Elizabeth, underage at the time of her father's death, was a ward of Walter Haliburton of Dirleton. Sir William Seton purchased her wardship on 7 March 1408 for a liferent of 50 merks from the barony of Tranent. Sir William betrothed her to his eldest son Sir John Seton but he declined preferring a daughter of the Earl of March; Elizabeth was then married to his younger brother, Alexander Seton, who in 1406 was a prisoner along with the future king James I of Scotland.[2]
Elizabeth and Alexander wed in 1408.[3] He acquired through his marriage to Elizabeth Gordon the lands of Gordon and Huntly, confirmed to them on 20 July 1408.[3] This was according to custom of the time that Elizabeth Gordon, of her own free will, resigned her lands before Parliament at Perth and she and the Regent Albany issued a new charter of "All and whole of the lands and baronies of Gordon and Huntly lying within the sheriffdom of Berwick; the lands of Fogo and Faunes with their pertinents; the lands of Strathbogie and Beldygordon with the pertinents in Aberdeenshire; to be held by the said Alexander and Elizabeth and their heirs lawfully procreated; whom failing the true and lawful heirs of the said Elizabeth whomsoever; rendering the services used and wont."[2]
Three years later, Alexander fought at the Battle of Harlaw and was knighted before 1419.[4] In 1421–2 he traveled to France and visited King James of Scotland. Alexander Seton was one of those who negotiated for the release of the Scottish monarch and was a hostage for his king, but was released after a year in England to return to his family in Scotland.[4] In that same year Alexander and Elizabeth were granted a charter for half the lands of Culclarochy and part of Gerry in the barony of Drumblade.[5] About 1436 Alexander was created a Lord of Parliament as Alexander Seton, Lord Gordon.[4]
In 1428, Alexander and Elizabeth were granted a dispensation from the pope long after their marriage when it was determined they were within the forbidden degrees of consanguinity; the dispensation stating that Alexander Seton had contracted marriage with Elizabeth, the heiress of Gordon, "per verba de presenti publici, juxta morem patriae" (Latin: publicly in accordance with all customs of the time).[2] Elizabeth died at Strathbogie on 16 March 1439 while Alexander died in 1440–41.[6] Elizabeth was buried at St. Nicholas Church in Aberdeen.[7]
Family
The children of Alexander Seton and Elizabeth Gordon were:
^The Gordons were originally from Normandy, the founder of the family coming to Scotland in the twelfth century, probably in the train of David I of Scotland, and received a grant of the lands of Gordon in Berkshire. See: Robert Seton, An old family: or, The Setons of Scotland and America (New York: Brentano's, 1899), pp. 49-50.
References
^George Edward Cokayne, The Complete Peerage; or, a History of the House of Lords and all its members from the earliest times, Vol. VI, eds. H. A. Doubleday & Howard de Walden (London: The St. Catherine Press, Ltd., 1926), pp. 1, 2, 675
^ abcThe records of Aboyne MCCXXX-MDCLXXXI, ed. Charles Gordon Huntly (Aberdeen: The New Spalding Club, 1894), p. 372
^ abGeorge Edward Cokayne, The Complete Peerage; or, a History of the House of Lords and all its members from the earliest times, Vol. VI, eds. H. A. Doubleday & Howard de Walden (London: The St. Catherine Press, Ltd., 1926), p. 1
^John Malcolm Bulloch, The House of Gordon, Vol. 1, (Aberdeen: Aberdeen University Press, Ltd., 1903), p. 121
^George Edward Cokayne, The Complete Peerage; or, a History of the House of Lords and all its members from the earliest times, Vol. VI, eds. H. A. Doubleday & Howard de Walden (London: The St. Catherine Press, Ltd., 1926), pp. 2, 43
