First Routledges 1433
Well I suppose it depends on which website, book, or article you want to read first or believe as to when and where the first Routledges appear. I'm not claiming that I have found the first historical reference, But I have found a very early one. It was not till I wrote down all of the historical references I'd come across in chronological order that a pattern started to form. And as I did I could see how their lives where being shaped by the current events and the dodgy characters they were involved with. We seem to start off as land owners and from there went down hill. At the bottom of this page is a map that will help you understand the orientation and location of places mentioned.
Simon de Routluge
The first historical reference seems to be in 1433 and is a Simon de Routluge. Two things first jumped to mind when I came across him; firstly that the spelling De Routluge has barely changed to become Routledge. And secondly when he was at school he didn't have to read Shakespeare!
His appearance was in a interesting one to a local historian of the area, as for Simon to be a Burgess then Hawick must have had a bough status long before originally thought. Its is in a Charter of 1433 when William Douglas of Drumlanrig and Hawick feuded the lands of ‘Byrkwode called the oxgang’ and the lands of Burnflat to him where he his first recorded. But it is second appearance that was of more interest.
Its in a deed dated August 7th 1447 that I found the same Simon de Routluge, a burger, and his wife Mergrete, nee Cuysne conveying to Sir Walter Scott of Buccleuch part of Branxholm property. It goes on for quite a bit the document and there are several conveyances making up some thousands of acres. This estate was known as "Cusingland", the dowry of Simon's wife. So it would seem that Simon married into money and land. I've searched for her maiden name but have sadly had no luck in finding it so far. As for the land, well that is mentioned the year before hand when the Scotts of Buccleuch swap some of their land for half of the Branxholm estate that was owned by John Inglis in 1446. The rest they gained years later courtesy of the Scottish King James II. So perhaps they where already trying to acquire the rest of the land even before the King helped the process.
Simon goes on to appear quite a few times in Hawick's historical records. The next being in 1448 when he sells some more land to Sir Walter Scott, and then again in 1453 when he is one of two bailies who are witness to a 'sasine for a tenement', a bit like a sale or renting from what I understand. Its not till 1484 when he next appears as witness to a document assigning James Douglas heir to his father Sir William of Drumlanrig. This however could be his son and is most likely to be as its been 51 years since his first mention. Then from records I know that Simon had a son called Matthew. And they together enter into the pages of history in style.
Matthew de Routluge
In a 1494 record, I've discovered the mention of Routledges which could signal the
beginning of our Reiving days. Although I must point out that this is only my
theory. I found a few sources mentioning that a Symon de Routluge and his son
Matthew were charged with spuilzeit (laid waste or carried off as prey) of
certain goods. And on another web site, an account claiming
that Symon and his son Mathew were caught stealing sheep. These were both in the
Hawick area and is a stark contrast from owning lands. So not knowing what
I was about to stumble upon I went looking for a historical account of this
event. And oh boy did I find one!
It turned out that we had not just stole sheep and goods but Simon and his son Matthew along with accomplishes had "
sacked and burned the place and manor at Buccleuch". This was found in the genealogical history of the Scotts of Buccleuch. So off I went researching and was not disappointed by what I found. Originally I was going to have the story of the raid and its background on this page but the more I dug the more I realized it was going to take more than a paragraph to explain. So the full story can be found in Our First Raid.Matthew however does not disappear after this though. His next, and final appearance I can find, is January 23rd 1511 when Matthew Rouchlig is listed in a sasine of William Douglas of Drumlanrig, 'The Black Douglas'. Which nicely enough fits in with Simon (possibly his grandfather) in 1433 who conveyed lands to a Douglas of Drumlanrig as well. William was killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.
And with that it seems to mark the end of the Routledges or 'Routluge' in the Hawick area. That is apart from one final and curious Charter that makes you think. And that is the Hawick Charter of 1537. It contains a David Ruthlethe who owns 8 particates of land in Hawick. This should be noted that he is the largest of any single land owner. Perhaps all the other Routledges, such as Simon and Mathew where killed at Flodden in 1513, and that David was Mathews son and inherited the lands from his father and grandfather. And perhaps David was one of the brave young lads who defended Hawick in 1514 from the English. But alas I will never know, and nor can it be proven. And yes perhaps I'm fantasizing, but you cant blame me. And nor do I blame any other Routledge.
And with David comes to the end of the Routluges in Hawick that I can find. The next evidence I can find of Routledges revolves around raids, but I will let you read more about that in Routledges, Raids and Reivers. For it is not until the 1640's when the parish records begin that Routledges grace Hawick pages of History. And even still today there is two Routledge families in the area that I know of.
Sir Walter Scott
It should be pointed out that the Scotts may very well have been a titled landowner owner but they were far from the men you would have expected in their position. Sir Walter Scott, the great-grandson of the one who's manor we burned, was raised on the Borders and had grown up with the way of life as a Borderer. He was also utterly ruthless in his raids, brave but arrogant, and a treacherous murderer without conscience. A good example I came across of Walter Scott's raids was sadly undated but I could not leave out as it was against the Routledges.
It said that Walter Scott had 120 horsemen with him when he raided the home of Willie Rowtledge. He took 40 cows and oxen, 20 horse and mares and also laid an ambush to slay the soldiers and any others who might follow him. They were indeed pursued and cruelly slain a Mr Rowden along with several others, including soldiers, and maimed many others. This incident was a perfectly executed raid. He had a carefully chosen a target, trusted companions who were well armed and in sufficient numbers, surprise and he had the sense to anticipate pursuit and set a plan to deal with it.
Sir Walter Scott was also the one who famously rescued an Armstrong from Carlisle Castle. Which was no mean feat due to its fortifications. He was eventually killed by the Kerrs in the Kerr-Scott feud. And at the end of the day they all met their fate the same, as the common border reiver. All of the Scotts gentry and titles, land and manors, was no match for the cold steel of a Broad Sword at the hand of a Border Reiver.
They lived like a lord yet died like a reiver.
Modern day map of the area
Today the lands would be unrecognisable by Simon and Mathew as the Farm at Birkwood has long disappeared, as has the lands and common at Burnflat. Although the name carries on. Where Burnflatt was lies a golf course and a new housing estate with familiar names. Even the area is known as Burnflatt Brea. Where as for Birkwood only the burn near by is the reminder that it was once called Birkwood.
