LESLIE, William of Seveedlie

   Another name for William was LESLIE, William of Civilie.¹

  General Notes:

"Queen Mary issued a precept, directed to John, Archbishop of St. Andrews, to receive and admit William Leslie of Balquhain and his heirsmale as hereditary tenants and feuars of the lands of Seveedlie, lying in the barony of Keig and
Monymusk, and regality of St. Andrews, as the same were formerly held by George, Earl of Huntly, attainted; dated 22d June 1563."

from Historical Records of the Family of Leslie

WILLIAM was a courtier to King James VI. He was a Privy Councillor in 1592, and died in London without issue.

'At this time James Arbuthnot was on the worst of terms with his brother-in-law, William Leslie of Civilie, second son
of William Leslie of Balquhaine, the subject of dispute appearing to be the lands of Lentusche. On 10th February,
1587. we come on the following entry: "Gift to John Arbuthnot, son and apparent heir of James Arbuthnot of Lentusche, of the escheat of Mr. William Leslie, who is at the horn for not finding caution and lawburrows for the safety of the said James Arbuthnot."

On 7th February, 1587-8, James Arbuthnot brought a complaint against Wilham Leslie " touching the ejection of the said James, his daughter and servants from the lands and houses of Lentusche, and intromission with the writs and goods therein." The Lords commanded William Leslie to find caution in £2,000 within twenty-four hours that " the said James, his bairns, tenants and servants, shall be harmless of him." A day or two later, 11th February, Alexander Lord Hume and John Gordon of Buckie became cautioners in the above sum for the good behaviour of William Leslie. It seems, however, that Leslie was less prompt in restoring the property, for, on 12th February, James brought an action against several persons, including William Leslie, his brother-in-law, George Leslie, apparent of Kincraigie, and a certain Alexander Jaffray, charging them with being "havers, detainers and withholders of the tower and fortalice of Lentusche," and calling upon them to "render the same to him." From this entry we understand that there was once a fortified house or castle at Lentusche, though it is impossible now to locate the site of it."'

"On 15th January, 1591-2, William Leslie of Civilie (brother of James's deceased wife, Isobel Leslie) obtained from the King a grant in feu farm of the sunny, middle, and shadow ploughs of Lentusche, which had perhaps escheated to the Crown through some misdemeanour of James. In 1594 John Leith in Luesk obtained some rights over it, and in 1597-8 William Leslie once more got a grant in feu farm of Bonytown, Luesk, and the third part of Lentusche, together with various other lands."

In 1600 a contract was registered whereby William Leslie sold to John Arbuthnot " of Carnegaw " for £1,000 Scots his "town and lands of Leddintusche, extending to three ploughs of land with houses and pertinents," etc.'

from Memories of the Arbuthnots of Kincardineshire and Aberdeenshire ^{1 2}