Sir John STEWART 1st Earl of Traquair (1600?-1659)

Name:	John STEWART
Sex:	Male
Name Prefix:	Sir
Name Suffix:	1st Earl of Traquair
Father:	John STEWART (bef1594- )
Mother:	Margaret STEWART (bef1578- )

Individual Events and Attributes

Birth	[J] 1600 (app)
Title		1st Earl of Traquair
Occupation		Lord High Treasurer to Charles I
Death	[J] 27 Mar 1659

Marriage

Spouse	Catherine CARNEGIE ( - )
Children	Elizabeth STEWART ( - )

Individual Note 1

John Stuart, whose portrait hangs in the Dining Room of Traquair, received an Earldom from Charles I in 1633, and in 1636 was made Lord High Treasurer. As, Treasurer Depute, he succeeded Sir Gideon Murray in that post. He built an additional story to the house and undertook the formidable task of diverting the River Tweed away from the House (the Well Pool outside the Brew House indicates its original course)

 

The first Earl's political fortunes rose and fell. He was dismissed from his post as Treasurer and Commissioner to the General assembly in 1641, and fined and confined to his estates , then readmitted to Parliament on the intervention of Charles I in 1646. In 1648 he was captured at the Civil War Battle of Preston while trying to rescue the king from the Parliamentarians. After 4 years imprisonment in Warwick Castle he was released to live out his last years at Traquair.

 

"John Stuart was a man of extraordinary natural parts, which were greatly improved by a liberal education, of remarkable steadiness and integrity, of great learning, a consummate statesman, and invariably attached to the interest of the royal family, on which account he afterwards suffered great and many hardships" (Peerage of Scotland)

 

According to Mahon (Life of General the Hon. James Murray) Traquair lived to see his estates passed into other hands, and died in absolute poverty, even starvation, as a result of his former support for Charles I.

Individual Note 2

Traquair Family History:

 

STEWART, EARL OF TRAQUAIR

 

 

JAMES STEWART, natural son of James, Earl of Buchan, by Margaret Murray, 1 had a legitimation under the Great Seal 20 February 1488-89, 2 and a charter from his father, 18 May 1491, of the lands of Traquair to himself and the heirs-male of his body, whom failing, to his brother-german (sic) Alexander, a liferent of the lands being reserved to his mother Margaret Murray. 3 He had a grant of the lands of Melrose, in Banffshire, from his brother Alexander, Earl of Buchan, in December 1499. 4 He fell at Flodden 9 September 1513. He arried (papal dispensation 9 November 1505 5 ) Catherine, younger daughter of Philip Rutherford, and sister and coheiress along with her sister Helen, of her brother Richard Rutherford of that Ilk.' They had issue :

 

1. WILLIAM, who succeeded.

2 Marion, married to James Tweedie of Drumelzier. 7

3. a daughter, who is said to have had, by Archibald, sixth Earl of Angus, an illegitimate daughter Janet, who married Patrick, third Lord Ruthven. 8

 

WILLIAM STEWART of Traquair, who had a charter to himself of the lands and barony of Traquair and Schelynlaw, and to his father in liferent and himself in fee of part of

 

1 See vol. ii. 267. - Reg. Mag. Sig. 3 Confirmed 23 January 1492-93, ibid.

4 Traquair charters cited in Wood's Douglas's Peerage. 5 Ibid. Reg.

Mag. Sig., 12 November 1502. 7 Acts and Decreett, i. 233. Godscroft's

House of Douglas, ii. 63.

 

 

the lands of Glen, with a terce of all the lands to his mother, 12 August 1512. 1 The lands of Traquair were apprised by Queen Margaret in 1528, apparently for a loan of 2150, and were granted to Lord Avondale's brother, James Stewart, on 14 July 1529 ; they seem to have been redeemed soon afterwards, as they were granted anew to William Stewart and his wife in liferent, and their son Robert in fee on 29 March 1538. 2 It is stated' that William was served heir of line to his aunt Helen Rutherford, and got the lands of Rutherford and ells confirmed to him. He married Christian Hay, second daughter of John, second Lord Yester, and by her had issue :

 

1. ROBERT, who succeeded.

 

2. JOHN, who succeeded his brother.

 

3. WILLIAM, who succeeded John.

 

4. JAMES, who succeeded William.

 

5. Margaret, married, first, in 1560, to James Murray of Falahill ; secondly, to George Douglas, younger of Bonjedburgh (contract 17 July 1573 4 ).

