
Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of Dunfermline (1555 – 16 June 1622) was a Scottish lawyer, judge and politician. He served as
Lord President of the Court of Session
The Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General () is the most senior judge in Scotland, the head of the judiciary, and the presiding judge of the College of Justice, the Court of Session, and the High Court of Justiciary. ...
from 1598 to 1604,
Lord Chancellor of Scotland from 1604 to 1622 and as a
Lord High Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland
The Lord High Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland was the List of Scottish monarchs, monarch of Scotland's high commissioner, personal representative to the Parliament of Scotland. From the accession of James I of England, James VI of Sc ...
.
Early life

Born at
Seton Palace,
East Lothian
East Lothian (; ; ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a Counties of Scotland, historic county, registration county and Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921.
In ...
, he was the son of
George Seton, 7th Lord Seton, and Isobell Hamilton. The Setons remained a Roman Catholic family after the
Scottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was the process whereby Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland broke away from the Catholic Church, and established the Protestant Church of Scotland. It forms part of the wider European 16th-century Protestant Reformation.
Fr ...
of 1560, and continued to support
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 List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567.
The only surviving legit ...
, after her abdication and exile in England.
Alexander Seton was educated at the German and Roman College in
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
from June 1571 to December 1578. Alexander was noted learning Italian and science (philosophy) in Rome by Baptista da Trento in 1577 in a letter describing plots to marry
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...
to the
Earl of Leicester
Earl of Leicester is a title that has been created seven times. The first title was granted during the 12th century in the Peerage of England. The current title is in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and was created in 1837.
History
Earl ...
and re-instate Mary in Scotland. The family historian
Viscount Kingston heard that he was skilled in mathematics, heraldry and architecture, and might have been made a Cardinal if he had stayed at Rome. A Venetian diplomat,
Giovanni Carlo Scaramelli, heard that Pope
Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII (, , born Ugo Boncompagni; 7 January 1502 – 10 April 1585) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 May 1572 to his death in April 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake ...
had subsidised Seton's study in Rome, and that Seton had a doctorate from the
University of Bologna
The University of Bologna (, abbreviated Unibo) is a Public university, public research university in Bologna, Italy. Teaching began around 1088, with the university becoming organised as guilds of students () by the late 12th century. It is the ...
.
Career
In 1583, Alexander Seton joined his father's embassy to France.
William Schaw, the
Master of Work to the Crown of Scotland was his companion. They left from
Leith
Leith (; ) is a port area in the north of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith and is home to the Port of Leith.
The earliest surviving historical references are in the royal charter authorising the construction of ...
in Andrew Lamb's ship. According to the
Jesuit
The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
Robert Parsons, Lord Seton considered sending the youthful Alexander back to Scotland as his representative at one point.
Alexander became a
Privy Councillor in 1585 and was appointed a
Lord of Session as Lord Urquhart in 1586. He rose to be
Lord President of the Court of Session
The Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General () is the most senior judge in Scotland, the head of the judiciary, and the presiding judge of the College of Justice, the Court of Session, and the High Court of Justiciary. ...
and was created Lord Fyvie on 4 March 1598. Seton was also
Prior of Pluscarden, a gift made to him as a child. In a ciphered letter of April 1586 to Mary, Queen of Scots,
Albert Fontenay
Albert Fontenay or Fontaine was a French servant of Mary, Queen of Scots and acted as her diplomat in Scotland in 1584. Fontenay wrote a frequently cited description of the young James VI and I, James VI of Scotland. Some of his correspondence with ...
mentioned Alexander Seton, "''Monsieur le prieur de Seton''", and his brother
John Seton, "''le chevalier maistre d'hostel du roy''", among her Catholic allies in Scotland.
From July 1593, Seton led a council convened to manage the estates of
Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I. She was List of Scottish royal consorts, Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and List of English royal consorts, Queen of Engl ...
, and she made him "bailie and justiciary of the regality of
Dunfermline
Dunfermline (; , ) is a city, parish, and former royal burgh in Fife, Scotland, from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. Dunfermline was the de facto capital of the Kingdom of Scotland between the 11th and 15th centuries.
The earliest ...
on both sides of
Forth" on 15 February 1596. In December 1596,
Richard Douglas wrote that Seton's mother was a great favourite of Anne of Denmark, and that she "rules the king her husband" as an explanation for his promotions.
