![The Maitland tomb, St Mary's Church, Haddington](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/The_Maitland_tomb%2C_St_Mary%27s_Church%2C_Haddington.jpg)
John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane (1537 – 3 October 1595), of
Lethington, Knight (1581), was
Lord Chancellor of Scotland.
Life
He was the second son of Sir
Richard Maitland
Sir Richard Maitland of Lethington and Thirlstane (1496 – 1 August 1586) was a Senator of the College of Justice, an Ordinary Lord of Session from 1561 until 1584, and notable Scottish poet. He was served heir to his father, Sir William Maitl ...
of Thirlestane,
Berwickshire
Berwickshire ( gd, Siorrachd Bhearaig) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in south-eastern Scotland, on the English border. Berwickshire County Council existed from 1890 until 1975, when the area became part of th ...
, and
Lethington,
Haddingtonshire
East Lothian (; sco, East Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921.
In 1975, the histo ...
, who settled the lands of Thirlestane upon him, and thereafter sent him abroad for his education.
Through the influence of his brother,
William Maitland,
upon John Maitland's return, he received the offer of the position of Commendator of
Kelso Abbey
Kelso Abbey is a ruined Scottish abbey in Kelso, Scotland. It was founded in the 12th century by a community of Tironensian monks first brought to Scotland in the reign of Alexander I. It occupies ground overlooking the confluence of the Tweed ...
, which he shortly afterwards exchanged with
Francis Stewart
Francis may refer to:
People
*Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome
*Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
*Francis (surname)
Places
*Rural Mu ...
, later Earl of Bothwell, for the Priory of
Coldingham
Coldingham ( sco, Cowjum) is a village and parish in Scottish Borders, on Scotland's southeast coastline, north of Eyemouth.
Parish
The parish lies in the east of the Lammermuir district. It is the second-largest civil parish by area in Berwic ...
. This transaction was ratified by
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 ...
on 20 April 1567.
Upon the death of his father, he was appointed
Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland
The office of Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland, one of the Great Officers of State, first appears in the reign of David II. After the Act of Union 1707 its holder was normally a peer, like the Keeper of the Great Seal. The office has rem ...
, on 20 April 1567. He also supported Regent Moray and sat in his parliaments in December 1567 and August 1568. On 2 June 1568, he was created a Senator of the
College of Justice as an Ordinary Lord on the spiritual side. He retained the rich endowment of Coldingham until 1570.
Following the
Regent Moray's assassination, Maitland joined the Lords who met on the Queen's behalf at
Linlithgow and shared in the dangers of the civil war which ensued. At the end of 1570, he was denounced a rebel by the King's party with his brothers William and Thomas, and they were all forfeited in the parliament which met in
the Canongate, the so-called 'cropped parliament'.
John Maitland was deprived of all his offices and benefices and thereafter took refuge 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. ...
. Upon its surrender on 29 May 1573, he was sent as a prisoner to
Tantallon Castle
Tantallon Castle is a ruined mid-14th-century fortress, located east of North Berwick, in East Lothian, Scotland. It sits atop a promontory opposite the Bass Rock, looking out onto the Firth of Forth. The last medieval curtain wall castle to ...
in
Haddingtonshire
East Lothian (; sco, East Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921.
In 1975, the histo ...
. After nine months' confinement there, he was removed to Hugh, Lord Somerville's house of
Cowthallie, under
house arrest
In justice and law, house arrest (also called home confinement, home detention, or, in modern times, electronic monitoring) is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to their residence. Travel is usually restricted, if all ...
with bail at £10,000 Scots. In 1574/5 a ''Letter of Rehabilitation'' in his favour, as "Commendator of Coldingham", passed the
Great Seal.
On 26 April 1581, he was reappointed
Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland
The office of Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland, one of the Great Officers of State, first appears in the reign of David II. After the Act of Union 1707 its holder was normally a peer, like the Keeper of the Great Seal. The office has rem ...
and returned to the Bench. He was shortly afterwards made a
Privy Counsellor and, upon the dismissal of
Robert Pitcairn
Robert Pitcairn (May 6, 1836 – July 25, 1909) was a Scottish-American railroad executive who headed the Pittsburgh Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad in the late 19th century. He was the brother of the PPG Industries, Pittsburgh Plate Glass ...