 

6. married to William Sinclair of Blans. 5

 

ROBERT STEWART of Traquair is mentioned in the charter of 1538 referred to above. He died s.p. 9 September 1548.

 

JOHN STEWART of Traquair was served heir to his brother Robert 2 May 1549.* He granted a charter of the lands of Edgerston to his cousin Richard Rutherford 12 January 1559-60. 7 He was surety for Sir Thomas Turnbull of Bethroule 13 February 1561-62, 8 and was resent as an extraordinary member at a meeting of the Privy Council in July 1565. 9 He was knighted at the creation of Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, as Duke of Albany on 20 July 1565, was appointed Captain of the Guard to Queen Mary in 1566, and died s.p. 28 April 591, leaving a widow, Janet Knox. 10

 

WILLIAM STEWART of Traquair witnessed his brother's charter of 1559-60 referred to above, and was served heir to him 14 March 1594-95. 11 He was knighted before 18 February 1594-95, when he had a charter of the lands of

 

Caber1 Reg. Mag. Sig. 2 Ibid. 3 Wood's ouglas's Peerage; see Exch. Rolls, xix. 433 ; Acts and Decreets, xlii. 146. * Reg. of Deeds, xii. 282. 6 Ibid., xi. 306. 6 Retours, Peebles, 2. 7 Reg. Mag. Sig., 13 January 1559-60. 8 P. C. Reg., i. 201. 9 Ibid., 341. 10 Edin. Tests. Douglas's Peerage; see Exch. Rolls, xxii. 510.

 

stoun, co. Peebles. 1 He had a grant of the lands of Gaithope and others, co. Selkirk, 26 March 1595. He was one of the Gentlemen of the King's Bedchamber ; Governor of Dumbarton Oastle 1582 ; a Privy Councillor ; and sat in Parliament for Peeblesshire from 1593 to 604. He was one of the three friends of William, Earl of Gowrie, who accompanied him to the scaffold at his execution on 4 May 1584, and took charge of the burial of his body. 2 Sir William died 20 May 1605.

 

JAMES STEWART of Traquair, the youngest son, succeeded his brother, and was served heir to him in Gaithope and Traquair 4 July 1605, 3 previous to which he was styled of Kirkland of Innerleithen 4 and of Schillinglaw. 5 He was a lieutenant in the King's Guard under is brother Sir John. 6 He died 9 March 1607, 7 having married Katherine Ker, who died 28 February 1606. 8 They had issue :

 

1. JOHN.

 

2. Robert, who succeeded to Schillinglaw. He was tutor to his nephew John of Traquair. On 19 November 1613 he had, as Sir Robert Stewart, a charter from James Twedy of Drummelzier, conveying to him and his wife, for a sum of 13,000 merks, the lands of HopcailzieWester, co. Peebles.' On 29 July 1617 he had a charter of the lands of Horsburgh, co. Peebles. 10 He was buried in February 1623, 11 having married Alice, daughter of Mr. Samuel Cockburn, of Temple," with whom he got the charter of Hopcailzie above mentioned. James Stewart of Horsburgh, their son, 13 was served heir 25 March 1634."

 

3. William. As filius legitimus of James Stewart of Scheillinglaw, he had a grant of the benefice and lands belonging to the Holy Cross Church of the Red Friars on 11 June 1584. 15 It is stated to be vacant by the decease of Thomas Hay, brother of William, Lord

Hay of Yester, and William Stewart was bound to

 

1 Reg. Mag. Sig. 2 Brit. Mus., Cotton MS. Caligula c. viii. 29. s Retours, Selkirk, 9 ; Peebles, 25. * Reg.M ag.Sig.,21 December 1592. 6 Ibid., 11 June 1584. 6 Ibid. ; P. C. Reg., iii. 727, 730. J Edin. Tests. 8 Ibid. Confirmed 18 January 1614, Reg. Mag. Sig. 10 Ibid. n anongate Reg. 12 She was his future wife 16 December, Edin. Sas. Sec. Reg., viiL 58. 13 Reg. Mag. Sig., 23 December 1633. 14 Retours, Roxburgh, 155. 15 Reg. Mag. Sig.

