Lesmahagow

After the Queen’s defeat at Langside, Regent Murray lost no time in following up his successes.  Indictments for treason were immediately issued against the Hamiltons and their adherents.  The Regent having made an expedition northward, at the head of a large force, took the Castle of Draffane and “Place” of Hamilton.  On the 24^th August, and Act of Parliament was passed regarding them.  The Hamiltons, however, recovered them.

In 1570, during the struggles between the Queen’s party and the adherents of her son, Sir William Drury was sent from England by Queen Elizabeth, with an army to aid the cause of the youthful James VI.  Cadzow Castle was besieged and half demolished, and the town and “Place” of Hamilton burnt.   The defenders of the castle capitulated on condition of a safe retreat, and meeting Lord Sempill on their way, they carried him prisoner to the Castle of Craignethan.

A few years latter, Lord Claud Hamilton, Commentator of Paisley, one of the younger sons of the Duke of Chatelherault, made an unsuccessful attempt to surprise Regent Mar in Callendar wood, when the latter was on his way from Stirling to Edinburgh.  He next drove Lord Sempill from the Abbey of Paisley, and placed a garrison in it.  The Regent laid siege to the place, which soon surrendered; but apprehensive of the fate of some prisoners, Lord Claud, by way of reprisal, secured in his retreat some of the Regent’s party, whom he carried to the Castle of Craignethan, with the expectation of making an exchange.

James, third Earl of Arran, succeeded his father in 1575.  In 1560, when a young man, the Scottish Parliament, with the view of allaying animosities between England and Scotland, had proposed him as a husband to Queen Elizabeth, who however, declined the offer with as good a grace as she could assume.

In the following year he openly aspired to the hand of Mary Queen of Scots, but religious differences, it is said, caused him to forfeit her favour.  His mind became unhinged, and he lived secluded in the Castle of Craignethan, in charge of some faithful adherents of the family, and in company with his mother, the Duchess of Chatelherault.  From the Earl’s insanity, his younger brothers, Lord John Hamilton, Lord of Arbroath; and Lord Claud, already mentioned, were regarded as the leaders of the powerful and ancient family of Hamilton.  Lord John was in possession of the family estates; and in the event of the death of Queen Mary and her son, was heir to the throne.  Morton, formerly Regent, had long looked upon the Hamilton estates with greedy eyes, and his possession of the person of the young King enabled him to overawe the monarch and to determine his councils.  The destruction of the family of Hamilton was resolved upon; and at the troubled period reasons were not wanting for this decision.

