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SPOTTISWOODE MISCELLANY

A COLLECTION OF

ORIGINAL PAPERS AND TRACTS,

ILLUSTRATIVE CHIEFLY OF THE

CIVIL AND ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

SCOTLAND.

VOLUME I.

EDINBURGH:

PRINTED FOR THE SPOTTISWOODE SOCIETY.

M.DCCC.XLIY.

ALEX. LAURIE AND CO. PRINTERS TO HER MAJESTY.

EDITING COMMITTEE

OF

£potti0toootic g?t>cietg

FOR THE YEAR MDCCC.XLIY.

Charles Farquhar Shand, Esq. Advocate — Convener. The Rev. John Boyle, St Mark’s, Portobello.

The Rev. Berkeley Addison, St John’s, Edinburgh. William Forbes, Esq. Advocate.

Robert Robertson Glasgow, Esq. Advocate.

William Edmonstone Aytoun, Esq. Advocate.

P R EFAC E.

HEN the First Volume of the Mis¬ cellany, commonly called Somers’ Tracts, issued from the Press in the year 1748, it was stated in the Preface, that “ of the general utility of Collections of this kind nothing need be said, because nothing is more gene¬ rally acknowledged,” and the truth of this remark is verified by the subsequent result. Independently of various Collections of the kind published for sale, not the least valuable portion of the Works printed for private distribution by the Bannatyne, Maitland, Abbotsford, and Spalding Clubs, is the mass of varied information embraced in their respective Miscellanies.

As each Article in the present Volume has prefixed to it such remarks as occurred to the Editor, it may be only necessary here to state generally, that it has been his endeavour to make the Volume as interesting as possible. With that view, he has been at great pains to select from the mass of papers to which access had been obtained, such portions as he hoped would be acceptable to the Members of the Society. It may be observed, that the previous portion was originally in¬ tended to have been formed into a separate volume, to be entitled the Spottiswoode Papers. Upon re¬ flection, it was determined that these documents should be included in the Miscellany, as they were not sufficiently bulky to make a separate publication.

Since the observations relative to Printing were thrown off, the Editor has obtained further evidence

IV

PREFACE.

of the inaccuracy of Watson’s statement, that Evan Tyler had been deprived of the office of King’s Printer.1 During the Commonwealth, it was but natural to sup¬ pose, that the existing powers would not employ a per¬ son who had permitted the Proclamations and official documents of Charles II. to issue from his press, and in the interval, between the flight of Charles and his restoration, Tyler could not expect to receive any coun¬ tenance from Cromwell ; but after the Stuarts were restored to the throne of their ancestors, his truckling to the Parliament was overlooked, probably on ac¬ count of his non-adherence to the Protector, and he was restored to the office of King’s Printer. How long he continued to hold that office has not been ascertained, but the Editor has found Proclamations by the Privy Council that issued from his press, dated in 1664.

In a note to one of the Poems of Sir Henry Spot- tiswoode2 it was asserted, on the authority of the Acts of Parliament (Thomson’s Edition), that the Mem¬ ber for Forfar who protested against the sale of Charles L, was a person of the name of David Hunter3; but if Ochterlony’s Account of the Shire of Forfar is to be credited, it would appear that the individual in question was Strang, the Provost of Forfar. It is a pity that there should be any dubiety as to one whose honest and manly bearing in this discreditable occasion, entitles him to the favourable opinion of posterity.

Edinburgh, December 1844.

1 P. 298.

2 At page 13, by a clerical error, the Poet is called the grandfather of Father Hay, in place of the uncle. See p. 168. 3 P. 189.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Genealogy of the Family of Spottiswoode, - 1-16

From the MS. Collection of Father Augustin Hay, Canon - Regular of Saint Genevieve of Paris, Prior of Saint Pieremont, &c.

Papers relating to the Murder of Matthew Sinclair by John

Spottiswoode of that Ilk, .... 17-28

From the Balfour MSS. in the Library of the Faculty of Advocates.

