Seton

SETON (Family). The Scottish family of Seton, Seyton or Seatoun, claims descent from a Dougall Seton who lived in the reign of Alexander I. The family honours include the earldoms of Wintoun (cr. 160o) and Dunfermline; of Eglinton through marriage with the Montgomeries; and through alliance with a Gordon heiress a Seton became the ancestor of the earls and marquesses of Huntly and dukes of Gordon. The Setons were connected by marriage with the royal family of Scotland, and also with the Dunbars, Lindsays, Hays and Maitlands.

Sir Christopher Seton,

son and heir of John de Seton, a Cumberland gentleman, and his wife Erminia Lascelles, was born probably in 1278, and came into his inheritance in 1299. He had married about 1301 Christian Bruce, sister of King Robert, who was possibly his second cousin. He was present at his brother-in-law's coronation at Scone in 1306, and saved his life at the battle of Methven later in the same year. According to Dugdale he shut himself up in Lochdoon Castle in Ayrshire, and on the surrender of that castle was hanged as a traitor at Dumfries by order of Edward I. He left no heirs. His widow was in March 1307 in receipt of three pence a day from Edward I. for her support at the monastery of Sixhill in Lincolnshire. She was afterwards placed in the custody of Sir Thomas de Gray. His Cumberland estates, with the exception of his mother's dower, were given to Robert de Clifford. Another Seton, John de Seton, described as having no lands or chattels, was hanged for helping in the defence of Tibbers Castle, and for aiding in the murder of John Comyn, with other prisoners of war, at Newcastle in August 1306.

Sir Alexander Seton

(d. c. 1360) was probably the brother of Sir Christopher. He received grants of land from King Robert Bruce, and was one of the signatories of the letter addressed by the Scottish nobles to the pope to assert the independence of Scotland. He was twice sent on embassies to England, and in 1333 he defended the town of Berwick against the English. He agreed with the English to surrender the town on a certain date unless he received relief before that time, giving his eldest surviving son Thomas as a hostage. On the refusal of the Scots to surrender at the expiry of the term Thomas Seton was hanged in sight of the garrison. This incident is related by Fordun and Boece, but with inconsistencies that have rendered it suspect. An elder son, Alexander, had perished in 1332 in opposing the landing of Edward Baliol; according to some authorities the third son, William, was hanged with his brother, but he is generally said to have been drowned during the siege ; his daughter Margaret married Alan de Wintoun. The tragic death of young Thomas Seton was the subject of a ballad of "Seton's Sons," printed in Sheldon's Min strelsy of the Scottish Border ; of a tragedy, The Siege of Berwick (1794, Printed 1882) by Edward Jerningham, and of another by James Miller (1824).

Sir William Seton of Seton (fl. 1371-1393) is said to have been ennobled with the title of Lord Seton, and his heirs laid claim that the barony of Seton was the oldest in Scotland. By his wife Catherine Sinclair he had eight children. John succeeded him; Alexander married Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Sir Adam de Gordon, by whom he became the ancestor of the Gor dons of Huntly.

Sir John of Seton (d c. 1441) was taken prisoner at Homildon Hill in 1402. He was hostage in England for the earl of Douglas in 1405, and again in 1423 for James I. He married Lady Janet Dunbar, daughter of the loth earl of March. His son Sir William

was killed at Verneuil, fighting on the French side, leaving as heir GEORGE (d. 1478), 1st Lord Seton, who was created a lord of parliament in 1448 as Lord Seton. By his first marriage with Margaret, daughter of John Stewart, earl of Buchan, he had a son John, who died during his father's lifetime. He was succeeded by his grandson GEORGE, 2nd Lord Seton (d. 1508), who was a scholar of St. Andrews and Paris, and in common report a necro mancer. He was captured by the Flemings, and on his release fitted out and maintained a ship for the purpose of harassing Flemish travellers. His son GEORGE, 3rd Lord Seton, was killed at Flodden in 1513. He redeemed estates which his father had sacrificed to support his enterprises against the Flemings. By his marriage with Janet, daughter of Patrick Dunbar, 1st earl of Bothwell, he left a son GEORGE, 4th Lord Seton (d. 1549), who allowed Cardinal Beaton to escape from custody in 1543, and received considerable grants of land in the sequel. The castle and church of Seton were burnt by Hertford in revenge for the part he had taken against the English in George, 5th Lord Seton (1530?-1585), was a Catholic and a firm friend of Mary, queen of Scots. He was present at her marriage with the dauphin in 1557, and three years later he was again in France. When Mary returned to Scotland he became privy councillor and master of the household, but four years later he again found it advisable to retire to France. Mary and Darnley spent their honeymoon at Seton Palace, and Mary found a retreat there after the murder of Rizzio and again after the murder of Darnley. She spent the night before Carberry Hill under Seton's roof, and he was waiting for her on her escape from Lochleven in May 1568. He took her to his castle at Niddrie, Linlithgowshire, and thence to Hamilton. A week later he was taken prisoner at Langside. He was set free after the assassination of the regent Moray, and made his way to Flanders, where he was said to have made his living as a wagoner. He was, in fact, entrusted by Mary's supporters with a mission to the duke of Alva, and sought in vain to secure for service in Scotland two regiments of Scots then in Spanish pay. He returned home in 1571, being apparently reconciled with the government, but he retained his Catholicism and his friendship for Mary, who wrote to Elizabeth in 1581 desiring a passport for Lord Seton that he might alleviate her solitude. In 1581 he was one of Morton's judges, and in 1583 he was sent as ambassador to France, where he sought interference on Queen Mary's behalf. He died soon after his return on Jan. 8, 1585. The 5th Lord Seton figures in Sir Walter Scott's Abbot. He was succeeded by his second and eldest surviving son, Robert, who became 6th Lord Seton and 1st earl of Wintoun. His third son, Sir John Seton of Barns, was a gentleman of the bedchamber to Philip II. of Spain. He was recalled to Scotland by James VI., and served as lord of session from 1587 to Mary Seton, one of the "Four Maries" attendant on the queen, is supposed to have been the 5th Lord Seton's half-sister. She had been educated with Queen Mary in France, being about a year older than her mistress, with whom she returned to Scotland in 1561. She helped Mary to escape from Lochleven by assuming her clothes. Later on she joined her at Carlisle, and remained with her in her various prisons until 1583, when prison life had undermined her health and spirits. She died in poverty at the abbey of St. Pierre at Reims in