Around this time, King James had difficult financing the two royal households, and years later, he wrote that Seton had joked that his "house could not be kept upon
epigram
An epigram is a brief, interesting, memorable, sometimes surprising or satirical statement. The word derives from the Greek (, "inscription", from [], "to write on, to inscribe"). This literary device has been practiced for over two millennia ...
s", meaning that fine words alone would not raise money.
Meanwhile, Jesuits like Society of Jesus, William Crichton saw Seton and
Alexander Home, 1st Earl of Home, Lord Home as an important Catholic courtiers and a route to the king and queen, as they explored the
idea of James VI as future king of England. Crichton introduced an English Catholic,
Nicholas Williamson, to a student at
Douai
Douai ( , , ; ; ; formerly spelled Douay or Doway in English) is a city in the Nord (French department), Nord département in northern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the department. Located on the river Scarpe (rive ...
, David Law. Crichton intended that Law would introduce Williamson to Seton, but they were both captured in March 1595 near
Keswick and imprisoned in London.
At the end of August 1596 according to
James Melville, the King arranged a
Convention of the Estates at
Falkland Palace which included the allies of the forfeited earls. Alexander Seton made a speech like those of
Coriolanus or
Themistocles calling for the re-instatement of these earls to strengthen the country. The reference to Themistocles, who spoke about naval power to the Athenians, perhaps refers to the forfeited
Lord High Admiral of Scotland,
Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell.
On 7 November 1598 he was made burgess, Guild-brother and
Provost of Edinburgh
The Right Honourable Lord Provost of Edinburgh is elected by and is the convener of the City of Edinburgh Council and serves not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the entire city, ex officio the Lord-Lieutenant of Edi ...
. In March 1598 he took delivery of Spanish and Bordeaux wine, probably for the banquet for
Ulrik, the younger brother of
Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I. She was List of Scottish royal consorts, Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and List of English royal consorts, Queen of Engl ...
at
Riddle's Court. Other notes in the town's records include a dozen torches supplied by a waxmaker for the baptism of
Princess Margaret
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. She was the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth II.
...
in April 1599, and another dozen for the baptism of
Prince Charles
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms.
Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
.
Union of the Crowns
Seton was regarded as one of the finest legal minds of the time, and he became an advisor to
James VI
James may refer to:
People
* James (given name)
* James (surname)
* James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician
* James, brother of Jesus
* King James (disambiguation), various kings named James
* Prince Ja ...
and guardian and tutor to
Prince Charles
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms.
Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
at
Dunfermline Palace.
After the death of
Queen Elizabeth, Anne of Denmark went to
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most historically and architecturally important castles in Scotland. The castle sits atop an Intrusive rock, intrusive Crag and tail, crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill ge ...
hoping to collect her son
Prince Henry. Alexander Seton's sister
Lady Paisley was of her companions that day. During heated discussions at the castle, Anne of Denmark had a miscarriage. As a member of the
Privy Council, Seton went with others to Stirling in May 1603 to discuss and investigate the controversy. Seton wrote to King James in London advising him to treat the queen with care, writing, "physic and medicine requireth a greater place with Her Majesty at present than lectures on economics and politics."
After the
Union of the Crowns
The Union of the Crowns (; ) was the accession of James VI of Scotland to the throne of the Kingdom of England as James I and the practical unification of some functions (such as overseas diplomacy) of the two separate realms under a single ...
when the Scottish royal family relocated to London, Seton remained on the committee supervising Anne's Scottish incomes, while James VI went to England, and the infant Charles remained with Seton and his wife Grizel Leslie at
Dunfermline Palace.
On 14 March 1604, Seton wrote to
Robert Cecil on the subject of the union and opinion in Scotland;
This Union is the most at this time of all men's hearts and speeches. I find none of any account here but glad in heart to embrace the same in general: some suspect the particular conditions may engender greater difficulties. I hope the wisdom of the Prince who is both the ground and the cornerstone of this happy Union, with your and other wise men's assistance shall set by all such difficulties: as also I think there can be no particular condition desired for the weal (commonwealth) of one of the nations, but it must be profitable to the other, nor nothing prejudicial to one, but must be hurtful to the other, albeit only by the distracting of their due concord which wise men will think of greater consequence, nor any particular may be subtly cozened (brought) in. This is all I can write even of our thoughts here-away: I doubt not there are divers apprehensions there also".