Refutatio Libelli de Regimine Ecclesre Scotican^e, 1620, by Archbishop Spottiswoode, - 29-62

The Sermon Preached by the Right Reverend Father in God the Archbishop of St Andrews to the General Assembly HOLDEN AT PERTH, THE 25TH OF AUGUST 1618, - - 63-88

The Life of the Right Reverend Father in God, James Spottis¬ woode, Lord Bishop of Clogher, ... 89-164

From the Manuscript of Father Augustin Ilay, &c

VI

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Poems by Sir Henry Spottiswoode, . - - 165-184

Address of Sir Robert Spottiswoode, Lord President of the Col¬ lege of Justice, to the Members of the Faculty of Advocates, 1633, . 185-196

Two Letters relative to the Murder of Sir Robert Spottiswoode and other Royalists, dated from St Andrews, 20th January 1645-6, . 197-209

Captain John Spottiswoode’s Petition to the Estates of Parlia¬ ment BEFORE THE PRONOUNCING OF HIS SENTENCE, 2STH MAY

1650, . 210-212

Lochiel’s Interview with, and his Account of the Murder of Sir Robert Spottiswoode, - - - - 213-226

Speech of John Spottiswoode, Esq., to the Berwickshire Free¬ holders, 1702, 227-240

The Trimmer, ------- 241-256

Account of the Battle of Balrinnes, 3d of October 1594, 257-270

From a MS. formerly belonging to the Rev. Robert Wodrow, now in the Library of the Faculty of Advocates.

Letter addressed to ms Majesty King James YI. by Johne IIari-

SONE, GIVING AN ACCOUNT OF HIS VISIT TO BARBARY TO LIBERATE

Slaves, ------- 271-282

Eximii Animi Dotibus, et in L)ei Vinea Cultoris Fidelis, Domini

Gulielmi Forbesii Edinburgeni Episcopi Vita, 1634, 2S3-294

Information anent iiis Majestie’s Printers in Scotland,

295-302

CONTENTS.

Vll

TAGE

Answers for James Anderson, his Majesty’s Printer, and Agnes Campbell, his Mother, to the Petition of Robert Saunders, Printer in Glasgow, .... - 303-310

Account of the Shire of Forfar, circa 16S2, by John Ochter-

lony, Esq. of Guynd, ----- 311-350

Documents relative to the Palace of Linlithgow, 1540-1648, 351

I. — Commission to Williame Denzelstonn to be Keeper of the

Palace of Linlithgow, 19th November 1540, - 357

II. — Commission to Robert Hamilton, in Briggs, dated at Edin¬

burgh, 22d August 1543, .... ib.

III. — Commission to Andro Fender to be Keeper of the Palace,

&c. of Linlithgow, 28th January 1567, - - 358

IY . — Carta Roberti Mailvill de Murdocairney, Custodae Palatii de Linlithgow, &c., 15 February 1566-7, - - 359

V. — Gift to Captain Andro Lamby of the Office of Keeper of Linlithgow Palace, 13th September 1571, - - 361

VI. — Carta Ludovici Bellenden de Achnoul, Militis, Custodial

Palatii de Linlithgow, apud Halyrudhous,vicesimo secundo die Mensis Novembris 1587, ... 362

VII. ' — Carta Domini Ludovici Bellenden de Auchnoule, &c.,

vicesiino secundo die Mensis Novembris 1587, - 364

VIII. — Earl of Linlithgow to James VI. concerning the falling

in of part of Linlithgow Palace, 6th Sept ember 1607, - 369

IX. — Ane Inventar of the wlioll Guidis and Gear, and uther

Inspright Plenishing, within the North Eist Chaim eris, in the Third Trance of the new Work of the Palace of Lin¬ lithgow, now inhabitat be the Earle of Linlithgow, taken vp wpon the 25 November 1648, belonging to the Earl of Callender, ...... 370

Vlll

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Narrative of a Retreat of a Portion of the Allied Forces from Madrid to Ciudad Rodrigo during the War of the Succession in Spain, July 1706. By a Corporal in Harvey's Dragoons, 371-3.94

Letters of Simon Lord Fraser of Lovat to George Crajvford, Esq.

1728-30, . - 395-406

Letter from an English Traveller at Rome to his Father, of the 6th of May 1721 O. S., . 407-424

Some Account of the Nature and Constitution of the Ancient Church of Scotland, ..... 425-526

GENEALOGY

OF TIIE

FAMILY OF SPOTTIS WOODS,

FROM TIIE MS. COLLECTION OF FATHER AUGUSTIN HAY, CANON-REGULAR OF SAINT GENEVIEVE OF PARIS, PRIOR OF SAINT PIEREMONTE, ETC.

1

GENEALOGY

OF THE

FAMILY OF SPOTTISWOODE.

