Lady-anne-hay-countess-of-winton-about-1592-1625-1

Anna Hay, Countess of Winton (1592-1628) was a Scottish courtier. She was the eldest daughter of

Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll (30 April 156416 July 1631) was a Scottish nobleman. A convert to Catholicism, he openly conspired with the king of Spain to try to unseat the Protestant Queen Elizabeth. Biography He was the son of Andrew Hay, ...

and

Elizabeth Douglas, Countess of Erroll Elizabeth Douglas, Countess of Erroll (died 1631) was a Scottish aristocrat. Elizabeth was the youngest daughter of William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton and Agnes Leslie, Countess of Morton. Morton had seven daughters, alleged to have been called ...

At court in England

Lady Anna Hay joined the household of

Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I; as such, she was Queen of Scotland The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional fo ...

, the wife of

King James VI James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...

. She had high status in the household, and after the

Union of the Crowns The Union of the Crowns ( gd, Aonadh nan Crùintean; sco, Union o the Crouns) was the accession of James VI of Scotland to the throne of the Kingdom of England as James I and the practical unification of some functions (such as overseas dip ...

, in England, she and Jean Drummond had footmen. In November 1603 the Spanish ambassador, the

Count of Villamediana Don Juan de Tassis y Peralta, 2nd Count of Villamediana, ( es: ''Don Juan de Tassis y Peralta, segundo conde de Villamediana''; baptised 26 August 1582 – 21 August 1622), was a Spanish poet. In Spain he is simply known as Conde de Villamediana. ...

, invited the

Duke of Lennox The title Duke of Lennox has been created several times in the peerage of Scotland, for Clan Stewart of Darnley. The dukedom, named for the district of Lennox in Dumbarton, was first created in 1581, and had formerly been the Earldom of Lenno ...

and the

Earl of Mar There are currently two earldoms of Mar in the Peerage of Scotland, and the title has been created seven times. The first creation of the earldom is currently held by Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar, who is also clan chief of Clan Mar. The ...

to dinner. According to

Arbella Stuart Lady Arbella Stuart (also Arabella, or Stewart; 1575 – 25 September 1615) was an English noblewoman who was considered a possible successor to Queen Elizabeth I of England. During the reign of King James VI and I (her first cousin), she marrie ...

, he asked them "to bring the Scottish ladies for he was desirous to see some natural beauties." These included "my Cousin Drummond" and Anna Hay with Elizabeth Carey, and they were given presents of Spanish leather gloves and afterwards, jewellery. Anna Hay was sent a "gold chain of Spanish work" worth around 200 French crowns. Anna Hay was only 11 years old and her cousin and companion at court

Anne Livingstone Anne Livingstone, Countess of Eglinton (died 1632) was a Scottish courtier and aristocrat, and lady-in-waiting to Princess Elizabeth and Anne of Denmark. Anne Livingstone was a daughter of Alexander Livingstone, 1st Earl of Linlithgow and Heleno ...

was around the same age. The queen's household was evidently suitable for children, Arbella Stuart commented on the children's games played in the queen's lodging at

Winchester Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...

. Livingstone joined the separate household of Princess Elizabeth at

Coombe Abbey Coombe Abbey is a hotel which has been developed from a historic grade I listed building and former country house. It is located at Combe Fields in the Borough of Rugby, roughly midway between Coventry and Brinklow in the countryside of Warwicksh ...

, while Hay remained with the queen. In 1604 the Spanish ambassadors, the Count of Villamediana and the

Constable of Castile Constable of Castile ( es, Condestable de Castilla) was a title created by John I, King of Castile in 1382, to substitute the title ''Alférez Mayor del Reino''. The constable was the second person in power in the kingdom, after the King, and h ...

, gave gifts of jewels to those at court who were sympathetic to the Catholic cause and likely to support plans for the marriage of

Prince Henry Prince Henry (or Prince Harry) may refer to: People *Henry the Young King (1155–1183), son of Henry II of England, who was crowned king but predeceased his father *Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal (1394–1460) *Henry, Duke of Cornwall (Ja ...

to a Spanish infanta. They gave Anna Hay a gold anchor studded with 39 diamonds, a piece commissioned from a Brussels jeweller Jean Guiset. Another woman in the queen's household,

Honora Denny Honora Denny (died 1614) was an English courtier. She was the daughter of Edward, Lord Denny and Mary Cecil, a daughter of Thomas Cecil, 1st Earl of Exeter. Some sources use the name "Honoria" or "Honor". She married a prominent Scottish-born co ...