In 1604, he was appointed Lord Chancellor of Scotland, and in 1605 was created
Earl of Dunfermline. Alexander Seton brought Prince Charles,
Duke of Albany
Duke of Albany is a peerage title that has occasionally been bestowed on younger sons in the Scotland, Scottish and later the British royal family, particularly in the Houses of House of Stuart, Stuart and House of Hanover, Hanover.
History ...
, to England in August 1604. There was a large entourage, and
John Crane wrote from
Worksop Manor to the Mayor of
Leicester
Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands with a popula ...
asking him to make ready a lodging with 12 beds, a kitchen, and 7 hogsheads of beer. They lodged in
William Skipwith's Leicester townhouse. Next they went to
Dingley, the home of
Thomas Griffin.
Seton stayed in London till January 1605, co-inciding with the visit of the
Ulrik, Duke of Holstein, and had a tour of armouries of the
Tower of London
The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...
. At
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London, England. The road forms the first part of the A roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme, A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea, London, Chelsea. It ...
,
Viscount Cranborne arranged for him to read the original
Treaty of Greenwich, which had led to the war of the
Rough Wooing
The Rough Wooing (; December 1543 – March 1551), also known as the Eight Years' War, was part of the Anglo-Scottish Wars of the 16th century. Following the English Reformation, the break with the Catholic Church, England attacked Scotland ...
in 1543, and other documents. Seton returned the historical papers to Cecil on 3 November.
Alexander Seton returned to Scotland with a pension of £200 to reward his keeping of Prince Charles, made
Duke of York
Duke of York is a title of nobility in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of List of English monarchs, English (later List of British monarchs, British) monarchs ...
on
Twelfth Night
''Twelfth Night, or What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola an ...
, and his expenses for his 'pains in the Union' amounting to £200 a year. He had made friends with the Venetian ambassador in London,
Zorzi Giustinian, who sent him pamphlets about Venetian politics.
Seton corresponded with the
Chancellor of England,
Lord Ellesmere. His letter of 30 October 1606 mentions the plague in Scotland which had been continuous in Edinburgh for four years, and although the outbreak was not vehement at this time, it interfered with the sitting of law courts. The plague was worse in Ayr and Stirling and 2,000 people had died in the last two months.
After the death of
George Home, 1st Earl of Dunbar, Seton was made Keeper of
Holyrood Palace
The Palace of Holyroodhouse ( or ), commonly known as Holyrood Palace, 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 Castle, Holyrood has s ...
and the park and gardens, with power to appoint gardeners to the north and south yards, and the small garden.
In 1609 he was again in England.
Henry Yelverton had fallen from the king's favour. A Mr Dummond, perhaps John Drummond of
Hawthornden, advised him to enlist the help
Arbella Stuart to gain Alexander Seton's support. Seton duly presented Yelverton's petition to King James during his progress at
Hinchingbrooke.
In 1611 he helped a French clockmaker Nicolas Foucanote settle in Edinburgh. He had served
Henry IV of France
Henry IV (; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry (''le Bon Roi Henri'') or Henry the Great (''Henri le Grand''), was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 16 ...
and came to London asking help from Anne of Denmark, who sent him to Seton. Seton helped him become a burgess of Edinburgh by arranging his marriage to Elizabeth Robesoun, daughter of John Robesoun of Leith, burgess of Edinburgh, who had been butcher and supplier of foodstuffs to the royal households.
Seton had an official lodging in
Holyrood Palace
The Palace of Holyroodhouse ( or ), commonly known as Holyrood Palace, 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 Castle, Holyrood has s ...
, and also rented properties on the
High Street including
Riddle's Court. In July 1614, his wife prepared a guest room at Holyrood for
Elizabeth Schaw, the wife of
John Murray of bedchamber, but she had chosen to stay elsewhere.
In February 1616 he was again in London and saw Anne of Denmark at Greenwich, writing that he spoke to her in the old familiar manner, although she was ill and kept to her bedchamber. He felt that the Scots were left out of government business as "we ar leitill bettir nor idill cifres heir" - "we are little better than idle ciphers here." Seton received medical treatment from the court physician
Théodore de Mayerne.
