Page 8 - Fenning_Scoland

1612 Letter from the Earl of Linlithgow at Linlithgow to Lord Kilsyth in Edinburgh
In the early 17'h Century, the Scottish nobility used their servants and kinsmen to carry their letters to people of high rank. The letters required
little addressing, protocol dictating only that a polite greeting and the person's name and title was obligatory. For important letters a close
kinsman was often chosen as the messenger to help ensure that the bearer would be well-received at the destination and that the letter would
be delivered safely and courteously to the correct person.
Alexander Livingston, 7th Lord Livingston and 1st Earl of Linlithgow
Alexander Livingston (or Livingstone) was the eldest son of William Livingston, sixth
Lord Livingston and Agnes Fleming. Alexander's father, William, had been a close
supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots and was with her in the little supper room in
Holyroodhouse in 1566 when her husband, Lord Darnley, and his fellow conspirators
murdered Mary's secretary, David Riccio.
Alexander succeeded his father to the title 'Lord Livingston' in 1592 and became a
Privy Councillor the following year, thus gaining political prominence. In December
1596 he received a notable mark of royal trust, being appointed keeper of the infant
Princess Elizabeth and being charged with her upbringing and education. Alexander
was a protestant but his wife, Eleanor (or Helen), was a committed Catholic and the
Scots Kirk opposed the appointment. King James would not reverse his decision
and, indeed, later gave Livingston custody of the Princess Margaret for her short life
(1598 -1600).
Alexander was created Ear1 of Linlithgow on 25 December 1600, at the baptism of
Prince Charles. After the union of the crowns in 1603, King James's court moved to
London and the Earl's direct connection with the court lapsed. 'Linlithgow' as he was
now known, remained a Privy Councillor and served on several parliamentary
commissions. He was keeper of the Palace of Linlithgow and of the state prison,
Blackness Castle. He died at Callendar House, near Falkirk, in 1621.
His three sons were: John, who became Master of Livingstone; Alexander, who
became 2"d Ear1 of Linlithgow; James, who became 1 st Earl of Callendar. His two
daughters were: Anne who married Alexander Montgomery, who became 61h Earl of
Eglington; Margaret who married John Fleming, who became 2nd Earl of Wigton.
The Princess Elizabeth, who was entrusted to Alexander Livingston's care in the
1590's, became Queen of Bohemia and Electress Palatine, consort of Frederick v.
Sir William Livingston, Laird of Kilsyth, Lord of Session and Privy Councillor
The recipient of the letter was William Livingston, Laird of Kilsyth.
Livingston had been knighted in 1594 and was admitted to the Scottish Privy Council
in 1601. In the same year he accompanied Ludovic, Duke of Lennox on his embassy
to King Henri IV of France. He attended various Conventions of Estates and
Parliaments from 1599 to 1609. In 1609 he was appointed a Lord of Session and, in
1613, Vice-Chamberlain of Scotland. He was a regular attendee at the Scottish Privy
Council and lived for much of his life in Edinburgh. He died in 1626 or 1627.
To My Lorr:J and
Loveing Causing
My Lorr:J of Killsythe
201h November 1612. Letter sent by the 1 st Earl of
Linlithgow at Linlithgow to Lord Kilsyth in Edinburgh.
Lord Kilsyth is known to have been in Edinburgh as he
attended the Privy Council meetings there on 181h, 19th
and 24th November. During that period Kilsyth agreed
the resolution to convey the Council's condolences to
King James on the untimely death of the King's eldest
son and heir to the throne, Prince Henry. He had died in
London of 'malignant fever' on 61h November, aged 18.
Linlithgow's letter to Lord Kilsyth was important and was
carried by the Earl's kinsman 'young Westquarter'. The
estate of Westquarter was owned by the Livingstons.
There is also mention of a previous letter from Lord
Kilsyth 'I have received your Lorr:Jship's letter from your
servant as to the money given to Mr Nicol Brown ... ' and a
third letter 'I perceive your Lorr:Jship has not got my letter
which I have written you concerning Lorr:J Fleming's
investment.. .' although it is not evident who had been
carrying the missing letter.
References:
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Records of the Scottish Privy Council for 1612
The Parliaments of Scotland Vol. 2
The 1612 Letter
The letter is written in Lallans Scots in the Earl of Linlithgow's own hand and
concerns the contract of marriage between the Ear1's daughter Anne and Alexander
Montgomery (formerly Seton), now 61h Earl of Eglington. The letter (translated into
modern English) opens with:
My Lorr:J and loving cousin my heartly duty remembered. I have received your Lorr:Jship's
letter from your servant as to the money given to Mr Nicol Brown. I approve of it. And that
your Lorr:Jship writes to send the contract between my daughter, my Lady Eglington, and me.
This was a contract which Mr Laurence MacGi/I caused [to be made] to my daughter. It was
cancelled at the making of her contract of marriage for it was not registered. So I send in her
contract of marriage with young Westquarter who says he let your Lorr:Jship see it and now
William Sinclair has it for he received it. So my Lady Eg/ington and her husband is denuded
of all she inherited from me in the way of the lands of Herbertshire [part of West Lothian] or
otherwise. I have written to William Sinclair to register the contract of marriage.
Then follows other business before the letter concludes with:
So this leaves your Lorr:Jship in God's protection and rest.
Lirf""' the xx of November 1612 Your Lorr:Jship's loving cousin
Unlithgow
Background to the letter. Alexander Seton was the third son of Robert Seton, 1st
Earl of Wintoun and his wife Margaret, eldest daughter of Hugh Montgomery, 3rd Earl
of Eglington. The title 'Earl of Eglington' had, by 1611, passed down to the 5lh Earl,
who was childless and estranged from his wife. The 5tti Earl decided to make his
cousin, Alexander Seton, heir to the title on condition that he assumed the surname
'Montgomery'. Now heir to a prestigious title, Alexander [now] Montgomery married
(on 22nd June 1612) Anne Livingston, the eldest daughter of the 1 Earl of Linlithgow.
51
Only months later, on 4lh September 1612, the 5lh Earl died and, on 30th October,
Alexander became 6 h Earl of Eglington with Anne becoming Countess of Eglington.
1
The Earl of Linlithgow's letter follows the recent news of Alexander Montgomery's
inheritance and elevation to the peerage. Linlithgow's intention is to ensure that his
daughter's marriage contract is properly registered and her position well protected.