 

 

pay a third of the benefice for the support of the King's Guard under the provisions of an Act of Parliament to that effect. 1 This gift was much complained of by the Hays, who said that Thomas Hay had got a regrant of the benefice on his own resignation in 1583, apparently in fee and not in mere liferent. The claimants carried the matter to the Court of Session, and it was remitted to the Commissaries, and was also brought before the Privy Council.

 

2 He had a daughter Agnes. 3

 

4. Walter.

 

5. Margaret, married, in 1576, to William Burnett, * the Hoolet o' Barns.' *

 

6. Janet, married (contract 29 October 1576) to John Veitch of Dawick. 6

 

7. Isabel.

 

8. Mary.

 

9. Gelis, married (contract 28 December 1608) to William Rutherford of Sunlaws, afterwards of Wrightlands. 6

 

JOHN STEWART, younger of Traquair, died vita patris, having married Margaret, daughter of Andrew, Master of Ochiltree. 7 They had a son,

 

I. JOHN STEWART of Traquair, who succeeded his grandlather. He was born about 1600, as he was still under age in 1619, when Sir Robert Stewart of Shillinglaw appears as his curator, 8 but must have attained majority in or before 1621, when he sat in Parliament as ommissioner for Peeblesshire. He evidently threw himself into the work of Parliament with enthusiasm and diligence as his name is found during the next few years as a member of many committees. On 17 July 1623 he was appointed one of the Standing Committee on anufactures, by which time he had apparently been knighted.' He was Convener of the County of Peebles in the same year, and was made a Commissioner for the Middle Shires in 1624. 10 On 23 May 1627 1

 

A eta Parl. Scot. , iii. 413. 2 P. C. Reg. , i v. 556. 8 Test, of James Stewart, which also names James's son Walter and his three youngest daughters. 4 Family of Burnett of Barns, 22. 6 Reg. of Deeds, xvii. 351. 6 Ibid., ccclxxxiii. 316. 7 Duncan Stewart, 120. 8 P. C. Reg., xii. 23, 75, 85. 9 Ibid., xiii. 300. 10 Ibid., 343, 543.

 

 

he was admitted a member of the Privy Council. 1 On 13 December of that year he was, as one of the curators of the Duke of Lennox, appointed Keeper of Dumbarton Castle, which had been allowed by neglect to fall into a state of disrepair. He did not, however, hold the ppointment long, as he handed the castle over to an agent of the Duke in the February following. 2 By patent, dated at Whitehall 19 April 1628, he was created a Lord of Parliament under the title of LORD STEWART OF TRAQUAIR, with remainder to his heirs-male bearing the name and arms of Stewart. 3 He was appointed Treasurer Depute when the Earl of Morton got the white staff in 1630, and on 10 November of that year he was made one of the Extraordinary Lords of Session. 4 He was included in the list of the new Privy Council formed in March 1631. He was always a useful and energetic public servant, and his services were rewarded, at the time of King Charles i.'s visit to Scotland, by his being created, on 23 June 1633, EARL OF TRAQUAIR, LORD LINTON AND OABERSTON, with remainder to heirs-male whatsoever as above. 6 On 24 May 1636 he was made Lord High Treasurer in succession to his old chief, Morton. From this date the principal events in his career were associated with the troubles that arose in connection with the introduction of Laud's Liturgy. He appears to have tried to steer a middle course, and to have had no very strong opinions of his own, but this, as might be expected, led him to be distrusted by both the King and the Covenanters. After the latter body captured Edinburgh Castle in 1639, they marched to Dalkeith Palace and made Traquair deliver up a large quantity of arms and ammunition which he had provided for the purpose of fortifying the castle against them. The King, naturally, was not well pleased at this occurrence, and Traquair was under a cloud at Court for a time. But he was too valuable a servant to be dispensed with. He was appointed Commissioner to the Assembly which sat on 13 August 1639, when an Act was passed abolishing Episcopacy. But while he professed to approve of this, he managed to delay till the next year the meeting of Parlia-

