The Duke of Lennox | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 29 September 1574 |
| Died | 16 February 1624 (aged 49) |
| Resting place | Westminster Abbey,London |
| Title | 2ndDuke of Lennox 1stDuke of Richmond |
| Spouses |
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| Parent(s) | Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox and Catherine de Balsac |
Ludovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of Lennox and 1st Duke of Richmond (29 September 1574 – 16 February 1624) was aScottish nobleman and a second cousin of KingJames VI and I. He was involved in court theatre and thePlantation of Ulster in Ireland and the colonisation ofMaine inNew England.Richmond's Island and Cape Richmond as well asRichmond, Maine (formerly Fort Richmond), are named after him. His magnificent monument with effigies survives inWestminster Abbey.[4]
He was the eldest son ofEsmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox (1542-1583), a Frenchman of Scottish ancestry, by his wife Catherine de Balsac (1547 - 1631), a daughter of Guillaume de Balsac, Sieur d'Entragues, by his wife Louise d'Humières. Ludovic's father was a favourite and first cousin once removed of KingJames VI (the King's fatherHenry Stewart, Lord Darnley having been Esmé's first cousin). Ludovic was therefore himself a second cousin to the King.[5]
On 14 November 1583, after the death of his father, he returned from France and was taken to meet KingJames VI of Scotland atKinneil House.[6] He had surrendered theSeigneurie d'Aubigny to his younger brother,Esmé.[7] Later in that month, theEarl of Arran installed him inHolyrood Palace, expellingFrancis, Earl of Bothwell from his lodgings.[8]
In December, the king issued instructions for Ludovic's education and placed him in the royal household under the care of MrGilbert Moncreiff. A French servant John Cavallione was to instruct him in boldity exercises and pastimes.[9] On 23 December 1583 he was appointed as the High and Great Chamberlain of Scotland and first Gentleman of the King's Bedchamber, as his father had been, withAlexander Erskine of Gogar, Captain ofEdinburgh Castle as his deputy. The role included taking oaths of fidelity to the King from the other officers, ushers, and varlets of the Bedchamber and Wardrobe.[10]
Lennox bore thecrown at thecoronation of Anne of Denmark inSt Giles, Edinburgh.[11] On 4 October 1590 he played cards with the king for the stake of a new "blackcastor hat lined with velvet".[12] James however became angry with Lennox because he wished to marry Lilias (or Sophie) Ruthven,[13] a daughter ofWilliam Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie. James wanted him to marry a daughter of theEarl of Morton orArbella Stewart and had Lilias Ruthven shut up inWemyss Castle.[14] Despite this, Lennox rescued his bride from the castle and married her the next day. After 10 days the king's rage subsided and the couple were allowed to come to court.[15] After the death of Lilias Ruthven in May 1592, the English diplomatRobert Bowes heard that the king often received Lennox in his bed when he was away from the court and his queenAnne of Denmark.[16]
Robert Bowes, the English diplomat in Edinburgh, described a fight on Edinburgh'sRoyal Mile between Lennox andJohn Wemyss of Logie. Logie had upset or made Lennox jealous in an incident in the king's bed chamber. Bowes said the offence was Logie's "disobedience" to the Duke. Lennox confronted Logie on the street on 7 January 1591 and hit him on the head with his sword. King James, who was walking behind Logie, was dragged into a shop for safety.[17] Lennox was commanded to leave the court for a while, for fighting near the king's person.[18] The kirk ministerRobert Bruce of Kinnaird spoke in his next sermon of the lack of reverence of the "men who troubled our causeway".[19] Some further details were recorded byDavid Calderwood. In his version Logie's offence was to refuse to leave the bedchamber at Lennox's command,Alexander Lord Home helped Lennox attack Logie, and the king's refuge was a skinner's shop where he 'fylled his breeches for feare'.[20] Soon after, Lennox was returned to court by the queen's intercession.[21]
In 1591 he was appointed to the post of Lord High Admiral of Scotland following the disgrace ofFrancis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell. On 18 October he was playing golf on the sands of Leith with theEarl of Huntly and they attempted to arrest Bothwell, who escaped, but Bothwell's horse "Valentine" was captured with Robert Scott brother of theLaird of Balwearie. Lennox arrestedMichael Balfour ofBurleigh and John Wemyss of Logie on 8 August 1592 on suspicion of conspiracy with Bothwell. They were interrogated atDalkeith Palace. Burleigh was released and Logie escaped with the help of his Danish girlfriendMargaret Winstar.[22]
