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Douglas of Todhoillis, or Todholes, or Todalia
A Chronological History of Douglas of Todhoillis
The following is a chronological account of individuals associated with the name Douglas of Todhoillis
(also spelled Todales, Todholes, Todheils, and variants), primarily spanning the 16th and early 17th centuries.
Mid- to Late-16th Century: The Founding Generation and Key Figures
* 1506 (Pre-Dating): Sir James Douglas of Cavers died on September 28, 1506. His son, Robert Douglas, would later marry the heiress of Todhoillis.
* Robert Douglas of Todholes (16th C.): He was the third known son of Sir James Douglas (d. 1545), 5th or 6th of Cavers, and Elizabeth Murray of Falahill. He married Helen Douglas, the daughter and heiress of Douglas of Todhoillis (or Todalia), thereby becoming the laird of Todhoillis.
* Note on Ancestry: Robert was the younger brother of the next Sir James of Cavers and William of Friarshaw.
* 1583: He may have been the Master of the Horse of the Earl of Angus.
* 1584: His lands were possibly forfeited at the Scottish Parliament.
* 1604: He was recorded as surety for an Edinburgh burgess.
* Children: Robert and Helen had a son, James of Todhoillis (see below).
* Thomas Douglas (16th C.):
* 1561/2: He was the subject of a bond where he was to be entered as a prisoner to the Kerrs of Ferniehirst by several Elliots.
* Note: A Thomas of ‘Todhills’ (possibly Todhills in Cumbria, not Todhoillis) was later recorded in raids in 1581, 1582, and 1583.
* James Douglas of Todholes (16th C.): He was likely the son of Robert Douglas and Helen Douglas, the heiress.
* 1565: He was probably among the men listed as implicated in the murder of David Rizzio.
* 1572: He was recorded as a surety with the Privy Council for a man in Edinburgh
* 1584: He was recorded as living.
* Relation: He may have been the James ‘of Todholes’ who was the son of Robert, 3rd son of Sir James Douglas of Cavers, and the heiress Helena (Helen) of Todheils. He was surely related to the later James, 'apperand of Todhoill'.
* John Douglas (16th C.):
* 1583: He was charged to appear before the Privy Council, with his designation given as ‘of Welles or Todhoillis’.
* Relation: He may have been the father of the younger James of Todholes and was probably also related to Robert of Todholes.
Early-17th Century: The Next Generation
* James Douglas (16th/17th C.): He was presumably related to the earlier Douglases of Todholes and was possibly the son of Robert of Todholes.
* 1601: He was recorded as ‘apperand of Todhoill’ (apparent heir). He was listed among the wounded in a skirmish between the Turnbulls and Kers in Jedburgh, having been shot ‘with twa bullettis in the wambe’ (two bullets in the abdomen). He appears to have been an ally of the Turnbulls of Minto.
* 1612: He was recorded as a surety in a trial.
Research notes:
Robert Douglas, son of Sir James Douglas of Cavers, who died 28th
September 1506, married Helen, daughter and Heiress of Douglas of
Todhoillis, or Todalia, and had a son, James of Todhoillis, who was
living in 1584. (Source 1)
Robert of
Todholes is a 'known son' of Sir James Douglas (d.1545) 5th (or 6th) of
Cavers and Elizabeth, daughter of John Murray of Falahill. (This and
those that follow: Source 2)
James Douglas of Todholes (16th C.) recorded as surety with the Privy
Council in 1572 for a man in Edinburgh. He is probably the James ‘of
Todholes’ who was listed among the men implicated in the murder of David
Rizzio in 1565. He may be the Douglas of ‘Todheils’ whose heiress Helena
married Robert, 3rd son of Sir James Douglas of Cavers. He is surely
related to the later James, recorded as ‘apperand of Todhoill’ in 1601.
(Source 2)
James Douglas (16th/17th C.)
recorded as ‘apperand of Todhoill’ in 1601, when he was described as
being shot ‘with twa bullettis in the wambe’ when listed among the
wounded in the skirmish between the Turnbulls and Kers in Jedburgh. He
appears to have been an ally of the Turnbulls of Minto. He is also
recorded as surety in a trial of 1612. He was presumably related to
earlier Douglases of Todholes (or Todhills) and was possibly son of
Robert of Todholes. (Source 2)
James Douglas of Todholes (16th
C.) recorded as surety with the Privy Council in 1572 for a man in
Edinburgh. He is probably the James ‘of Todholes’ who was listed among
the men implicated in the murder of David Rizzio in 1565. He may be the
Douglas of ‘Todheils’ whose heiress Helena married Robert, 3rd son of
Sir James Douglas of Cavers. He is surely related to the later James,
recorded as ‘apperand of Todhoill’ in 1601. (Source 2)
James
Douglas (16th/17th C.) recorded as ‘apperand of Todhoill’ in 1601, when
he was described as being shot ‘with twa bullettis in the wambe’ when
listed among the wounded in the skirmish between the Turnbulls and Kers
in Jedburgh. He appears to have been an ally of the Turnbulls of Minto.