The Family of Spottiswoode is of considerable antiquity in the county of Berwick, and its existence can be traced to an early period. Thus, Robert de Spotteswod del Counte de Berewyk, gives in his adherence to Edward I. in 1296.1 A William de Spottiswod, notary-public, verifies the proceedings which on the 15th of December 1309 were adopted in Scotland, at the Abbey of Holyrood, against the Knights Templar in that kingdom. William, Bishop of St Andrews, and John de Solerio, “ Clericus Domini Papee,” appeared as Commissioners, Walter de Clifton, and AVilliam de Middleton, the solitary members of this once powerful brotherhood remaining in Scotland, being the defendants. Various witnesses were examined, and the depositions are taken down by William de Spottiswod, who authenticated the cor¬ rectness of the record.2

John Spottyswod, Laird of that Ilk, witnesses with many distinguished persons of that period, a charter by Alexander Lyndesay of Ormystoun, granted in implement of an agreement entered into between him and Alexander de Cockburn, relative to the marriage of the son of the former to the daughter of the latter. This charter is confirmed by David II., and the confirmation narrates the terms of the deed thus validated.3 The Chartulary of Melrose contains three instruments wit¬ nessed by another John Spottiswod.4 They are all executed within a month of each other, and the earliest, which bears date 5th February 1444, was subscribed at Edinburgh, “ infra Hospicium Abbatis et Conventus de Melros.5 Amongst the “ Rotuli Scotia; ” occurs a safe conduct in the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Henry VI. for certain merchants, their ships and factors, granted on the supplication of Andrew, Abbot of Melrose. At the head of the list stands John Pottiswode or Spottiswode. He and his companions are licenced to proceed “ cum una navi vocata le Anthony de Lytlie in Scotia, portagii ducentorum doliorum vel infra, unde Robertus Perrison est magister.”6

1 Ragman Roll, 4to. p 140, Bannatyne Club Edition.

2 Concilia Magna: Brittanise, tom. II. F. 380. 8 Robertson’s Index, p. 84.

4 Liber de Melros, tom. II. p 568, 581, 585. 5 8th July 1457. 6 Tom. II. 384.

From the interference of the Abbot of Melrose, it is not improbable that this may have been the same “John Spottiswod” who witnessed the deeds above referred to.

Douglas, in his “ Baronage,” gives the Genealogy of the Spottiswoodes, but comparatively little reliance is to be placed on his statements. The ruling principle on which the work was compiled was to magnify the importance of the Scottish gentry, and as lie seems in a variety of in¬ stances to have adopted, without examination, whatever genealogies were furnished to him, the natural consequence has been that very little credence can be given to many things to be found in the volume. It is singular that although in his history of the Spottiswoodes, Douglas is constantly referring to the “ writs ” of the family, his omissions and blunders are innumerable ; circumstances which would lead to the in¬ ference that he had never seen the writings on which he professes to rely.

The Family name, it may be here proper to notice, has been and still is spelt differently. Thus, in the older records, it is generally Spotteswod, Spottysivod, or Spottiswod. In the Melrose Charters, the same person is called once Spottiswod, and twice Spotiswode. In the inscription to the memory of the Archbishop (p. 6), his Grace is called Spotiswood. He is elsewhere indifferently called Spotswood, or Spottiswood. Ilis father wrote his surname Spottiswod. Even at the present date the point seems unsettled, for, of two gentlemen, near relatives of each other, one is called Spottiswood, and the other Spottiswoode.

The following Genealogical Notes relative to this really ancient Family, are taken from the MSS. of Father Richard Augustin Ilay, preserved in the Library of the Faculty of Advocates. This venerable eccle¬ siastic was a great-grandson of James Spottiswoode, Lord Bishop of Clogher, the brother of the Archbishop of St Andrews. In consequence of this relationship, the reverend gentleman had been at some pains to collect papers and documents relative to the various members of the distinguished Family with which he was maternally connected. The more valuable portion of these remains, with such additions as probably may be deemed interesting, will, it is trusted, be considered a some¬ what appropriate commencement of the Miscellany of the Spottiswooue Society.

TIIE SPOTTISWOODE FAMILY.

POTS WOOD beareth Azure on a Chevron Argent, ane Sanglier’s head couped.1 Yet the Archbishop of Saint Andrews bore a Sanglier’s head, arrachcd Gulds betwixt three trees Or. The Advocat2 says, that they bear three Gerbes Or, in place of the three trees, which I have not observed any where. The Advocat says that they are thought to be descended of the G ordons, of whom one married the heretrix of Spotswood, upon which account they bear the boares head on the Chevron ; but, in my opinion, this marks rather that the Spotswoods have matched with the Gordons,3 and married one of their daughters.

