William Maitland of Lethington (15259 June 1573) was a
Scottish
Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including:
*Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland
*Scottish English
*Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
politician and reformer, and the eldest son of poet
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 Mai ...
.
Life
He was educated at the
University of St Andrews
(Aien aristeuein)
, motto_lang = grc
, mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best
, established =
, type = Public research university
Ancient university
, endowment ...
.
William was the renowned "Secretary Lethington" to
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 S ...
. As her
Secretary of State from 1568, he played a prominent part in the various movements of his time, but did not gain the confidence of any party. He adhered to the party of
James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray
James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray (c. 1531 – 23 January 1570) was a member of the House of Stewart as the illegitimate son of King James V of Scotland. A supporter of his half-sister Mary, Queen of Scots, he was the regent of Scotland for his ...
, illegitimate half-brother of the Queen, against the extreme measures of
John Knox
John Knox ( gd, Iain Cnocc) (born – 24 November 1572) was a Scottish minister, Reformed theologian, and writer who was a leader of the country's Reformation. He was the founder of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
Born in Giffordga ...
, and generally held his own against the preachers. His knowledge of foreign, and especially of English, politics and his general ability were assets of the highest value.
The lords sent Maitland to England to ask for assistance from
Elizabeth, and his constant aim throughout his political career was to bring about a union between the two crowns. He was the guest of
Ralph Sadler at
Sutton House.
He proved a highly astute ambassador at Elizabeth's court. He was involved in the conspiracy to murder
David Rizzio (the private secretary and rumoured lover of Queen Mary) by her
King consort Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley
Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley (1546 – 10 February 1567), was an English nobleman who was the second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the father of James VI and I, James VI of Scotland and I of England. Through his parents, he had claims to b ...
and his supporters, and was obliged to leave the court, but he managed to regain the Queen's favour. After Mary was captured by her enemies at the
battle of Carberry Hill
The Battle of Carberry Hill took place on 15 June 1567, near Musselburgh, East Lothian, a few miles east of Edinburgh, Scotland. A number of Scottish lords objected to the rule of Mary, Queen of Scots, after she had married the Earl of Bothwel ...
, on 25 July 1567 Maitland came to see the English ambassador in Edinburgh,
Nicholas Throckmorton. As instructed by Elizabeth, Throckmorton asked Maitland if the plan was to restore Mary to the throne. If so, Elizabeth promised to help prosecute Darnley's murder and preserve Prince James. Throckmorton recorded Maitland's personal answer, which outlined that English interference was not welcome at this time and might even be counterproductive, and that Throckmorton would not be allowed to see Mary:
Being in place to knowe more than you can knowe, I saye unto yowe ..., in case you doe on the Quenes majesties behalf your mestris, presse this company to enlarge the Quene my soveraigne, and to suffer you to goe unto her (at Lochleven Castle), or doe use any thretnynge speache in those matters, the rather to compasse them (''rather than achieve them''), I assure you, you wyll put the Quene my soveraigne in greate jeopardye of her lyffe: and therefore there is none other waye for the present to do her good but to give place and use mildness.
When Mary fled to the
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England (, ) was a sovereign state on the island of Great Britain from 12 July 927, when it emerged from various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, until 1 May 1707, when it united with Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain.
On ...
in 1568 Maitland joined with the new government, but acted in her interest and formed a party to restore her to power. He was one of the Scots who met Elizabeth's representatives at York in 1568; here he showed a desire to exculpate Mary and to marry her to the
duke of Norfolk
Duke of Norfolk is a title in the peerage of England. The seat of the Duke of Norfolk is Arundel Castle in Sussex, although the title refers to the county of Norfolk. The current duke is Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk. The du ...
, a course of action probably dictated by a desire to avoid all revelations about the Darnley murder. Maitland followed
Regent Moray in his march against Mary's supporters and wrote to
John Wood from
Hoddom on 22 June 1568.
He was arrested in 1569 for his part in the crime. In 1573 Sir
William Kirkcaldy of Grange, noted for his military talents and the forthright adherent of Mary, Queen of Scots, arranged for Maitland to be moved to
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. ...
, and held the castle for Mary's party, along with his brother, Sir James, as a result of which Maitland's trial was postponed.
The Regent called on the military assistance of Queen
Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen".
Eli ...
of England, who dispatched Sir
William Drury from
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...
with a formidable train of artillery to assist in reducing the castle. Kirkcaldy resisted with firmness worthy of his high military reputation, until the walls were breached and shattered, his provisions expended, the wells choked with ruins and inaccessible, and the artillery silenced. He surrendered to Sir William Drury in May 1573 on a general promise of favourable terms; but in this, the English commander had undertaken more than he could make good.
By Elizabeth's orders, Sir William Drury saw himself obliged to surrender his prisoners to
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 ...
, and the gallant Kirkcaldy and his brother were executed at the Market Cross in Edinburgh. Maitland of Lethington, already ill, was moved to a cell in the newly completed
Leith
Leith (; gd, Lìte) is a port area in the north of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith. In 2021, it was ranked by ''Time Out'' as one of the top five neighbourhoods to live in the world.
The earliest ...
Tolbooth, for his own protection, where the following month he either died "in the Roman fashion" by taking his own life, through poison on 9 July 1573, rather than face the humiliation of public execution. His body apparently lay unmoved for a considerable time, and was partally consumed by rats.
Family
Maitland married
Mary Fleming, one of the "Four Marys" who accompanied Mary, Queen of Scots, to France in 1548 as her principal attendants. ''The Great Seal'' (charter number 1519, confirmed at Holyroodhouse on 8 April 1588), gives James Maitland of Lethington (born 1568) as "son and heir of William Maitland of Lethington, Royal Secretary". William Maitland's daughter, Margaret, married
Robert Ker, 1st Earl of Roxburghe
Robert Ker, 1st Earl of Roxburghe (1650) was a Scotland, Scottish nobleman.
Early life
He was the eldest son of William Ker of Cessford (died 1605), and Janet Douglas. His mother was the widow of Clan Tweedie, James Tweedie of Drumelzier, and ...
.
William Maitland was the brother of
John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane
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 of Thirlestane, Berwickshire, and Lethington, Haddi ...
, Lord Chancellor of Scotland, and
Mary Maitland, considered a scribe of the Maitland Folio and Quarto.
References
Sources
* Burke, Messrs., John and John Bernard, ''The Extinct & Dormant Baronetcies of England, Ireland, and Scotland'', 2nd edition, London, 1841, p. 629.
* Cant,R.G., ''The University of St Andrews: A Short History,
Scottish Academic Press
Scottish Academic Press is an old Scottish publishing company. It is based 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 ...
, 1970''
*
*
* Russell, E., ''Maitland of Lethington'', London, 1912.
*
Scot, Sir John, of Scotstarvet, Director of Chancery, ''The Staggering State of the Scots Statesmen, from 1550 to 1650'', Edinburgh, 1754, pps: 5457.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maitland, William, of Lethington
1525 births
1573 deaths
Privy Council of Mary, Queen of Scots
Scottish diplomats
People from East Lothian
Scottish politicians
Alumni of the University of St Andrews
Members of the Privy Council of Scotland
16th-century Scottish people
Lairds
Ambassadors of Scotland to England
Extraordinary Lords of Session
People of the Scottish Marian Civil War