James Anstruther

Last updated

Sir James Anstruther of Anstruther (died 1606), was a Scottish landowner and courtier.

Contents

Family background

He was a son of John Anstruther and Margaret Clephane, daughter of George Clephane of Carslogie. His second wife was Margaret Learmonth, daughter of James Learmonth of Dairsie and Balcomie. James Anstruther married Jean Scott.

Career at court

In February 1584, James VI appointed John Anstruther of that Ilk, and his son James Anstruther "feuar" of Anstruther, to be searchers of the customs of Anstruther. [1]

James Anstruther served as carver (or cupbearer) and subsequently Master of Household to Anne of Denmark, the wife of James VI of Scotland. Apart from ceremonial duties and attendance, the role involved accounting for the food and allowances of servants and courtiers appointed to the royal household, and an overview of the finances of the household. [2] Amongst the recorded expenses of the household, he paid the queen's Danish servants £600 Scots for their fees and wages for the Whitsunday term of 1593, but the Martinmas bill was only £400. [3] Anstruther was commended by James VI for his efforts to reduce the costs of his queen's household on 17 May 1595, and given the office for life. [4] The role was shared in turn by Harry Lindsay of Kinfauns, Patrick Hume of Polwarth, and David Beaton of Melgund. [5]

In September 1594, Anstruther was arrested and questioned, suspected with John Wemyss of Logie of aiding the rebel Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell. [6]

In March 1595, Anstruther was involved in a struggle in Edinburgh with the Provost, Alexander Home of North Berwick and the laird of Ferniehirst, Thomas Kerr. One of gardeners at Holyrood Palace John Morrison had injured a servant of Ferniehirst. He imprisoned the gardener in his wife's lodging in Edinburgh in Thomas Craig's house on the Royal Mile. Anne of Denmark sent Anstruther to rescue Morrison, and he brought sledgehammers (called "foir-hammers") to break into the house. The Provost intervened and imprisoned the gardener in the Tolbooth. Anne of Denmark sent to James VI at Stirling Castle to enlist his support and the Edinburgh baillies John MacMorran and William Hamilton also rode to Stirling to give their side of the story. [7]

In 1598, he joined a plan to resettle the Isle of Lewis with a group known as the Gentlemen Adventurers of Fife. [8]

In 1601, he was Master of Household to James VI. [9]

Anstruther died in 1606. His heir was William Anstruther. Sir Robert Anstruther, the diplomat, was his second son.

A portrait of James Anstruther gives his age as 36 in 1591. The picture seems to be a copy of a portrait in the style of Adrian Vanson. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Erskine, Earl of Mar (1558–1634)</span> Scottish politician (died 1634)

John Erskine, 2nd Earl of Mar was a Scottish politician, the only son of another John Erskine and Annabella Murray. He is regarded as both the 19th earl and the 2nd earl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter Stewart, 1st Lord Blantyre</span> Scottish courtier and politician

Walter Stewart, 1st Lord Blantyre (1555–1617) was a Scottish courtier and politician. He was Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland from 1582 to 1596 and Treasurer of Scotland from 1596 to 1599.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Home, 1st Earl of Dunbar</span>

George Home, 1st Earl of Dunbar, KG, PC was, in the last decade of his life, the most prominent and most influential Scotsman in England. His work lay in the King's Household and in the control of the State Affairs of Scotland and he was the King's chief Scottish advisor. With the full backing and trust of King James he travelled regularly from London to Edinburgh via Berwick-upon-Tweed.

William Schaw was Master of Works to James VI of Scotland for building castles and palaces, and is claimed to have been an important figure in the development of Freemasonry in Scotland.

Sir William Stewart of Houston was a Scottish soldier, politician and diplomat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Stewart, 2nd Lord Ochiltree</span>

Andrew Stewart, 2nd Lord Ochiltree fought for the Scottish Reformation. His daughter married John Knox and he played a part in the defeat of Mary, Queen of Scots at the battle of Langside.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Murray, 1st Earl of Tullibardine</span> Scottish nobleman

John Murray, 1st Earl of Tullibardine was a Scottish courtier and leader of the Clan Murray.