1 In his printed work Sir George Mackenzie gives the following Anns — “ Argent, on a elieveron Gules, betwixt three Oak-trees vert, a Boar’s Head couped of the Field.” — Works, vol. ii. p. 612.

2 Sir George Mackenzie, Lord Advocate. The MS. usually attributed to him according to a Note in the handwriting of Mr William Aikman of Cairnie, Advocate, on a copy in the Lyon Office, was originally compiled by Sir Patrick Lyon of C'arse, one of t he Lords of Session in the reign of Charles II., and merely enlarged by Sir George. The passage referred to by Father Ilay is as follows : — “ Spotswood beareth Azure on a chevron Argent, ane Sanglier’s Head couped, Gules betwixt 3 Garbs Or. Of old they did bear 3 trees. They are descended of the Gordons, and therefore they bear the boar’s head upon the chevron. This Gordon maryed the heretrix of Spotswood.” “Collections of the most Remarkable Accounts that relate to the Families of Scotland,” MS. in the Library of Faculty of Advocates.

3 Nisbet, when noticing the tradition of the marriage of the heiress of Spottiswoode with a Gordon, observes — “ Others say that the boar’s head is carried as a sign of vassalage to the Gordons, who were overlords and superiors of their lands,” vol. i. p. 363. This was probably the true ex¬ planation.

6

GENEALOGY OF THE

The most remarkable of this surname was Mr John Spots- wood,1 a sone of the house of Spotswood in the Merss, with¬ in the barony of Gordon, Superintendant of Lothian, Merss, and Teviotdale, which, by the space of 20 years, he governd most wisely. He espousd Beatrix Creighton, a grave ma¬ tron, and a daughter of the house of Lugton near Dalkeith ; he died the 5th of Decembre 1585, being about seventy- seven years of adge ; his father was killed at Floudon, in the unfortunate battle wherein King James the Fourth died, and he left ane orpheline of fower years of adge. His childring were John and James.

John was borne inl565: he succeded his adged fatherin the Personage of Calder att eighteen years of adge. Anno 1610 he was consecrated Archbishope of Glasgow, and removed from thence in 1615 to Saint Andrews. He crowned King Charles the First in 1633 att Holyrood-house ; was made Chancellour after the Earle of Kinnoule’s death anno 1 635, which honour he enjoyed to his death with the approbation of all honest men. When the unhappy rebellion broke out he retired for safety of his life to Newcastle, and afterwards to London, where, after nine days’ sickness, he died in peace. His buriall, by the care of King Charles, was solemnly or¬ dered, and the corps was conveyed to the Abbey Church of Westminster by many mourners, 800 torches, many gen¬ tlemen, and all the King’s servants ; they were met by the Dean and Prebendars att the west door in their clericall habits, and buried according to the rites of the English Church. Above his corps the following words are ingraven upon brass : —

Memoriae Sacrum. Dominus J oannes Spotiswood, Ecclesiae Sancti Andreae Arcliiepiscopus, Scotiae Primas, et Regni Cancellarius, Viginti annos Pres¬ byter, Undecem annos Arcliiepiscopus Glasgoensis, Viginti quinque annos Sancti Andreae, et per quatuor annos Regni Scotiae Cancellarius, ex liac vita in pace migravit, Anno Domini 1639. Sexto Kalendas Decembris Regni Caroli 15, ZEtatis suae 74.

Praesul, Senator, pene Martyr liic jacet,

Quo nemo sanctior, gravior, constantior.

Pro Ecclesia, pro Rege, pro Recta Fide,

Contra Sacrileges, Perduelles, Perfidos,

Stetit ad extremum usque Vitae Spiritum,

1 According to Douglas he was born in 1509. See Baronage, p. 447.

SPOTTISWOODE FAMILY.

/

Solitumque talium Meritorum Prsemium Diras Rapiuas Exiliumque pertulit.

Sed hac in Urna, in Ore posterum, in Deo,

Victor potitur, Pace, Fama, Gloria.

M. D.

He builded upon his own charges the church of Darsy after the Englishe forme, which, if the boisterous hand of a mad reformation had not disordered, was one of the beautifullest pieces of worke that was left to our unhappy countrey : he gave large contributions for the relief of the Illes of Orkney in time of famine. He wrote the History of the Church of Scotland from the year 203 till the end of the reign of King James the Sixth, and dedicat it to King Charles the First. It was printed att London by John Flesher for Robert Royston, 1055, by the care of Mr Alexander Spottiswood, Advocat, sone to Sir Robert Spotswood. His picture is prefixed to the work with the following verse : —

Aspice, non frustra Veneranda hacc pingitur Icon,

Vivit adliuc, tanti qutelibet umbra viri.

