Volume II Part 39 (2/2)
[754] In MS. G, ”upoun the streat.”
[755] Lord John Stewart, Prior of Coldingham, an illegitimate son of James the Fifth, by Elizabeth, daughter of John Lord Carmichael. His sister became the first wife of Archibald fifth Earl of Argyle.
Randolph in a letter to Cecil, 24th October 1561, mentioning the leading persons at Court, says, ”The Lord John of Coldingham hath not least favour with his leaping and dancing: he is like to marry the Lord Bothwell's sister.” His marriage with Jean only daughter of Patrick third Earl of Bothwell, was solemnized at Seton, in presence of Queen Mary: see following note.
[756] Lord Robert Stewart, see page 271. Randolph in the letter referred to in the previous note, says, ”The Lord Robert consumeth with love for the Earl of Ca.s.sillis sister.” This was Lady Jane Kennedy, eldest daughter of Gilbert third Earl of Ca.s.silis. In another letter, 27th December 1561, he says,--”The Lord Robert was married on Sunday was eight days to the Earl of Ca.s.sillis sister; and my Lord John upon Sunday next to the Earl of Bothwell's sister: I mean not here, in the Court, but where the women are in their friends' houses.”
According to this intimation, the marriages took place on the 14th and 28th of December respectively.
[757] Rene de Lorraine, Marquis d'Elbeuf: see note 8, page 268. He had a natural son born in Scotland, ”de Marguerite Chrestien, demoisselle Ecossoise.” According to one authority, d'Elbeuf remained in Scotland till the end of February 1561-2:--”Upoun the penult day of Februar, the zeir of G.o.d 1561 zeiris, [the] Marques depart.i.t furth of Halyrudhous fra the Quenis Grace to Fraunce.” (Diurnal of Occurrents, p. 71.) But in June 1562, there was paid, ”be the Quenis Graces speciale command to Mons^r Marques at his departing furth of this realme to France, as his acquittance, &c. 500.” (Treasurer's Accounts.)
[758] Betwixt the Cross and the Salt-Trone; that is, in the High Street, near the present Trone Church, where the Trone or beam for weighing merchandize formerly stood.
[759] In MS. G, ”The Maister of Maxwell, (thairafter maid Lord Herries,) gave declaration, &c.:” see vol. i. p. 319.
[760] Randolph says, that the day after the tumult, both the Duke and Bothwell were sent for to the Court, the former being ”convoyed with all the Protestants that were in this town; the other with the Papists. It was concluded, that for avoiding of c.u.mber, the Earl Bothwell should leave the toun till the 8th of January.” According to the Diurnal of Occurrents, (p. 70,) the Earl of Bothwell, on the 21st December, ”depairt.i.t with his freindis furth of Edinburgh, at the Quenis command.”
It was whispered of many, that the Erle of Murray's displeasur was as much sought as any haitterant that the Hammyltonis bayr against the Erle Bothwell, or yitt he aganist thame. And in verray deed, eather had the Duck verray fals servandis, or ellis by Huntley and the Hammyltonis, the Erle of Murray his death was ofter conspyred than ones: the suspitioun whairof burst furth so far, that upoun a day the said Erle, being upoun horse to have come to the sermon, was charged by one of the Duckis awin servandis to returne and abyd with the Queyn. The bruyt thairof spred over all. What ground it had we cane nott say; but schorte thairafter the Duck and some of the Lordis convened at Glasgow; thair conclusioun was nott knowen. The Erle of Arrane came to Edinburgh, whair the Erle Bothwell lay. The Quene and the Court war departed to Fyff, and remaned sometimes in Sanctandrois and sometimes in Falkland.[761]
[761] From about the end of March till the beginning of May 1562.
[Sidenote: THE ERLE BOTHWELL HIS COMMONYNG WYTH JOHNE KNOX.]
The Erle Bothwell, by the meanes of James Barroun,[762] burges, and then merchant of Edinburgh, desyred to speak with Johne Knox secreatlie; which the said Johne glaidlie granted, and s.p.a.ck him upoun a nycht, first in the said James's lodgeing, and thairafter in his awin study. The summe of all thair communication and conference was:--The said Earle lamented his formare inordinate lyef, and especiallie that he was provocked by the entysmentis of the Quene Regent to do that which he sore reapented, alsweall against the Laird of Ormestoun,[763] whose blood was spilt, albeit not in his defalt: But his cheaf dolour was, that he had misbehaved him self against the Erle of Arrane, whose favouris he was most willing to redeame, yf possible it war that sa he mycht; and desyred the said Johne to geve him his best counsall, ”For (said he) yf I mycht have my Lord of Arrane's favouris, I wald await upoun the Court with a page and few servandis, to spair my expensis, whare now I am compelled to keap, for my awin saifty, a number of wicked and unprofitable men, to the utter destructioun of my living that is left.”
