Sir John Carmichael

Sir John Carmichael (died 16 June 1600) was a Scottish soldier, the Keeper of Liddesdale, a diplomat, and owner of Fenton Tower at Kingston, East Lothian.

Career

He was the son of John Carmichael and Elizabeth Somerville, a daughter of Hugh Somerville, 5th Lord Somerville.

He was appointed warden of the Scottish West March.

Raid of the Redeswire

Carmichael fought against the English at the Raid of the Redeswire on 7 July 1575 on a day of border truce, and captured Sir John Forster, the English Warden and commander, after an argument turned to violence. At the start of the fighting two Scottish men, Symonton and Robson were killed, and Carmichael was hit by a bullet but unharmed. Other witnesses claimed two Northumbrians, Fenwick and Robert Shafton were the first casualties. Francis Walsingham asked Henry Killigrew to ask the ruler of Scotland, Regent Morton to have Carmichael arrested. Forster and his companions were entertained with some expense at Dalkeith Palace, and sent home. Carmichael was taken to Berwick to be lodged with the President of the Council of the North, the Earl of Huntingdon, at York.[1]

In September 1587 James VI sent him to ask Edinburgh council for a loan of 100 gold crowns to buy velvet saddles to give to the French poet and dipomat Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas.[2] In September 1588 he collected the subsidy or annuity money that Elizabeth gave to James VI at Berwick-upon-Tweed, being £3,000 Sterling.[3]

In August 1588 a party of soldiers and sailors from the Spanish Armada came ashore and met up with Colonel William Sempill. The Edinburgh authorities arrested them, and Colonel Sempill rode towards Crichton Castle. Carmichael gave chase and caught him, and brought him back to Holyrood House. James VI ordered that Sempill should be imprisoned in Robert Gourlay's house.[4]

Royal marriage

Carmichael sailed to Norway and Denmark with James VI of Scotland in 1589. James VI wrote from Leith on 22 October to Queen Elizabeth and the English border warden Lord Scrope mentioning that Carmichael was with him.[5] James Melville of Halhill mentions that Carmichael did not sail in the king's ship, but in one of three other ships, along with Lewis Bellenden, the Provost of Lincluden, William Keith of Delny, George Home, James Sandilands and Peter Young.[6]

On 1 January 1590 he presented Henrik Gyldenstierne, Captain of Bohus Castle, with a ring and a gold chain, for which James VI reimbursed him 3,000 Danish dalers.[7] Carmichael returned to Scotland on 15 April 1590 with instructions for the welcoming party at Leith for Anne of Denmark.[8]

James VI sent orders that Carmichael should raise a company of 200 soldiers to attend their landing, and restrain those trying to meet him at Leith, including "nobility and ladies". This was disappointing news which led to fears amongst the Scottish aristocracy that the "order used in Denmark", where noble titles were not used, might prejudice their ancient rights.[9] Carmichael also carried a letter from Colonel William Stewart to the English diplomat in Edinburgh, Robert Bowes, and another letter to Bowes with a verbal message from the Chancellor, John Maitland of Thirlestane.[10] He was knighted at the coronation of Anne of Denmark on 17 May 1590.[11]

England

He was sent as ambassador to England with Colonel William Stewart in June 1590, and was instructed to tell Elizabeth about the journey of James VI to marry Anne of Denmark. He was also to renew requests made by the Justice Clerk, Lewis Bellenden for money to help James VI govern Scotland, to maintain an armed guard, and fund an embassy to Germany. William Cecil gave him £500, which he passed to the Colonel and John Skene for use in their embassy to Germany.[12]

On 2 July 1590 he was given £3,000 Sterling, or £27,000 Scots, for James VI as part of an occasional subsidy or annuity.[13] Carmichael delivered the money to the Chancellor, John Maitland of Thirlestane, keeping £277 Scots for his expenses and was given a further £3,780 by the king's order, for the guard. From the remainder James VI gave money to a courtier Sir James Sandilands for household expenses, to Robert Jousie for textiles for court costume, to William Schaw for building work, bought gifts for the French ambassadors François de Civille and Jean Hotman, and paid for the banquet, sugar confections, and gold chains given to Danish ambassadors at his homecoming.[14]