Prisca nitet Vultu Pietas, Virtusque sepulchri Nescia, in Effigie noscit et ipsa mori.

Sic uno intuitu vultus, morumque volumen Perlegis, et Pictor transit in Historicum.

As for the issue of his body it was numerous, but of all his childring three only came to perfect adge, whom he had by Rachel Lindesay, daughter to David Lindesay, Bishop of Ross, of the house of Edzell, ane honorable family in Scot¬ land. His eldest sone was Sir John Spotswood of Darsy, whose sone was a sufferer with Montrosse upon the king’s account. His second sone was Sir Robert Spotswood of New Abbay and Pentland, a great ornament to his nation for his many and rare abilities, who, after having studied nine years abroad, was for his great wisdome and knowledge in the laws prefer’d first by King James to be Lord of the Session Extraordinare, and afterward by King Charles not only to be constant President thereof, but to be his chief Secretaire for that nation. Whilst he was cloathed with that dignity he was sent by the King from Oxford with a com¬ mission ; he past through Wales into Anglesy, and thence getting a passage into Lochaber, came into Athole, and was conducted by the men of Athole to Montrose, to whom, after he had made ane humble obeysance under the King’s Stan.

8

GENEALOGY OF TIIE

dart, he deliverd the commission under the Great Seal, which he again gave into Archibald Primrose, Clerk of the Supreme Counsell, to be read aloud. Few days after ho was taken in the fields near Pliiliphaugh by the Laird of Silvertonhill, one of the captains of the Earle of Lanerick, and was brought immediately thereafter to him, from whom he had that cour¬ teous and favourable reception that could have been expected from a man of honour eminent both in State and the Army. Yet, notwithstanding that quarters had been granted him in the field, he was prosecuted to death as a delinquent in the Parliament held in Saint Andrews in January 1646, notwithstanding he had been found guilty of no crime but that of loyalty and fidelity to his master, which in no records of law, nor in any adge, was ever reckond to be treason. Being upon the scaffold radio to suffer, he showed such a re¬ ligious and honest boldness towards his countreymen as to call to as many of them as curiosity had brought thither to sie his end, that they should keep fast their duties to their God and to their King, and beware of those seditious minis¬ ters into whose mouths, as into the prophets of Achab, the lying spirit had entred, both to seduce them and to mine that noble nation.

The History of Montrose, printed at London in 1652, hath what follows anent Sir Robert Spotswood, page 142. Sir Robert Spotswood, a man worthy of everlasting memory, he was raised by the favour of King J ames and King Charles unto great honours, as his singular vertues did merit. King James made him a Knight and a Privy Counsellour. King Charles advanced him to be Lord President of the Session, and after to be principal Secretarie of Scotland, page 148. He was a man admirable for his knowledge of things divine and humane, for his skill in the tongues, Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriack, Arabick, besides the Western Languages ; for his knowledge in history, law, and politicks, the honour and ornament of his countrey and his adge, for the integrity of his life, for his fidelity, for his justice, for his constancie : and a man of ane even tcmpere and ever agreeing with himself ; whose youth had no need to bo ashamed of his childhood, and his riper years of his youth ; a severe observer of the old fashioned piety with all his soule, and yet one that was no vain and superstitious professor of it before others ; a

SPOTTISWOODE FAMILY.

9

man easie to be made a friend, and very hard to be made ane enemy, page 142.

This excellent man, although his very enemies had nothing to lay to his charge through all his life, was found guilty of high treason, which is the more to be lamented, because he never bore arms against them, not knowing what belonged to the drawing of a sword. The only charge that was laid against him was, that by the King’s command he brought his letters patents unto Montrose, whereby he was made Viceroy e of the Kingdome and Generali of the Army, in which he had done nothing against the laws of the nation, page 143. But to speake ingenuously, the cause of his death was this. The Earle of Lanerick haveing been prin- cipall Secretary for Scotland, by his revolt unto the rebells forced his most Gracious King to the whole family of the Hamiltouns to take that office from so unthankful a man, and bestow it on ane other : nor was there any one found more worthy then Spotswood to be advanced to so high ane honour, and hence hapend that great weight of envie and revenge to be thrown upon him which, seeing he was not able to bear out, he was forced to fall under, page 143. When he was about to die, one Blair,1 fearing the eloquence of so gallant a man, procured the Provost of Saint Andrews, who had been one of his father’s servants, to stop his mouth. Sir Robert, after some discourses, laid down his neck to the fatal stroak with those last words: — “ Mercifull Jesus, gather my soul unto thy Saints and Martyrs who have run before me in this race,” page 149. His breathless body Heugh Scrimgeour, one of his father’s servants, took care to bring forth, as the time would permitt, with a privat funerall, and a few days after espying the bloody scaffold not yet removed out of the place fell into a swound ; and being carried home by his servants and neighbours, dyed at his very door.

