James Cockie (died 1573) was a goldsmith in Edinburgh. He helped mint coins 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. ...

during the

Marian Civil War The Marian civil war in Scotland (1568–1573) was a period of conflict which followed the abdication of Mary, Queen of Scots, and her escape from Lochleven Castle in May 1568. Those who ruled in the name of her infant son James VI fought against ...

and was hanged as a counterfeiter on 3 August 1573. The surname was also spelled "Cokie" and "Cokkie", "Cokke", or "Cok". The family were prominent in Edinburgh as goldsmiths. He was born around 1535, and his father was also called James Cockie. Edinburgh - John Knox House - 20140421164207

Edinburgh - John Knox House - 20140421164207

Career

James Cockie and James Mosman were made free men of the Edinburgh incorporation of goldsmiths on 1 May 1557. In 1558 he made and engraved a clock case for

Mary of Guise Mary of Guise (french: Marie de Guise; 22 November 1515 – 11 June 1560), also called Mary of Lorraine, was a French noblewoman of the House of Guise, a cadet branch of the House of Lorraine and one of the most powerful families in France. She ...

and also worked in Edinburgh castle casting a cannon called a "double falcon" with the Queen's arms and motto. Cockie married a daughter of John Arres. She was a sister of the wife of James Mosman, Marion Arres. By his marriage Mosman obtained the house on Edinburgh's

High Street High Street is a common street name for the primary business street of a city, town, or village, especially in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. It implies that it is the focal point for business, especially shopping. It is also a metonym fo ...

now known as the John Knox House. At the

Scottish Reformation The Scottish Reformation was the process by which Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland broke with the Pope, Papacy and developed a predominantly Calvinist national Church of Scotland, Kirk (church), which was strongly Presbyterianism, Presbyterian in ...

, in 1560 he gave evidence to

Henri Cleutin Henri Cleutin, seigneur d'Oisel et de Villeparisis (1515 – 20 June 1566), was the representative of France in Scotland from 1546 to 1560, a Gentleman of the Chamber of the King of France, and a diplomat in Rome 1564-1566 during the French Wars o ...

and

Jacques de la Brosse Jacques de la Brosse (c. 1485–1562), Cup-bearer, cupbearer to the king, was a sixteenth-century French soldier and diplomat. He is remembered in Scotland for his missions in 1543 and 1560 in support of the Auld Alliance. Mission of 1543 After ...

against the Protestant

Lords of the Congregation The Lords of the Congregation (), originally styling themselves "the Faithful", were a group of Protestant Scottish nobles who in the mid-16th century favoured a reformation of the Catholic church according to Protestant principles and a Scotti ...

. They described him as a maker and engraver of coins. According to his sworn statement the Earl of Arran had ordered him to come to his lodging and requested that he engrave a signet or seal matrix with the arms of

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of Scot ...

and

Francis II of France Francis II (french: François II; 19 January 1544 – 5 December 1560) was King of France from 1559 to 1560. He was also King consort of Scotland as a result of his marriage to Mary, Queen of Scots, from 1558 until his death in 1560. He ...

and irons for making coins. Cockie refused at first, alleging that he was not used to this kind of work, and also would need an order from the Queen Regent, Mary of Guise. He subsequently worked on a die for a coins with a crown and the motto "Verbum Dei." When the Congregation left Edinburgh he gave the dies to John Acheson, a worker in the mint. Cockie and Mossman joined

William Kirkcaldy of Grange Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange (c. 1520 –3 August 1573) was a Scottish politician and soldier who fought for the Scottish Reformation but ended his career holding Edinburgh castle on behalf of Mary, Queen of Scots and was hanged at the c ...

on 11 May 1571. They had chosen to support Kirkcaldy who held the castle for

during the

. Mossman and Cockie helped Kirkcaldy pledge the queen's jewels, which had been stored in the castle, for loans. Cockie, as archival evidence shows, was particularly involved in receiving silver and minting coins in the castle. The coins minted in the castle were finer than those minted at

Dalkeith Dalkeith ( ; gd, Dail Cheith, IPA: �t̪alˈçe is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, on the River Esk. It was granted a burgh of barony in 1401 and a burgh of regality in 1540. The settlement of Dalkeith grew southwestwards from its 12th-cent ...

by the opposition. The types included the eighty pence piece or half merk, known as a "six and eight." In June 1572 the English soldier and Marshall of Berwick

William Drury Sir William Drury (2 October 152713 October 1579) was an English statesman and soldier. Family William Drury, born at Hawstead in Suffolk on 2 October 1527, was the third son of Sir Robert Drury (c. 1503–1577) of Hedgerley, Buckinghamshi ...

sent one of Cockie's half merks to William Cecil as a novelty. After the castle fell, Cockie, James Mossman, William Kirkcaldy of Grange, and his brother James Kirkcaldy were hanged on 3 August 1573. Their heads were displayed on the castle walls. James Cockie and James Kirkcaldy were tried together at

Holyrood House The Palace of Holyroodhouse ( or ), commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace or Holyroodhouse, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edi ...

before the executions.