Later in 1616, in preparation for the royal visit to Scotland, he was required by the Privy Council of Scotland to declare what remained of the
Scottish Royal tapestry collection at Dunfermline Palace. He stated there were 10 pieces "of auld and worne tapestrie of the storie of
Aeneas
In Greco-Roman mythology, Aeneas ( , ; from ) was a Troy, Trojan hero, the son of the Trojan prince Anchises and the Greek goddess Aphrodite (equivalent to the Roman Venus (mythology), Venus). His father was a first cousin of King Priam of Troy ...
, the storie of
Troy
Troy (/; ; ) or Ilion (; ) was an ancient city located in present-day Hisarlik, Turkey. It is best known as the setting for the Greek mythology, Greek myth of the Trojan War. The archaeological site is open to the public as a tourist destina ...
, and of the story of Mankynd."
His modern humanist and
neo-stoic attitude was demonstrated by his energetic defence of
Geillis Johnstone accused of witchcraft in 1614.
Material culture, artistic and literary patronage

A portrait of his wife Margaret Hay, painted by
Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger in 1615 is in the
Dunedin Public Art Gallery. Part of a
painted ceiling bearing his monogram and heraldry from
Pinkie House is displayed at
Edinburgh's Huntly House museum: his painted long gallery is still preserved at Pinkie House, now
Loretto School. Of Pinkie House the family historian wrote, "he built ane noble house, brave stone dykes about the garden and orchards, with other commendable policie about it."
In his 1622 will, Seton directed the
Earl of Winton and his brother
Sir William Seton to complete his building work at Pinkie. They were requested to "have caire to sie the foir laich wark at Pinkie in the inner court therof tirrit & theikit of new with skailyie (roofed), and that this new wark begunne by me be everie way perfytit & buildit in all materials to the final ending thereof ... according to my intention and mynd declarit to Alexander Ingillis of Rottinraw my servant, and as the plat (plan) of the same is set downe".
The gallery at Pinkie is a plain wooden vault, and the painting subdivides into compartments filled with
emblems and mottoes. The general theme may have been to celebrate the
Union of the Crowns
The Union of the Crowns (; ) was the accession of James VI of Scotland to the throne of the Kingdom of England as James I and the practical unification of some functions (such as overseas diplomacy) of the two separate realms under a single ...
. The painting was not to the taste of later generations, in 1668
John Lauder of Fountainhall saw the gallery and other paintings which do not now survive, and wrote that Seton had "been mighty conceity in pretty mottoes and saying, whereof the walls and roofs of all the roomes are filled, stuffed with good moralitie, though somewhat pedantick."
Archaeologists have discovered parts of his garden at Fyvie. Seton also had a lodging in Edinburgh, and in July 1597 James VI held a lengthy audience with the ambassador
Robert Bowes in this garden. He rented accommodation from
John MacMorran, probably at Riddle's Court on the Lawnmarket.
His will includes tapestry of "portrait and forest work" and gilt leather hangings and curtains, almost as valuable as his library at Fyvie and Pinkie. Personal jewellery included, two "horns" or tags set with 77 diamonds and 2 rubies; the jewel called the Orpheus having 20 diamonds and 25 rubies; a gold swan set with 40 diamonds; 2 rubies, and a pearl; a griffin (the Seton crest) set with a ruby and sapphire; a gold cross, an image of the Virgin Mary, and a gold toothpick.
A catalogue of a part of his library at Pinkie survives. In 1599 Robert Pont, the father of the cartographer
Timothy Pont dedicated his book, ''A Newe Treatise of the Right Reckoning of Yeares and Ages of the World'', to Alexander Seton. The dedication placed Seton as a rare
Maecenas
Gaius Cilnius Maecenas ( 13 April 68 BC – 8 BC) was a friend and political advisor to Octavian (who later reigned as emperor Augustus). He was also an important patron for the new generation of Augustan poets, including both Horace and Virgil. ...
of this Land". In 1617,
John Napier
John Napier of Merchiston ( ; Latinisation of names, Latinized as Ioannes Neper; 1 February 1550 – 4 April 1617), nicknamed Marvellous Merchiston, was a Scottish landowner known as a mathematician, physicist, and astronomer. He was the 8 ...
of
Merchiston dedicated his ''
Rabdologiae seu Numerationis per virgulas libri duo'' to Seton. The book describes the method of multiplication using rods called "
Napier's bones," and its Latin dedication acknowledges the help of Seton as the "illustrious Scottish Maecenas."
