THE NAME SPENCE/SPENS, ORIGINATES FROM THE OFFICE OF CUSTODIAN OF THE LARDER OR PROVISION-ROOM. IN THE CHARTULARY OF INCHAFFRAY THE DISPENSARIO APPEARS IN EACH CASE ALONG WITH THE RENNARUIS, G.V., TO WHOM HE WAS PERHAPS SUBORDINATE. FROM THE 13TH CENTURY DOWNWARDS SEVERAL PERSONS NAMED SPENSA, DISPENSA, ARE MENTIONED AS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND IN 1529 WE HAVE ENTRY IN THE ROYAL ACCOUNTS OF LIVERY FOR "JOHN SPENS AT THE CUPBOARD". ROGER DISPENSATOR WITNESSED A CHARTER BY THE BISHOP OF MORAY GRANTING THE CHURCH OF DEVOTH TO SPYNY BETWEEN 1202-22, AND THOMAS DISPENSATOR WITNESSED EXCAMBIAN OF THE LANDS OF DOLAYS MYCHEL (DALLAS) IN 1232. JOHN SPENS WAS BAILIE OF IRVINE, 1260. BETWEEN 1296 AND 1324 THOMAS DE SPENSA WITNESSED A CHARTER BY JOHN OF JONYSTOUN IN FAVOR OF THE HOSPITAL OF SOLTRE. NICHOLAUS DE SPENSA FORFEITED LAND IN THE WILL AND TENEMENT OF LANGNODRYF (LANGNIDDRY) BETWEEN 1315-21. THE SHIP BELONGING TO LAURENCE DE SPENSE AND OTHER SCOTTISH MERCHANTS WAS WRECKED AT WHITBERNES NEW NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE, 1365 AND THOMAS DE SPENSA AND LAURENCE DE SPENSE APPEARED AS WITNESSES IN PERTH, 1375. HENRY OF SPENS WITNESSED A CHARTER BY ROBERT, EARL OF FIFE, ABOUT 1390 AND FERGUS DE LA SPENSA HELD A TENEMENT IN EDINBURGH, 1392. WILLIAM DE SPENSA WAS ONE OF THE PREAMBULATORS OF THE MARCHES OF TARWAS AND ULDNY, 1417. PATRICK DE SPENS HELD LAND IN LAUDER, BERwICKSHIRE, 1428 AND JOHN DE SPENSA, BURGESS OF PERTH IN THE SAME YEAR HAD A GRANT OF LANDS IN THE EARLDOM OF MENTETH. JOHN DE SPENS OF PERTH WAS BAILIE OF GLENDOCHIRDE, 1428. JOHN SPENS WAS CUSTODIER OF STOCKET FOREST, 1448 AND ANOTHER JOHN DE SPENS WAS ADMITTED BURGESS OF ABERDEEN, 1444. THOMAS SPENS, BISHOP OF ABERDEEN IN THE LATTER HALF OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY WAS, SAYS COSMO INNES, "SO MUCH MIXED UP WITH PUBLIC AFFAIRS THAT TO GIVE THE DETAILS OF HIS LIFE WOULD BE TO WRITE THE ACCOUNT OF SCOTTISH POLITICS FOR THE TIME". THE NAME WAS EARLY CARRIED TO FRANCE AND APPEARS THERE AS D'ESPENCES (DE NATTANCOURT, DE BETTANCOURT, DE VROIL, ETC.). THERE IS NO PROOF THAT THE FAMILY SPENS IS DESCENDED FROM DUNCAN, FOURTH EARL OF FIFE AS SOME CONTEND. DESPENS 1446, SPENS 1681. (1) THE SPENCE AND SPENS FAMILIES ARE SAID TO BE OF THE CLAN MCDUFF, DESCENDED FROM THE ANCIENT EARLS OF FIFE WHOSE DOMAIN WAS LOCATED BETWEEN THE FIRTHS OF THE TAY AND FIRTH ON THE EAST COAST OF SCOTLAND. (2) DR