Robert Lindsay of Pitscottie Robert Lindsay of Pitscottie (also Lindesay or Lyndsay; c. 1532–1580) was a Scottish chronicler, author of ''The Historie and Chronicles of Scotland, 1436–1565'', the first history of Scotland to be composed in Scots rather than Lati ...

, the author of a chronicle, mentioned that he minted coins in Edinburgh castle, "ane that struik the cunzie callit Cok".

A family of goldsmiths

In 1581 his son, also a goldsmith, also named James Cockie was restored to his inheritance by the

Parliament of Scotland The Parliament of Scotland ( sco, Pairlament o Scotland; gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba) was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland from the 13th century until 1707. The parliament evolved during the early 13th century from the king's council o ...

. William Cockie or Cokky, goldsmith, had a house in the

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 ...

at the "lapley stone". The house burnt down in 1608 when his son, Archibald Cockie was living there.

The Earl of Mar's ewer

The

National Museums of Scotland National Museums Scotland (NMS; gd, Taighean-tasgaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba) is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government. It runs the national museums of Scotland. NMS is one of the country's National Collections, ...

has a jug or ewer made of rock crystal with silver-gilt mounts which are thought to be the work of James Cockie and his workshop. The ewer mounts were made in Edinburgh in the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots and the lid was engraved with the heraldry of John Erskine and

Annabell Murray, Countess of Mar Annabell Murray, Countess of Mar (1536–1603), was a Scottish landowner, courtier and royal servant, the keeper of the infant James VI and his son Prince Henry at Stirling Castle Annabell Murray was a daughter of Sir William Murray of Tullibardi ...

. Erskine became

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 ...

in 1565. The Deacon of the Goldsmiths who assayed the silver work was

George Heriot George Heriot (15 June 1563 – 12 February 1624) was a Scottish goldsmith and philanthropist. He is chiefly remembered today as the founder of George Heriot's School, a large independent school in Edinburgh; his name has also been given to H ...

. Another ewer of silver or tortoise-shell with silver mounts, said to have been a gift to the Earl of Mar from Queen Elizabeth at the time of the baptism of

James VI James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

, was destroyed in the fire at

Alloa Alloa (Received Pronunciation ; educated Scottish pronunciation /ˈaloʊa/; gd, Alamhagh, possibly meaning "rock plain") is a town in Clackmannanshire in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It is on the north bank of the Forth at the spot where ...

in August 1801. Elizabeth also gave him a silver and mother of pearl basin and laver during his embassy to London in 1601 when the secret correspondence was arranged. These objects are sometimes confused with the crystal ewer. A silver cup made by Henry Thomson used at

Forgue Forgue is a hamlet in Aberdeenshire. It lies northwest of Aberdeen and northeast of Huntly. The Glendronach distillery is located in Forgue. Notable residents * George Bartlet, Dean of Aberdeen and Orkney * Sir George Stuart Forbes, Indian ...

has Cockie's assay mark as Deacon in 1563. The cup was presented to the church in 1633 by

James Crichton James Crichton, known as the Admirable Crichton (19 August 1560 – 3 July 1582), was a Scottish polymath noted for his extraordinary accomplishments in languages, the arts, and sciences before he was murdered at the age of 21. Ear ...

of Frendraught.Thomas Burns, James Macgregor, Alexander J. S. Brook, ''Old Scottish Communion Plate'' (Edinburgh, 1892), p. 549.

References

External links

Ewer associated with John Erskine, Earl of Mar, National Museums of Scotland, Q.L.1987.13
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cockie, James 1573 deaths Businesspeople from Edinburgh Coins of Scotland People executed by the Kingdom of Scotland by hanging Scottish goldsmiths Scottish counterfeiters People of the Scottish Marian Civil War Material culture of royal courts Collections of the National Museums of Scotland