On 13 February 1593 Lennox decided to play golf withSir James Sandilands at Leith. On their way they metJohn Graham, aLord of Session, who thought Sandilands was attacking him. They had a feud over land ownership. The two groups of attendants fired on each other with pistols and John Graham andSir Alexander Stewart, a companion of the duke, were killed.[23]
On 6 May 1593 the Duke and 15 friends subscribed to a frivolous legal document swearing to abstain from wearing gold and silver trimmings on their clothes for a year,[24] and the defaulters were to pay for a banquet for all atJohn Kinloch's house. This "passement bond" was in part inspired by cheap counterfeit gold and silver thread used in "passements great or small, plain orà jour, bissets, lilykins, cordons, and fringes" which quickly discoloured. The signatories includedLord Home, theEarl of Mar,Lord Spynie, theMaster of Glamis,Sir Thomas Erskine,Walter Stewart of Blantyre,Sir George Home,David Seton of Parbroath, and SirWilliam Keith of Delny.[25]
AsGreat Admiral of Scotland, on 12 October 1593 Lennox gave Daniel Leyne a warrant to seize a ship captained by James Keeler of London, which was loading salt atPrestonpans. The ship was taken in recompense for theBruce of Leith ofGeorge Bruce of Carnock, captured by English privateers off the coast of Spain.[26] Soon after, as Lennox was now out of favour with James VI, he went toSt Andrews in October 1593 and considered returning to France.[27]
As the baptism ofPrince Henry drew near,John Colville reported a rumour at the Scottish court that James VI had conceived jealousy against Anne of Denmark, and even thought that Lennox might be the father of Prince Henry.[28] This disagreement was probably part of a wider factional struggle.[citation needed] Lennox remained in the king's favour, and at thetournament at Prince Henry's baptism in August 1594 Lennox rode in a Turkish costume.[29]
Lennox was made the King's Lieutenant of the North, and took a force to the north of Scotland against the Earls ofHuntly andErroll. The castles ofRuthven in Badenoch andInverness surrendered to him, and he held justice courts inElgin. The wages of his soldiers were paid from money given byQueen Elizabeth to James VI.[30] He ordered his sister theCountess of Huntly and theCountess of Erroll to go the court of James VI.[31] On 8 February 1595 he came to Aberdeen, and was made a burgess of the town at the Mercat Cross.[32] Several members of his retinue were also made burgesses, includingSir Robert Melville of Murdocairny andDavid Moysie secretary-depute to the king.[33] When his horse was sick, Lennox wrote to the Laird ofKilravock to borrow his "black hackney nag".[34]
As aNew Year's day gift in 1596 James VI give him a jewel with a crown set with diamonds worth 90crowns.[35] In March 1597 James VI allowed Adam Bruntfield and James Carmichael, son ofSir John Carmichael, to fight in single combat onCramond Island, or the nearbyLinks of Barnbougle,[36] because Bruntfield accused Carmichael of killing his brother, Stephen Bruntfield, Captain ofTantallon, in treasonous circumstances. Lennox went to the island to be the judge of their fight with theLaird of Buccleuch andSir James Sandilands. They wore lightweight clothes of satin and taffeta, one in blue, and one in red. Bruntfield killed Carmichael. There were said to be 5,000 spectators.[37]
Lennox hosted a banquet for theDuke of Holstein, brother of Anna of Denmark, on 25 May 1598.[38] Lennox joined with the "Gentleman Adventurers of Fife" in a controversial project to resettle theIsle of Lewis. The king gave him the title Lieutenant within the bounds of Lewis, Ronalewis, and Trouternes.[39] Lennox intended to go to Lewis in October 1598, and in December he was at theBog o'Gight with theEarl of Huntly and planning to go to Lewis when the other adventurers or Lewisers arrived there.[40]
Following hisaccession to the English throne in 1603, King James (now also known as James I of England) asked Lennox to accompany him him to London.[41] Lennox gained further English titles as Lord Settrington andEarl of Richmond (1613), andEarl of Newcastle andDuke of Richmond (1623).[42]