Alexander Seton also commissioned the tomb of his friend the architect
William Schaw at
Dunfermline Abbey.
Death and funeral
After 15 days of illness, Alexander Seton died on Sunday 16 June 1622 at Pinkie. His nephew, the
Earl of Winton, had spent 12 sleepless days at his bedside.
On 19 June his body was taken by boat across the Forth to his house at
Dalgety Bay
Dalgety Bay () is a coastal town and parish in Fife, Scotland, on the north shore of the Firth of Forth, 9 miles from Edinburgh city centre. It is part of the Greater Dunfermline Area and is connected to Inverkeithing to the West. The civil pa ...
near Dunfermline. He was buried in his vault in
Dalgety Church, on 9 July 1622. A manuscript describes in detail the elaborate procession from the house (long demolished) to the kirk, which included his Master Stabler John Menzies of
Carlops riding in full armour, and his Master Household John Drummond with a black flag, known as the "gumpheon of state", painted with a skull and tears.
John Spottiswoode,
Archbishop of St Andrews
The Bishop of St. Andrews (, ) was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of St Andrews in the Catholic Church and then, from 14 August 1472, as Archbishop of St Andrews (), the Archdiocese of St Andrews.
The name St Andrews is not the town ...
, gave the sermon.
The
Earl of Melros wrote to the courtier
John Murray of Lochmaben on the 19 June, discussing the difficulty of finding a replacement administrator, writing "Many are able to serve at tennis, at the cord, who are unfit for the house".
Marriages and children
Alexander Seton first married Lilias Drummond, daughter of
Patrick Drummond, 3rd Lord Drummond, their children were;
* Anne Seton, (b. circa 1593), married Alexander Erskine,
Viscount Fentoun, their eldest son was
Alexander Erskine, 3rd Earl of Kellie.
*
Isobel Seton, married
John Maitland, 1st Earl of Lauderdale.
* Margaret Seton (I), (baptised in Edinburgh, 1596), died in infancy,
* Margaret Seton (II), (b. 1599), married
Colin Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Seaforth.
* Sophia Seton, who married
David Lindsay, 1st Lord Balcarres in 1612.
Alexander Seton married secondly in 1601, Grizel Leslie, a daughter of James Leslie,
Master of Rothes, their children were;
* Charles (I), died young.
* Lilias Seton, (baptised November 1602)
* Jean Seton, (b. circa 1606), married
John Hay, 8th Lord Yester.
Alexander Seton married thirdly, circa 1607, Margaret Hay (1592–1659), daughter of
James Hay, 7th Lord Hay of Yester.
*
Charles Seton, 2nd Earl of Dunfermline.
* Grizel Seton, (b. 1609)
* Mary Seton, (b. 1611)
Seton's widow Margaret Hay married
James Livingstone, Lord Almond and Earl of Callendar, in 1633.
[George Seton, ''Memoir of Alexander Seton'' (Edinburgh: William Blackwood, 1882), pp. 150–54.]
References
Further reading
''The history of the house of Seytoun to the year 1559, with the continuation by Alex. Viscount Kinston, to 1687'', (Glasgow 1829)* G. Seton, ''Memoir of Aleander Seton Earl of Dunfermline'', (Blackwood, Edinburgh, 1882)
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dunfermline, Alexander Seton, 1st Earl Of
1555 births
1622 deaths
Nobility from East Lothian
Earls of Dunfermline
Peers of Scotland created by James VI
Lords President of the Court of Session
Lord chancellors of Scotland
Provosts of Edinburgh
Lords High Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland
Members of the Parliament of Scotland 1612
Members of the Convention of the Estates of Scotland 1617
Members of the Convention of the Estates of Scotland 1621
Members of the Parliament of Scotland 1621
Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum alumni
Scottish diplomats
Members of the Privy Council of Scotland
Court of James VI and I
16th-century Scottish people
17th-century Scottish people
Younger sons of barons
Alexander
Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here ar ...
Octavians