, was known as "Lady Hay" after she married

James Hay, 1st Earl of Carlisle James Hay, 1st Earl of Carlisle KB (c. 1580March 1636) was a British noble. Life A Scot, he was the son of Sir James Hay of Fingask, second son of Peter Hay of Megginch (a branch member of Hay of Leys, a younger branch of the Erroll family) an ...

in 1607. He was a distant relative of Anna Hay. Honora, Lady Hay was a great favourite of the queen and was said to have joined with her in a whispering campaign against the Venetian ambassador

Antonio Foscarini Antonio Foscarini (c. 1570 in Venice – April 22, 1622) belonged to the Venetian nobility and was Venetian ambassador to Paris and later to London. He was the third son of Nicolò di Alvise of the family branch of San Polo and Maria Barbarigo di ...

Countess of Winton

Anna Hay married

George Seton, 3rd Earl of Winton George Seton, 3rd Earl of Winton (December 1584 – 17 December 1650) was a notable Royalist and Cavalier, the second son of Robert Seton, 1st Earl of Winton and 6th Lord Seton, by his spouse Margaret, daughter of Hugh Montgomerie, 3rd Earl of Egl ...

on 26 April 1609. He had inherited after his elder brother

Robert Seton, 2nd Earl of Winton Robert Seton, 2nd Earl of Winton and 9th Lord Seton (c. 1585 – January 1634) was a Scottish Peer. He succeeded his father Robert Seton, 1st Earl of Winton in March, 1603. A devoted Catholic and supporter of the Stuarts all of his life, he began ...

resigned the title and estates to him in 1606, due to incapacity. He rebuilt

Winton Castle Winton Castle is a historic building set in a large estate between Pencaitland and Tranent in East Lothian, Scotland. The castle is situated off the B6355 road approximately north of Pencaitland at . The castle is still a private residence, ...

around 1620, and had a townhouse in Edinburgh's

Canongate The Canongate is a street and associated district in central Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland. The street forms the main eastern length of the Royal Mile while the district is the main eastern section of Edinburgh's Old Town. It began ...

. A fireplace at Winton in the hall or drawing room includes their carved initials "GS-AH" as a monogram.

Women in early modern Scotland Women in early modern Scotland, between the Renaissance in Scotland, Renaissance of the early sixteenth century and the beginnings of Industrial Revolution in Scotland, industrialisation in the mid-eighteenth century, were part of a patriarchy, ...

did not change their surname on marriage. She continued to sign letters as "Anna Hay". In 1612 Anne of Denmark sent instructions to the chamberlain of her Dunfermline estates, Sir Henry Wardlaw of Pitreavie for the baptism of

Anne Home Anne Hunter (''Birth name, née'' Home) (1742 – 1821) was a Salon (gathering), salonnière and poet in Georgian era, Georgian London. She is remembered mostly for the texts to at least nine of Joseph Haydn's 14 songs in English. She was the wi ...

, a daughter of

Mary (Dudley) Sutton, Countess of Home Mary (Dudley) Sutton, Countess of Home (1586–1644), was a landowner, living in England and Scotland. Early years and marriage Mary (Dudley) Sutton, born 2 October 1586, was the eldest daughter of Edward Sutton, 5th Baron Dudley (d. 1643) and ...

and the

Earl of Home Earl of Home ( ) is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1605 for Alexander Home of that Ilk, 6th Lord Home. The Earl of Home holds, among others, the subsidiary titles of Lord Home (created 1473), and Lord Dunglass (1605), i ...

. The queen as sponsor or godmother wanted presents of money distributed at the baptism, and Anna Hay, Lady Winton was to be her representative. Lord Walden visited Seton Palace to see Anna Hay and her children in 1613. Her mother-in-law, Margaret Montgomerie, dowager Countess of Winton, lived at Seton. In September 1617 she wrote from Seton Palace to

Anne Livingstone, Countess of Eglinton Anne Livingstone, Countess of Eglinton (died 1632) was a Scottish courtier and aristocrat, and lady-in-waiting to Princess Elizabeth and Anne of Denmark. Anne Livingstone was a daughter of Alexander Livingstone, 1st Earl of Linlithgow and Helenor ...

