John Seton, Lord Barns (Born 1553. died 1594) was a Scottish diplomat, courtier and judge.

Life

He was the third son of George Seton, 7th Lord Seton, by his wife Isabel, daughter of Sir William Hamilton of Sanquhar. While still a young man he went to Spain and the court of Philip II, by whom he was made Knight of the Military Order of Santiago and master of the household. He was an attendant to the

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in England in 1575.

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found his presence in the earl's household concerning, and Thomas Randolph wrote to

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about him. Seton was appointed master of the stable to

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 Great Master of His Highness' Horses in August 1581. At the same time

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was made Master of Wardrobe. Only these two officers were allowed to order clothes for pages and lackeys. The Seton family were supporters of

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and their politics were not aligned with England. On 14 February 1581 Mark Kerr met the English diplomat Thomas Randolph in Edinburgh and asked for a safe-conduct, a travel document, for Lord Seton to go the English court. Randolph refused, as Seton's politics had not previously favoured England, and Kerr took his answer to the king. John Seton then came to Randolph with the same request. Subsequently, John Seton was sent as ambassador to complain to

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regarding her conduct in interfering on behalf of

James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton (c. 1516 – 2 June 1581) was a Scottish nobleman. He played a leading role in the murders of Queen Mary's confidant, David Rizzio, and king consort murder of Lord Darnley, Henry Darnley. He was the last of th ...

, but was not permitted to enter England. He had an argument at court with James Stewart, Earl of Arran and the Seton family were told to leave court and stay at Seton Palace in December 1582. According to David Hume of Godscroft, the king was ready to go riding when the courtiers were asked left him alone to speak to Arran in private. Seton, as master of the horse stayed, which angered Arran, who made to throw his baton of office at him, and the royal guard hustled him downstairs. Barnes Castle corner tower - geograph

John Seton went abroad. In April 1584 the English ambassador heard various rumours of his return or demise, that he had arrived Dumbarton and was secretly in Edinburgh's Canongate and had met the king at Seton Palace, or that he had sea-sickness in the Irish sea, landed on the Isle of Man, and his ship had at Kirkcudbright by some accident without him, and he was dead. In a ciphered letter of April 1586 to Mary, Queen of Scots,

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mentioned John Seton, "''le chevalier maistre d'hostel du roy''", as one of her Catholic allies in Scotland. On 27 January 1587 he was admitted a member of the privy council; and on 17 February 1588 he was appointed, with the title Lord Barns, an extraordinary lord of session, in the place of his brother Alexander Seton. Seton died on 25 May 1594. His castle at Barnes Castle was uncompleted at his death. The poet William Fowler, who was secretary to the queen

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 ...

wrote an epitaph for John Seton which was printed as a broadsheet.

Family

Seton married Anne, daughter of William Forbes, 7th Lord Forbes, on 8 September 1588 at Lord Ogilvie's house, "Boyshan", in Angus. Seton had, with other children, a son John who succeeded him. John married Margaret Hay, a daughter of

Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll (30 April 156416 July 1631) was a Scottish nobleman. A convert to Catholicism, he openly conspired with the king of Spain to try to unseat the Protestant Queen Elizabeth. Biography He was the son of Andrew Ha ...

and

Elizabeth Douglas, Countess of Erroll Elizabeth Douglas, Countess of Erroll (died 1631) was a Scottish aristocrat. Elizabeth was the youngest daughter of William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton and Agnes Leslie, Countess of Morton. Morton had seven daughters, alleged to have been called ...

. Another son was Hannibal Seton.George Seton, ''History of the family of Seton during eight centuries'', vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1896), p. 897.

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Seton, John 1594 deaths Scottish diplomats

Barns A barn is an agricultural building usually on farms and used for various purposes. In North America, a barn refers to structures that house livestock, including cattle and horses, as well as equipment and fodder, and often grain.Allen G. ...

Knights of Santiago Ambassadors of Scotland 16th-century diplomats 16th-century Scottish people 1553 births Nobility from East Lothian Younger sons of barons

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...