Records of the Pringles of the Scottish Border, by Alex Pringle

Chapter 11

WESTHOUSEBYRE, MELROSE

FOR early references to William Hoppringill of Westhousebyre brother of George of Torwoodlee, see under East Teviotdale of 1518 and 1531. He is mentioned, in 1543. On 10th September 1547 was fought the disastrous battle of Pinkie ; at which Hugh Ross, 10th of Kilravock, Nairn, was taken prisoner by John Carr of Wark. In October at Torwoodlee Ross granted a bond to John Hoppringill of Smailholm, George of Torwoodlee and William of Westhousebyre, to repay to them the 100 angels they had advanced to pay for his ransom; and on 1st March following at Pittarrow in Forfarshire, in presence of the laird (Ross's brother-in-law) William, being repaid the amount, granted a discharge thereof on behalf of the other two bond- holders and himself (Ross of Kilravock, Spalding Club). The laird of Pittarrow, John Wishart, was, along with his neighbour Erskine of Dun, prominent among the leaders of the Reformation. In 1555 William is chosen along with others to divide the goods belonging to Andrew Ker of Clarilaw, as second spouse of the deceased Marion Hoppringill, and those pertaining to her children by her previous husband the late William Cairncross of Colmslie (Renwick's Peebles). In 1570 he acts as bailie at the sasine of John Hoppringill of Smailholm in a part of Mellerstane. In 1572 he is summoned, with other kinsmen, by Thomas Hoppringill of that Ilk, now 14, to provide him with Tutors. In 1582 William appears as Tutor to Marion Hoppringill, grand-daughter of the late Robert Hoppringill of Ewingston (brother of the late George of Torwoodlee) (A. D., Scott). See Milton, Pencaitland.

In 1610 Pringill, son of the late William of Westhousebyre, gets a gift of the nonentry mails and duties of the 4th part of Clifton that pertaining to William Pringle, first of Torwoodlee, for all years that the same has been in the hands of the King, since the death of the said William at Flodden, and for all years to come till the entry of the righteous heir (P. S., vol. 79).