 

1 P. C. Reg., 2nd set., i. 610. 2 Ibid., ii. 150, 252. 3 Reg. Mag. Sig.

4 Brunton and Haig's Senators, 284. 6 Reg. Mag. Sig.

 

ment which should have ratified it. His trimming lost him the confidence of both parties, and exasperated the Covenanters, and in 1641 Parliament indicted him as an * incendiary,' 1 and a commission was authorised to try him and other four persons. 2 On 3 December 641 Traquair bound himself to appear for trial whenever summoned, but as a matter of fact the commission came to an end without any trial taking place. 3 In 1644 an Act of Parliament, of inordinate length, was passed, reciting the career and misdemeanours of Traquair from the Covenanting point of view, and accepting from him the sum of 40,000 merks, but ordering him to confine himself within the sheriffdoms of Roxburgh, Selkirk, and Peebles. In 1645 he sent his son, Lord Linton, to join Montrose with a troop of horse the day before the attle of Philiphaugh, but he ordered them that very night to withdraw from the Royalist Army, and he has generally been accused of having given the Covenanting general information as to the state of Montrose's forces. 4 In the following year, however, through the influence of the King, and on a petition by him, expressing sorrow that anything should have escaped him calculated to displease the Parliament, he was once more received into favour and admitted to sit and vote. 5 In 1648 he raised a troop of horse for the ' Engagement ' to attempt the rescue of the King, but both he and his son, Lord Linton, were taken prisoners at the battle of Preston. He was imprisoned in Warwick Castle for four years and his estates sequestrated. On 9 March 1652 he was permitted by the Council of State at Whitehall to return to Scotland for a period of six months, 6 and ultimately was set at liberty. The remainder of his days was spent in poverty and obscurity in Edinburgh, though his name appears on the lists of the Commissioners of Supply for Peeblesshire till the time of his death, which took place on 27 March 1659 ' upon a Sabbath betwixt sermons ' ; 7 * suddenly when taking a pipe of tobacco.' 8 So low had this once great minister of state been reduced that it is said ' he wanted bread before he died,' 9 and he is known in history as * the

 

1 Acta Part. Scot., v. 319. 2 Ibid., 408. 3 P. C. Reg., 2nd ser., vii. pref. xlvi. * Deeds of Montrose, 141. 5 Acta ParL Scot., vi. pt. i. 638. 6 Ibid., pt. ii. 749. T Crawfurd's Lives, 414. 8 Staggering State. 9 Crawford, ut supra.

 

beggar Earl.' An eye-witness says, * I saw him begging in the streets of Edinburgh. He was in an antick garb, wore a broad, old hat, short clock, and pannien breeches ; and I contributed in my quarters in the Canongate at that time, which amounted to a noble, which we gave him standing, and his hat off, the Master of Lovat, Oulboky, Glenmoriston, and myselfe; which piece of mony he receaved from my hand as humbly and thankfully as the poorest supplicant. It is said that at a time he had not to pay for cobling his bootes, and died, as we hear, in a poor cobler's house.' 1 At his funeral he ' had no mortcloth but a black apron : nor towels but dog leishes belonging to some gentlemen that were present ; and the grave being two foot shorter than his body, the assistants behoved to stay till the same was enlarged and he buried.' 2 The Earl married (contract 14 September 1620, tocher 20,000 merks) Catherine, third daughter of David, first Earl of Southesk. Whatever may have been Traquair's political and domestic misfortunes, his choice of a wife was not one of them, as nthere are letters extant from her to him in 1651, when he was imprisoned in England, all of which breathe a spirit of most dutiful affection. 3 By her he had issue :

 

1. JOHN, second Earl of Traquair.

 

2. Margaret, married (contract 26 March 1635 4 ) to James, second Earl of Queensberry, and died on, or soon after, 20 March 1673, when she made her will at Sanquhar Castle. 5

 

3. Elizabeth, married, in 1643 (proclamation of banns at Aberlady 9 April), to Patrick, Lord Elibank.

 

4. Catherine, married to John Stewart.

 

5. Magdalene, married to Thomas Hamilton of Redhouse (contract dated 26 January 1658) ; she is styled youngest daughter.'

