Sir Thomas Burnett, 1st Baronet of Leys (died 27 June 1653) was a feudal baron and leading
Covenanter
Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from ''Covenan ...
who had represented
Kincardineshire
Kincardineshire, also known as the Mearns (from the Scottish Gaelic meaning "the Stewartry"), is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area on the coast of northeast Scotland. It is bounded by Aberdeenshire on the north and w ...
in the Scottish Parliament in 1621.
Early years
The eldest surviving son of
Alexander Burnett of Leys and Katherine, eldest daughter of Alexander Gordon of Lesmoir, "Thomas Burnaetus de Leyes" appears in the records of
King's College, Aberdeen
King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland, the full title of which is The University and King's College of Aberdeen (''Collegium Regium Abredonense''), is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and now an integral part of the Universi ...
and
Aberdeen University
, mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom
, established =
, type = Public research universityAncient university
, endowment = £58.4 million (2021)
, budget ...
, as a student who matriculated in 1603. In 1604 and 1606 when he was a witness to sasines he is designed as his father's "son and heir apparent", whom he succeeded in 1619 in the feudal barony of Leys and a range of other lands and rights. He completed the work of restoring
Muchalls Castle
Muchalls Castle stands overlooking the North Sea in the countryside of Kincardine and Mearns, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The lower course is a well-preserved Romanesque, double-groined 13th-century tower house structure, built by the Frasers of ...
, which his father acquired in the year 1588.
In 1619, prior to his father's death, Thomas Burnet younger of Leys was one of a body of Commissioners named by King
James VI of Scotland
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 hi ...
, at the instance of Bishop Patrick Forbes, to visit the universities of
Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
. The same year he was made an honorary
Burgess __NOTOC__
Burgess may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Burgess (surname), a list of people and fictional characters
* Burgess (given name), a list of people
Places
* Burgess, Michigan, an unincorporated community
* Burgess, Missouri, U ...
of Aberdeen, and in 1620 he was knighted. He was one of the earliest recipients of the dignity of Baronet of Nova Scotia, his patent dated at
Holyroodhouse
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 Edinburgh ...
on 21 April 1626.
In the Act of 1621 for the Plantation of new kirks, mention is made of Burnet of Leys having petitioned for the erection of a new church at Fetteresso, the parish in which his lands and castle of
Muchalls
Muchalls is a small coastal ex-fishing village in Kincardineshire, Scotland, south of Newtonhill and north of Stonehaven. Muchalls is situated slightly north of a smaller hamlet known as the Bridge of Muchalls. At the western edge of Muchalls is ...
lay, the castle being begun by his father was completed by Sir Thomas in 1627. The religious strife of the 1620s found Sir Thomas a decided opponent of the
Episcopalian
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the l ...
Court party and he became a supporter of the
Solemn League and Covenant
The Solemn League and Covenant was an agreement between the Scottish Covenanters and the leaders of the English Parliamentarians in 1643 during the First English Civil War, a theatre of conflict in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. On 17 August 1 ...
.
Covenanting wars
Immediately on the subscription of the
Covenant
Covenant may refer to:
Religion
* Covenant (religion), a formal alliance or agreement made by God with a religious community or with humanity in general
** Covenant (biblical), in the Hebrew Bible
** Covenant in Mormonism, a sacred agreement b ...
in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
, the powerfully organized body, known as the ''Tables'', made arrangements for enforcing its acceptance throughout the whole country and gathering funds to support military detachments.
Sir Thomas Burnett of Lees was one of their commissioners for the district north of the
Grampians
The Grampian Mountains (''Am Monadh'' in Scottish Gaelic, Gaelic) is one of the three major mountain ranges in Scotland, that together occupy about half of Scotland. The other two ranges are the Northwest Highlands and the Southern Uplands. T ...
. He and other Commissioners paid a preliminary visit to Aberdeen in early July 1638 where they were told politely but firmly by the town's magistrates and other leading citizens that they had no legal authority to exact the subscriptions demanded. The deputation returned in force on the 20th of that month headed by the
Earl of Montrose Montrose may refer to:
Places Scotland
* Montrose, Angus (the original after which all others ultimately named or derived)
** Montrose Academy, the secondary school in Montrose
Australia
*Montrose, Queensland (Southern Downs Region), a locality i ...
