Jean Fleming, Countess Of Cassilis
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Jean Fleming, Countess of Cassilis (1553/4–1609) was a Scottish noblewoman and courtier at the court of
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 ...
, and a survivor of
domestic violence Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes r ...
.


Biography

Jean Fleming was born in 1553/4, daughter of
James Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming James Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming (approx 1534–18 December 1558) was Lord Chamberlain of Scotland. His death in France after making arrangements for the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots was regarded as suspicious by contemporaries. Life He was ...
and Barbara Hamilton, a sister of Lord John Hamilton and Claude Hamilton. Upon Lord Fleming's death, his title and estates passed to her uncle John Fleming, 5th Lord Fleming, and Jean Fleming had to resort to action in the
Privy Council of Scotland The Privy Council of Scotland ( — 1 May 1708) was a body that advised the Scottish monarch. During its existence, the Privy Council of Scotland was essentially considered as the government of the Kingdom of Scotland, and was seen as the most ...
to secure a share of the inheritance. She married John Maitland, then
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 of Scotland, David II. After the Act of Union 1707 its holder was normally a peerage, peer, like the Great Seal of Sco ...
and later
Lord Chancellor of Scotland The Lord Chancellor of Scotland, formally titled Lord High Chancellor, was an Officer of State in the Kingdom of Scotland. The Lord Chancellor was the principal Great Officer of State, the presiding officer of the Parliament of Scotland, the K ...
, on 16 January 1583 and she was then called "Lady Thirlestane". He was 11 years older than her. The couple had two children, Anne, born in 1590 and who died in 1609, and John Maitland, a judge who became President of the
Parliament of Scotland In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
and of Privy Council. In December 1587 the poet William Fowler dedicated his '' Triumphs of Petrarke'' to her, and a woman "E. D.", perhaps Elizabeth Douglas of Temple-Hall (
Ormiston Ormiston is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, near Tranent, Humbie, Pencaitland and Cranston, located on the north bank of the River Tyne at an elevation of about . The village was the first planned village in Scotland, founded in 173 ...
), contributed two sonnets in her praise.


Lady Chancellor

Jean Fleming shared in her husband's work as Chancellor of Scotland. An English visitor at the Scottish court, Thomas Fowler, wrote that she was "a wise woman and half chancellor when he is at home." The goldsmith and royal financier
Thomas Foulis Thomas Foulis (floruit, fl. 1580–1628) was a Scottish goldsmith, mine entrepreneur, and royal financier. Thomas Foulis was an Edinburgh goldsmith and financier, and was involved in the mint and coinage, gold and lead mining, and from May 1591 t ...
made two accounts of money for the mint received from "Lady Thirlestane." The first of the "Lady Chancellaris" accounts commenced on 20 June 1589, and the second began on 1 August 1590. Fleming herself received an amethyst ring. She accounted large sums of money, some of it connected with the reception of the royal bride,
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 ...
. The account, held by the
National Library of Scotland The National Library of Scotland (NLS; ; ) is one of Scotland's National Collections. It is one of the largest libraries in the United Kingdom. As well as a public programme of exhibitions, events, workshops, and tours, the National Library of ...
, includes a payment to Alexander Oustean, a wealthy Edinburgh tailor who supported the royal marriage. In February 1590 she was pregnant as a newsletter noted, "The Lady Chanceller feeles the motion of a barne within her weam." In May 1590 she may have greeted the new queen of Scotland Anne of Denmark at the Shore of Leith, with the Countess of Mar, Lady Seton, Lady Boyne, and Lady Dudhope. Her daughter Anne was baptised on 12 July 1590. She managed to make an enemy of Anna of Denmark by remarking in her hearing of Anna's supposed relationship with
Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell (c. December 1562 – November 1612), was Commendator of Kelso Abbey and Coldingham Priory, a Privy Counsellor and Lord High Admiral of Scotland. He was a notorious conspirator who led several uprisings aga ...
, who had been imprisoned for witchcraft in connections with events around the marriage of Anne and James, and whose trajectory from this point forwards was escape, exile, forfeiture and death. The queen wrote a letter mentioning her accusation that she was complicit with the Earl of Bothwell. In September and October 1592 Maitland and his wife were at
Greenlaw Greenlaw is a town and civil parish situated in the foothills of the Lammermuir Hills on Blackadder Water at the junction of the A697 and the A6105 in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. At the 2001 census, the parish had a population of ...
with the Provost of Lincluden and at Kenmure and Drumlanrig with John Gordon of Lochinvar. Fleming then visited the court. Maitland was allowed to return to court in September 1593, but the English ambassador Robert Bowes mentioned the queen's continuing antipathy towards her, "she cannot hitherto well brook his wife". She was again in the queen's favour by February 1595.


