Swinton,John

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Invent; Swinton, John 1699.xls
A B C D E F G H I J K L
From during this campaign there is a story of notoriety that took place at the English court involving two ladies. There were times when John de Swinton was at
Lancsater's Court. As well as a soldier and politician, Lancaster was fond of music, Chaucer was a close friend, John Wycliffe, the religious reformer was his
honoured guest. He gave great gifts of gold and silver plate, costly raiment and furs and above all jewels (pearls, diamonds, rubies, saphires & emeralds), which
were the craze of the time. John de Swinton was involved with a lady at the Court - Joan. She was aparently a wife to John but while he was away at war she
died at Court leaving no issue. At Court is Alice Perrares, a mistress to the King, Edward III, who is 'not only a scandal and danger to the realm but a
notable jewel thief'. On Joans death, 'John's rubies and pearls, more probably the spoil of his viage through France than the heirlooms of a Border family' are
stolen by Alice Perrares for they '…pass into her treasure chest'. The jewell's were valued at £400 (k). Though the deputies of Richard II were petitioned, and they
were prepared to see justice done, its they doubted whether the jewels could be traced. (e) John was known as a collector of fine jewellery - rubies, pearls and diamonds.
In 1375 Lancaster went to France as ambassador, securing a truce. He was however gaining a reputation as an unlucky and expensive general, rapidly losing popularity.
1376, June, the King died, then following Wycliffe's trail (1377, Feb. 20) Lancaster was forced to fle his palace of the Savoy in London, escaping to Kennington. (e)
1377 : John de Swinton decided to return to Scotland. King Richard II issued a'Warrant for safe conduct till the last days of April for Sir John de Swinton, with
60 men … to pass through Normandy, take ship at Harfleur … for Southampton … thence to the King's presence … and thereafter to Scotland'. Not so many years
before he travelled with 'one man at arms and three archers'. (e)
1377: In this year (perhaps) the King's advisers were ready to restore to Swinton lands to a rightful owner, especially when it was a respected friend who could
be expected to keep the peace in these trouble border lands. Perhaps the possinle return of the lands was a reason why John had served for the past six years.
Initially there was trouble when he arrived back in Scotland for he found that another member of the family, Henry de Swinton, probably an uncle, had already
arrived from Abernethy in Perthshire and taken possession. The question of who was the rightful owner following the forfeiture, for one was styled 'Lord
of Swinton', the other 'Lord of that Ilk', was resolved when William, Earl of Douglas produced other lands (Mykery, Barony of Strathurd, Sheriffdom of
Perthshire)which Henry accepted in 'amicable exchange'.
1377: During the uprisings in London the citizens vented their fury against the Lancasters. While "stray retainers of the Duke (John of Gaunt) found it prudent to
hide their badges; one, braver or less prudent than the rest, who refused to hide the proud emblem of the Lancastrian retinue, was badly mauled by the
mob who dragged him from his horse and tore the badge of Lancaster from his neck" (l)
In the early period John probably still spent much time in England and had dealings with London; William Calle owed John £40 and was outlawed until he paid it. (e)
John continued to be retained by Lancaster, appearing in his Register - 'On the 2nd November, 1379, the Duke writes from Kenilworth that he [John] is to be given sixty
pounds which are owing to him; and again, on 23rd August, 1380, there is an order from Tutlebury that [the] "bacheler Monsire Johan Swynton" is to be paid his annuity'.(e)
The Duke of Lancaster (John of Gaunt) was appointed at Ayton on 12 May 1379 to make a diplomatic mission to the north. Through out England peasant had risen
the poll tax. In June while at Coldingham, Wat Tyler led a group of Kentish rebels entered London plundering and burning the houses of the great. At this
time Lancaster's Savoy palace 'was in ashes'. The gates of Bamburgh were shut in Lancaster's face and he was forced to take refuge in Edinburgh
for a month until the storm blew over.
1379, July 12: Lancaster made a proclaimation at Berwick in which it appears that John de 'Swinton was installed as a peacemaker in the Marches'.
1380, June 4: [No. 28] Instrument and Act of Transcript obtained before William de Haleburton, baillie of Haddington, of a charter under the great seal
granting John de Swinton, knight £20 sterling yearly until he was infeft in £20 of land (f)
1382, June 4: King Robert II of Scotland granted Sir John 'and his heirs a pension of £20 a year'. (e)
1382, Oct 30: gains lands of Meikle Swinton confirmed by King Robert II & John, Earl of Carrick. From the earliest days the Swinton lands had been divided.
'Parva [Little ?] Swyntona' was held by the family, but'Meikle Swynton, the township, was a possession of the Monks of Coldingham'.
In 1382 the Abbot of Dunfermline handed over the lands of Meikle Swinton, the gift receiving Royal confirmation, and with Pope Clement VII,
'fortifying a transaction' as significant 'ass the surrender of Church lands by a papal Bull' (e) dated 1383, June 4 [Bull of Confirmation by
Pope Clement VII of Charteds 4, 5, and 7 given at Avignon]. {According to George S.C. Swinton this transaction for little (Mickle) Swinton was
concluded in 1379. John had to hand over an equivalent value in other lands.