King James was displeased with Lennox in June 1603 over the management of Anne of Denmark's business. He felt that Lennox should have persuaded her not to appoint one Kennedy as her chamberlain, when he preferredGeorge Carew. The King objected to some of her other appointments and sent Lennox back to Scotland, where she remained, to amend matters.[43][44] Lennox travelled with her to England. Her large crowd of followers was disorderly, and Lennox, with the Earls ofShrewsbury andCumberland made a proclamation atWorksop Manor on 19 June that her followers should put aside any private quarrels, and hangers-on without formal roles should leave.[45]
In November 1603 the Spanish ambassador, theCount of Villamediana, invited the Duke of Lennox and theEarl of Mar to dinner, and according toArbella Stuart asked them "to bring the Scottish ladies for he was desirous to see some natural beauties". These includedJean Drummond andAnna Hay, withElizabeth Carey.[46] On 1 January 1604 Lennox organised and performed atHampton Court inThe Masque of Indian and China Knights.[47]
Lennox was a conduit for patronage and court appointments, and those hoping to place their allies at court would solicit his favour. However, Lennox claimed that placing more Scottish people in the king's household had become difficult. He wrote to SirWilliam Livingstone of Kilsyth who had asked for a place for a Napier ofMerchiston Castle;
"although the King has this long time promised Merchiston ever the next vacant place, yet many has been placed over him and in this has found great impediments; for believe that a stranger shall find great difficulty to obtain any such place so long as there is any English man that does aim at it; for it is thought by them all that there is already too many Scots here in such places."[48]
He went as ambassador to France in January 1605. The mission was to return the compliment of the embassy of theMarquis de Rosny, who came to London in 1603.[49] Lennox's cousin, theMarquise de Verneuil, was under house arrest in Paris, and was moved to different lodging far from the Duke's apartments.[50] In July 1606 Lennox was sent toGravesend to welcomeChristian IV of Denmark-Norway, the younger brother of the queenAnne of Denmark, to England. His companions includedSir Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun.[51] In August 1605 he joined the King and Queen atDrayton House in Northamptonshire.[52]
In 1605 King James granted Lennox a patent for the "New Draperies" which had been resigned by SirGeorge Delves and William Fitzwilliam. He was much better placed than these men to exploit the grant and litigate with provincial traders and craftsmen. He employed the London lawyers Anthony Gibson and Richard Hadsor to uphold the rights of his agents inNorwich, who searched and checked textiles sent to London. In 1614 he extended his efforts to claim dues from stockings made inRichmond, Yorkshire. Several Members of Parliament protested against his exactions.[53]
Lennox was in Scotland as High Commissioner of the Parliament from July 1607. His account of household expenses details his movements and the food he and his retainers consumed. He stayed at first atHolyrood Palace and his servant Walter Murray nailed his tapestries to the walls of his lodging. He also stayed in John Kinloch's house in Edinburgh. He spent time withMary Ruthven, Countess of Atholl, a sister of his first wife, and gave her money. He visitedSt Andrews and was in Stirling with his daughter Elizabeth in November. His master cook William Murkie had worked forAnne of Denmark.[54]
Lennox made a brief visit to Scotland in August 1616. He was escorting theMarquis of Huntly home.[55]
On 9 February 1608 he performed in the masqueThe Hue and Cry After Cupid atWhitehall Palace as a sign of the zodiac, to celebrate the wedding ofJohn Ramsay, Viscount Haddington to Elizabeth Radclyffe.[56]
Lennox acquired the royal patent to mintcopper farthings in 1614, which he held until his death in 1624.
As part of thePlantation of Ulster, in 1608 Lennox was granted lands at Portlough in the Barony of Raphoe in County Donegal. The Pynnar Survey of 1618 records Lennox as the chief undertaker for 2,000 acres in the Portlough area and as represented locally by his agent SirAulant Aula. Newtownstewart in County Tyrone, now in Northern Ireland, may have been named after him. In the Muster Rolls of 1631, his nephew and eventual heirJames Stewart, 1st Duke of Richmond, 4th Duke of Lennox is described as being an undertaker of 4,000 acres.Mongavlin Castle was built by his son Sir John Stewart, who was also Governor ofDumbarton Castle.
