A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

13;
OF THE SALTIER OR SAUTOIR.
and prodigies, which, whether true or false, gave occasion to these- confederate
kings, and their eminent subjects, to use such figures, as then appeared, afterward*
on their ensigns and coats of arms. From St James appearing with his cross and
and the-bloody sword be-
a bloody sword, the Castilians took the red saltier cross ;
came the badge of the Order of St : James And the King of Navarre placed on
his ensigns the form of the chains which fortified the Moors camp, which he cut
and broke by his own valour. This battle gave rise to many figures used by fami-
lies in these countries, of which in another place.
With us many families carry St Andrew's cross, upon
the account that it is the
badge of the kingdom.
HAIG of Bemerside, an ancient family in the shire of Berwick, carries for arms,
Plate VI. fig. 28. and in the Plate of Achievements, azure, a saltier cantoned with
two stars in chief and base, with as many crescents adosse in the flanks argent.
Some say this family is of a British extract, upon what account I know not, but
the family is of an old standing ; for, in the reign of Malcolm IV. Richard Norvel,
Constable of Scotland, gives a mortification of the chapel of St Leonards in
Lauderdale, to the abbacy and Monks of Dryburgh, to which Petrus de Haga of
Bemerside is a witness : And in a charter of William de Norvsl, to Henry de
Sinclare, of the lands of Carfrae, amongst the witnesses is Petrus Odell de Haga ;
which was in the reign of King William, as in the Chartulary of Dryburgh.
In the Chartulary of Kelso, at Edinburgh in the Lawyers' Library, there are
three charters, where Petrus de Haga is amongst the witnesses. The first is an
amicable composition between the abbot and convent of Kelchow, and William de
Veteri Ponte : The witnesses (not naming the church-men) are WiUielmo filio Willielmi,
Alano filio Rollandi de Galweya, Alano de Thurleston, Ricardo Nano, Alano
de
Claphan, Vicecomite de Lawder, Willielmo filio Rogeri, Petro de Haga. This
charter is dated 1203, feria quarta ante Pentecasten. The second charter is granted
by Alanus, filius Rollandi de Galaweya, Constabularius Regis Scotorum ; the witnesses
there, beside church-men, are Thoma de Colewill and Petro de : Haga And
in the third charter by the above Alanus, Petrus de Haga is a witness. These
two last charters have no date ; it is thought they have been granted in the reign
of Alexander II. or in the beginning of the reign of Alexander III. There is
another charter granted by Petrus de Haga, Dominus de Bemerside, with the con-
-ent of his son John, to the abbot and convent of Melrose, to pay yearly ten sal-
mons, and half a stone of wax ; witnesses beside the church-men, WiUielmo de
Rurdnn miiite, Hugone de Persibi, Vicecomite de Rokisburg, Willielmo de Hately,. Tboma
Rymor de Ercildoun. This charter wants also a date, and I think it has been
granted after the death of Alexander III. which was foretold by Thomas Rymer,
being so designed in this charter, and afterwards, upon the account of his prophecies
in rhyme, for in other old charters he is designed Thomas Learmount de
Ercildoun, which is in the neighbourhood with Bemerside ; and what he, as neighbour
to Bemerside, in his prophecies, mentions of this family, I have told, before in
my marks of cadency. In the Ragman-Roll, Haig of Bemerside is one of the
barons that submitted to Edward I. of England which ; family has continued, in a
male descent, to the present Haig of Bemerside.
Those, who undertook the expeditions to the Holy Land, for the most part were
crossed with that form of crosses used by their own country ; so that many families
with us carry saltlers. Sir James Balfour, in his Manuscript of the Nobility of
Scotland, tells us, that Malcolm de Lennox f one of the progenitors of the Earls of
Lennox, went to the Holy Land, and was crossed : for which he and his posterity
carried for arms, argent, a saltier ingrailed gules, cantoned with four roses of the
last Plate ; VI. fig. 29. This family was dignified with the title of Earl of Lennox
by King William the Lion, and continued in a noble and splendid condition till
Duncan Earl of Lennox was attainted of high treason, with his son-in-law, Murdoch
Duke of Albany, in the reign of I. King James He was execute at Stirling, upon
the 23d of May 1426, and his estate came to the crown by forfeiture. He left
behind him three daughters, Isabel, married to Murdoch, Duke of Albany ; Elizabeth
to Sir John Stewart of Darnly, ancestor of the Stewarts, Dukes and Earls of
Lennox ; Margaret to Robert Monteith of Rusky, by whom he had Robert Mon-
teith of Rusky his son, who left two daughters co-heirs to him ; Agnes married to