Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Haddington
David MacGill | |
---|---|
Succeeded by | Sir William Oliphant |
In office 1595–1596 | |
Preceded by | Andrew Logie |
Succeeded by | David MacGill |
Personal details | |
Born | Thomas Hamilton 1563 |
Died | May 29, 1637 | (aged 73–74)
Spouses | Margaret Borthwick
(m. 1588; died 1596) Margaret Foulis
(m. 1597; died 1609)Julian Ker
(m. 1613; died 1637) |
Children | 4, including Thomas |
Parent(s) | Sir Thomas Hamilton Elizabeth Heriot |
Relatives | Andrew Hamilton, Lord Redhouse (brother) |
Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Haddington (1563 – 29 May 1637), designated before his peerage as 'of Drumcarny, Monkland, and Binning', was a
Family
The son of
Thomas was educated in Paris. He became known as Thomas Hamilton of Drumcarny.
Career
He was admitted an
Administrator
He was on very friendly terms with
Anne of Denmark and Prince Henry
Hamilton was present at Stirling Castle on 10 May 1603 when Anne of Denmark argued with Marie Stewart, Countess of Mar and the Master of Mar to gain custody of her son Prince Henry.[3] He wrote an account of the incident.[4] Anne of Denmark, according to Hamilton, told Lady Paisley and her physician Martin Schöner that she had taken "balm water".[5] The Earl of Montrose, Lord Chancellor of Scotland, made efforts to calm the controversy and help set Anne of Denmark on her way to England in June.[6]
Silver mine at Hilderston
In 1606 a promising deposit of silver was found on Hamilton's land at Hilderston near Bathgate. For a time, Hamilton worked the mine, employing the English mining entrepreneur Bevis Bulmer. Hamilton was appointed "Master of Metals" in Scotland in March 1607.[7] Bulmer left the works in August 1608. The dissolution of their partnership was acrimonious. In January 1608 King James decided to claim the mine for himself.[8] Hamilton was compensated for his loss by the King by May 1608, around the time a daughter Anna Hamilton was born, according to a letter from Lady Jane Drummond.[9]
Lord Clerk Register
In 1612 he was appointed Lord Clerk Register to the Privy Council to succeed John Skene. After the death of James VI, the earl resigned his offices, but served Charles I as Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland. Thomas was referred to familiarly by his friends as 'Tam o' the Cowgate', his Edinburgh residence being in that street.
Petition in 1617
King James I came to Scotland in 1617. Anne Ker, the wife of John Elphinstone, 2nd Lord Balmerino, described how her sister, Julian Ker, Lady Binning, presented a petition on behalf of Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset to the King at Holyrood Palace. Hamilton's wife was Somerset's sister. The petitioners, Somerset's Scottish allies, including Hamilton, kneeled in the privy gallery while Lady Binning gave the petition to the king. Hamilton then discussed the petition with the king afterwards, but it did not lead to the release of the earl.[10]
Peerages
On 19 November 1613, he was created a Lord of Parliament as Lord Binning. Further, on 20 March 1619, he was created Earl of Melrose. Upon the death of the first and last Viscount of Haddington (on 28 February 1626), the king agreed to exchange the title of Earl of Melrose to that of Earl of Haddington, with the original precedence and remainder to heirs male bearing the surname and Arms of Hamilton. In 1628 The Earl of Haddington purchased the Tyninghame estate for 200,000 merks.
In 1624, under the title of Thomas Hamilton, Earl of Melrose, he purchased Balgone House south-east of North Berwick.[11]
Personal life
Lord Haddington was married three times and widowed three times. His first marriage was in c. 1588 to Margaret Borthwick (d. Dec 1596), only child of James Borthwick of Newbyres, by whom he had two daughters.
After her death, he married Margaret Foulis (d. 1609) in 1597. She was a daughter of James Foulis of Colinton, and sister of the financier Thomas Foulis. The dowry was 9000 merks.[12] Before her death on 31 May 1609, they were the parents of:
- covenanter, he was killed at Dunglass Castlein an explosion on 30 August 1640.
- Sir John Hamilton of Trabroun (1605–1638), who married Marjory Campbell and Lady Katherine Peebles; he dvp.
- Lady Jean Hamilton (1607–1642), who married Margaret Burnet, who married Gilbert Burnet, later Bishop of Salisbury, in c. 1672.
His third marriage was to Julian, Lady Hume (née Ker) on 3 September 1613. She was a daughter of Sir Thomas Ker of Ferniehirst, and widow of Sir Patrick Hume of Polwarth, by whom he had another son:
- Robert Hamilton (1614–1640), who never married; he was killed in the explosion at Dunglass Castle.
Lady Haddington died in 1637 and was buried 30 March 1637. Lord Haddington died on 29 May 1637 and was succeeded in his titles by his son, Thomas.
Material culture
An inventory of silverware belonging to Thomas Hamilton was made in 1607. Some of the silver was kept in a press in the high hall of one of his houses. His daughter had the key. Other silverware was held by his steward, James Bisset. Hamilton had some silver at Barnbougle Castle and more at the Byres and Preistfield. An inventory was also made in July 1615 of the household furnishing at the Byres.[13]
Hamilton made over furnishings at Tyninghame House to his heir in June 1635. This list included items which he had "brought home", meaning that he had purchased them in London or imported them. There was a new suite of tapestry of eight pieces of the History of David, and a new History of Abraham in six pieces. There were rich hangings of the Story of Jacob and other subjects, with ten other tapestries, eight pieces of old tapestry, and striped and embroidered cloth hangings for walls with a matching window curtain. An inventory of the whole furnishings of Tyningham was made at this time.[14]
References
- ^ William Fraser, Memoirs of the Earls of Haddington, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1889), p. 69
- ^ Annie I. Cameron, Calendar of State Papers: 1593-1595, vol. 11 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 696.
- ^ James Maidment, Letters and State Papers during the Reign of James the Sixth (Edinburgh, 1838), p. 54.
- ^ William Fraser, Memorials of the Earls of Haddington, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1889), pp. 209–11
- ^ Nadine Akkerman, Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Hearts (Oxford, 2021), pp. 26-7, 417 fn.54.
- ^ James Maidment, Letters and State Papers during the Reign of James the Sixth (Edinburgh, 1838), pp. 48-51, 57-8.
- ^ Robert William Cochran-Patrick, Early Records Relating to Mining in Scotland (Edinburgh, 1878), p. lxiv.
- ^ HMC 9 Salisbury Hatfield, vol. 19 (London, 1965), pp. 213, 235.
- ^ William Fraser, Memorials of the Earls of Haddington, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1889), p. 119
- ^ William Fraser, Memorials of the Earls of Haddington, vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1889), 124: David Laing, Correspondence of the Earls of Ancram and Lothian (Edinburgh, 1875), 5–6, 184.
- ^ Sweet, Andy. "Balgone House | Castle in North Berwick parish, East Lothian | Stravaiging around Scotland". www.stravaiging.com.
- ^ James Dennistoun, Moysie's Memoirs of the Affairs of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1830), p. xxiv
- ^ William Fraser, Memorials of the Earls of Haddington, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1889), pp. 288-92.
- ^ William Fraser, Memorials of the Earls of Haddington, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1889), pp. 297-302.
- Brown, Peter, publisher, The Peerage of Scotland, Edinburgh, 1834, p. 105.
- Mosley, Charles, editor, Burke's Peerage & Baronetage, 106th edition, 1999, vol.1, p. 1262, ISBN 2-940085-02-1