In Edinburgh, they were lodged in the Canongate at John Kinloch's house close to Holyrood Palace.[6] The last week in July was occupied by the aftermath of an attack on Holyrood by the Earl of Bothwell.[7] Krag recorded the events in a Latin journal of their embassy and in a separate memorandum. James VI had to explain the circumstances of Bothwell's appearance at Holyrood to them in a meeting with the Privy Council in the Tolbooth.[8]
They left the Scottish court on 6 August 1593, escorted to Leith by the queen and the royal councilors.[9]Giacomo Castelvetro, an Italian author presented Krag with a manuscript of Italian proverbs and their explanations, with a personal dedication to "Nicolò Crachio", bound in vellum with gold tooling.[10] James VI gave Krag a lengthy Latin letter of recommendation or testimonial with a grant of noble arms.[11] A few weeks later a lion arrived in Edinburgh as a present from Christian IV with a German lion-keeper, Wilhelm Fröhlich.[12] The lion, a gift to Christian from the King of Poland, was tame enough that it could led around by two boys.[13]
London in 1598
In 1598 James Young, the son of the Scottish diplomat Peter Young stayed with Krag while his father and David Cunningham travelled to Rostock and Gustrow, seeking military support to put James VI on the throne of England, in the event of the death of Queen Elizabeth. Their instructions suggested that Elizabeth was in increasingly poor health.[14][15]
Krag was sent to England as the ambassador of Christian IV of Denmark, and was given instructions concerning shipping, English pirates and the Iceland fisheries.[16] In London his household included his followers, with Simon van Salingen, the Danish king's merchant, and Harman Rose, a Danish apothecary, and Peter van Heil, the king's agent in London and Proctor to the Duke of Brunswick. Krag hosted feasts for the Scottish ambassador, a German baron, Heinrich Langerman, Alderman of the Steelyard, and some academics, where a great abundance of wine was consumed.[17]
He had his first audience with Elizabeth on 17 December 1598 at Whitehall Palace. Elizabeth had heard from her ambassadors, Christopher Perkins and Edward, Lord Zouche, that the Scottish envoys in Denmark and Germany had discussed her age and health, and she complained about these "lewd reports of our valetudinary state". Copies of the Scottish ambassadors' instructions make specific reference to the queen's failing health.[18]
On 6 January 1599 Krag saw Elizabeth dance with the Earl of Essex at Whitehall Palace.[20] Krag noted in his journal, "she was invited by the earl of Essex to dance, first excusing herself to me with a joke: then, she danced in a high style following him."[21] Elizabeth said to Krag, in reference to the activities of the Scottish ambassadors in Denmark and Germany who were canvassing for support for James VI in the event of her death;[22]
"You might congratulate me because so many years have passed, though asked to renounce my kingdom, I am not yet so infirm, but can still dance like this, and do other things, despite my wasted body" she added, "Mark this; I would have you reprove the Scots envoys"[23]
John Chamberlain heard that Elizabeth was "very richly and freshly attired" on this occasion, possibly meaning she wore a "tire", a ribboned head-dress.[24] Surprisingly, the Earl of Essex was said to walk with a stoop, and that so far from being a good dancer, he was "no graceful goer".[25]
This was not the only occasion when Elizabeth danced before a diplomat or envoy to make a point about her age and life expectancy. Godfrey Goodman mentions her dancing in private for Roger Aston whenever he delivered letters from Scotland.[26] During the visit of Virginio Orsini, Duke of Bracciano, she danced a galliard to show the "vigour of her old age".[27] Chamberlain also mentioned the "measures and galliards" the queen danced for Orsini in January 1601.[28] The French diplomat André Hurault de Maisse, who came in November 1597,[29] said she tapped her feet in time to the music while her ladies danced on 6 January 1598, and had learnt high dancing in the Italian manner. Her maids called her "the Florentine". De Maisse said her walking could be like "half dancing", but did not see her dance in person.[30]
The Scottish diplomat James Sempill heard from Lord Hunsdon in September 1599 that Elizabeth insisted on riding rather than using a coach or litter, and had recently danced a Spanish "pavie to a whissil tabourier" at Hampton Court to demonstrate her continuing vitality.[31]
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 David Cunningham of Robertland, in Ayrshire, was Master of Works to the Crown of Scotland from 1602 to 1607, and Surveyor of the King's Works in England from 1604 to 1606
Sir George Bruce of Carnock was a Scottish merchant, ship-owner, and mining engineer.
Robert Bowes (1535?–1597) was an English diplomat, stationed as permanent ambassador to Scotland from 1577 to 1583.
Giacomo Castelvetro was an Italian expatriate in Europe and England, humanist, teacher and travel writer.
Sir David Foulis was a Scottish baronet and politician.
Sir Peter Young (1544–1628) was a Scottish diplomat, Master Almoner, and tutor to James VI of Scotland.
Steen Bille (1565–1629) was a Danish councillor and diplomat.
Margaret or Margrethe Vinstarr, was a Danish courtier in Scotland to Anne of Denmark commemorated by the ballad "The Laird o Logie" for rescuing her imprisoned lover.
George Young was a Scottish churchman, courtier, member of the Privy Council of Scotland, diplomat, and secretary depute.
Henrietta Stewart (1573–1642) was a Scottish courtier. She was the influential favourite of the queen of Scotland, Anne of Denmark.
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.
Robert Jousie was a Scottish textile merchant, financier, and courtier. He was involved in the collection and administration of the English subsidy of James VI.
George Nicholson or Nicolson, was an English diplomat in Scotland.
Breide Rantzau was a German nobleman in Danish-Norwegian service. He served as stadtholder of Copenhagen from 1602.
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.
Paul Knibbe or Paulus Knibius or Knibbius was a Flemish-born lawyer and diplomat in Danish service employed in England and Scotland.
The Raid of Holyrood was an attack on Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh on 27 December 1591 by Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell in order to gain the favour of King James VI of Scotland. Bothwell subsequently staged a raid at Falkland Palace, and in July 1593 made another attempt at Holyrood.
References
↑ Karen Skovgaard Pederson, Historiography at the court of Christian IV (Museum Tusculanum, 2002), pp. 110-112.
↑ Alan Stewart, The Cradle King: A Life of James VI & I (Pimlico, 2004), p. 109: Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 150, 164.
↑ William Dunn Macray, 'Report on Archives in Denmark', 46th Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records (London, 1886), p. 35.
↑ Thomas Riis, Should Auld Acquaintance be Forgot, vol. 1 (Odense, 1988), p. 129, citing Bodleian Library, MS Smith 77, pp.117-8, Peter Young to Jacob Bording & Joachim Bassewitz, 2 September 1598; Auld Acquaintance, vol. 2 (Odense, 1988), p. 289: Michael Pearce, "Riddle's Court, Banquet and Diplomacy in 1598", History Scotland Magazine, 12:4 (July/August, 2012), pp. 20–27.
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