Instrument in favour of Christian Leslie, 1487.

Instrument before Andrew Cadow, sheriff depute of Aberdeen.

Confirmation, in the presence of Master Andrew Cadow, Provost of Aberdeen, of the rights of Christian Leslie, relict of William Sinclair of Newburgh [Aberdeenshire], [2nd Baron Newburgh], over the barony of Newburgh, witnessed by John Lyon Lord Glamis, Robert Erskine, son of Thomas Lord Erskine, Alexander Irvine of Drum [Kinrosshire], Walter Ogiston, Alexander Irvine of Lunmey [Aberdeenshire], John Turing of Fovarne [Aberdeenshire], Gilbert Waus, Alexander Tullideph [Tullideff], John de Streueling, notary, Robert Leis notary, John Baidenagh, notary with the notarial devices of R.L. and J.B.Aberdeen, 8 January 1487.

Christian Leslie was the daughter of George Leslie, first earl of Rothes, and his second wife Christian Haliburton, widow of Alexander Leslie, earl of Ross. Christian Leslie married William Sinclair (d.1487), later second Lord Sinclair, who was the son of William Sinclair, third earl of Orkney, and his first wife Margaret Douglas. Known as William the Waster, he was considered to be unfit to inherit the main estates and was left the barony of Newburgh in Aberdeenshire. The earl had tried to ensure the inheritance of his estates by the sons of his second marriage; his second son named William was to receive the earldom of Caithness and Oliver was to get the Fife estate of Ravenscraig and Roslin in Lothian. But after the earl’s death in 1480 there was a serious dispute between the half-brothers; while the older William was pronounced an idiot, his son Henry benefited from the arguments in receiving the remaining family lands in Orkney, which had been acquired by conquest rather than royal grant and so had not escheated to the crown when James III demanded the earldom of Orkney from the third earl.

Single item

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Bequeathed to the library by Rev John Stirton, 1945

Call number used to be ms668.

Individual Manuscripts and Small Collections database available as part of Manuscripts Database.

Vellum. 24.3x30cm. Foot-folded with remnants of seal tag.

Description compiled by Maia Sheridan, Archives Hub project archivist, based on material from the Manuscripts Database.

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University of St Andrews: GB227 msDA783.L4K5: bond of obligation by George Leslie, first earl of Rothes, 1487