,
Abbot of Dunfermline, appointed
Secretary of Scotland
The secretary of state for Scotland ( gd, Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba; sco, Secretar o State fir Scotland), also referred to as the Scottish secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for ...
on 18 May 1584. In the parliament which met on the 22nd of that month, his doom of forfeiture was reduced, and he was restored to all the honours, heritages, and offices he had formerly possessed.
On 1 May 1585, plague came to Edinburgh and the king and councillors, including Maitland, went to
Dirleton Castle, where their host
James Stewart, Earl of Arran entertained them with a sumptuous banquet and a
Robin Hood play.
Maitland was appointed Vice-Chancellor on 31 May 1586, and was also appointed
Lord Chancellor of Scotland that year following the Earl of Arran's disgrace. The following year saw him granted the
barony of Stobo.
In 1589, a powerful combination headed by the Earls of Huntly, Errol, and
Bothwell
Bothwell is a conservation village in the South Lanarkshire council area of Scotland. It lies on the north bank of the River Clyde, adjacent to Uddingston and Hamilton, east-south-east of Glasgow city centre.
Description and history
An ancie ...
was formed against Maitland. The intention was to meet at Quarryholes, between Leith and Edinburgh, to march in a body to
Holyroodhouse, make themselves master of the King's person, and put the Chancellor to death. The King and Maitland were not, however, at Holyroodhouse and the plot failed. Several other plots were formed against him shortly afterwards, but they were all defeated.
Maitland and Anne of Denmark
He was one of those who accompanied
James VI on his matrimonial voyage to
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
and
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
. Maitland was involved in financing and accounting for this journey. According to an English observer,
Thomas Fowler, he paid for fitting out of one ship of 126 tons and half the cost of another. Lavish provisions and banqueting stuff betrayed the king's secret intention to sail to meet
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 ...
. Accounts of Maitland's expenses include the preparation of a ship, the ''James Royall'' of Ayr, hired from
Robert Jameson, which was equipped with cannon by
John Chisholm, painted, and supplied with new banners and red taffeta was stitched on the sails. Carpenters made new storage spaces for the food mentioned by Fowler. There were barrels of English beer and wine from the cellars at
Holyrood Palace
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 Edinbu ...
. A boatman James Lun spent eight days loading the ship and then put the king and his company aboard.
In Oslo, on 27 November, some of the ladies in waiting to Anne of Denmark asked him to join with
Jens Nilssøn
Jens Nilssøn (in Latin ''Joannis Nicolai'') (1538–1600) was a Norwegian clergyman, educator, poet and author. He served as the Bishop of Oslo from 1580 to 1600.
Biography
Nilssøn was born in Oslo, Norway. After the death of his father, his mo ...
,
Bishop of Oslo to intercede with James VI for the pardon of
David Cunningham of Robertland. He had been welcomed at the Danish court after fleeing Scotland in the aftermath of the murder of the
Earl of Eglinton in 1586. Maitland and the Danish ladies in waiting had an audience with the king in the
Old Bishop's Palace and the laird of Robertland was pardoned.
On 15 December, James VI asked him to give the Danish counsellor
Steno Brahe, brother of the astronomer
Tycho Brahe, and the young king's lieutenant "Apill Gudlingstarre" or
Axel Gyldenstierne gifts of silver plate from his cupboard, and Maitland was to keep the rest. The silver had been a gift to James VI from
Queen Elizabeth, supplied by the London goldsmith
Richard Martin. James VI ordered Maitland to give jewels to
Christian IV and his mother
Sophie of Mecklenburg and other royals. These gifts included four great table diamonds and two great rubies set in gold rings which the master of the royal wardrobe
William Keith of Delny
Sir William Keith of Delny (died 1599) was a Scottish courtier and Master of the Royal Wardrobe. He also served as ambassador for James VI to various countries. He was an important intermediary between George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal and the kin ...
had brought to Denmark.
Shortly after his return to Scotland, on 18 May 1590, Maitland was made a
Lord of Parliament
A Lord of Parliament ( sco, Laird o Pairlament) was the holder of the lowest form of peerage, entitled as of right to take part in sessions of the pre-Union Parliament of Scotland. Since that Union in 1707, it has been the lowest rank of the P ...
with the title Lord Maitland of Thirlestane.
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 ...