Fenton Tower in East Lothian

Glasgow and Fenton

The king sent Carmichael and William Stewart of Blantyre to Glasgow to arrest Brian O'Rourke, a rebel to Queen Elizabeth, and take him to England on 3 April 1591. This caused a riot in Glasgow, because the arrest was thought likely to damage the Irish trade, and they were cursed as "Queen Elizabeth's knights" and the king for taking "English angels", the annuity or subsidy received from Queen Elizabeth. Carmichael took O'Rourke to his own house on the way to Carlisle.[15]

Carmichael built Fenton Tower in East Lothian, but there was a claim to the title of the lands by Hamilton of Innerwick in February 1591. The English ambassador Robert Bowes spoke to James VI in Carmichael's favour saying that Queen Elizabeth would like to see him rewarded.[16] James VI visited several times, and in May 1592 stayed with Anna of Denmark attended by his English servant Roger Aston.[17]

Murder

He was murdered by members of Clan Armstrong on 16 June 1600 who ambushed him as he rode to Langholm to attend a warden court.[18]

After the murder, James VI told the English diplomat in Edinburgh George Nicholson that Carmichael had been a "better Englishman than a Scotsman," meaning that he had shown partiality to England on the border.[19] Alexander Armstrong was executed for the murder at Dumfries in April 1605 after being held a prisoner in Carlisle Castle.[20]

Marriage and family

Carmichael married Margaret Douglas, a daughter of George Douglas of Pittendreich and sister to Regent Morton. Their children included;[21]

  • Hugh Carmichael of that Ilk, who was Master of Horse to James VI in 1593, went to London in May 1597,[22] and was ambassador to Denmark. He married Sybilla Baillie. Their son John Carmichael was the last of this line, and the Carmichael estates went to a distant cousin James Carmichael, who had impressed James VI and I with his skill at court in a jumping competition.[23]
  • Maria Carmichael (died 9 May 1626),[24] who married John Bothwell, Lord Holyroodhouse.[25]
  • Abigail Carmichael, who married Hugh Weir of Clowburn, Lanarkshire.
  • Anne Carmichael, who married Walter Whitford, Bishop of Brechin.
  • Elizabeth Carmichael.
  • James Carmichael.

References
  1. Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 5 (Edinburgh, 1907), p. 167-173, 190, 194.
  2. John Marwick, Extracts from the Burgh Records of Edinburgh: 1573-1589 (Edinburgh, 1882), p. 500.
  3. Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1586-1588, vol. 9 (Edinburgh, 1915), p. 575: Joseph Bain, Calendar of Border Papers, vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1894), p. 333.
  4. Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 9 (Edinburgh, 1916), p. 595.
  5. Thomas Rymer, Foedera, vol. 16 (London, 1715), p. 27: Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1589-1593, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 179.
  6. Thomas Thomson, James Melville Memoirs of his own life (Edinburgh, 1827), p. 372
  7. Miles Kerr-Peterson & Michael Pearce, 'James VI's English Subsidy and Danish Dowry Accounts, 1588-1596', Scottish History Society Miscellany XVI (Woodbridge, 2020), p. 36.
  8. Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1589-1593, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 261-2.
  9. Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1589-1593, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 274, 285.
  10. Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1589-1593, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 267-8.
  11. Thomas Rymer, Foedera, vol. 16 (London, 1715), p. 60.
  12. Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 261-2, 305, 315-9, 334.
  13. Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 344.
  14. Miles Kerr-Peterson & Michael Pearce, 'James VI's English Subsidy and Danish Dowry Accounts', Scottish History Society Miscellany XVI (Woodbridge, 2020), pp. 54-7, 71-4.
  15. Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1589-1593, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 495-6.
  16. Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1589-1603, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 452.
  17. Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 452, 674: David Moysie, Memoirs of the affairs of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1830), p. 94.
  18. Humphrys, Julian (June 2010). BBC History magazine. Bristol Magazines Ltd. ISSN 1469-8552.
  19. Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 13 part 2 (Edinburgh, 1969), p. 658.
  20. "HMC Salisbury Hatfield, vol. 17 (London, 1938), p. 151.
  21. George Crawfurd, The Peerage of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1716), pp. 224-5.
  22. Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1595-1597, vol. 12 (Edinburgh, 1952), p. 528.
  23. George Crawfurd, The Peerage of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1716), p. 225.
  24. See will of Dame Marie Carmichael, NRS CC8/8/53, p. 619.
  25. https://www.geni.com/people/Maria-Carmichael/6000000017479141253
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.