John Bothwell of Auldhamer, Lord Holyroodhouse (c.1550–1609) was a 16th-century Scottish judge and

Senator of the College of Justice The senators of the College of Justice are judges of the College of Justice, a set of legal institutions involved in the administration of justice in Scotland. There are three types of senator: Lords of Session (judges of the Court of Session); ...

residing at Holyrood House prior to it becoming a royal palace.

Life

He was born in Bothwell House in Edinburgh, the son of Bishop

Adam Bothwell Adam Bothwell, Lord of Session (c.1527, Edinburgh – 1593, Edinburgh), was a Scottish clergyman, judge, and politician. He served as Bishop of Orkney (1559), Commendator of Holyrood House (1570), Extraordinary Lord of Session (1563–4), and as ...

, a Lord of Session and bishop of Orkney. His mother was Margaret Murray, daughter of John Murray of Touchadam. His paternal uncle Richard Bothwell served as Provost of Edinburgh during the reign of Mary Queen of Scots. His grandfather Francis Bothwell had also been a

since its foundation in 1532 and a Lord of Session in the Edinburgh courts. Francis was Provost of Edinburgh 1523/24. His aunt, Janet Bothwell, was mother of the mathematician, John Napier. In early life he was styled "John Bothwell of Alhammer". Being a favourite of King James VI he was made Abbot or Commendator of

Holyrood Abbey Holyrood Abbey is a ruined abbey of the Canons Regular in Edinburgh, Scotland. The abbey was founded in 1128 by David I of Scotland. During the 15th century, the abbey guesthouse was developed into a royal residence, and after the Scottish Ref ...

from 1581. In July 1593 he was created a Senator of the College of Justice and Lord of Session, in place of his father, and adopted the title of "

Lord Holyroodhouse The title of Lord Holyroodhouse was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. At the time of the Reformation in Scotland (1559) Holyrood Abbey passed out of church hands and the nominal "abbacy" and lands were purchased by Adam Bothwell. In 1583 he pas ...

". He dressed as an Amazon in August 1594 to perform in the tournament at the baptism of Prince Henry at

Stirling Castle Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland, both historically and architecturally. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological ...

. In May 1595 James VI gave him a diamond ring worth £180 Scots. In September 1595 James VI sent him to be his representative at the christening of a child of Elizabeth Douglas, Countess of Erroll. He was an ally of the Laird of Buccleuch. His correspondence with Anthony Bacon in England in 1596 mentions his relation, Mr Kello, the husband of the calligrapher Esther Inglis. In December 1607 the king elevated the title from a non-hereditary legal title to a hereditary title. He died on 26 November 1609. He is thought to be buried in

adjacent to his home. If so he logically shares the grave of his parents at the second column from the main east window.

Family

He was married to Maria or Marie Carmichael (died 1626), a daughter of Sir John Carmichael of Carmichael (d.1600). She lived in Advocate's Close in Edinburgh, on the site of the present later house called "Adam Bothwell's house", built by

William Dick of Braid Sir William Dick of Braid (1580–1655) was a 17th-century Scottish landowner, banker and merchant who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1638 to 1640. His fortunes took him from being "the richest man in Scotland" in 1650 to his deat ...

. Her will mentions a larger "meikle" hall with a "wainscot" or oak dining table, a cupboard (shelves) made of "fir" or pine on an oak table. Their son John Bothwell became the 2nd Lord Holyroodhouse. He seemed to have lived in

Dundee Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...

rather than Edinburgh as he became a burgess of that town in 1620. The title Lord Holyroodhouse temporarily expired with his death in 1638 but was readopted in the early 18th century by his descendant

Henry Bothwell, 3rd Lord Holyroodhouse Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) *Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...

(1657-1755).Grant's Old and New Edinburgh vol.1 p.120

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bothwell, John 1609 deaths Peers of Scotland created by James VI Senators of the College of Justice Year of birth uncertain