[5] He had some right by September 1407, but Nory was the expected successor of Robert de Leuchars, and it is unclear to what extent Haldenston ever enjoyed possession of the office or its fruits.

[5] The battle involved trips to the papal court and an armed attack on the priory's manor at Pittenweem by Nory's followers.

[8] Pope Benedict XIII commissioned the bishops of Glasgow and St Andrews to investigate the matter, but Prior William died on his way back to Scotland, at Bruges in Flanders.

During his time as head of the cathedral priory, Haldenson was dean of theology in the new University of St Andrews, and became closely involved in its affairs.

[1] The dean installed graduands at the university, and was praised by historian Walter Bower for his skill as a teacher, as a papal tax-collector and as an inquisitor of lollards and other heretics.

[10] Certain statutes of the Faculty of Theology indicate that the dean was rather "autocratic" [Watt], and a letter of his survives banning lecturing to one John Shaw owing to the latter's suspected heretical leanings.

[12] Walter Bower, abbot of Inchcolm and source of much information about the priors of St Andrews, described him as "a man of great eloquence, and a person of pleasing appearance, quite elegant and becoming in his dress and bearing".