, a former companion in the household of Anne of Denmark who had married her husband's brother. Lady Eglinton's son Henry had sent her son George a trumpet, and George would get a drum for Henry. In October 1618 she went north "over the water" to Erroll, to

Slains Castle Slains Castle may refer to one of two ruined castles in Aberdeenshire, Scotland: * Old Slains Castle, a 13th-century castle was originally the property of the Comyn Earls of Buchan, near Collieston *New Slains Castle, a 16th-century tower house, b ...

, with her children George and Margaret. She met the new "Lady Hay", the bride of her brother William Hay. Anna Hay wrote that her new sister-in-law, Anne Lyon was "wise, discreet, and a sweet creature". Anne Lyon was a daughter of the

Earl of Kinghorne Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...

and

Anne Murray Morna Anne Murray (born June 20, 1945) is a retired Canadian singer. Her albums, consisting primarily of pop, country, and adult contemporary music, have sold over 55 million copies worldwide during her over 40-year career. Murray was the fir ...

, reputed to have been the mistress of King James. The family had an interest in coal mining. On 5 November 1620 the Earl and Anna Hay with other neighbouring landowners had dinner with Janet Lawson, Lady Fawside, at

Fa'side Castle Fa'side Castle (Faside Estate) has previously been known as Fawside, Falside, Ffauside, Fauxside, or Fawsyde and is a 15th-century keep located in East Lothian in Scotland. The castle is approximately southwest of Tranent, and southeast of Muss ...

and illegally combined to set and raise the price of coal. The

Privy Council of Scotland The Privy Council of Scotland ( — 1 May 1708) was a body that advised the Scottish monarch. In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of ...

found their actions unlawful and they were ordered to pay a fine of £2,000 or be imprisoned in

Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...

. In defence the landowners claimed their coal was unprofitable. The Earl of Winton's account book (now lost) includes payments to Adam de Colone for portraits of the family, including Anne Lyon, Lady Hay. The inscription on the portrait of Anna Hay attributed to Adam de Colone indicates she was 33 in 1625. She wears a portrait miniature case and an enormous diamond aigrette pinned to her gown. A portrait at

Traquair House Traquair House, approximately 7 miles southeast of Peebles, is claimed to be the oldest continually inhabited house in Scotland. Whilst not strictly a castle, it is built in the style of a fortified mansion. It pre-dates the Scottish Baronial s ...

shows a woman in almost identical costume and pose, with two children, said to be Jean Ker, Countess of Perth. Another portrait labelled Anna Hay in quite different costume is also dated 1625. Her children included: * George Seton, Lord Seton (d.1648), who married Henrietta Gordon, a daughter of

George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly (1592March 1649), styled Earl of Enzie from 1599 to 1636, eldest son of George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly by Lady Henrietta Stewart, daughter of Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, born at Huntly Castle, ...

Alexander Seton, 1st Viscount of Kingston Sir Alexander Seton, 1st Viscount of Kingston (13 March 1620 – 21 October 1691), a Cavalier, was the first dignity Charles II conferred as King. Family Alexander was the son of George Seton, 3rd Earl of Winton (1584–1650) by Anna Hay, dau ...

* Margaret Seton (1617-1637). * Elizabeth Seton (1621–1650), who married in 1637,

William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal (16101670 or 1671) was a Scottish nobleman and Covenanter. He was the eldest son of William Keith, 6th Earl Marischal. Life During the English Civil War, the 7th Earl Marischal joined James Graham, 1st Marques ...

* Isobel Seton, who married John Glendinning of Parton * Anna Seton, who injured her leg in 1627.''HMC 2nd Report: Forbes Leith of Whitehaugh'' (London, 1874), p. 199.

References

External links

Portrait of Anne Hay, Adam de Colone, National Galleries of Scotland

Portrait of Jean Ker, Countess of Perth, Traquair House

Photograph of the fireplace at Winton with the "GSAH" monogram. HES/RCAHMS Canmore
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hay, Anna 1592 births 1628 deaths Household of Anne of Denmark Scottish ladies-in-waiting Winton Daughters of Scottish earls

Anna Anna may refer to: People Surname and given name * Anna (name) Mononym * Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke * Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773) * Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century) * Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 1221) ...