 

II. JOHN, second Earl of Traquair, was born in 1622. He was sent by his father to join Montrose with a troop of horse at Gala in September 1645, 7 but withdrew from the Royalist forces, it is said by direction of his father, the

 

1 Wardlaw MS.,Scot. Hist. Soc., 476. 2 Note in Staggering State. * Carnegie Book, ii. 441-447. * Deedt, M'Kenzie, 6 November 1668. 6 Dumfries Tests., 1 June 1673. 6 Edin. Sasines, vii. 12. 7 Deeds of Montrose, 140.

 

night before Philiphaugh. 1 He was one of the * engagers ' for the rescue of the King, and accompanied the Duke of Hamilton on his expedition into England in August 1648, and was taken prisoner at Preston, but was soon released. He succeeded his father, with whom he was on bad terms for some time before his death, in 1659, and died in April 1666. He married, first, towards the end of 1649, Henrietta Gordon, second daughter of George, second Marquess of Huntly, and widow of George, Lord Seton, eldest son of George, Earl of Winton. 2 She died in childbed, June 1651 ; 3 and he married, secondly, at Winton in April 1654, Anne Seton, born 30 September 1634, second daughter of the Earl of Winton, she being his first wife's sister-in-law. 4 By her he had issue :

 

1. WILLIAM, third Earl of Traquair.

 

2. George, died vita patris unmarried.

 

3. CHARLES, fourth Earl of Traquair.

 

4. John, died s.p.

 

5. 6, 7. Three daughters Elizabeth, Isabel, and Lucy, who all died unmarried.

 

III. WILLIAM, third Earl of Traquair, was born 18 June 1657, succeeded his father in 1666 and died unmarried.

 

IV. CHARLES, fourth Earl of Traquair, succeeded his brother, and is said to have been ' a nobleman of great integrity, worth and honour.' 5 He died 13 June 1741, having married, 9 January 1694 (contract same day), Mary, daughter of Robert, fourth Earl of Nithsdale. She died 22 September 1759 in her eighty-eighth year. They had issue:

 

1. CHARLES, fifth Earl of Traquair.

 

2. William, born 27 February 1698, died, unmarried, before 1764.

 

3. JOHN, sixth Earl of Traquair.

 

4. Robert, born 9 February 1710.

 

5. Lucy, born 18 February 1695. She was educated at a convent in Paris, from which she wrote some interesting letters to her mother. 8 She died, unmarried, at Edinburgh 12 April 1768.

 

1 Deeds of Montrose, 143. 2 Cf. vol. iv. 547. 3 Balfour's Annals, iv. 351. * Ibid. 5 Wood's Douglas's Peerage, ii. 600. 6 Carlaverock Book, ii. 181-186, 191-198.

 

6. Anne, born 6 March 1696 ; was with her eldest sister in Paris, and died, unmarried, at Edinburgh 5 April 1755.

 

7. Elizabeth, born 12 February 1700. She probably died before 1706, when another daughter received the same name.

 

8. Winifred, born 7 June 1701.

 

9. Mary, born 11 August 1702, married, as his second wife to John (Drummond), fifth titular Duke of Perth, and died at Edinburgh 4 February 1773.

 

10. Isabel, born 7 May 1703.

 

11. Jean, twin with the above.

 

12. Catherine, born 4 March 1705, married, as first wife,. probably on 27 June 1731, 1 to her cousin William, only son of William, fifth and last Earl of Nithsdale. She died at Paris 16 June 1765.

