Paradox of Medieval Scotland

There is a new internet site with the intriguing, though odd, title of Paradox of Medieval Scotland (PoMS), which is aiming to document everyone in Scotland, at least everyone who appears in documents, between the years 1093 and 1286. In a blog on 8 Feb 2009, Clan History: Medieval Times, I referred to Gillescop McI(l)hagain, the Steward of Carrick. He was Steward when Duncan was Earl of Carrick. Duncan's dates are 1196-1244. I have not before had any 'certain' dates for Gillescop, but PoMS has a 'Person Record' for him which gives a start date and an end date for any information about him, namely 1189 and 13 June 1250. The site gives his Medieval name as Gilla Epscoip and his modern Gaelic name as GillEasbuig. It translates his title as Gillescop, seneschall of Carrick. It also, under a list of 'related factoids' includes 'relationship: son (mac) of Gilwyni(n)' Unfortunately it does not use the apparent 'surname' of McI(l)hagain, unless 'Gilwyni(n) is its transliteration, so the site may not be directly helpful in thinking about the evolution of our surname.

There are two documents relevant to him, both I think versions of the same Charter, in Latin, with a probable date of c.1204 (with a dating note saying 'death of Earl Donnchad of Carrick'). Presumably Gillescop was a witness to the Charter. Its description is as follows, "Earl Duncan of Carrick, for North Berwick Priory; he has given and granted, and by this charter has established, the church of Maybole (AYR), with lands, chapels, teinds, oblations and all its rights and just pertinents, in pure and perpetual alms". (Ref.: Edinburgh, NAS, MS. GD45/13/282). (Held by Cosmo Innes in 1847).

My blog of 8 February 2009 mentions our clan link to Melrose Abbey and it is of interest that PoMS mentions that Duncan was a patron of Melrose Abbey (Chron. Mel.).