, then an earnest Covenanter, with several notable Covenanting preachers with them. The latter were promptly refused the pulpits of the city churches. The university promptly denounced the Covenant as unlawful, and three of the leading preachers, Henderson, Dickson, and Cant, made a temporary retreat to the safety of Sir Thomas's
Muchalls Castle
Muchalls Castle stands overlooking the North Sea in the countryside of Kincardine and Mearns, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The lower course is a well-preserved Romanesque, double-groined 13th-century tower house structure, built by the Frasers of ...
.
In March 1639, some 11000 men under Montrose and
Huntly
Huntly ( gd, Srath Bhalgaidh or ''Hunndaidh'') is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, formerly known as Milton of Strathbogie or simply Strathbogie. It had a population of 4,460 in 2004 and is the site of Huntly Castle. Its neighbouring settlemen ...
were told to 'reduce' the northern districts to subjection, but on 12 March 1639, Montrose and Argyll wrote to Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys to reassure him. Aberdeen made strong representations to Montrose who retired to
Strathbogie whilst his army were admitted into the town for accommodation, most of the opposition to them having fled. Sir Thomas Burnett was one of the tribunal established to sit on 2 April in Greyfriars Church there and on following days, to force 'malignants' to subscribe to the Covenant under pain of confiscation of their goods.
Viscount Aboyne
Viscount Aboyne was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created on 20 April 1632 for George Gordon, Earl of Enzie, eldest son of George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly, with remainder that the title should pass to his second son the Hon. Jam ...
's part of the Covenanting army then encamped at Muchalls and ransacked Burnett's property, despite his protestations.
Further Covenanters arrived at Aberdeen in 1644 under the
Earl of Argyll
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 the
Earl Marischal
The title of Earl Marischal was created in the Peerage of Scotland for William Keith, the Great Marischal of Scotland.
History
The office of Marischal of Scotland (or ''Marascallus Scotie'' or ''Marscallus Scotiae'') had been hereditary, held by ...
, and during that occupation a Committee of the Estates for Northern Business met there, to which a petition was presented by Lord Fraser, Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys, Patrick Leslie the Provost, and others, complaining of their losses by the quartering of troops and seeking redress from the first and readiest effects of the 'malignants' which come to hand.
Later that year, Montrose, raised to a Marquess and now opposed to the Covenant, marched north to suppress opposition to the King's cause. Leys clearly thought the Covenanters had gone too far in open rebellion against their King, and summoned Montrose to his castle at
Crathes to sup with him, whereupon he offered Montrose arms, horses, and 5000 merks. Montrose accepted the arms and horses but refused the money. Sir Thomas and his son were subsequently the only known Covenanters who were protected by the Marquess. In the meantime Sir Thomas armed and organised half of his retainers to protect his lands from robber bands now all too plentiful due to the state of the north. At the same time Sir Thomas petitioned the
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...
for an exemption from
excise
file:Lincoln Beer Stamp 1871.JPG, upright=1.2, 1871 U.S. Revenue stamp for 1/6 barrel of beer. Brewers would receive the stamp sheets, cut them into individual stamps, cancel them, and paste them over the Bunghole, bung of the beer barrel so when ...
and other heavy taxation being raised for Covenanting armies being sent to England, and for aid against marauding
Highlanders.
It would appear that Sir Thomas was refused exemption for he subsequently sent his whole silver plate to Edinburgh to be melted down, by way of a loan, and also loaned money to the
Marquess of Argyll
A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman w ...
.
Charles II
Following the Proclamation of
Charles II as King in Scotland, the Scottish Parliament adopted the most uncompromisingly covenanting character and its records for 1649 contain a complaint from Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys to the effect that he was owed £67,000 for supporting their cause. The result was an
Act of Parliament
Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the Legislature, legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of ...
in favour of Sir Thomas exempting him from further levies and recommending he be repaid, although it is unclear he ever was.
