Robert Lauder
Encyclopedia
Robert Lauder, M.A.
, Bachelor
of Canon Law
, was a Scottish
prelate
and Nuncio
of the 15th century. The Lauder
family produced a large number of senior churchman in this period, and alongside Robert can be named William Lauder, Bishop of Glasgow, Alexander Lauder
and Thomas Lauder
, both Bishop of Dunkeld
, and George Lauder
, Bishop of Argyll
.
Almost nothing is known of Robert Lauder, other than his status "of baronial race" and a "kinsman to sundry barons", until he supplicated the Pope, on December 5, 1429, to provide him to the vicarage of Inverkeilor
. He was then provided, by John Foster, Chaplain of Honour of the Pope and Apostolic See, with the canonry and prebend of 'Castelcaris' in Glasgow, but this appointment was disputed after Forster's death, by Supplication dated March 6, 1430. This Supplication appears to have failed as Lauder was still in post at Glasgow on January 18, 1434 when a dispute arose over the vicarage of Stitchell
. In January 1437 he was present at the Curia
with personal requests to the Pope. On February 16, 1437, described as "Canon of Glasgow", he petitioned the Pope for a licence to choose a confessor.
Robert Lauder, Canon of Glasgow, is designated "nuncio of the King of Scots to the Pope" was in the Curia
on September 1, 1440 when he asked for the post of Precentor
of Glasgow
to be awarded to him while the case against the previous Precentor, David de Cadzow, another Canon, was considered. This failed to transpire. From then until January 1444 he was Rector of Cadzow which he then wished to resign because "some of the inhabitants of those parts were inimical towards him". He was still there in July 1444 when he was offered the vicarage of Earlston
, although he was in two minds to take it. He resigned Cadzow on November 25, 1444 while he was once more at the Curia successfully arguing that he should be able to hold two parishes (or more) and their benifices at the same time.
He successfully Supplicated the Pope on July 14, 1445 for provision as Dean
of Dunkeld
at £45 per annum, but was no longer holding the position on November 12, when John Clepham was provided to the position. Likewise, he was briefly precentor
of Moray
, his Supplication being dated January 2, 1447, but resigned sometime before April 3.
He had also held the vicarage of Selkirk (or nearby Ashkirk) in the diocese of Glasgow, the rectory
of which was transferred from Jedburgh Abbey
to Kelso Abbey
by Pope Eugene IV
. This transaction led to a dispute between Robert and the Abbot of Kelso
over the vicar's portion of the revenue, a dispute carried to the Papacy in a Supplication dated April 15, 1447. Pope Eugene appointed a chaplain to deal with the issue, but Eugene died before anything was resolved, and the new pope Pope Nicholas V
appointed three clerics to deal with the issue, resolved in Spring of 1447. It is interesting to note in Lauder's Supplication on this issue that whilst still being a Canon of Glasgow, he had obtained the "perpetual vicarage" of Selkirk (£25 sterling pa) under an "expectative grace", also held the perpetual vicarage of Earlston (£8 sterling pa) and the canonry and prebendary of Cardross
(£9 sterling pa) and had an annual "pension for life" of £6 on the "fruits" of the prebend of Barlanark. It is impossible that one priest could have fulfilled all these functions in parishes so distant from one another and is an indication of the corruption within The Church before the Reformation.
On October 27, 1447, just six months later, he was provided by the Pope to the bishopric of Dunblane
, incidentally voiding the resolution on the vicarage of Selkirk, as he resigned it and Earlston upon his promotion. On November 13 he is found paying or promising to pay the Papacy 800 florin
s. He was consecrated sometime before this date. Over the New Year 1448-9 he was again at the Curia
.
Three times between August and November 1449 he was he formed part of a large embassage sent to England
to negotiate a peace with its king, Henry VI
.
A large number of documents are extant from his episcopate illustrating the workings of the bishopric's law courts and the bishop's governmental activities. He was a witness to the concession to the Scottish church made by King James II of Scotland
in 1451 permitting the disposal of property by testament
. He was present at the provincial council held at Perth
on July 18, 1465.
He resigned the bishopric on September 12, 1466, and with the agreement of his successor and the Pope, was granted an annual pension for life of 300 gold florins. The date of his death is unknown.
Master of Arts (Scotland)
A Master of Arts in Scotland can refer to an undergraduate academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the ancient universities of Scotland – the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, while the University of...
