Robert Sempill, 4th Lord Sempill, (d.1611), Scottish Lord of Parliament. Robert Sempill succeeded his grandfather as

Lord Sempill Lord Sempill (also variously rendered as Semple or Semphill) is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in circa 1489 for Sir John Sempill, founder of the collegiate Church of Lochwinnoch. Sempill was killed at the Battle of Flodden ...

in 1576, his father, Robert Sempill, Master of Sempill, having died in 1569. The 4th Lord Sempill's mother was Barbara Preston, daughter of the laird of Valleyfield near

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 ...

. At first, as a minor, Robert's estates were managed by

Regent 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 Henry Darnley. He was the last of the four regents of Scot ...

, who served as his 'Tutor' according to Scots law. After Morton's execution, Robert Sempill's affairs were managed by curators, including Robert Mure of Caldwell who married his mother.

Career

Robert 4th Lord Sempill served as a Privy Councillor 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 ...

. In 1587 he had legal difficulties with

Annabell Murray, Countess of Mar Annabell Murray, Countess of Mar (1536–1603), was a Scottish landowner, courtier and royal servant, the keeper of the infant James VI and his son Prince Henry at Stirling Castle. Annabell Murray was a daughter of Sir William Murray (died 1562), ...

. He was supposed to deliver to her the harvest of corn from

Inchinnan Inchinnan (; ) is a small village in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The village is located on the main A8 road between Renfrew and Greenock, just south east of the town of Erskine. History The name of Inchinnan village is derived from the Gaelic ...

by a certain day or be imprisoned in

Dumbarton Castle Dumbarton Castle (, ; ) has the longest recorded history of any stronghold in Scotland. It sits on a volcanic plug of basalt known as Dumbarton Rock which is high and overlooks the Scottish town of Dumbarton. History Dumbarton Rock was forme ...

. For some reason he couldn't deliver the corn, so he went to Dumbarton Castle. The Captain of Dumbarton had no warrant to accept as a prisoner, and it was too late to come to Edinburgh to the Privy Castle. The Countess alleged he was guilty of "wilful disobedience" and obtained letters ordering John Lord Hamilton to seize Sempill's properties. The Privy Council rejected Sempill's offers and defence in favour of arguments presented for the Countess by William Murray, the varlet of the King's Chamber. Colonel William Sempill of Lochwinnoch, who was involved in the Spanish blanks plot and other Hispano-Scottish activities was probably Robert Sempill's half-brother, and in August 1592 Lord Sempill was commanded to surrender Colonel Sempill for questioning. Between 1595 and 1599, Robert was sending intelligence of a Spanish invasion scare either against England or Scotland, an invasion which never came. On 12 December 1595 he wrote to the

Earl of Essex Earl of Essex is a title in the Peerage of England which was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title has been recreated eight times from its original inception, beginning with a new first Earl upon each new cre ...

from

Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine, in northwestern France. It is in the prefecture of Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one ...

, with this uncertain but "constant bruit", saying that he would come to London and kiss

Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to: Queens regnant * Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland * Elizabeth II (1926–2022; ), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms * Queen B ...

and the Earl's hands. In 1596 he was sent as ambassador to Spain. In May 1599, James VI discussed the Spanish invasion scare with the English ambassador William Bowes, based on Sempill's information. In 1597 Sempill and others captured an English ship, the ''Jonathan of London'' and extorted money from its master James Upgrave. In 1602 Sempill was dealing with

Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy Charles Emmanuel I (; 12 January 1562 – 26 July 1630), known as the Great, was the Duke of Savoy and ruler of the Savoyard states from 30 August 1580 until his death almost 50 years later in 1630, he was the longest-reigning Savoyard monarch ...

over a possible marriage for the Scottish Prince Henry.

Family

Robert married firstly, Anne Montgomerie, daughter of

Hugh Montgomerie, 3rd Earl of Eglinton Hugh Montgomerie, 3rd Earl of Eglinton (c. 15311585) was a Scottish aristocrat who was a strong supporter of Mary Queen of Scots. He was an important participant in a tumultuous period of Scottish history. Early years Born in 1531, Montgomerie ...

. Anne or Agnes Montgomerie, was descended from

James I of Scotland James I (late July 1394 – 21 February 1437) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scots from 1406 until his assassination in 1437. The youngest of three sons, he was born in Dunfermline Abbey to King Robert III of Scotland, Robert III and ...

and

Edward III of England Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring royal authority after t ...

on her father’s side. Her mother, Agnes Drummond of Innerpeffray, was a daughter of Margaret Stewart, illegitimate daughter of

James IV of Scotland James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 until his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He inherited the throne at the age of fifteen on the death of his father, James I ...

. A portrait of Robert, 4th Lord Sempill can be seen in a new Sempill history. Roxine A. Beaumont-Sempill (2015) The Semples, Lord Sempills of West Scotland: family and contextual history from the 11th to 19th Centuries, pgs 138, 220, 222-6. Cites J.B. Paul (1910) The Scots peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas Their children were: # Hugh Sempill, 5th Lord Sempill; married Elizabeth Hay, 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 ...

. # Ann, married Archibald Stewart of Castlemilk # Barbara, married Colin Lamomt of Lasmont. # Grizzel, married John Logan of Raiss. # a fourth daughter, married Robert Bisbrane of Bishopton. Robert married secondly, Joanna Everard from Ireland. Their son was: # William Sempill of Letterkenny (in Ireland).

References

External links

*Saenz-Cambra, Concepción,
Colonel William Sempill of Lochwinnoch (1546-1630): A Strategist for Spain
, ''Tiempos Modernos'', no.13 (2006). {{DEFAULTSORT:Sempill, Robert Sempill, 4th Lord 1611 deaths Nobility from Renfrewshire Members of the Privy Council of Scotland 16th-century Scottish people Year of birth unknown Scottish diplomats Scottish Reformation Lords of Parliament (pre-1707) 4

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...