's mother
Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow
Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow (''Sophia''; 4 September 1557 – 14 October 1631) was Queen of Denmark and Norway by marriage to Frederick II of Denmark. She was the mother of King Christian IV of Denmark and Anne of Denmark. She was Regent of Schl ...
had asked him to set up her daughter's household in Scotland and advise on matters of "honour and benefit." He consulted with Anne at
Dunfermline Palace in July 1590 to ask her to appoint a household of ladies and gentlewomen to be about her.
James VI came to
Thirlestane Castle on 15 February 1591 to celebrate the marriage of his niece to the laird of Lugton.
Sir Robert Ker of
Cessford had married his niece Margaret Maitland, and he was able to help Maitland into the favour of Anne of Denmark. Sophie of Mecklenburg sent Maitland a letter of thanks in June 1591, after hearing good reports from
Wilhelm von der Wense Wilhelm von der Wense (floruit 1580-1610) was a German courtier and Danish diplomat.
Wilhelm von der Wense was a servant of Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, wife of Frederick II of Denmark.
In 1587 he came to London with letters for the Earl of Lei ...
. James had asked him to resolve issues over pay in the royal households in April 1591 after
kitchen staff deserted their posts, and discussed the subject of paying two departing members of the queen's household with either money or livery clothes, and he reminded Maitland of promises he had made to Sophie, writing "Suppose we be not wealthy, let us be proud poor bodies".
A cousin of James VI,
Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell, was implicated in the
North Berwick Witch Trials on 15 April 1591 by the confession of Richie Graham. Anne of Denmark disapproved of the pursuit of the rebel Earl, and blamed Maitland for seeking the "wrack of the king's blood".
Another quarrel grew over her dowry lands. Anne of Denmark believed she was the rightful owner of
Musselburgh
Musselburgh (; sco, Musselburrae; gd, Baile nam Feusgan) is the largest settlement in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, east of Edinburgh city centre. It has a population of .
History
The name Musselburgh is Ol ...
and
Inveresk
Inveresk (Scottish Gaelic, Gaelic: ''Inbhir Easg'') is a village in East Lothian, Scotland situated to the south of Musselburgh. It has been designated a Conservation area (United Kingdom), conservation area since 1969. It is situated on s ...
, lands belonging to Maitland, which were properties of Abbey of Dunfermline south of the
River Forth. These lands were transferred to her after a Danish ambassador
Dr Paulus Knibbius made representations to Maitland in 1592. She came to resent Maitland's powers and in January 1593 appealed for help against him and his wife,
Jean Fleming, who she believed had slandered her and accused her of being complicit with the Earl of Bothwell. In 1594 James VI appealed to her brother
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV (12 April 1577 – 28 February 1648) was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Holstein and Schleswig from 1588 until his death in 1648. His reign of 59 years, 330 days is the longest of Danish monarchs and Scandinavian monar ...
to ask her to take Maitland into her favour again.
In February 1595 his relationship with the queen seems to have improved, and the courtier
Roger Aston
Sir Roger Aston (died 23 May 1612) of Cranford, Middlesex, was an English courtier and favourite of James VI of Scotland.
Biography
Aston was the illegitimate son of Thomas Aston (died 1553), Thomas Aston (died 1553). Scottish sources spell his n ...
reported that he had made friends with the queen's council of advisors, men who had previously been his "unfriends". The queen's council included
Alexander Seton,
Walter Stewart of Blantyre
Walter Stewart, 1st Lord Blantyre (died 8 March 1617) was a Scottish politician, administrator, and judge.
Life
He was the son of Sir John Stewart of Minto and Margaret Stewart sister of James Stewart of Cardonald
Educated with James VI under ...
,
James Elphinstone and
Thomas Hamilton.
In July 1595 Maitland wrote to the
Earl of Essex
Earl of Essex is a title in the Peerage of England which was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title has been recreated eight times from its original inception, beginning with a new first Earl upon each new cre ...
, about their future "diligent intercourse of intelligence" involving the Scottish diplomat
Richard Cockburn of Clerkington
Sir Richard Cockburn of Clerkington, Lord Clerkintoun (1565–1627) was a senior government official in Scotland serving as Lord Privy Seal of Scotland during the reign of James VI.Anderson, William, ''The Scottish Nation; or the Surnames, F ...
and Essex's secretary
Anthony Bacon. Essex replied that he wrote only with the queen's knowledge, and they would be happy to receive letters from Maitland or Cockburn.
Death and legacy
John Maitland died on 3 October 1595 at
Thirlestane Castle, after a month's illness attended by the physician Dr
Martin Schöner
Dr Martin Schöner or Schönerus (died 1611), physician to James VI and I and Anne of Denmark.