, Bachelor
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
of Canon Law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
, was a Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
and Nuncio
Nuncio
Nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word, Nuntius, meaning "envoy." This article addresses this title as well as derived similar titles, all within the structure of the Roman Catholic Church...
of the 15th century. The Lauder
Lauder
The Royal Burgh of Lauder is a town in the Scottish Borders 27 miles south east of Edinburgh. It is also a royal burgh in the county of Berwickshire. It lies on the edge of the Lammermuir Hills, on the Southern Upland Way.-Medieval history:...
family produced a large number of senior churchman in this period, and alongside Robert can be named William Lauder, Bishop of Glasgow, Alexander Lauder
Alexander Lauder
Alexander de Lawedre was for the last five months of his life Bishop of Dunkeld, where he had previously been Archdeacon.-Biography:...
and Thomas Lauder
Thomas Lauder
Thomas Lauder was a 15th century Scottish churchman. A graduate of the University of Paris, he served the Scottish king at the Council of Basel in the 1430s...
, both Bishop of Dunkeld
Bishop of Dunkeld
The Bishop of Dunkeld is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunkeld, one of the largest and more important of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th century cleric named Cormac...
, and George Lauder
George Lauder
George Lauder was a fifteenth century Scottish prelate and Bishop of Argyll .-Background:Robert Lindsay of Pitscottie and Keith state that he was "of the Balcomy family"...
, 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...
.
Almost nothing is known of Robert Lauder, other than his status "of baronial race" and a "kinsman to sundry barons", until he supplicated the Pope, on December 5, 1429, to provide him to the vicarage of Inverkeilor
Inverkeilor
Inverkeilor is a village and parish in Angus, Scotland. It lies near the North Sea coast, midway between Arbroath and Montrose. The A92 road now bypasses the village....
. He was then provided, by John Foster, Chaplain of Honour of the Pope and Apostolic See, with the canonry and prebend of 'Castelcaris' in Glasgow, but this appointment was disputed after Forster's death, by Supplication dated March 6, 1430. This Supplication appears to have failed as Lauder was still in post at Glasgow on January 18, 1434 when a dispute arose over the vicarage of Stitchell
Stichill
Stichill is a village and civil parish in the historic county of Roxburghshire, a division of the Scottish Borders. Situated north of the Burgh of Kelso, Stichill lies north of the Eden Water and from the English Border at Coldstream....
. In January 1437 he was present at the Curia
Curia
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
with personal requests to the Pope. On February 16, 1437, described as "Canon of Glasgow", he petitioned the Pope for a licence to choose a confessor.
Robert Lauder, Canon of Glasgow, is designated "nuncio of the King of Scots to the Pope" was in the Curia
Curia
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
on September 1, 1440 when he asked for the post of Precentor
Precentor
A precentor is a person who helps facilitate worship. The details vary depending on the religion, denomination, and era in question. The Latin derivation is "præcentor", from cantor, meaning "the one who sings before" ....
of Glasgow
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...
to be awarded to him while the case against the previous Precentor, David de Cadzow, another Canon, was considered. This failed to transpire. From then until January 1444 he was Rector of Cadzow which he then wished to resign because "some of the inhabitants of those parts were inimical towards him". He was still there in July 1444 when he was offered the vicarage of Earlston
Earlston
Earlston , formerly Ercildoune, is a civil parish and market town in the county of Berwickshire, within the Scottish Borders. It is situated on the River Leader in Lauderdale, Scotland.-Early history:...
, although he was in two minds to take it. He resigned Cadzow on November 25, 1444 while he was once more at the Curia successfully arguing that he should be able to hold two parishes (or more) and their benifices at the same time.
He successfully Supplicated the Pope on July 14, 1445 for provision as Dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
of Dunkeld
Dunkeld Cathedral
Dunkeld Cathedral stands on the north bank of the River Tay in Dunkeld, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. Built in square-stone style of predominantly grey sandstone, the cathedral proper was begun in 1260 and completed in 1501...
at £45 per annum, but was no longer holding the position on November 12, when John Clepham was provided to the position. Likewise, he was briefly precentor
Precentor
A precentor is a person who helps facilitate worship. The details vary depending on the religion, denomination, and era in question. The Latin derivation is "præcentor", from cantor, meaning "the one who sings before" ....
of Moray
Elgin Cathedral
Elgin Cathedral, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, sometimes referred to as The Lantern of the North is a historic ruin in Elgin, Moray, north-east Scotland. It was established in 1224 on an area of ground granted by Alexander II that was close to the River Lossie and outside of the burgh of...
