John Scrimgeour of Myres
John Scrimgeour of
Career
He and his father held their lands by right of an hereditary office as sergeant-of-arms or macer to the King of Scotland.
From a tax on church lands granted to James V for his expenses in France, from October 1536 to September 1538, Scrimgeour received £4996-7s-10d
Scrimgeour was briefly eclipsed between 1538 and 1540 when Sir
A case was brought against Scrimgeour in the Stewartry Court of Fife, held in Falkland Palace on 9 February 1548, when William Bonair of Rossy disputed his rights to the lands of Glasstullo.[5]
In September 1553 he spent £2333-6s-8d on Arran's building works.[6] Subsequently he was employed by Mary of Guise and her daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots.[7] He seems to have died in the year 1563. He was succeeded by sir William MacDowall, who had long been a clerk in the works.[8]
Manuscript
The National Library of Scotland has a volume of heraldic writings which belonged to John Scrimgeour, including a bestiary. The text of The Deidis of Armorie also includes advice for heraldic officers, including the Captains of castles and towns, who were instructed to keep certain and sure watch both day and night for fear of the return of plague.[9]
Marriage
Scrimgeour was married to Helen Little or Littil. Their children included a son, William.[10]
Scrimgeour and Littil owned a tenement in Edinburgh from which they paid an annualrent to the altar of St Laurence in St Giles' Kirk.[11]
Works
Scrimgeour supervised the construction of timber 'lists', barriers, and a stand for a tournament at
A letter from John Scrimgeour to Mary of Guise of uncertain date reveals that she took an interest in the details of building works. She had asked him to inspect her lodging in Edinburgh (perhaps at Castlehill at the top of the Royal Mile) with glaziers and slaters. The building was found to require attention. Scrimgeour hired a slater to fix the roof, a glazier, and other craftsmen. He had also sent lead to Falkland Palace to mend the roof, after the winter frosts had passed. He intended to inspect Falkland Palace and spent 8 days there. He asked her to issue a proclamation ordering carters to carry stones and bring timber from Leven or Levenmouth. His son would remain in Edinburgh and supervise work on her lodging.[14]
References
- ^ Sheriff Court book of Fife (Edinburgh: SHS, 1928): Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, 15 Feb 1530/1.
- ^ Henry Paton, Accounts of the Masters of Work for Building Scottish Castles and Palaces, 1 (Edinburgh: HMSO, 1957), pp. xxiii-xxiv, 1−114, 132−292, 297−8.
- ^ James Balfour Paul, Accounts of the Treasurer of Scotland, vol. 6 (Edinburgh, 1905), pp. 362−363.
- ^ Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1877), p. 16.
- ^ John Anderson & William Angus, Protocol Book of Sir Alexander Gaw (Edinburgh, 1910), p. 2.
- ^ Accounts of the Treasurer of Scotland, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1913), p. 211.
- ^ Annie Cameron, Scottish Correspondence of Mary of Lorraine (Edinburgh: SHS, 1927), pp. 441-42.
- ^ Paton (Edinburgh, 1957), pp. xxvii.
- Scots Languageis, "and gar mak certane & sur wachis be him and his folkis, baith be nycht & day, ffor dout of ganfalling in pestlience".
- ^ Gordon Donaldson, Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland, vol 5, part 1 (Edinburgh, 1957), 168, no. 756, 18 February 1560.
- ^ James Kirk, Books of Assunption of Thirds (Oxford, 1995), p. 125.
- ^ Henry Paton, Accounts of the Masters of Work, vol. 1 (Edinburgh: HMSO, 1957), pp. 221−222.
- ^ Henry Paton, Accounts of the Masters of Works, Scotland, vol. 1 (HMSO: Edinburgh, 1957).
- ^ Annie I. Cameron, Scottish Correspondence of Mary of Lorraine (Edinburgh, 1927), pp. 441-3.