[762] Knox has previously mentioned Barron, (vol. i. p. 268); and in 1556, (ib. p. 246,) he gives an account of the death of his first wife, Elizabeth Adamson. Baron for several years filled the office of one of the magistrates of Edinburgh, and was returned as one of the Commissioners to the General a.s.sembly, from 1560 till the year of his death, which took place in September 1569. His will was made at Kynnaird in Fyfe, 21st September 1569, having married for his second wife Helen Leslie, ”gud-wyf of Kynnarde,” by whom he left several daughters. (Register of Conf. Test.) This lady, who survived him, appears to have married again, first to Mr. James Kirkaldy, brother of Sir William Kirkaldy of Grange, by whom she had a son and a daughter; and after his death in 1573, (see page 315, note 2,) to Mr. James Beaton. There was granted to Patrick Halket of Petferren, the escheit of 18 scoir pundis auchtand to vmquhile James Barroun, burgess of Edinburgh and to Helen Leslie his spous.... Now spousit in marriage with Maister James Kirkcaldy, brother-german to Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange knycht,--the said Mr. James hir spouse, ”being denounced rebell, &c., penult September 1571.” (Register of Signatures, vol.
iii. fol. 102.) In the confirmation of her own Testament, mention is made of her two children by her second husband; and she is described as now spousit to Mr. James Beaton, parson of Old Roxburgh. She died in June 1577. (Register of Confirmed Testaments.) In 1580, George Baroun paid a composition, as son and heir of Helen Leslie of Kynnaird. Sir Robert Sibbald, among the eminent men of Fife, says, ”The learned Doctors of Divinity, John and Robert Baron, were cadets of the Lairds of Kinnaird, in this s.h.i.+re, of that name.”
[763] John c.o.c.kburn of Ormiston: see vol. i. pp. 142, 455.
To the which the said Johne ansuered, ”My Lord, wold to G.o.d that in me war counsall or judgement that mycht conforte and releave you. For albeit that to this hour it hath nott chaunsed me to speik with your Lords.h.i.+p face to face, yit have I borne a good mynd to your house; and have bene sorry at my heart of the trubles that I have heard you to be involved in. For, my Lord, my[764] grandfather, goodsher, and father, have served your Lords.h.i.+pis predecessoris, and some of thame have died under thair standartis; and this is a part of the obligatioun of our Scotishe kyndnes: but this is not the cheaf. But as G.o.d hes maid me his publict messinger of glaid tydings, so is my will earnest that all men may embrase it, which perfytlie thei can not, so long as that thair remaneth in thame rancour, malice, or envy. I am verray sorry that ye have gevin occasioun unto men to be offended with you; but I am more sory that ye have offended the Majestie of G.o.d, who by such meanes oft punishes the other sinnes of man. And thairfoir my counsall is, that ye begyn at G.o.d, with whom yf ye will enter in perfyte reconciliatioun, I doubt not but he shall bow the heartis of men to forget all offenses. And as for me, yf ye will continue in G.o.dlynes, your Lords.h.i.+p shall command me als boldlie as any that serves your Lords.h.i.+p.”
[764] This allusion of Knox to his own family is interesting, as it furnishes the only information that can be relied upon respecting his ancestors.
The said Lord desyred him that he wold tempt[765] the Erle of Arrane's mynd, yf he wold be content to accept him in his favouris, which he promessed to do; and so earnestlie travaled in that mater, that it was ones brought to such an end as all the faythfull praysed G.o.d for that aggrement. The greatest stay stood upoun the satisfactioun of the Laird of Ormestoun, who, besyde his formare hurte, as is before declared, was evin in that same tyme of the commonyng, persewed be the said Lord[766] Bothwell, his sone Maister Alexander c.o.c.kburne[767]
tacken by him, and caryed with him to Borthwick; but gentillye yneuch send back agane.
[765] In MS. G, ”wold attempt.”
[766] In MS. G, ”the said Erle.”
[767] He was the eldest son of John c.o.c.kburn of Ormiston. In the following page 331, Knox mentions him as conveying the message from the Queen, which led to the communing there detailed. He died in 1564: and in early life he had been a pupil of Knox: see vol. i. p. 185, note 3.
[Sidenote: RECONCILIATIOUN BETWIX THE ERLE OF ARRANE AND ERLE BOTHWELL, ETC.]
That new truble so greatlie displeased Johne Knox, that he almost geve ower farther travalling for amytie. But yit, upoun the excuse of the said Erle, and upoun the declaratioun of his mynd, he re-entered in laubouris, and so brought it to pa.s.s, that the Laird of Ormestoun referred his satisfactioun in all thingis to the judgments of the Erles of Arrane and Murray, whom to the said Erle Bothwell submitted him self in that head, and thairupoun delyvered his hand wryt. And so was convoyed by certane of his friends to the loodgeing of the Kirk-of-Feild, whair the Erle of Arrane was with his friendis, and the said Johne Knox with him,[768] to bear witnesse and testificatioun of the end of the aggrement. As the said Erle Bothwell entered at the chalmer dore, and wold have done those honouris that freyndis had appointed, (Maister Gavin Hammyltoun[769] and the Laird of Rikchartoun,[770] war the cheaf freindis that communed,) the said Erle of Arrane gentillye pa.s.sed unto him, embrased him, and said, ”Yf the hearttis be uprycht, few ceremonyes may serve and content me.”
[768] See page 327, note 2.
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