The Abbot of Dryburgh was the head of the Premonstratensian

Premonstratensian

The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines, or in Britain and Ireland as the White Canons , are a Catholic religious order of canons regular founded at Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg...

 community of canons regular

Canons Regular

Canons Regular are members of certain bodies of Canons living in community under the Augustinian Rule , and sharing their property in common...

 of Dryburgh Abbey

Dryburgh Abbey

Dryburgh Abbey, near Dryburgh on the banks of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders, was nominally founded on 10 November 1150 in an agreement between Hugh de Morville, Lord of Lauderdale and Constable of Scotland, and the Premonstratensian canons regular from Alnwick Abbey in Northumberland...

 in the Scottish Borders

Scottish Borders

The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...

. The monastery

Monastery

Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...

 was founded in 1150 by canons regular from Alnwick Abbey

Alnwick Abbey

Alnwick Abbey was founded as a Premonstratensian monastery in 1147 by Eustace fitz John near Alnwick, England, as a daughter house of Newhouse Abbey in Lincolnshire. It was dissolved in 1535, refounded in 1536 and finally suppressed in 1539. It was granted to the Sadler and Winnington...

 with the patronage of Hugh de Morville, Lord of Lauderdale

Hugh de Morville, Lord of Cunningham and Lauderdale

Hugh de Morville was a Norman knight who made his fortune in the service of David fitz Malcolm, Prince of the Cumbrians and King of Scots .His parentage is said by some to be unclear, but G. W. S...

. In the 16th century the monastery increasingly came under secular control, and was eventually incorporated into the lordship of Cardross, Argyll and Bute#Cardross. The following is a list of abbot

Abbot

The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...

s and commendators:

List of abbots

ABBOT	TENURE	REIGN	NOTES
Roger (I)	1152 – 1177	David I David I of Scotland David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots... , Malcolm IV Malcolm IV of Scotland Malcolm IV , nicknamed Virgo, "the Maiden" , King of Scots, was the eldest son of Earl Henry and Ada de Warenne... , William I William I of Scotland William the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...	First abbot of Dryburgh; resigned 1177.
Gerard (Girardus)	1177–1184x1188	William I	He was the prior before his elevation.
Adam of Dryburgh Adam of Dryburgh Adam of Dryburgh was a late 12th and early 13th century Anglo-Scottish theologian, writer and Premonstratensian and Carthusian monk. He entered Dryburgh Abbey as a young man, rising to become abbot , before converting to Carthusianism and moving to Witham...	1184–1188	William I
Richard	c.1188–c.1193	William I
Alan	1193–1196	William I
Geoffrey (Galfrid)	1203–1209	William I	Promoted to the motherhouse to become abbot of Alnwick Alnwick Abbey Alnwick Abbey was founded as a Premonstratensian monastery in 1147 by Eustace fitz John near Alnwick, England, as a daughter house of Newhouse Abbey in Lincolnshire. It was dissolved in 1535, refounded in 1536 and finally suppressed in 1539. It was granted to the Sadler and Winnington... .
William (I)	1209–1210	William I	He was prior during Geoffrey’s abbacy.
Thomas (I)	1200x1234	William I, Alexander II Alexander II of Scotland Alexander II was King of Scots from1214 to his death.-Early life:...
Hugh	1221–1229	Alexander II
Henry	?1230	Alexander II
Walter (I)	1236–1240	Alexander II	He resigned due to continuing abbey debts.
John (I)	1240–1245x1255	Alexander II
Oliver	1262–1273 x	Alexander III Alexander III of Scotland Alexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
Thomas (II)	?1270	Alexander III	Grants an undated charter, thought to be from 1270, to the chaplain of Alan, Lord of Galloway
William (II)	1296	Edward I of England Edward I of England Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...	On 28 August 1296 he submitted along with abbots of Jedburgh, Kelso, and Melrose to King Edward I of England
Roger (II)	1308x1309	Robert I Robert I of Scotland Robert I , popularly known as Robert the Bruce , was King of Scots from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.His paternal ancestors were of Scoto-Norman heritage , and...
William (III)	1316–1324	Robert I	King Edward II of England burned the abbey in August 1322 along with abbeys of Hollyrood and Melrose.
Roger (III)	1324x1328	Robert I	occurs as witness to a charter, granted between 1324 and 1328, by which Sir John de Graham confirmed the whole of Eskdale to the monks of Melrose.
David (I)	1324x1328–1342	Robert I, David II David II of Scotland David II was King of Scots from 7 June 1329 until his death.-Early life:... , Edward Balliol Edward Balliol Edward Balliol was a claimant to the Scottish throne . With English help, he briefly ruled the country from 1332 to 1336.-Life:...
Andrew (I)	1350–c.1367–69	Edward Balliol, David II	Andrew witnessed, as a vassal of King Edward III of England Edward III of England Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe... , Edward Balliol’s resignation of all rights to the Scottish crown at Roxburgh on 20 January 1356. .
John (II)	1381–1406	Robert II Robert II of Scotland Robert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar... , Robert III Robert III of Scotland Robert III was King of Scots from 1390 to his death. His given name was John Stewart, and he was known primarily as the Earl of Carrick before ascending the throne at age 53...	King Robert III gave to the abbey the wealthy properties of the nuns of Southberwick in compensation for the destruction of the abbey by Richard II in 1385.
William (IV) de Dryburgh	1408	James I James I of Scotland James I, King of Scots , was the son of Robert III and Annabella Drummond. He was probably born in late July 1394 in Dunfermline as youngest of three sons...
John (III) de Aberdeen	1408–1414	James I
Thomas (III) de Merton	1434	James I
James Crawford	1444–1445	James II James II of Scotland James II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
Walter de Var (Dewar)	1461–1476 x 1477	James III James III of Scotland James III was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family.His reputation as the...	Last abbot to have his provision without challenge and first documentary evidence of alienation of abbey property.
John (IV) Crawford	1477–1482	James III	Papal confirmation of his appointment in 1477. He tried to regain some of the properties alienated by his predecessor.
Hugh Douglas	1477x1482	James III	Challenged Crawford\’s abbacy in 1477 and was successful in gaining provision to the abbey but then was expelled from the convent. In 1482 Douglas counter-challenged Crawford but in that same year and before the claim could be heard, Crawford died. Douglas thereby successfully gained the abbacy but then he died before the bulls of provision could be produced.
Andrew (II) Lidderdale	1482–1508	James III, James IV James IV of Scotland James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...	Lidderdale was a secular canon and received the provision in September 1482 on condition that within 3 months he would become a Premonstratensian. He resigned in October in favour of Thomas Hay.
Thomas (IV) Hay	1482	James III	Hay was unable to secure the abbacy and Lidderdale stayed in position.
John (V) Fenton	1483	James III	A group of canons elected Fenton, a Dryburgh canon, arguing that Lidderdale had failed to adopt the Premonstratensian habit. He was soon imprisoned by the followers of David Dinac.
