Dedicated to Researching Rosslyn Chapel, The Knights Templar and Scottish Freemasonry

Memorial inscription to ex provost Seton

Sacred to the memory

Of William Seton, by birth a distinguished and worthy citizen of this burgh of Haddington, but by pedigree descended from the most ancient most noble family of Seton, as deriving his origin in direct line from the house of Seton of Northrig, by right of marriage contracted in former times with the sole heiress of the estate, surnamed Sinclair, through his own forefather William Seton, and grandson of the chief of the Seton family;

Who discharge to the office of proverbs faithfully, wisely and with restraint for an unbroken period of ten years and often was honoured with representing the same community at the highest assembly of the realm, and by a royal warrant was charged with the office of mounted courier (postmaster) in this bar for 37 years;

Well known to all for the humanity of his nature and character, for his virtue and industry, but to no one for wrongdoing and deceit, utterly adverse to covetousness, vindictiveness, injustice and hatred towards his fellow citizens;

Who at last came to his life’s end righteously, and as becomes a Christian, with peace of mind in his 57th year;

Agnes Black, now bereft of wedlock with the deceased, saw to the erection of this memorial as a sign and token of her grief and of her longing for her dear husband; and that the same time, with the permission of the parish, has consecrated this ground, protected by the chancel screen where lies buried the bones and ashes of his father, Alexander Seton, formerly Moderator (rector) of the high School of this town, of his mother, Mariota Gray, the issue of the said union with his wife Agnes, so that she may provide a fitting burial equally for herself and for the relatives of her husband on both sides of his family, when once they have yielded to the fates.

1682

The monument provides some details of a link between Haddington and Rosslyn Chapel, or more correctly, between the Seton and Sinclair families. Although the monument was consecreated in 1682 the William Seton (to whom the monument was erected) was of the line of the Setons of Northrig who’s father (?) had, apparently, acquired that estate through marriage to the sole heiress - a Sinclair. It is unlikely that this will tie the families together as early as 1446 when Rosslyn Chapel was begun, but then who knows what research with discover?