Countess of Cassilis

On Maitland's death on 3 October 1595 the king sent Sir George Home with his letter to Thirlestane to comfort her. Jean was left a rich widow. In November 1597, she married John Kennedy, 5th Earl of Cassilis, some 22-years her junior, becoming Countess of Cassillis. The age disparity aroused considerable scornful comment in the Scottish court, but Jean's wealth ensured the continued status of the couple. It was said, "she was past bairns bearing, and he was a young man not past 23 years." Cassilis had considered marrying another woman, Jean Cunningham, a daughter of the
Earl of Glencairn Earl of Glencairn was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. King James III of Scotland, James III created the title in 1488 by royal charter for Alexander Cunningham, 1st Earl of Glencairn, Alexander Cunningham, 1st Lord Kilmaurs. He held the e ...
. She died soon after the wedding, leaving a note blaming Cassilis for breaking their betrothal. This led to a quarrel between the Cunningham and Kennedy families. The bankrupted royal financiers Robert Jousie and
Thomas Foulis Thomas Foulis (floruit, fl. 1580–1628) was a Scottish goldsmith, mine entrepreneur, and royal financier. Thomas Foulis was an Edinburgh goldsmith and financier, and was involved in the mint and coinage, gold and lead mining, and from May 1591 t ...
owed her £2,333 Scots in 1598. Kennedy was offered a post as Treasurer in 1599, but declined, fearing the cost of the appointment in terms of anticipated loans to a needy James VI. On 22 February 1600 Fleming and Cassilis hosted James VI at
Thirlestane Castle Thirlestane Castle is a castle set in extensive parklands near Lauder in the Scottish Borders, Borders of Scotland. The site is aptly named Castle Hill, as it stands upon raised ground. However, the raised land is within Lauderdale, the valley o ...
. In 1602 she was contrasted with the Catholic Lady Livingstone as "a lady without all religion". As part of the marriage contract of her daughter Anna Maitland and the Master of Winton, Jean Fleming rebuilt Winton Castle for the couple, and the Earl of Winton owed her 2,000 merks for this. Lady Cassilis and her son had rights over the town of Leith, and the burgh council of Edinburgh negotiated to buy the "reversion of the superiority of Leith from her. She received 10,000 merks. Kennedy was imprisoned twice in 1604 for doing violence to Jean, the first incident involving him dragging her from court before witnesses. The Privy Council described the offence as "unmanerlie insolence". King James advised the
Privy Council of Scotland The Privy Council of Scotland ( — 1 May 1708) was a body that advised the Scottish monarch. During its existence, the Privy Council of Scotland was essentially considered as the government of the Kingdom of Scotland, and was seen as the most ...
to protect her financial interests from her husband. During this period it was alleged that Hector Ferguson of Letterpin had ambushed Jean Fleming and servants between the Inch of Galloway and Maybole, and chased her to Maybole Castle.''Register of the Privy Council of Scotland'', vol. 12 (Edinburgh, 1895), p. 411. Jean Fleming died in Edinburgh after a period of illness on 23 June 1609 and is buried in St Mary's Collegiate Church, Haddington.


References


External links


A satirical poem on the marriage of Jean Fleming and John Maitland by Hercules RollockBridging the Continental Divide, University of Glasgow
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cassilis, Jean Fleming, Countess of 1550s births 1609 deaths Cassilis Ladies of Parliament Daughters of barons 16th-century Scottish women 17th-century Scottish women 17th-century Scottish nobility
Jean Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * J ...
Jean Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * J ...
Jean Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * J ...