Sir Archibald Napier (1534 – 15 May 1608) was a Scottish landowner and official, master of the

Scottish mint There were a number of mints in Scotland, for the production of the Scottish coinage. The most important mint was in the capital, Edinburgh, which was active from the reign of David I (1124–1153), and was the last to close, in the 19th century. ...

and seventh Laird of

Merchiston Merchiston ( ) is a residential area around Merchiston Avenue in the south-west of Edinburgh, Scotland. Location Merchiston Avenue is 1.3 miles Southwest of the West End of Edinburgh's principal street, Princes Street. Other areas near Merchi ...

Early life

He was eldest son of Alexander Napier, sixth of Merchiston, who was killed at the battle of Pinkie in 1547. His mother was Annabella, youngest daughter of Sir Duncan Campbell of Glenurchy. His paternal grandfather was Alexander Napier, fifth of Merchiston, who was killed at the battle of Flodden in 1513. Archibald was

infeft In the Middle Ages, especially under the European feudal system, feoffment or enfeoffment was the deed by which a person was given land in exchange for a pledge of service. This mechanism was later used to avoid restrictions on the passage of ti ...

in the barony of Edenbellie as heir to his father on 8 November 1548, a royal dispensation enabling him, though a minor, to feudalise his right to his paternal barony in contemplation of his marriage with Janet Bothwell, which took place about 1549. Napier began to clear his property of encumbrances. On 1 June 1555 he redeemed his lands of Gartnes, Stirlingshire, and others from Duncan Forester, and on 14 June 1558 he obtained a precept of

sasine Sasine in Scots law is the delivery of feudal property, typically land. Feudal property means immovable property, and includes everything that naturally goes with the property. For land, that would include such things as buildings, trees, and unde ...

for infefting him in the lands of Blairwaddis, Isle of Inchcolm. In 1565 he received the order of knighthood. He seems to have sided with Mary Queen of Scots after her escape from

Lochleven Castle Lochleven Castle is a ruined castle on an island in Loch Leven, in the Perth and Kinross local authority area of Scotland. Possibly built around 1300, the castle was the site of military action during the Wars of Scottish Independence (1296–1 ...

. During the siege of

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. ...

, held by

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 ...

for the queen, he was required on 1 May 1572 to deliver up his house of Merchiston to the king's party, who placed in it a company of soldiers to prevent victuals being carried past it to the castle. On this account the defenders of the castle made an attempt to burn it, which was unsuccessful.

At the cunzie-house

Napier's name appears with others in a contract with

Regent Morton James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton (c. 1516 – 2 June 1581, aged 65) was the last of the four regents of Scotland during the minority of King James VI. He was in some ways the most successful of the four, since he won the civil war that had b ...

for working for the space of twelve years certain gold, silver, copper, and lead mines. He was appointed general of the cunzie-house (master of the Mint) in 1576, and on 25 April 1581 he was directed, with others, to take proceedings against John Achesoun, the king's master-coiner. In May 1580 he received payment for the expenses of a mission to England. On 24 April 1582 he was named one of the assessors to prepare the matters to be submitted to the general assembly of the kirk of Scotland, and his name occurs in following years as an ordinary member of assembly, and also as acting on special commissions and deputations. In March 1584 Edinburgh town council sold him a piece of land to extend his garden at

Merchiston Tower Merchiston Tower, also known as Merchiston Castle, was probably built by Alexander Napier, the 2nd Laird of Merchiston around 1454. It serves as the seat for Clan Napier. It was the home of John Napier, the 8th Laird of Merchiston and the inven ...

. On 6 March 1590 Napier was appointed one of a commission for putting Acts in force against the

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

s. In January 1593 he was appointed by a convention of ministers in Edinburgh one of a deputation to wait on the king to urge him to more strenuous action against the Catholic nobles, and he was appointed one of a similar commission at a meeting of the general assembly of the kirk in April, and also by a convention held in October.

Last years

On account of non-appearance before the council of his son Alexander, charged with a serious assault, Napier was on 2 July 1601 ordained to keep ward in Edinburgh until King James declared his will. In September 1604 he went to London to treat with English commissioners about the Mint, when, according to Sir James Balfour, he negotiated skillfully. Napier continued till the end of his life to take an active part in matters connected with mining and the currency. He discussed samples of gold ore with the English prospector

George Bowes Sir George Bowes (21 August 1701 – 17 September 1760) was an English coal proprietor and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons for 33 years from 1727 to 1760. George Bowes was baptized on 4 September 1701, the youngest son of Sir ...

in 1604. On 14 January 1608 he was appointed along with two others to repair to the mines in succession to try the quality of the ore. He died on 15 May 1608, aged 74.

Family

By his first wife Janet (died 20 December 1563), only daughter of

Francis Bothwell Francis Bothwell of Edinburgh, Lord of Session, was a Scottish merchant, landowner, judge and politician. As a university graduate, he was called ''Master Francis Bothwell'', or "Dominus" in Latin documents; however, this has been misunderstood ...

, lord of session, by his first wife Janet Richardson, Napier had two sons and one daughter: * John Napier the scientist and mathematician who developed logarithms (1550 –1617) * Francis Napier, appointed assayer to the cunzie-house 1 December 1581 * Janet Napier. By his second wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Mowbray of Barnbougle,

Linlithgowshire West Lothian ( sco, Wast Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Iar) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and was one of its historic counties. The county was called Linlithgowshire until 1925. The historic county was bounded geographically by the Av ...

, he had three sons and two daughters: *Archibald Napier of

Woolmet Danderhall is a village in Midlothian, Scotland, just outside Edinburgh but inside the Edinburgh City Bypass. Overview The village includes a large amount of council housing — although much of this is now privately owned by the occupiers ...

(1575-1600), ambushed and slain on 8 November 1600 in revenge for the murder of Scott of Bowhill in an argument over a horse, widowing his young wife Alison Edmonstone of Edmonstone House *William Napier (1577-1622) *

Alexander Napier, Lord Laurieston Sir Alexander Napier, Lord Laurieston (c. 1578 – 1629) was a 17th-century Scottish landowner, judge and Senator of the College of Justice. He was half-brother of the mathematician John Napier. Life He was born in Merchiston Castle the thi ...

(1578-1629), appointed a Senator of the College of Justice 14 February 1626 *Helene, married to Sir William Balfour *Elizabeth, married, first, to James, lord Ogilvie of Airlie, and, secondly, to Alexander Auchmoutie, gentleman of his majesty's privy chamber. Lauriston Castle 1775

On 8 February 1588 the king granted to Napier, Elizabeth Mowbray, his second wife, and Alexander, their son and heir, the lands called the King's Meadow. On 16 November 1593 he obtained a grant of half the lands of Lauriston, where he built Lauriston Castle.

References

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Napier, Archibald 1534 births 1608 deaths Scottish landowners Scottish civil servants Scottish knights Lairds