I shall here sett down his intended discourse at his execution according to the copies then dispersed.

“ You will expect to hear from me somewhat of the cause for the which I am brought hither att this time to suffer in this kind, which I am bound to doe for clearing the integrity of my own proceedings, vindicating his Majestie’s just and

1 In the edition of the work referred to, published in 1660, he is called “ that sacrilegious thief Blair,” p. 166.

10

GENEALOGY OF THE

pious intentions, and witliall to undeceavc you that are muzeld up in ignorance, and made to believe that you are tyed in conscience to set forward this unnatural rebellion, masked under the covert and pretext of propagating religion and maintaining of the publick liberty.

“ You have perceivd by the force that’s gone before, viz. tearing of my arms, &c. that I stand here adjudged to die by this pretended Parliament as a traytor to the Estates and enemy to my native countrey. This is a treason un¬ heard of before in this kingdome against the Estates — a thing of a new creation, which I believe there be some would have erected in opposition to the just and lawfull authority of the King, under which we and our predecessors have been so many hundred years governd. To come to the particulars of my treasonable demannour, as they esteem it, the main one is that I did bring down a commission of Lieutenancy from his Majestie to the Lord Marquiss of Montrose, with a proclama¬ tion for indicting a Parliament by the King’s authority, where the said Lord Marquiss was to be the Commissioner.

“ Not to excuse myself upon the necessity laid upon me to obey his Majesty’s command in all business of that nature, in regard of the charge I had about him, I cannot so far betray my own conscience as to keep up from you my judge¬ ment of the thing itself, since it may tend both to the justi¬ fying of the King’s part and your better information, for lacke whereof I know many are entangled into this rebellion unwillingly. And who knoweth but God in his merciefull pro¬ vidence may have brought us hither to be the instruments of freeing you from the manifold delusions that are made use of to insnare you ? I say, then, that it was just and neces¬ sary to his Majestie to grant such commissions, and by con¬ sequence ane act of duty in me to perform what he was pleased to command me.

“ It’s known well enough what contentment his Majesty gave to this kingdome att his last being here both in the affairs of Church and Policy ; notwithstanding whereof the world seeth what meeting he hath got from us. When this Rebellion burst out first in England, all that he desired of us was only to stand neutral, and not to meddle between him and his subjects there, of which moderat desire of his little reckoning was made ; but, on the contrario, at the re-

SPOTTISWOODE FAMILY.

11

quest of those rebels, by the power of their faction amongst us, ane army was raised and sent into England, to assist them against our own native King. His Majestic being re¬ duced to this extremity, what expedient could he have found so faire and easie as to make use of the help of such of his loyall subjects here as he knew had such an unparalleled disloyalty in horrour and detestation ; amongst whom that matchless mirrour of all true worth and nobility, the Lord Marquiss of Montrose, having offered himself, it pleased his Majesty to give him ane subaltern commission att first, which having executed with such unheard success that his memory shall be had in honour for it in all ages, his Ma¬ jesty, for the better furthering of his own service, and to countenance and encourage him the more in it, gave him ane absolute one and independant thereafter, which is that I delivered into his hands by his Majesty's command : — Here¬ with all his Majesty pitying the miseries of this poor king¬ dom, occasioned by the rebellious stubborness of a few fac¬ tious spirits, thought fit to give power to the said Lord Marquiss to call a Parliament in his name, to try if by that means a remedy might be found against the present evills, and to have all the subjects of this kingdome reduced by one means or other under his obedience. In all this I see not what can be justly charged upon his Majesty, or upon me his servant, who have done nothing against any authorised law in the kingdome, but have served him faithfully, unto whom, by trust and natural allegiance, I owe so much.

