Alexander Home, 1st Lord Home

Sir Alexander Home of that Ilk, 1st Lord Home, (c. 1403 – c. 1490) was in 1448 Sheriff Deputy for Berwickshire, and was made a Lord of Parliament on 2 August 1473. He is ancestor of the Earls of Home.

Family

Alexander Home's father, Sir Alexander Home of that Ilk, & feudal baron of Dunglass, was killed at the battle of Verneuil on August 17, 1424, and Alexander jnr., was retoured his heir that year, indicating he was already of age. His mother was Jean, daughter of Sir William Hay of Locherworth, Peebleshire. In April 1425 he made an agreement with his uncle David Home of Wedderburn, to halve the profits of the bailiary of Coldingham whichever of them should acquire it by purchase orotherwise, and is therein designed Alexander of Home of that Ilk.

Envoy

Sir Alexander Home had a safe-conduct abroad with William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas on November 9, 1450, and was probably one of the "brilliant retinue" that accompanied the Earl to Rome for the Papal Jubilee. On April 23, 1451 he had another safe-conduct with the Earl. Sir Alexander was one of the envoys sent by King James II, on July 27, 1451, to treat with England, and with his fellow commissioners he signed a truce for three years on August 14, 1451, in the Church of St Nicholas, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Marriage

Lord Home married twice: (1) Mariotta (or Marion), the daughter and co-heiress of John (d. 1421), son of Sir Robert de Lawedre of Edrington and The Bass (d. 1425). A Papal Dispensation by Pope Martin V was issued on April 11, 1426 at St Peter's, Rome, for Alexander de Home and Marion de Lawedre to marry, notwithstanding that they are related doubly in the fourth degree of consanguinity. Subsequent to that Dispensation, Robert, Bishop of Caithness, issued 'Letters' declaring all their offspring legitimate, signed at Edinburgh April 1, 1428, and witnessed by (the next) Sir Robert Lauder, knight, Lord of Edrington, amongst others. [ Balfour Paul, Sir James, "The Scots' Peerage", under "Home", vol.4, Edinburgh, 1905: 448-451; and also the Adenda, vol., 9, Edinburgh, 1914: 106-7, where he corrects relationship errors he had made in volume 4 for the 1st Lord Home and his spouses.]

They had at least six children:

* Alexander, Master of Home (d. 1456, "v.p."), married, following a Papal Dispensation, Agnes, daughter of Sir Adam Hepburn of Dunsyre, Master of Hailes, with issue.
* John, Prior of Coldingham Priory (d. before 1505)
* Nicholas
* Sir Patrick, of Fast Castle, & Balwoolsy (d. after 1507), married Isobel née Forman, with issue.
* George, of Ayton (b. 1435 - alive February 1490)
* Elyne or Helen, (possibly the 1st child) (d. after 1480) who married Sir Adam Hepburn, Master of Hailes (d. 1479), with issue.

Before July 1467 Sir Alexander Home remarried (2) Margaret, daughter of Alexander, Master of Montgomerie by his spouse Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Adam Hepburn of Hailes. They had a further three boys:

* Sir Thomas, of Langshaw, Ayrshire.
* Nicholas (indicating that Nicholas by the first marriage had probably died young)
* David.

The 1st Lord Home lived to a very great age, dying, it is said, in 1490. He was succeeded by his grandson Alexander Home, 2nd Lord Home.

References

*"Historical Manuscripts Commission - MSS of the Duke of Atholl, and the Earl of Home", 12th report, London, 1891, p. 122.
*"Historical Manuscripts Commission - MSS of Colonel Milne Home", p. 19.
*Balfour Paul, Sir James, Lord Lyon King of Arms, "The Scots' Peerage", under "Home", vol. 4, Edinburgh, 1905, p. 448-451. Sir Robert Douglas and Balfour Paul differ on the 1st Lord's death. Both are wrong.
*Townend, Peter, editor, "Burke's Peerage, Baronetage, and Knightage", 105th edition, London, 1970, p. 1362.
* Davis, K. Rutherford, "The Rutherfords in Britain", Alan Sutton Publishing, Gloucester, England,1987, p. 18-20, ISBN 0-86299-368-7