GORDON, Robert ^{2 3}

   User ID: Y421.

  General Notes:

"1650 309. 20 Junii. Robertus Gordonus, 15 annorum, ex parentibus Dno. Jacobo Gordono de Aradoul et Joanna Bisset, sorore P. Georgii Bisseti, ad figuras. Abiit 6 Jan. 1653 in Scotiam ad haereditatem cum non esset pro fine seminarii."

from Records for the Scots Colleges




"William Gordon, 3rd laird of Terpersie, was like his father George before him the feudal superior in matters relating to the land ownership of Knockespock. Robert Gordon, who is described as 'son of James Gordon of Arradoul and Jane Bisset' (the daughter of Robert Bisset of Lessendrum), and as entering Douai College on June 20, 1650, returning to Scotland on January 6, 1653 ('Records of the Scots Colleges', i. 40). As this date occurred after his father's death, it is difficult to understand why Robert was not served heir to his father as Laird of Arradoul. The Elphinstone Dalrymple MS. calls him 'of Haugh,' but is mistaken in saying that he succeeded to the estate of Knockespock. He seems to be the Robert Gordon, eldest lawful son of the deceased James Gordon, apparent of Knockespock, who, on May 22, 1648, had a sasine registered on a precept of clare constat by William Gordon of Terpersie, in the town and the lands of Clatt, etc., dated at the kirk of Drumblade, May 16, 1648. Among the witnesses is Robert Gordon of Civiley ('Particular Register of Sasines,' Aberdeen vol. xiii)."

from Gordons of Cairnfield




"In the following sasine we find mention of James, yr. of Knockespock as deceased: -

'1648 - May 22. - Registration of sasine, dated 20 May, of Robert Gordon, eldest lawful son of the deceased James Gordon, apparent of Knokespeck and of Clatt, on a Precept of Clare Constat by William Gordon of Terpersie, in the town and lands of Clatt, &c, dated at the Kirk of Drumblait, 16 May 1648, among the witnesses being Robert Gordon of Civilie.'

It may be pointed out here that Clatt was evidently not at this time part of the Knockespock estate, and that it had belonged to Robert Gordon, 3rd son of the 2nd laird of Knockespock, then to George Gordon of Terpersie, and then to James Gordon, fiar of Knockespock, and then to the same and his spouse, Jean Bisset From the sasine given to George Gordon of Noth of the lands of Over and Nether Knockespak in 1642, it would seem that they passed from the old family of Gordon of Knockespock to another family connected by marriage ; and further, from the sasine given to Robert Gordon, eldest son of the deceased James G., apparent of Knockespeck, in the lands of Clatt in 1648, that the estate of Knockespock did not revert to a male heir of the old family, but had passed to a George Gordon, previously designed 'of Noth.' "

from Gordon of Knockespock ^{1 3 4}

  Research Notes:

CLARE CONSTAT

Clare constat: name of a precept (an order), in which a superior acknowledges that it 'clearly appears' that someone is heir to landed property held of the superior, and which orders the giving of sasine

SASINE

Sasine: either the symbolic act of giving legal possession of a piece of heritable property, or the instrument by which such an act was proved to have happened. The origin of the term is the same as that for the word 'seize' \endash meaning to take possession of (in Scottish documents it is generally rendered 'seis'). Hence, for example in an abridgement of sasine, someone who became the owner of a property (by succession, gift, purchase or whatever) is recorded as being 'seised' of that property

KNOCKESPOCK

"...Robert Gordon, eldest lawful son of the deceased James Gordon, apparent of Knockespock, who, on May 22, 1648, had a sasine registered on a precept of clare constat by William Gordon of Terpersie, in the town and the lands of Clatt, etc., dated at the kirk of Drumblade, May 16, 1648."

This quotation. which is from the history of the Gordons of Cairnfield, makes clear that legal title of the lands of Knockespock was transferred from Robert Gordon as named in the quotation to William Gordon of Terpersie, whose grandson John Gordon carried the title on. After the 1745 defeat the title was purchased by James Gordon, nephew of the last named John Gordon who had made money in the West Indies.

The title of the land of Rothney or Rothnies may also have been transferred in this way from the Buckie Gordons, through Cairnfield Gordons, to the descendants of William Gordon of Terpersie. ^{1 5}

Robert married Marie GORDON, daughter of George GORDON 4th of Coclarachie and Grissell SETON.¹ (Marie GORDON was born about 1630.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Robert Gordon is said to have married 'a daughter of Coclarachie's brother' ('Elphinstone Dalrymple MS.'). I cannot verify this."

from Gordons of Cairnfield ¹