, his Supplication being dated January 2, 1447, but resigned sometime before April 3.
He had also held the vicarage of Selkirk (or nearby Ashkirk) in the diocese of Glasgow, the rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
of which was transferred from Jedburgh Abbey
Jedburgh Abbey
Jedburgh Abbey, a ruined Augustinian abbey which was founded in the 12th century is situated in the town of Jedburgh, in the Scottish Borders just north of the border with England at Carter Bar...
to Kelso Abbey
Kelso Abbey
Kelso Abbey is what remains of a Scottish abbey founded in the 12th century by a community of Tironensian monks first brought to Scotland in the reign of Alexander I. It occupies ground overlooking the confluence of the Tweed and Teviot waters, the site of what was once the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
by Pope Eugene IV
Pope Eugene IV
Pope Eugene IV , born Gabriele Condulmer, was pope from March 3, 1431, to his death.-Biography:He was born in Venice to a rich merchant family, a Correr on his mother's side. Condulmer entered the Order of Saint Augustine at the monastery of St. George in his native city...
. This transaction led to a dispute between Robert and the Abbot of Kelso
Abbot of Kelso
The Abbot of Kelso was the head of the Tironensian monastic community at Kelso Abbey in the Scottish Borders. Originally, he was the Abbot of Selkirk, because from its foundation in 1113 by David, Prince of the Cumbrians until it was moved to Kelso by David and John, bishop of Glasgow in 1127...
over the vicar's portion of the revenue, a dispute carried to the Papacy in a Supplication dated April 15, 1447. Pope Eugene appointed a chaplain to deal with the issue, but Eugene died before anything was resolved, and the new pope Pope Nicholas V
Pope Nicholas V
Pope Nicholas V , born Tommaso Parentucelli, was Pope from March 6, 1447 to his death in 1455.-Biography:He was born at Sarzana, Liguria, where his father was a physician...
appointed three clerics to deal with the issue, resolved in Spring of 1447. It is interesting to note in Lauder's Supplication on this issue that whilst still being a Canon of Glasgow, he had obtained the "perpetual vicarage" of Selkirk (£25 sterling pa) under an "expectative grace", also held the perpetual vicarage of Earlston (£8 sterling pa) and the canonry and prebendary of Cardross
Cardross
Cardross is a large village with a population of 2,351 in Scotland, on the north side of the Firth of Clyde, situated halfway between Dumbarton and Helensburgh. Cardross is in the historic geographical county of Dunbartonshire but the modern political local authority of Argyll and Bute...
(£9 sterling pa) and had an annual "pension for life" of £6 on the "fruits" of the prebend of Barlanark. It is impossible that one priest could have fulfilled all these functions in parishes so distant from one another and is an indication of the corruption within The Church before the Reformation.
On October 27, 1447, just six months later, he was provided by the Pope to the bishopric of Dunblane
Diocese of Dunblane
The Diocese of Dunblane or Diocese of Strathearn was one of the thirteen historical dioceses of Scotland, before the abolition of episcopacy in the Scottish Church in 1689. Roughly, it embraced the territories covered by the old earldoms of Strathearn and Menteith. The diocese was founded by the...
, incidentally voiding the resolution on the vicarage of Selkirk, as he resigned it and Earlston upon his promotion. On November 13 he is found paying or promising to pay the Papacy 800 florin
Italian coin florin
The Italian florin was a coin struck from 1252 to 1533 with no significant change in its design or metal content standard. It had 54 grains of nominally pure gold worth approximately 200 modern US Dollars...
s. He was consecrated sometime before this date. Over the New Year 1448-9 he was again at the Curia
Curia
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
.
Three times between August and November 1449 he was he formed part of a large embassage sent to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to negotiate a peace with its king, Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
.
A large number of documents are extant from his episcopate illustrating the workings of the bishopric's law courts and the bishop's governmental activities. He was a witness to the concession to the Scottish church made by King James II of Scotland
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...
in 1451 permitting the disposal of property by testament
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
. He was present at the provincial council held at Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
on July 18, 1465.
He resigned the bishopric on September 12, 1466, and with the agreement of his successor and the Pope, was granted an annual pension for life of 300 gold florins. The date of his death is unknown.