 

13. Elizabeth (secundd), born 5 August 1706.

 

14. Henrietta, born 15 September 1707.

 

15. Barbara, born 3 September 1708, died, unmarried, at Edinburgh 15 November 1794.

 

16. Margaret, twin with the above. She died, unmarried, at Edinburgh 4 April 1791. She and her twin sister were the recipients of Latin verses made in their honour by the famous Dr. Archibald Pitcairn, who was the family physician. They lived in a house at the head of the Oanongate, having its entrance from St. Mary's Wynd. There it is said they drew out their innocent retired lives, one of their favourite amusements being to make dolls and little beds for them to lie on. 2

 

17. Louisa, born 27 October 1711. 3

 

V. CHARLES, fifth Earl of Traquair, succeeded his father in 1741. He took part in the rising of 1745 and was for a considerable time imprisoned in the Tower of London. He was released on bail before August 1748, and was probably finally discharged in October of that year. 4 He was, along with the Earls of Kellie and Olancarty, excepted in the 1 Carlaverock Book, i. 486. 2 Chambers's Traditions of Edinburgh, 309. 3 The names of the family and the dates of their birth are from a list of her children by the Countess of Traquair given in the Carlaverock Book,

i. 407. * Red Book of Grandtully, ii. 359.

 

Acts of Indemnity of 1747. He died at Edinburgh 24 April, and was buried at Traquair 1 May 1764. 1 He married, before 1745, Theresa, youngest daughter and coheir of Sir Baldwyn Oonyers, Bart., of Horden, co. Durham, but by her, who died at York, 8 May 1778, 2 had no issue. She is described in a letter from the Earl of Perth, as * of a very engaging temper, frank and easie in her conversation, accompanied with that decencie in her behaviour, and a livelyness of spirit, as must charme evry body who have the honour to be in company with her, but is of so tender and delicate a constitution, almost broken with her concerne for my Lord her husband and confinment with him, that I 'm affray'd she shall scarcely be able to get the better of the illness she contracted during that time which the doctors apprehended to be an inflammation in her liver, for which she was blooded sixteen times while in the Tower and four times since my Lord has got his liberty. . . .' J

 

VI. JOHN, sixth Earl of Traquair, succeeded his brother. He died at Paris 28 March 1779, 4 having married, in 1740, Christian, daughter of Sir Philip Anstruther, Bart., of Anstrutherfleld, and widow of Sir William Weir of Blackwood, Bart, (who died 1772). By her, who died at Traquair 12 November 1771, in the sixty-ninth year of her age, the Earl had issue :

 

1. CHARLES, seventh Earl of Traquair.

 

2. Christiana, married to Cyrus Griffin, with issue.

 

3. Mary.

 

4. Lucy.

 

VII. CHARLES, seventh Earl of Traquair, was born in 1746; styled Lord Linton till he succeeded his father in 1779. Died at Traquair 14 October 1827, having married, at the house of Mr. Allan, Madox Street, London, 5 19 August 1773, 6 Mary, daughter and coheiress of eorge Ravenscroft of Wickham, co. Lincoln. By her, who died at Madrid II July 1796, he had issue :

 

1. CHARLES, eighth Earl of Traquair.

 

2. Louisa, born 20 March 1776 ; died 6 December 1875.

 

1 Scots Mag. 2 Ibid. 3 Red Book of Grandtully, ii. 359. * Scots Mag.

5 Complete Peerage. ' Scots Mag.

 

VIII. CHARLES, eighth Earl of Traquair, styled Lord Linton till his father's death, was born 31 January 1781, 1 and died, unmarried, at Traquair 2 August 1861, when the Peerage became dormant or extinct. CREATIONS. 19 April 1628, Lord Stewart of Traquair; 23 June 1633, Earl of Traquair, Lord Linton and Caberston. ARMS (recorded in Lyon Register). Quarterly : 1st, or, a fess chequy azure and argent, for Stewart; 2nd, azure, three garbs or, for Buchan ; 3rd, sable, a mullet argent, for Traquair ; 4th, argent, an orle gules, and in chief three martlets sable beaked of the second, for Rutherford. CREST. On a garb or a crow proper. SUPPORTERS. Two bears proper, armed argent. MOTTO. Judge nought.

 

[j. B. P.]

 

1 Scots Mag.