Lord Claud Hamilton, it as alleged, had been accessory to the murder of the Regent Lennox, and the Hamiltons were involved in the death of Regent Moray.  James VI., acting by advice of Morton, issued a commission to John, Earl of Moray, Archibald, Earl of Angus, and others, dated 22d May 1579, commencing with a narrative of the murders of Regents Murray and Lennox, and stating that the participants in these crimes were not included in the pacification of 1572 – prosecutions against them being only suspended by adivce of Queen Elizabeth, until he (James VI.) came of age; that Lord John Hamilton and his brother, Lord Claud, who, in consequence of their older brother’s insanity., were acting chiefs of the Hamilton family, were guilty of said crimes, and had neither pardon nor grace, favour nor privilege, in the said pacification, but were in the situation of being liable to prosecution when convenient.  Therefore the King, having taken the government of the realm into his own hands, finding them moved by guilty consciences for fear of punishment to absent themselves, and that they and their elder brother, James, Earl of Arran, being charged to render and deliver the castles and houses of Hamilton and Draffane, had contemptuously and treasonably disobeyed his charge, and “stuffit and mintenit” the said house, with divers persons culpable of the said murders and others, whereby they had committed treason against his person, majesty, and estate; were risen in “feir of weir” against him; had resetted the committers of treason, and the murderers of his dearest friends and Regents, and supplied them with assistance, and “stuffit” the said houses, withholding the same against his authority in furthering of rebels and traitors.   The King, with advice of his Privy Council, respecting the danger of this great contempt and disobedience, and the peril it might impart to his honour, estate, and authority, if it should be further overlooked; calling to mind the various civil wars and rebellions raised against him, and intended against him and his authority during his minority,and against his most noble progenitors, by means of the holding of the said castles against him and the authority of his realm in time past; he therefore appointed the said commissioners, lieutenants, and justices in that part, committing to them full power, special command, express bidding and charge, to assemble his lieges in warlike manner, and to pass, search, and seek the said John and Claud Hamilton, and all others “slandered” of the said murders, and to administer justice upon them according to the laws of the realm.  And in case the said persons “stuff” the said Castles of Hamilton and Draffen against him and his authority, after charge given to surrender them, to besiege the same by artillery, and ordnance, raze, fire, and use all other kinds of force and warlike engines for winning and recovering the same.  And in case they or any of them happened to be hurt, slain, or mutilated, or any burning or destruction of houses or goods took place in the execution of the commission foresaid, the King willed and granted by the foresaid letter, and for himself and his successors, declared and ordained that the same should be always esteemed as worthy and loveable service done to him and his authority.  Armed with this commission, Morton and Angus in person beseiged the Castle of Cadzow, which soon surrendered; and Arthur Hamilton, its captain, was publicly executed at Stirling with his company.  The Castle of Craignethan, in which the unfortunate Earl of Arran had taken refuge, was invested and taken, its garrison having abandoned it during the night.  The Earl, a prisoner and hopelessly insane, was carried to Linlithgow, and placed under the charge of Captain Lammie, a soldier of fierce and brutal habits.   Lord Claud Hamilton fled to England, and threw himself on the compassion of Queen Elizabeth, while the Lord of Arbroath escaped to Flanders.  These transaction were reported to Parliament in November after they occurred, when the actors were declared to have performed “gude and trew service to the King;” and by Act of Parliament the castles of Hamilton and Draffen were ordered “to be demolishit and casten doun;”  “whilk”, it was added, “in a part is already performed”.   (Act. Parl., iii. 150, et seq.)  Captain James Stewart, second son of Lord Ochiltree, and grandson of Lady Margaret Hamilton, only child by the first marriage of James, Earl of Arran, was appointed guardian of the insane Earl; and in 1581 obtained from the King a grant of the baronies of Hamilton and Kinneil, and the other estates of the Hamilton family.

The same year, Stewart, under pretence that he was the lawful heir of the family, was created Earl of Arran, and had acquired such ascendency over the mind of the King, that he succeeded in obtaining the appointments of Lord Chancellor, Lieutenant-General of the Kingdom, and Governor of the Castle of Edinburgh and Stirling.  The combination of the parties whom he had wronged, effected his destruction.

In 1585, James VI. Was at Hamilton enjoying the sports of the field, when he heard of the army which was marching thither, and retired to Stirling, but issued a proclamation ordering all the lieges to meet him at Crawford Castle.  The Earls of Angus and Mar met Lords Bothwell, Home, Yester, Cessford, and Drumlanrig, with their followers, at Linton, and swore never to separate until the upstart Arran was driven from the councils of his sovereign.  They forthwith marched to Stirling at the head of about 8000 men.  The King tried to sow divisions amongst them, but without effect, and the spurious Earl of Arran having escaped from Stirling Castle, that stronghold soon surrendered, when the conquerors immediately made most respectful obeisance to the King.  Lord John Hamilton, who had precedence, in name of the others, said that “they were come in all humility to beg his Majesty’s love and favour”.

The King, whom Tytler describes as “an early adept in hypocrisy”, but who, in the instance, appears to have spoken truthfully, replied, “My Lord, I did never see you before, but you were a faithful servant of the Queen, my mother, and of all this company have been the most wronged; as for the rest of you, if you have been exiles, was it not you fault?”  After a personal remark to the Earl of Bothwell, the King continued, “To you all, who, I believe, meant no harm to my person, I am ready, remembering nothing that is past, to give my hand and heart; on one condition, however, that you carry yourselves henceforth as dutiful subjects"”  The upstart Arran was forthwith proclaimed a traitor at the Market-Place, an amnesty was resolved upon, and everything done by the party who had just obtained power, was acquiesced in by the King, and declared to be done for his service.