“ Whereas I am declared ane enemy to my native countrio, God be so propitious to me as my thoughts towards it have been always publick, and tending to the honour and good thereof. I doe profess, since the first time I had the honour to be of that noble Marquis’ acquaintance, I have been ane favourer of his designs, knowing them to be both loyall and honourable, besides that I knew his affection towards his countrey to be eminent in this especially, that he did ever shew himself passionat to vindicat the honour of this king- dome, which suffereth every where by this strange combina¬ tion of yours with the rebells of ane other kingdome against your own Prince, wherein I concurred in judgement with him, and thought there was no other ways to doe it but by setting up a party of true and loyall hearted Scotsmen for his

12

GENEALOGY OF TIIE

Majesty, whereby it might bo seen that it is not a nationall defection, but only stirred up by a faction therein, who, for their own ends, have dishonoured their native kingdome and disturbed the peace thereof, in interprising and pursue- ing which heroical design God have so favoured that noble Lord, that he hath righted our country in the opinion of all the world, and discovered where the rotteness lyeth.

“ This far I am contented to be counted a traytor in their opinion who have condemned me, being fully assured that God, the righteous Judge of all, who knoweth the upright¬ ness and integrity of my intentions, will impute no fault to me in this kind, since to my knowledge I have carried my¬ self according to the direction of his word and the practice of all good Christians, before the miserable times we have fallen into ; my exhortation, therefore, which is comeing out at the point I am at, will, I hope, have some weight, shall be this unto you, that you would break off your sins by repentance ; and, above all, free yourselves of that master sin of rebellion that reigneth in this land, wherein the most part are either forced or drawn unawares, chiefly at the instigation of those who should have directed them in the way of truth. It cannot but be a great judgement upon a land when God’s singular mercies towards it are so little valued. He hath not given us a king in his wrath, but one who for piety, bounty, and all virtues, both Christian and moral, may be a pattern to all princes beside. But how little thankful we are to God for so great a blessing our respect towards him manifesteth ; yet 1 fear there is a greater judgement than this upon it, which occasions all the mischief that afflicts this poor land, such as was sent upon Achab. God hath put a lying spirit in the mouths of the most part of our prophets, who, instead of the doctrine of salvation, labour to bring their hearers into the con¬ demnation of Core or Corah. God Almighty look upon this miserable Church and kingdome, and relieve you of that intollerable servitude you lay under, which as I doe heartily wish for in your behalfe, so let me have the assistance of your prayers, that God would be pleased to pardon all my sins in Jesus Christ, and gather my soule with the saints and martyrs that are gone to their rest before. So I bid the world and you farewell.”

SPOTTISWOODE FAMILY.

13

I remember to have heard one John Doby, a tenant in Roseline,1 who knew Sir Robert particularly, tell that ho was a proper man, that he rode exceedingly well the horse, and was a great hunter. And my Lord Tarbert2 told me then when he was upon the scaffold, the whole buttons of his breast lappe off, and the principal reason of his death was because he was sone to the Archbishop of Saint Andrews.

As for his nephew, John Spotiswood, commonly called Young Darsye, he was a compleat young gentleman, and very worthy of pity, if any had been showen. He was ane excellent spirit, and a good scholar, and I heard the said Lord Tarbert tell that when Montrose was going out of the Tolbooth to the scaffold, Darsye was admitted to give him his last adieus in verse, which he did after such a manner that he drew tears out of the Marquis’s eyes, who leaned upon him and kissed him, his hands being at that time tyed with cords, as Christ’s were, when he was conveyed to the cross. I have heard the said Lord repeat frequently in privat a great part of that poeme, which I found very good ; as also several other verses of the said Darsye’s, anent the King’s troubles, whereof I conserve the originals, which I reco¬ vered in Scotland, in the hands of Sir William Drummond of Hawthornden.3 Darsye was young when he died ; he went over in a small barke of Bergen in Norway with Sir John Hurry, John Drummond of Ball, Henry Ctrahame, brother to Montrose, John Lilly, Patrick Melvin, both Captains, George Wischeart, Doctor of Divinity, afterwards Bishop of Edinburgh, David Guthrie, and Pardus Lawson, a French¬ man, other times a servant to the Lord Gordon in 1G4G, to shun the plots of the Covenanters ; from whence returning home with Montrose, he was taken prisoner about the same- time that the Lord Aston4 took the Marquis in Caithness.

1 Ann Spottiswoode, the Archbishop’s daughter, was the wife of Sir William Sinclair of Roslin.

2 Better known as the first Earl of Cromarty.

3 The poems ascribed by Father Ilay to Darsie, subsequently were as¬ certained by him to have been the composition of his own grandfather, Sir Henry Spottiswoode, the Archbishop’s nephew, and son of Hr James Spottiswoode, Bishop of Clogher. The Sir William Drummond mentioned was the eldest son of the Poet by Elizabeth Logan, who is asserted to have been a grand-daughter of Logan of Restalrig.