He is also recorded as surety in a trial of 1612. He was presumably
related to earlier Douglases of Todholes (or Todhills) and was possibly
son of Robert of Todholes (Source 2)
John Douglas (16th C.)
recorded in 1583 when he was among men charged to appear before the
Privy Council. His designation was given as ‘of Welles or Todhoillis’. He may have been
father of James of Todholes, who was recorded slightly later and was
probably also related to Robert of Todholes, who was a son of Sir James
of Cavers. (Source 2)
Robert Douglas of Todholes (16th C.)
3rd known son of Sir James of Cavers and Elizabeth Murray. He was
younger brother of the next Sir James of Cavers, as well as William of
Friarshaw. He could be the Robert of Cavers who witnessed a transaction
in Selkirk (involving land in Hassendeanbank). He married Helen Douglas,
who was heiress of ‘Todheils’ (also written ‘Todalia’, ‘Todholes’ and
variants). Perhaps the same Robert of Todholes was Master of the Horse
of the Earl of Angus in 1583 and had his lands forfeited at the Scottish
Parliament in 1584. In 1604 he was surety for a burgess of Edinburgh.
Thomas Douglas (16th C.) subject of a bond for him to be entered as
a prisoner in 1561/2. The bond was between several Elliots (Archibald of
Falnash, Archie’s son Gavin, John of Copshaw and Elder Will) Sir John
Kerr and Sir Thomas Kerr of Ferniehirst, the Elliots promising to
deliver him to ‘the irn yettis of the Fairnehirst’, and was signed at
Hawick. A few months later Elliot of Falnash in another bond entered
John, ‘son to Mungo Routlache, Englishman’ as a prisoner, so this seems
likely to have been a relative. The same man (or a son perhaps) could
have been recorded in 1581; in a raid by the Elliots of Liddesdale, a
Thomas of ‘Todholes’ (i.e. Todhills in Cumbria) was taken prisoner and
his horses and oxen stolen. This same Thomas of Todhills complained in
1582 of having livestock and goods stolen by ‘Kinmont Jock, Eckie of
Strubholm and Jock Armstrong of Calfhill’. The same Thomas of Todhills
was injured in another raid by the Armstrongs of Mangerton, Whitehaugh
etc., in 1583; several other Routledges were targeted, including George
of ‘Greinhilesh’ and Anthony of ‘Nutticleugh’, with Alan being killed
and William, John and another Thomas being injured ‘in peril of death
whereof one hath his legge cut of’.
Tod
tod (t¯od) n., poet. a fox – ‘All his associates did wear a tod tail;
Which they esteem most by their engadges, More than French gallants do
of their plummages’ [CWS], ‘The todde he came frae the Screthy holes,
And courit fou cunninglye’ [JTe], ‘And the tod ran up, and the tod ran
down And the tod ran high and low; And unto the middle of Ringan’s corn,
The wily tod he did go’ [JTe], ‘Tak’ us the tods, the wee tods, that
waste the vynes . . . ’ [HSR], ‘An’ Jesus saith untill him, The tods hae
holes, an’ the burds o’ the air hae nests’ [HSR], ‘Another herd the
flock may tend, And frae vile tods the lambs defend . . . ’ [TCh], ‘By
none was the clash of their hot spears heard Save the tod in the crags
and the lone night bird’ [WHO], ‘They’ve a tod for telegraph-boy, nae
doot, Sae fer frae the haunts o’ men . . . ’ [DH], ‘. . . Then owre the
heid and oot As shairp as a tod’ [DH], ‘. . . O’ ringin’ frosts and
gale-force blaws, o’ thievin’ tods and hoodie craws’ [TD] (the word
survives in several place names, e.g. Todholes, Todrig, Todscleuch,
Todshaw and Todshawhaugh.
Todholes (tod-h¯olz) n. former lands in Liddesdale,
recorded as ‘Todholys’ in c.1376, with rental valued at 4 shillings. It
is probably the ‘Toddellis’ recorded in the 1541 rental roll, valued at
5 shillings and with Christopher Armstrong as tenant; given the position
on the roll, its location is somewhere near Mangerton (the origin could
be ‘fox hollows’). Todholes (tod-h¯olz) n. former lands in the Barony of
Cavers, listed in the 1511 charter of the Douglases of Cavers, as ‘Denummains,
called Todholis’ (or ‘Todeholis’). In the 16th century Helena Douglas
was heiress of ‘Todheils’ when she married Robert, 3rd son of Sir James
Douglas of Cavers. It was listed as the principle ‘messuage’ of the
demesne lands of Denholm in 1687 when part of the Barony of Cavers when
inherited by Sir William Douglas and when inherited by his brother
Archibald in 1698. The lands were described as also having a mill. It is
unclear where these lands were, although possibly the same as ‘Todlaw’
on the Dean Burn (it is transcribed ‘Todhold’ in 1687 and 1698).
See also:
•
Douglas of Cavers
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