Sir John de Botetourt in Scotland

When researching the history of Sir John de Botetourt and why he has a chantry chapel in St. Mary's Belchamp Walter it now appears that Sir John was quite an important player in the events of the Scotish invasion of Edward I and the attempts of his son Edward II to re-secure Scotland after the Scots had defeated the English at the Battle of Bannockburn.

Strangely the Wikipedia page for Sir John mentions that he was the ???? of St. Briavells Castle but not why and what he did there. It also says that he fought in the Battle of Boroughbridge, the the rebeliing side against Edward II. He was fined for taking sides with

What I have done here is to take extracts from what I have found in the sources that I have found and cross-referenced them with the other pages on this website. The People of Medieval Scotland and the thesis by Fiona Jane Watson - Edward I in Scotland (1296-1305) are the main sources on this page.

Sir John de Botetourt was active in Scotland between 1296 and 1304. He served King Edward I after his invasion in 1296. Under his son Edward II when Edward I's died in 1307 he returned to England (1304) and was associated with some of the barons he was serving with in Scotland. The antics of Edward II and the recapture of Scotland by the Scots were during this later period, 1304 until his death in 1324.

Wikipedia on John Balliol

Dalswinton Castle

Sir John was thought to have been "given" this castle for his safe-keeping in September 1301

Fiona Jane Watson:

Dalswinton is mentioned only three times in English official records, but nevertheless, it is quite clear that this Comyn castle, situated six miles north-west of Dumfries, was captured during the prince of Wales' campaign in the south-west. A wage account records that four men-at-arms of Sir John Botetourt, to whom the castle must therefore have been given, were paid for their stay at Dalswinton between 5 and 25 September 1301. Botetourt was also issued with various supplies for the castle in the same year. It is not clear, therefore, exactly when the castle was captured, since the prince and his army were at Turnberry around 5 September. It seems likely that the castle was either captured earlier, on the journey north from Carlisle, or else a separate contingent, presumably under Botetourt, besieged it in August 1302. In any event, the latter can only have held on to Dalswinton for a very short period of time since the wage payment mentioned above was cancelled, suggesting that the four men-at-arms never got there. In addition, a letter of 10 September 1302 from Sir Robert Tilliol, the constable of Lochmaben, states that the Scots, who were attacking Lochmaben, "went to lodge near Dalswinton". The castle was probably captured by the Scottish army soon after, if it had not already been taken.

Linlithgow

It would seem likely, therefore, that the siege of Ayr, which had begun in October 1301, was well over by 23 January 1302. Carrick may then have heard that Edward, still 14 at Linlithgow, was about to ratify the truce with the French and decided that the possible return of King John to the Scottish throne was more than his patriotic sympathies could endure. According to one chronicler, Bruce gave himself up to Sir John de St. John, presumably at Lochmaben15. St. John was certainly not with the court at Linlithgow, although he was imminently expected there to help to organise the planned building of a pele, according to a royal letter of 21 February16. Nevertheless, the earl of Carrick, if he did submit to Sir John, could easily have been sent on alone to perform homage to the English king. After Edward's return south on 1 February 1302, Bruce remained behind at Linlithgow, together with Sir John Segrave, Sir John Botetourt, Sir Robert Clifford, Sir William Latimer, senior, Sir John de St. John, senior, Sir 'Momas Furnivall, Sir Hugh I Audley and Sir Nicholas Malemeyns, who were all issued with victuals by Ralph Benton, the keeper of the store at Linlithgow, on 4 March 17. It would seem likely, given the very personal terms of Carrick's submission, that the agreement was made after face-to-face discussions between Edward and the young earl. In this case, the latter must have arrived at Linlithgow at some point around mid-January 1302. Death of Sir John de St. John On 14 September 1302 Edward heard the news of the death of Sir John de St. John, his lieutenant in Scotland and warden of the western march, to whom the king was 'much bound'. With regard to his private estate, St. John was owed so much from the crown for his services that writs had to be sent to the escheators and other royal officials, ordering them "to take nothing" until the king spoke to them at the parliament of 14 October. St. John's office of warden was to be held by his son, another Sir John, "as sufficiently and surely as possible, as it was held by John., until further orders. On 25 September the king wrote to the treasurer. The escheators were to be ordered once more "not to touch the lands and wardships assigned to John de St. John for his lifetime. " Edward "also proposed that Sir John Botetourt should succeed to St. John's office in Scotland. Finally, on 4 November, St. John's executors were given free administration of his affairs and his debts at the exchequer were discharged57. Though this might appear to be the least that Edward could have done for such a faithful and efficient servant, this was an unusual allowance and perhaps reflects the degree of personal financial commitment under which St. John had been put in the execution of his duty, rather than the service that he had performed.

Bannockburn 1313 and Boroughbridge 1322