Ludovic was involved in the colonisation ofMaine inNew England, through his seat on thePlymouth Company.Richmond Island and Cape Richmond, as well asRichmond, Maine (formerly Fort Richmond), are named after him.
On 16 October 1612 Lennox was involved in welcoming thePalsgrave,Frederick V of the Palatinate, the husband-to-be ofPrincess Elizabeth. Lennox and ten other noblemen met him atGravesend and brought him to London in a convoy of barges. They were met by theDuke of York on theThames near theTower of London. They alighted atWhitehall Palace and brought the Palsgrave into the royal presence in the Banqueting Hall.[57]
In March 1614 thieves broke into his lodgings atWhitehall Palace and stole a gold collar set with pearls and diamonds worth £300, a silver warming pan, a silver inkstand, and some linen.[58] A bed in his lodgings at the gatehouse of Whitehall Palace had belonged to "Lady Lennox",Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox, who had "worked" or embroidered the curtains.[59] In 1620 he wrote toSir Robert Gordon in Paris asking him to buy a dozen masks and a dozen gloves for gentlewomen, engaging the help of Madame de Gie and the Marquise de Vermont if possible.[60]
KingJames VI of Scotland had discussed withThomas Fowler the possibility of the Duke marryingArbella Stuart, but the scheme was not proceeded with.[61] He married three times.
Lennox also had a son with a mistress whose name is unknown:
Stewart died suddenly in bed in his lodging at Whitehall Palace on the morning of 16 February 1624 aged 49 without a legitimate male issue.[42] A funeral hearse with his effigy on a bed of state was displayed at Hatton House.[67]
Stewart was buried inWestminster Abbey, in the Richmond Vault[68] in theHenry VII Chapel (that king formerly having beenEarl of Richmond) above which is his domed black marble monument byHubert Le Sueur with gilt-bronze recumbent effigies of himself and his wife. The Latin inscription may be translated as follows:
- Here lies the body of the most illustrious and most excellent prince, Ludovic, son of Esme Stuart, Duke of Lennox, grandson of John, nephew (sic, 2nd cousin)to the serene Prince King James I, Duke of Richmond and Lennox, Earl of Newcastle upon Tyne and Darnley, Chamberlain and Hereditary Admiral of Scotland, Lord High Steward of the Household, first Gentleman of the Bedchamber and Privy Counsellor to his sacred Majesty King James, Knight of the Garter, Ambassador from Scotland to France; a prince born to every thing that was great and good, but gone to far better. He lived 49 years, 4 months and 17 days. The most illustrious and most excellent princess Frances Duchess of Richmond and Lennox, daughter of Thomas Lord Howard of Bindon, son to the Duke of Norfolk by Elizabeth daughter of Edward, Duke of Buckingham, wife of Ludovic Stuart, Duke of Richmond and Lennox, who, ever mindful of this her dearest lord, hath to him who so well deserved it, and to herself, erected this monument. She died the 8th of October A.D. 1639.[68]
The Latin of the Biblical quotation (2. Samuel 3, 38: "Know ye not that a prince and a great man is this day dead") contains achronogram forming the Roman numerals of 1623 (old style, 1624 new style), the year of his death.[68]
On 6 October 1613 he was created Baron of Settrington (of Yorkshire) and Earl of Richmond (of Yorkshire), and on 17 May 1623 Earl of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne andDuke of Richmond.[69]
On his death the title of Duke of Richmond became extinct, but the paternal Scottish title ofDuke of Lennox passed to his younger brother,Esmé Stewart, 3rd Duke of Lennox (1579-1624).[70]
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Lennox".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 420.
| Parliament of Scotland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Lord High Commissioner 1607–1609 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Custos Rotulorum of Kent 1617–1624 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Lord Lieutenant of Kent 1620–1624 | |
| Peerage of Scotland | ||
| Preceded by | Duke of Lennox 1583–1624 | Succeeded by |
| Peerage of England | ||
| New creation | Duke of Richmond 1623–1624 | Extinct |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