David (II) Dinac	1483	James III	Managed to hold the abbacy for a few months but the provision was rejected by the pope in favour of John Fenton. Nothing is known thereafter of Fenton and it appears that Lidderdale continued in office until December 1508 when he was deprived of the abbey; he did, however, receive a pension from the abbey\’s income. The canons elected David Finlayson and nominated him to James IV.
David (III) Finlayson	1509	James IV	King James IV did not approve the appointment. Instead, Andrew Forman became the first commendator of the abbey.
b>COMMENDATOR HEADS OF THE ABBEY
Andrew Forman Andrew Forman Andrew Forman was a Scottish diplomat and prelate who became Bishop of Moray in 1501, Archbishop of Bourges in France, in 1513, Archbishop of St Andrews in 1514 as well as the headship of several monasteries....	1509–1516	James IV, James V James V of Scotland James V was King of Scots from 9 September 1513 until his death, which followed the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss...	Was bishop of Moray Bishop of Moray The Bishop of Moray or Bishop of Elgin was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Moray in northern Scotland, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics...  (1501-1516); resigned abbacy in 1516 two years after his translation to the archbishopric of St Andrews Archbishop of St Andrews The Bishop of St. Andrews was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of St Andrews and then, as Archbishop of St Andrews , the Archdiocese of St Andrews.The name St Andrews is not the town or church's original name...  in 1514.
James Ogilvie James Ogilvie James Ogilvie [Ogilvy] was a late medieval Scottish prelate. After the death of William Elphinstone , the bishopric of Aberdeen became vacant. Ogilvy was nominated for the vacancy by John Stewart, Duke of Albany...	1516–1518	James V	Pluralist and diplomat. Received the temporalities of the abbey in August 1516 and died in 1518.
David Hamilton	1519–1523	James V	Was bishop of Argyll Bishop of Argyll The Bishop of Argyll or Bishop of Lismore was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Argyll, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. It was created in 1200, when the western half of the territory of the Bishopric of Dunkeld was formed into the new diocese. The bishops were based at Lismore...  (1497–1523) and had tried to obtain the commend of Glenluce Abbey Glenluce Abbey Glenluce Abbey, near to Glenluce, Scotland, was a Cistercian monastery called also Abbey of Luce or Vallis Lucis and founded around 1190 by Rolland or Lochlann, Lord of Galloway and Constable of Scotland...  in a protracted appeal at Rome. Hamilton had formerly given up his claim by 1519 when he was provided to Dryburgh.
James Stewart	1523–1539	James V	A canon of Glasgow Cathedral Glasgow Cathedral The church commonly known as Glasgow Cathedral is the Church of Scotland High Kirk of Glasgow otherwise known as St. Mungo's Cathedral.The other cathedrals in Glasgow are:* The Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew...  and kinsman of the Earl of Lennox Earl of Lennox The Mormaer of Lennox or Earl of Lennox was the ruler of the long-lasting provincial Mormaerdom/Earldom of Lennox in the Medieval Kingdom of the Scots. The first Mormaer is usually regarded as Ailin I , but the genealogy of the Mormaers gives earlier names...
Thomas Erskine	1541–1551	James V, Mary I	Nominated by King James V in November 1539 but provision only granted in 1541 presumably due to the dispute of provision with Robert Waucope. Waucope was a secular cleric in the archbishopric of Armagh and prosecuted his claim to the abbacy of Dryburgh until his appointment as archbishop of Armagh in 1545. King James refused to allow him to the temporalities of the abbey.
[Robert Frasin]	1548	Mary I
John Erskine	1548–1556	Mary I	Succeeded his father as Lord Erskine and then was awarded the earldom of Mar. John resigned the commend in 1556 to David Erskine, an illegitimate son of his brother, Robert.
David Erskine	1556–1584 & 1585–1604	Mary I, James VI	Responsible for large scale alienation of the abbey lands. He was also commendator of Inchmahome but became involved in the Raid of Ruthven Raid of Ruthven The Raid of Ruthven was a political conspiracy in Scotland which took place on 22 August 1582. It was composed of several Presbyterian nobles, led by William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie, who abducted King James VI of Scotland. He was seized while staying at the castle of Ruthven , and kept under...  when the young King James VI was kidnapped. For his part in this he was forced to flee into England forfeiting his commend to William Stewart of Caverston. Erskine on being allowed back into favour by James received his forfeitures back, including his commendatorship of Dryburgh. He oversaw the end of the abbey as a working monastery although there were still canons alive in 1581 but all dead by 1600. David resigned the commend to his relative Henry Erskine, a son of the earl of Mar.
William Stewart	1584–1585	James VI	Was commendator for a little over a year.
Henry Erskine	1604–1628	James VI, Charles I Charles I of England Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...	Although the lands had all been transferred into the Lordship of Cardross, Erskine retained the title until his death in 1628.

See also

• Dryburgh Abbey
  Dryburgh Abbey
  Dryburgh Abbey, near Dryburgh on the banks of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders, was nominally founded on 10 November 1150 in an agreement between Hugh de Morville, Lord of Lauderdale and Constable of Scotland, and the Premonstratensian canons regular from Alnwick Abbey in Northumberland...
  
  
• Lord of Cardross