Clan Spens or Spence is a Lowland Scottish clan and is also a sept of Clan MacDuff. History Origins of the Name The name Spens or Spence means "custodian" or "dispenser", possibly derived from Old French. Origins of the Clan The principal Scottish family of Clan Spens descend from one of the ancient Earls of Fife. John 'Dispensator' or 'Le Dispenser' appeared in a list of the tenants and vassals of Walter fitz Alan Steward of Scotland on the period 1161–1171. Roger 'Dispensator' witnessed a charter by Bricius de Douglas, the bishop of Moray granting the church of Deveth to Spynie between 1202 and 1222 . His son Thomas 'Dispensator' witnessed a charter in 1232 of Andreas de Moravia, later bishop of Moray. John Spens is listed as baillie of Irvine in 1260. In the year 1296 Henry de Spens, feudal baron, swore fealty to Edward I of England, and his name appears on the Ragman Rolls of 1296. He died around 1300, when his son, Thomas, succeeded. He is mentioned in two charters of King Robert the Bruce. His heir Thomas de Spens witnessed several charters of Trinity college of Edinburgh between 1296 and 1324 and of the monastery of Soltray. One of his sons William de Spens was laird of Gylgyrstoun, Glespany and gets the lands of Dumbarnie and Bondiingtoune from William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas in 1358. His son William de Spens get married with Isabel Campbell of Glendouglas heiress and daughter of Sir Duncan Campbell of Glen Douglas and Strachur. They get by charter given in Dunblane the 5 May 1385 the lands of Athaland, Ketydy and Craigswmqwar from Robert Earl of Fife and Menteith. These lands were later made into a barony in 1430. 15th century By the early 15th century, the family had risen to considerable prominence, which entitled John Spens of Lathallan to sit in the Parliament called by King James I of Scotland at Perth in 1434. John married Isabel, daughter of Sir John Wemyss of Clan Wemyss, and had three sons. Patrick, the youngest, was officer of the 24 bodyguards sent by King James II of Scotland to King Charles VII of France in 1450. He settled in France and his descendants were the prominent family of Baron de Spens d'Estignols in the French nobility. The "Garde Écossaise", as they were later known, were to become the first company of