Charles II summoned Sir Thomas to support him in a letter dictated to the
Earl Marischal
The title of Earl Marischal was created in the Peerage of Scotland for William Keith, the Great Marischal of Scotland.
History
The office of Marischal of Scotland (or ''Marascallus Scotie'' or ''Marscallus Scotiae'') had been hereditary, held by ...
dated 5 October 1650. The King wrote again to Sir Thomas on 12 April 1651, granting him an exemption from the quartering of soldiers. There followed Charles's defeat at the
battle of Worcester
The Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 in and around the city of Worcester, England and was the last major battle of the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. A Parliamentarian army of around 28,000 under Oliver Cromwell def ...
after which there were widespread persecutions. However, Sir Thomas Burnett appears to have again trod a diplomatic course as General
Monck wrote to him from Dundee on 26 December 1651, assuring him of protection.
Educational matters
Sir Thomas Burnett had co-operated with Bishop Patrick Forbes in removing 'abuses' in
King's College, Aberdeen
King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland, the full title of which is The University and King's College of Aberdeen (''Collegium Regium Abredonense''), is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and now an integral part of the Universi ...
, and amending its discipline, although there is no trace of his having had a hand in its "purgation" in 1640. His continued love of his ''Alma Mater'', notwithstanding its prelatic leanings, is shown by his endowment, in October 1648, of three
Bursaries
A bursary is a monetary award made by any educational institution or funding authority to individuals or groups. It is usually awarded to enable a student to attend school, university or college when they might not be able to, otherwise. Some awa ...
of
Philosophy
Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...
in King's College. The Parliamentary records of 1649 record Sir Thomas again as one of a proposed Commission to visit Aberdeen University.
Another education foundation by Sir Thomas Burnett was an endowment by a bond of 5000 merks to the Grammar School of
Banchory-Ternan
Banchory (, sco, Banchry, gd, Beannchar) is a burgh or town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is about west of Aberdeen, near where the Feugh River meets the River Dee.
Prehistory and archaeology
In 2009, a farmer discovered a short cist ...
on 29 October 1651.
At a later period he built a hospital at Banchory for the support of the aged dwelling on his estates and, in October 1651, he mortified 6300 merks secured on his lands in the parish of
Crimond
Crimond is a village in Aberdeenshire, in the northeast of Scotland, located northwest of the port of Peterhead and just over from the coast.
Geography
The main A90 road runs through Crimond and is lined by Crimond Church with a villag ...
for the inmates of that hospital.
Marriage
Sir Thomas was twice married with issue from both. He married (1) Margaret (d. before August 1621), eldest daughter of Sir Robert Douglas of Glenbervie, second son of
William Douglas, 9th Earl of Angus William Douglas, 9th Earl of Angus (1533 – 1 July 1591, at Glenbervie) was a Scottish nobleman and zealous supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Biography
Douglas was the eldest son of Sir Archibald Douglas of Glenbervie, Knt., by his spouse Agnes ...
. They had two sons and two daughters,
He remarried by contract dated 9 August 1621 (2) Jean, daughter of Sir John Moncrieff of that Ilk, and widow of Sir Simon Fraser of Inverallochy. They had three sons and four daughters.
A portrait of Sir Thomas by the Scottish painter
George Jameson remains in
Crathes Castle
Crathes Castle (pronounced ) is a 16th-century castle near Banchory in the Aberdeenshire region of Scotland. It is in the historic county of Kincardineshire. This harled castle was built by the Burnetts of Leys and was held in that family for a ...
.
References
*Burnett, George,
Lord Lyon King of Arms
The Right Honourable the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the head of Lyon Court, is the most junior of the Great Officers of State in Scotland and is the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in that country, issuing new grant ...
, edited by Col. James Allardyce, LL.D., ''The Family of Burnett of Leys'', Aberdeen, 1901, p. 41-58.
External links
Official Burnett Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burnett, Sir Thomas, 1st Baronet
16th-century births
1653 deaths
Baronets in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia
Covenanters
Members of the Parliament of Scotland 1621
Alumni of the University of Aberdeen