Individual Details

Sir John "2nd Knight Templar" Seton

(Abt 1370 - 1 Jan 1441)

[[Category:Battle of Homildon Hill]]
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== Biography ==
}Sir John Seton of Seton was the son of Sir William de Seton and Janet Fleming, daughter of Fleming of Biggar.[[#S-1]] Balfour Paul; Vol 8, [https://archive.org/stream/scotspeeragefoun08pauluoft#page/572/mode/2up page 573][[#S-2]] Sir Bruce Gordon Seton; [https://archive.org/stream/houseofsetonstv100seto#page/106/mode/2up page 107] There are a number of inaccuracies in Maitland's work[[#S-3]] Sir Richard Maitland, [https://archive.org/stream/historyofhouseof00maitrich#page/30/mode/2up page 31] and that source is generally discounted unless specific mention is required.
Some sources, Sir Bruce Gordon Seton amongst them, mentions that, at the battle of Homildon Hill, in 1402, John "appears to have been taken prisoner with him (Sir William), and there is no record of the date of their release". The source material, Bain's Calendar of Documents, provides "le Sieur de Seton" which could imply a son but mentions William as being at the Tower; there is only mention of one Seton and not two. It could be presumed this to be William. Thus the capture of John at that battle is discounted. However, mentioned by Sir Bruce Gordon Seton and noticed in Scotichronicon is a notice of "Monsieur Johande Seton, fils" amongst the casualties.Scotichronicon, Goodall's ed., 1759, ii. 337 Note. It might be supposed he returned to Scotland after the battle. Both his father and his father-in-law were taken captive at the battle.
He was, however, shortly after the return of his father about 1407, a hostage for the return of Archibald Douglas, fourth Earl of Douglas then at the Tower and who had led the Scottish force to defeat at Homildon Hill, losing an eye at the engagement.Bain's; CaL of Docs., iv. 729, 736. While there he is described by Bower,Scotichronicon, Goodall's ed., 1759, ii. 337 n., citing Liber Cuprensis. and noted in Balfour Paul, as "miles acerrimus, et Anglis, dum vixerat, infestus" - a stalwart soldier, and English, while living is aggressive. He was clearly of age at this point, and "of a leading family".
On 4 March 1410, Archibald Douglas, Earl of Douglas, gave his "dearest cousin" John a charter of the lands of Altham in the barony of Roxburgh.
On 24 March 1411, he received, from Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, Governorof Scotland, a charter of confirmation of the baronies of Seton and Tranent, and the lands of Winchburgh; thus raising to Lord of Seton. His father must have been dead prior to this date and this closely approximates the date supposed in that Profile.
Although clearly not a poor man (although Sir Bruce Gordon Seton states he was; he could afford easily the 600 merks annual payment in ransom just 5 years later) his name appears in 1417 in the Account Book of the Teutonic Order, among a list of Scottish Nobility and gentry who owed them money. His account is included among bad debts.
On 28 November 1421, John de Annand resigned to his "reverend and superior Lord John Lord Settone" the lands of Mylles; and on 30th November 1423, Sir John granted to James of Dundas anew the lands of Dundas, on his father's resignation. These Dundas lands had been granted to Sir Alexander Seton by Robert Bruce in 1322 (although Sir Bruce Gordon Seton mentions the year as 1422 this is clearly a transcription error).
He was one of the Scottish Commissioners appointed to treat for the liberation of King James I., and he, or alternatively his son and heir, was afterwards nominated a hostage for the payment of the King's ransom, by the treaty of 4 December 1423. His estate at that point was estimated at 600 merks annually.
In March 1424 he was appointed one of the Conservators of the Seven Years Truce concluded at that time. King James I appointed him Master of the Household, an office which was held by several of his kinsmen and successors.
Maitland suggests that Sir John was sent to France in March 1436 in the train of the infant Princess Margaret but this is however incorrect.
He must have died prior to 1434 as the estates of Seton were in ward in 1434. Maitland, while also getting the date wrong, says he was buried in Seton Church "in the yle foundit be his moder". This is incorrect, as the "yle" was built by his wife, and for him after his death.

Was an adult in March 1410.
Sir John Seton of Seton. G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume VIII, page 475.
He died about 1 Jan 1441.https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q61482526

===Family===He married, before 8 March 1393, Catherine de Sanct Clar, said to have been a daughter of Sir William Sinclair of Herdmanston. She survived him, and on 28 March 1450, had confirmation of a charter granted in her favour on 20 June 1449, by George, Lord of Seton and Langniddrie, Knight, grandson of her late husband, in which she is styled "Domina Katerine de Setoun relicte quondam Domini Johannis de Setoun". Catherine is noted as having added considerably to the Seton church and was a major benefactor of the church.

With Catherine he had three children:

* [[Seton-15|Sir William Seton]]; he will inherit the titles.
* [[Seton-164|Christian Seton]]; stated to have been a noble lady of the diocese of St. Andrews, in a dispensation from Pope Benedict XIII., 2 September 1416, to marry Norman Leslie (of Rothes), notwithstanding consanguinity of the fourth degree. Their son George was created first Earl of Rothes in March 1458.
* Janet Seton; who was married to Robert Keith, Master of Keith who died in his father's life time. She survived him, leaving a daughter, Janet, who married Andrew Gray, second Lord Gray.

Child of '''Sir John Seton of Seton'''
:Marian Seton Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 599.

==Sources==

* http://www.thepeerage.com/p2983.htm#i29826
* Source S-1 }
* Source S-2 }
* Source S-3 }

See also:

* ''Add [[sources]] here.''

== Acknowledgements ==Thanks to [[Myers-2993 | Jonathon Dale Walter Myers]] for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Jonathon Dale Walter and others.

Events

Birth	Abt 1370	Seton, East Lothian, Scotland
Marriage	1392	Catherine "Katherine" Sinclair
Death	1 Jan 1441	Seton, East Lothian, Scotland
Reference No		5908552
Reference No		6083877
Reference No		60

Families

Spouse	Catherine "Katherine" Sinclair (1376 - 1450)
Child	Sir William Seton (1390 - 1424)
Child	Christian Seton (1395 - )
Child	Marion Seton (1400 - 1467)

Spouse	Janet Dunbar (1404 - )
Child	Janet Seton (1425 - )

Father	Sir William Seton (1348 - 1409)
Mother	Janet "Jonet" Fleming (1350 - 1430)
Sibling	Alexander "Lord Gordon" Seton Lord Gordon (1382 - 1441)
Sibling	Marion Seton (1385 - 1440)
Sibling	Janet Seton (1390 - 1414)