4 Although called Aston, the party meant was the Laird of Assint, a worthy of the name of Macleod, to whose house Montrose had escaped,

14

GENEALOGY OE THE

He was brought to Edinburgh, where in 1650, the twenty- two of May, he was beheaded with Hurry,1 Sir Francis Hay of Dalgetty a Roman Catholic, Colonel Sibbald, which two the nation could not afford two more accomplished persons for bodie and parts, and Captain Charters, all loosing their heads on the same scaffold whereon Montrose died, the 21st of May 1650.

Sir Robert wrote the Practicks2 of the house, which are found in manuscripts in the hands of severals. Elis didder¬ ing were Mr Alexander Spotiswood, advocat, whose sone is John Spotswood, advocat; the Ladie Innerleith, married to one Hallyburton of Innerleith. There was ane other daughter as I think married to Baliff Sympson at Hysart, yet I cannot tell positively whether she was Sir Robert’s daughter or Sir John’s, notwithstanding that I staid some¬ time with her whilst a childe. The third childe of Bishop Spotswood, was Anna, married to Sir William Sinclair of Rosline, one of the antient barons of that antient kingdome of Scotland ; she bore to him John, surnamed the Prince ; James, who redeemed the lands of Rosline, and married Jean Spotswood,3 my mother ; Lewis, who died a Captain in Danemark ; Helen Lady Banockburn and Herbertshire, married first to one Rollo, and afterwards to one MTvenzie, brother to the Earl of Seaforth. The other sone of the

and who sold him to General Leslie for four hundred bolls of meal. — See Aruot’s Criminal Trials, p. 234. In consequence of pecuniary difficulties, the estate of Assynt was carried off from Niell M‘Leod, the ninth Baron, by an apprising, and was not redeemed by his successor Donald, who with his descendants were designed as of Geanies in Ross-sliire.

1 “ But the tragedie was not yet full, for Hurrie was the next in that bloodie roll, who pleading the benefit of quarter, and a great charge of children, thought to have tasted of the Parliament’s mercy. But he was condemned, notwithstanding, to lose his head in the same place. Jealous they were of him before when he was engaged in their service against Montrose, but could not produce any sufficient evidence.”— History of Montrose’s Wars, 1660, 12mo. p. 113.

2 These were published by his grandson, John Spottiswoode of that Ilk, advocate, at Edinburgh in 1706, folio.

3 Jean Spottiswoode, a grand-daughter of the Bishop of Cloglier, mar¬ ried first George Hay, a younger son of Sir John Hay of Barra, of which marriage Father Hay was a son ; and secondly, James Sinclair of Roslin, by whom she had two sons and a daughter. Douglas asserts she was a daughter of the Bishop, and sister, in place of daughter, of Sir Henry ; but Father Hay’s declaration as to who was the father of his own mother is decisive on this point.

SPOTTISWOODE FAMILY.

15

superintendant was James Spotswood, Doctor of Divinity ; lie was borne upon the seventh of September 1567 at Calder, some eight miles westward from Edinburgh. He was bred up in his father’s house under Mr William Strange, first minister of Kirkliston, and thereafter of Irwin in the West. He was made master of arts in August 1583 in the Univer¬ sity of Glasgow ; he had some time a pension allowed him out of the Abbacie of Deer, which being revoked, he was enrolled in 1580 as one who should attend the King to Danemark as Gentleman Usher, Anno primo Jacobi Primi, in England he was beneficed in Norfolk at Wells, juxta mare. In December, and in 1620, 1 was preferred to the Bishopriek of Clochar in Ireland, and after Malcolm Hamil¬ ton’s death was named to the Archbishoprick of Cashill, which he refused. He died at London in March 1644, and was buried in Westminster near his brother Chancellour Spotswood. He married first a daughter of the house of Norfolke, and afterwards one widow Perkins. In the first marriage he had a daughter, married to Mr Archibald Arskine, sone to Sir James Areskine, and a sone named Sir Henry, who married Jean Bulkley, and begot Jean my mother, and ane other daughter settled in England ; Sir Henry and Richard of Drumbote, my uncle and godfather.2

1 Sic in M.S.

2 Father Hay gives the following account of the pedigree of his mother “ through the Bulcklays (Bulkeleys) —

“ John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancastre, fourthe sone to Edward the Third ; Jean, wife to Ralph Nevill Earle of Westmoreland ; John Nevill Lord Famival ; Maude, wife to John Lord Talbot Earle of Salloppe ; John Earle of Salloppe, and Elizabeth,