Before 1387, August: Sir John, now styled Lord of tha Ilk, married Margaret, 'Countess of Mar', widow of William, first Earl of Douglas who died in 1384.
Through this marriage to Countess Margaret Douglas he acquired an additional 'courtesy' title of Lord of Mar;
1387: James, Earl of Douglas & Mar, handed over to his step-father the lands of Tillicoultry in Clackmannan, and Clova in Angus which King Robert II confirmed.
Thomas of Erskine went before the King in 1390 expressing concerns over the transaction on the lands to which his wife Issabell had rights, claiming that
these rights should not be prejudiced. The King agreed and though Sir John perhaps enjoyed Tillicoulty & Clova during his life, they did not pass to his heirs. (e)
1388, Aug.: engaged in the Battle of Otterburn. If john had scruples about taking up arms against his English comrades then the fact that Lancaster was
away in Portugal and his step-son, James of Douglas managed to break them. James, Earl of Douglas, and Sir John rode together, first to Melrose where John
witnessed a charter confirming the church of Cavers to the Abbey [of Melrose ?]. They then rode on to England and battle and Scottish victory. Chroniclers who
were present give less credit for the vitory to'the dead Douglas then to his stalwart step-father' [Sir John]. 'The younger man [James, Earl of Dougla], in his
haste insecurely armed, striking out right and left with his battle-axe, fell early in the frey, unrecognised, borne down by three lances fixed in his body'.
At battles end Harry Hotspur (Sir Henry Percy) (d) and his brothers, the sons of Lancaster's old ally, Henry Percy, were prisoners. (e)
1389, Dec. 5: with the death of his step-son James, 2nd of Douglas & Mar, there was no 'rightful heir' to the Douglas earldom. Most of it went to Archibald the
Grim while Cavers went to one of James 'natural' [illegitimate] sons and Drumlanrig to another. 'Perhaps it was feared that Swinton and his wife might lay
claim to this last' for on this date John signed a document [still in the charter-chest at Drumlanrig] that 'Johne of Swyntoun, Lord of Mar, and Margaret, his
spous, Countes[s] of Douglas and Mar …… say Witt[ness] ye us of ane [one] mynd consent and assent, to hef [have] faithfullie promist to William Douglas, sone
to umquhile James Erle of Douglas (whom they later call 'our sone') that we shal nevir in onywayes [anyway] move any question or contraversie [controversy]
against him …… concerning the baronie of Drumlanrig ……' etc (e)
Attached to this document (1389) is attached the only impression of Sir John's seal that is know to exist. This seal is illustrated in A.C. Fox-Davies
"A Complete Guide to Heraldry", Thomas Nelson & Sons 1969, page 387. It is worth noting 'that the helmet, coronet and crest are the exact counterpart
of the great Garter-plate, in St. George's Chapel at Windsor, of his contemporary, Ralph Lord Basset of Drayton'. (e)
1390-92: Around this time his wife, Margaret, Countess of Douglas & Mar died.
1391: King Robert III repays Sir John150 gold nobles (1919 = £62 10s) which he had been borrowed. Perhaps Sir John had lent money to the heir to the throne
to be repaid when he succeeded.
1391, March: Sir John was appealed to by the Prior of Durham in a letter asking for his help which must have been given, a latter letter gives grateful thanks. (e)
1391, Nov. 14: A safe-conduct was issued for 'John Swinton of Scotland' and 30 persons, 'all unarmed', to travel to [London ?]. (e)
1392, March: King Robert III confirms to John the '£20 pension granted by his late royal father.' (e)
c1392: Sir John married a third time to Lady Margaret Stewart, [most likely the] daughter of Robert Stewart, Earl of Fife, Duke of Albany, and
the Regent fron 1406-19; grandaughter of King Robert II.
1392, July 24: John was appointed ambassador extroadinary to Eng. (d) by King Robert III to negotiate a treaty with the Court of England, for which they got safe
conduct for their retinue, including 60 knights. This 'Embassy' set up to negotiate border relations was made up of 'Johannem de Swynton. Henricum de
Douglas, Johannem de Saintcler, Henricum de Preston [and] Johannem de Dalzell'. The negotiations must have been successful, peace continued for 10 years. (e)
1395, May 27: John "a true patron of the church" had presented John Simon to Adam, Bishop of Aberdeen, to take over the parish church of
Cadylston left vacant by the late William Fraser (g)
1397, Oct: A further meeting was at Hawdenstanke, near Birgham which the Duke of Lancaster attended, after which he took no further part in public affairs.
Lancaster died the following year. While John's presence is not recorded at this meeting it is significant 'that two months later his services are
acknowledged in England, by a grant …… of the pesage of the wool at Scarborough.' (e)
1399: South of the Tweed there was revolution taking place. Henry of Hereford, son of John of Gaunt, E. of Lancaster, forced King Richard II to abdicate and
was crowned King Henry IV. Henry was married to Elizabeth of Dunbar, daughter of the Scottish (George, 10th Earl of Dunbar and 3rd & last ?) Earl of March.
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