Robert Crichton, 8th Lord Crichton of Sanquhar
Robert Crichton, 8th Lord Crichton of Sanquhar, (d. 1612) was a Scottish peer executed for the murder of a fencing teacher. He was the son of Edward,
Career
In October 1590 Robert Crichton decided to travel abroad for his education. His advisors, including Sir John Carmichael tried to persuade him to stay in Scotland and get married. James VI gave him a licence to travel.[1] Carmichael's son Hugh went to London to hasten his return.[2]
Robert Crichton was rumoured to have been in Rome in the company of Jesuits and to have spoken with the Pope in 1593. The Jesuit missionary to Scotland, William Crichton, was his kinsman.[3]
Crichton was a noted swordsman. In June 1596 he challenged Patrick, Earl of Orkney to a duel. James VI forbade him to issue the challenge, called a "cartel." However, they arranged to fight, but the King was able to prevent their combat. The English diplomat Robert Bowes heard that Sanquhar alleged the quarrel was Sanquhar's loss of a court appointment, but according to rumour Sanquhar had been encouraged to fight the Earl by another powerful figure.[4]
As a diplomat, Crichton took the letters of
On 27 May 1602, he returned from his travels and was welcomed by James VI at
In July he was appointed to attend the French ambassador, the Baron de Tour, who arrived before Lord Sanquhar knew it. Subsequently, Sanquhar acted as an interpreter between the Baron de Tour and the English diplomat George Nicholson.[8]
Sanquhar spoke to
London, a fencing accident, and murder
On 9 February 1608 he performed in the masque
After some years, and following teasing for his disfigurement by the King of France, Sanquhar's followers murdered the fencing master. Turner was killed by a pistol shot on 11 May 1612, while he was drinking with some of Lord Sanquhar's followers. One called Carlisle fired the fatal shot. After four days Lord Sanquhar went to the Archbishop of Canterbury and declared that he was innocent of the murder. King James issued a proclamation of a reward of £500 for Sanquhar alive, and £300 dead. For Carlisle, the reward was £100 alive and £50 dead. Soon afterwards, another of Sanquhar's servants, a Scotsman called Gray, was arrested at Harwich where he was embarking on a ship for Denmark. Gray confessed that Lord Sanquhar had previously asked him to kill Turner.
Lord Sanquhar was brought before the justices of the King's Bench. Not being a peer of England, he was tried under the name of Robert Crichton, although a baron of three hundred years' standing. Francis Bacon delivered the charges against him. Bacon suggested his offence was caused by Italian manners he had picked up on his travels, rather than English or Scottish custom.[12] His wife Anne Fermor divorced him and later married the Irish nobleman Barnabas O'Brien, 6th Earl of Thomond.
He was executed by hanging on 29 June 1612 in Westminster Palace yard, confessing that he had offended England and Scotland, and declared he was a Roman Catholic.
His body was taken by Lord Dingwall and Robert Kerr, Lord Roxburgh to be sent to Scotland.[13]
By his marriage at
He had another son, William, who was 21 or near that age in 1616, when the Earl of Roxburghe was one of his curators.[14]
References
- ^ Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 403.
- ^ Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 407.
- ^ Annie Cameron, Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 11 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 261
- ^ Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 12 (Edinburgh, 1952), pp. 248-9 no. 206.
- ^ Letters and Papers Reign of James Sixth from the collection of James Balfour of Denmylne (Bannatyne Club, 1838), pp. 36–37
- ^ Horatio Brown, Calendar State Papers, Venice: 1603-1607, vol. 10 (London, 1900), p. 63 no. 91.
- ^ Calendar State Papers Scotland, 13:2 (Edinburgh, 1969), pp. 982, 1003, 1012.
- ^ Calendar State Papers Scotland, 13:2 (Edinburgh, 1969), pp. 1031, 1033-4.
- ^ Calendar State Papers Scotland, 13:2 (Edinburgh, 1969), p. 1058.
- ^ Horatio Brown, Calendar State Papers, Venice: 1603-1607, vol. 10 (London, 1900), p. 118 no. 166.
- ^ Edmund Lodge, Illustrations of British History, vol. 3 (London, 1838), p. 223.
- ^ Montagu, Basil, ed., Works of Francis Bacon, vol.2 (Philadelphia, 1841), pp. 311–312
- ^ Birch, Thomas, & Williams, Folkestone, ed., The Court and Times of James I, vol.1 (London, 1848), pp. 33, 167-8, 179-180.
- ^ Melros Papers, vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1837), pp. 264–5.
- Stephen, Leslie, ed. (1888). . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 13. London: Smith, Elder & Co.