him granted to him in feu, paying £24 yearly (E. R.). In December, being convicted along with 4 Hoppringills, Sheriff Murray, and 3 others, of cutting the wood of the Forest, Roger satisfies the fine of £3 and gets remission; also, along with the said Hoppringills, remission for resetting their cousins the sons of George Hoppringill of St Johns Chapel, the King's rebels.

Roger, immediate vassal of the King, fell in the battle of Flodden, 1513.

ALEXANDER 2

In 1541 Trinlyknowe, feued to Alexander Hoppringill, paying £24, now pays £16. In 1551 Alexander is one of the Jury in the Tolbooth of Edinburgh that retoured David Hume of Wedderburn as heir of his brother George who fell in the battle of Pinkie. In 1552 William, Alexander's son, gets a tack of Ormiston (R. D.). In 1554 David, Alexander's son, while tending his father's cattle in the haugh of the Caddon, was attacked and maltreated by Alexander Hoppringill of Craigleith and his son George (P. C. T.). Peace between the two parties seems to have been secured afterwards by an intermarriage. In 1561 Alexander, and Adam Bell pursue John Gladstone of Cocklaw for the slaughter of the late Thomas Peebles and William Bell during the struggle for Cademoor Common, and Gladstone finds surety to compear before the Justice in Edinburgh on the 15th December, and Queen Mary writes to the advocates, " We charge you that ye assist and concur to the pursuit of the said John, and see that justice be done, as ye will answer to us. Subscribed with our hand at Holyroodhouse 12th day of December and of our reign the 19th year '' (P. C. T.). In 1563 Alexander and his son John are cautioners that Alexander Hoppringill of Craigleith (Newhall) and his son George will underlie the law at the next Justice Ayre at Selkirk. In March 1576 Alexander appears in a list of Stow parishioners summoned re payment of tends. Alexander had issue: -

1. John, who predeceased him.

2. Thomas, his heir.

3. William.

4. David.

5. Jonet, marr. James Gifford, younger, of Sheriffhall, Midlothian.

THOMAS

In March 1587 Thomas Hoppringill received royal confirmation of his feu of Trinlyknowe in Ettrick Forest, of which " his predecessors had been auld and kindly tenants beyond the memory of man '' (G. S.).

In March 1586 Thomas's sister Jean sued her husband James Gifford of Sheriffhall for payment of the expenses of her and her daughter since he put them away, and the Lords order him to pay her £40 within 12 days. In August Jean having pleaded that Gifford, whom she married in 1575, had in February 1585 brutally struck her and her daughter and thrust them out of his house in the night, since when they had lived in poverty, the Lords order him to pay her 100 merks yearly. In 1594 Jean, as relict of Gifford, resists attempts to point the goods of Todhills belonging to her in liferent (A. D., Hay).

In 1594 George Hoppringill of Newhall is cautioner for Thomas in £1000, and in 1596 the two together find caution, like other Border lairds, " To keep the King's peace '' (P. C.).

Thomas died before June 1600. He and his spouse Elizabeth Scott of Todrig had issue: -

1. Alexander, his heir.

2. George.

3. Thomas.

4. Marion, marr. Alexander Mitchelson of Blackhaugh.

ALEXANDER 3

Before Whitsunday 1607 Alexander Pringill of Trinlyknowe gives notice to the tenants of Chapelhill. .

In 1618 Alexander wadsets Trinlyknowe to the Mitchelsons, and on its resumption again wadsets it, with consent of his mother Elizabeth Scott and Walter Scott of Todrig, to William Pringill of Cortleferry for 9000 merks, who in 1621 assigned it to the said Walter Scott,, who sold it, with the fortalice and fishings to Andrew Riddell of that llk (G. S., A. D., Scott).

ROBERT OF CHAPELHILL

In 1629 Robert Pringill was retoured heir of his father Alexander of Trinlyknowe in the lands of Chapelhill near Peebles (Retours, Peebles). In 1635 the Earl of Roxburgh and the Treasurer both claiming from Robert the feu duty of Chapelhill, the former as proprietor of the lands and lordship of Kelso, the latter as Kirklands which now belonged to the King, the Lords decern that the Earl has the better right (A. D., Scott). In February 1649 Robert is appointed a Commissioner of War for Peeblesshire. In 1603 Alexander Menteith, merchant in Edinburgh, and Margaret Pringle his spouse, get sasine of the 12-merk land of Chapelhill, with tower fortalice, fishings, and pertinents, formerly disponed by the late Pringle, and sold by the present proprietor to the said Alexander Menteith (S, E.).