BLACK, IN THE ABOVE REFERENCE TAKES ISSUE WITH THIS. IN SCOTS HERALDRY, INNES, PAGE 69, APPEARS A PICTURE OF A CARVED WOODEN PANEL, ABOUT 1473, SHOWING THE ARMS OF THOMAS SPENS, BISHOP OF ABERDEEN (FROM PROC. SOC. OF ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND, 1XIV.337). TRADITION SAYS THE FIRST EARL OR THANE OF FIFE WAS THE MACDUFF WHO RESTORED MALCOLM CANMORE TO THE THRONE OF SCOTLAND IN 1057, AFTER VANQUISHING THE USURPER MACBETH. THIS EPISODE WAS IMMORTALIZED BY SHAKESPEARE IN HIS GREAT TRAGEDY "MACBETH". SINCE TIME BEYOND MEMORY THE MACDUFFS HAVE ENJOYED SPECIAL HEREDITARY PRIVILEGES KNOWN AS THE "LAW CLAN MACDUFF", INCLUDING THE RIGHT OF THE CLAN'S CHIEF TO CROWN THE KING OF SCOTS. (1) THE EARLIEST RECORD OF THE NAME SPENS OCCURS ON THE ROLL OF SCOTTISH NOBILITY AND FORCED TO SWEAR ALLEGIANCE TO EDWARD I OF ENGLAND IN 1296: ON THE LIST APPEARS THE NAMES OF HENRY DE SPENS AND NICOL DE SPENS, BELIEVED TO BE BROTHERS. HENRY DE SPENS HELD THE LANDS OF LATHALLAN IN FIFESHIRE DURING THE REIGN OF ALEXANDER III (1249-1286). FOR ALMOST 500 YEARS THIS ESTATE WAS HOME OF THE SENIOR BRANCH OF THE FAMILY, UNTIL SOLD IN 1758. (3) AN IRISH BRANCH OF THE FAMILY WAS ESTABLISHED ABOUT 1650 BY ALEXANDER SPENS, A MERCHANT OF EDINBURGH. (3) ON 24 JULY 1617, DAVID SPENS, NAMED A SERVITOR TO HUGH, LORD OF LOUDON, WITNESSED SALE OF LAND , REGISTERED 30 APRIL 1618. (4) DAVID SPEANCE(?) TO RECEIVE PORTION OF 40, POUNDS ... TO BE DIVIDED AS LORD LOUDON SHALL SEE FIT. (4) 23 DECEMBER 1624. ACTION AT THE INSTANCE OF A HEW CAMPBELL IN DARMALLOCHE, CESNOK, AGAINST ANNA KER, WIDOW OF SAID GEORGE CAMPBELL, FOR NON PAYMENT OF THE SUMS DUE TO THEM BY BONDS, INCLUDING 3000 MERKS TO JOHN SPENCE, BURGESS OF EDINBURGH. (4) WILLIAM SPENCE WAS OWNER OF THE SHIP "VALENTINE OF LONDON", (160 TONS) , SAILED TO ST. MICHAELS AND TARCEROS IN THE AZORES 26 FEBRUARY 1633. (5) ---------------------------------- (1) THE SURNAMES OF SCOTLAND, THEIR ORIGINS, MEANING AND HISTORY, BY GEO. F. BLACK, PHD.,NY, THE NY PUBLIC LIBRARY. (2) THE CLANS, SEPTS AND REGIMENTS OF THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS, PAGE 557, ADAM AND INNES OF LEARNY. (3) SPENCE, REG WILLIS, HERALDIC ARTIST, COMPLETE SOURCE UNKNOWN. (4) THE CLAN CAMPBELL, ABSTRACTS OF ENTRIES RELATING TO CAMPBELLS IN THE EARLY UNPRINTED RECORDS RELATING TO AYRSHIRE 1515-1650, VOL. V, REV. HENRY PATON, 1917, PAGE 36, 175, 216. (5) NEW WORLD EMIGRANTS, VOL 1, TEPPER, 1979, PAGE 82.