George Young was a Scottish churchman, courtier, member of the Privy Council of Scotland, diplomat, and secretary depute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henrietta Stewart</span> Scottish courtier

Henrietta Stewart (1573–1642) was a Scottish courtier. She was the influential favourite of the queen of Scotland, Anne of Denmark.

Margaret Stewart, Mistress of Ochiltree was a courtier in the household of Anne of Denmark in Scotland and looked after her children Prince Henry, Princess Elizabeth, and Charles I of England

Andrew Keith, Lord Dingwall was a Scottish landowner, soldier, and diplomat.

Sir James Sandilands was a courtier to King James VI and I and captain of Blackness Castle

Sir William Keith of Delny was a Scottish courtier and Master of the Royal Wardrobe. He also served as ambassador for James VI to various countries. He was an important intermediary between George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal and the king, the king and courtiers, and the king and foreign governments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Scott of Balwearie</span> Scottish landowner

James Scott of Balwearie was a Scottish landowner and supporter of the rebel earls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Gibb (courtier)</span> Scottish landowner and courtier

John Gibb of Knock and Carribber (c.1550–1628) was a Scottish landowner and courtier.

William Stewart was a Scottish courtier.

John Elphinstone of Selmes and Baberton (1553-1614) was a Scottish landowner and courtier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English subsidy of James VI</span>

Queen Elizabeth I of England paid a subsidy to King James VI of Scotland from 1586 to 1602. This enabled her to influence James by delaying or deferring payments to his diplomats in London. Records survive of the yearly amounts, and details of the expenditure in some years. A large proportion of the money was spent on the royal wardrobe of James and Anne of Denmark. Some royal expenses were met by Anne of Denmark's dowry, which was known as the "tocher". The regular incomes of the Scottish crown were feudal rents, customs, and "compositions" charged on grants of land. Accounts for royal incomes and payments survive as the exchequer rolls and lord treasurer's accounts and have been published as historical sources.

John Cockburn of Ormiston was a Scottish lawyer and landowner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Murray (valet)</span> Scottish courtier

William Murray was a Scottish courtier, a household servant of James VI of Scotland as a "valet of the king's chamber".

References

  1. ↑ Gordon Donaldson, Register of the Privy Seal: 1581-1584, vol. 8 (Edinburgh, 1982), p. 316 no. 1880.
  2. ↑ HMC Report on the manuscripts of Colonel David Milne Home of Wedderburn Castle (London, 1902), pp. 70-71.
  3. ↑ George Powell McNeil, Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, vol. 22 (Edinburgh, 1903), pp. xlii, 297, 311, 348, 356, 365, 367, 386.
  4. ↑ National Records of Scotland, Register of the Privy Seal, PS1/67 f.125.
  5. ↑ Michael Pearce, 'Anna of Denmark: Fashioning a Danish Court in Scotland', The Court Historian, 24:2 (2019) pp. 140, 147
  6. ↑ Letters of John Colville (Edinburgh, 1858), pp. 128-30.
  7. ↑ Annie I. Cameron, Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1593-1595, vol. 11 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 548: Marguerite Wood, Extracts from the Burgh Records of Edinburgh: 1589-1603, vol. 6 (Edinburgh, 1927), pp. 129-130.
  8. ↑ David Masson, Register of the Privy Council of Scotland: 1592-1599, vol. 5 (Edinburgh, 1882), pp. 462-3, 467-8.
  9. ↑ Amy Juhala, 'For the King Favours Them Very Strangely', in Miles Kerr-Peterson and Steven J. Reid, James VI and Noble Power (Routledge: Abingdon, 2017), pp. 162-3.
  10. ↑ Duncan Thomson, Painting in Scotland, 1570-1650 (Edinburgh, 1975), p. 57.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.