Schöner was born in Głogów in Lower Silesia, then a part of the Habsburg Empire, but was considered to be from Thuringia. He is said to have been a ...
and the minister
Robert Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventuall ...
. He was buried in a side chapel on the north side of
St. Mary's,
Haddington, where a splendid monument, with an epitaph, composed by
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 ...
, was erected to his memory.
Sir John Scot of Scotstarvet
Sir John Scot, Lord Scotstarvit (1585–1670), was a Scottish laird, advocate, judge, politician and author. He was Director of Chancery and a Lord of Session. His surname is often spelt as Scott, and Scotstarvit is also spelt as Scotstarvet or Sc ...
, writing in the seventeenth century, had this to say of the 1st Lord Maitland:
"Mr John Maitland, second brother to Secretary Maitland, after he had studied the laws in France, was preferred to be a Lord of Session by the said Earl of Arran's means, and thereafter became Chancellor. He was one of the Octavians
The Octavians were a financial commission of eight in the government of Scotland first appointed by James VI on 9 January 1596.
James VI's minister John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane had died on 3 October 1595, and his financial sit ...
name given to eight persons who managed affairs under king James VI and was created Lord Thirlestane, and was an excellent Latin poet, as his verses inserted in ''Deliciae poetarum scotorum'' testify; and King James had such a respect to him, that he made the epitaph engraven on his tomb. Yet the conquest he made of the barony of Liddington 'Lethington''from his brother's son, James Maitland, was not thought lawful nor conscientious."
A portrait of John Maitland by
Adrian Vanson at
Ham House was valued at £2 in 1683. Examination by Caroline Rae in 2016 showed that it was painted over an image 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 ...
.
Family
John Maitland married
Jean Fleming, daughter of
James, 4th Lord Fleming and
Barbara Hamilton in January 1583. Their children included:
*Anne (1589–1609) who married
Robert Seton, 2nd Earl of Winton (but had no issue)
*
John Maitland, 1st Earl of Lauderdale
Brother of
William Maitland of Lethington
William Maitland of Lethington (15259 June 1573) was a Scottish politician and reformer, and the eldest son of poet Richard Maitland.
Life
He was educated at the University of St Andrews.
William was the renowned "Secretary Lethington" to ...
, Scottish Secretary of State, and
Mary Maitland
Mary Maitland (born about 1550, died 1596) was a Scottish writer believed to be the transcriber of the Quarto Volume of the Maitland Manuscripts, an important source for the Scots language, Scots literature of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuri ...
, considered a scribe of the Maitland Folio and Quarto.
References
*''An Historical Account of the Senators of the College of Justice of Scotland'', by Sir David Dalrymple of Hailes, Bt., re-edited at Edinburgh in 1849, pps: 140–146 (who says he was "probably born in 1545").
*''The Royal Families of England, Scotland, and Wales, with their Descendants'', etc., by Messrs, John and John Bernard Burke, London, volume 1 (1848) pedigree XV, and volume 2 (1851), pedigree LXXXIV.
*''History of the Priory of Coldingham'', by William King Hunter of Stoneshiel, Edinburgh & London, 1858, pps: 72–3.
*''Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica'', edited by Joseph Jackson Howard, LL.D.,F.S.A., volume 2, London, 1876, p. 206.
External links
A satirical poem on the marriage of John Maitland and Jean Fleming by Hercules RollockBridging the Continental Divide, University of GlasgowMiniature portrait of John Maitland of Thirlestane, National Portrait Gallery, LondonA portrait of John Maitland, painted over Mary Queen of Scots, Ham House, National TrustPortrait of John Maitland John Scougal
John Scougal (1645–1730) was a Scottish painter.
Life
He was a cousin to Patrick Scougal (died 1682), Bishop of Aberdeen and to Patrick's brother John Scougal, Lord Whitekirk. John Scougal is said to have been born at Leith, where his father ...
,
Thirlestane Castle
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maitland, John, 1st Lord
1537 births
1595 deaths
Court of Mary, Queen of Scots
Lords of Parliament (pre-1707)
Lord chancellors of Scotland
Senators of the College of Justice
Chancellors of the University of St Andrews
Members of the Privy Council of Scotland
16th-century Scottish peers
16th-century Scottish politicians
Scottish knights
1595 in Scotland
Peers of Scotland created by James VI