Dear Newsgroup ~ Cal. of Patent Rolls, 1292–1301 (1895): 294 makes it clear that Sir John de Saint John, of Basing, was still a prisoner in France on 18 July 1297. Cal. of Patent Rolls, 1292–1301 (1895): 303 suggests Saint John was back in England on 16 August 1297, when the king granted license for "Walter de Everlee to enfeoff John de Sancto Johanne the elder of the bailiwick of the forestership of Peinbere and Everlee, and of land to the value of 10 marks a year in the manors of Pembere and Everlee, co. Southampton, which he holds in chief." As to when Sir John de Saint John, of Basing, first appeared in Scotland, there is a long discussion of the English military efforts in Dumfriesshire by King Edward I published in the book, M'Dowall, History of the Burgh of Dumfries (1867). This book may be viewed at the following weblink: https://books.google.com/books?id=MD0PAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover On page 69, the author makes the first mention of John de Saint John in Scotland: "For the purpose of keeping it in check, Lord Clifford proceeded from Carlisle into Dumfriesshire, and devasted the country, putting many of its suspected inhabitants to death ... Soon after Clifford had finished his cruel mission, John de St. John became keeper of the district - his rule extending southwards to Carlisle and eastwards to Roxburghshire ... St. John, while pretty safe in the strong Castle of Dumfries, was liable to be every now and then alarmed by rumours of risings, true or false, against his authority. We learn from the wardrobe accounts of Edward I., that St. John was allowed forty caparisoned horses, the maintenance of which was 5 3s. 6d. a day; and that for his personal following he had a knight banneret, six knights, and thirty esquires, whose pay was from 4s. a day to 1 s. - large sums, though seemingly small, since their value with reference to all commodities was at least ten times as great as the same amounts at the present day." END OF QUOTE. The author doesn't provide a date for these events, but the book, Nicolas, Siege of Carlaverock (1828): 187 states that ""in the 25th Edw. I" [i.e., 1296-1297] Robert de Clifford "was sent with a hundred men at arms and twenty thousand foot from Carlisle to plunder in Scotland, and that after much slaughter he returned with considerable booty on Christmas eve." END OF QUOTE. The date of this raid is specifically dated to 1297, by Clifford, Collectanea Cliffordiana (1817): pg. 100. As such, presuming M'Dowall had his facts correctly stated, Sir John de Saint John was present in Scotland "soon after" Clifford's return from his raid on Christmas eve 1297. This time frame would agree with the Patent Rolls which suggests that John de Saint John had returned to England from France by 16 August 1297. As far as the dating of the letter of Sir John de Saint John, of Basing, we know from his letter that he was asking for help for construction then ongoing at Tibbers, Dumfriesshire by his cousin, Sir Richard Siward. I earlier noted that Santiuste, Hammer of the Scots: Edward I and the Scottish Wars of Independence (2015): 133 referred to "the building work ordered at Dumfries in late 1300." On page 80 under events for the year 1300, M'Dowall provides the following information: "It was part of Edward's plan to strengthen all the fortresses he already possessed, and increase their garrisons ... Accordingly, the breaches made in Lochmaben Castle were filled up, the Castle of Dumfries was put in good repair, and enlarged by the erection of a large peel, or wooden tower." END OF QUOTE If we assume that the construction at Tibbers was part of King Edward's plan to strengthen his Scottish fortresses in Dumfriesshire, then the letter of John de Saint John would presumably date to the year 1300. Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah