The Great Historic
Families of Scotland
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to Reid
THE LESLIES OF ROTHES.
INTRODUCTION.
page 299
WILLIAM, third Earl, had considerable trouble in making good his title to the
family inheritance; and before his difficulties with the Crown were removed he
was killed, along with the King and the flower of the Scottish nobility, on the
fatal field of Flodden, 9th of September, 1513. His son GEORGE, fourth Earl,
inherited not only the titles and estates of the family, along with their
ability and courage, but also some other qualities which appear to have 'run in
the blood' of the Rothes Leslies. He filled various high offices of State, among
others that of ambassador to Denmark, in 1550, and was one of eight
Commissioners elected by the Estates to represent the Scottish nation at the
marriage of Queen Mary to the Dauphin, at Paris, April 24, 1558. On their way
home the Earls of Rothes and Cassillis, and Bishop Reid,
President of the Court of Session, died at Dieppe all in one night, and Lord
Fleming died about the same time at Paris. It was universally believed at the
time that the Commissioners had been poisoned because they had firmly refused to
settle on the Dauphin the crown matrimonial of Scotland, or to promise that on
their return to their own country they would endeavour to effect that object.
Earl George was five times married. His first [p.299] wife, Margaret Crichton,
was a niece of James IV., who inherited the passions and misfortunes of her
lineage. During her husband's absence as ambassador at the Court of Denmark, she
had an intrigue with Patrick Panter, Abbot of Cambuskenneth, Secretary of State,
one of the most learned men of his age, and bore to him a son, who ultimately
became Bishop of Ross. On the 27th of December, 1580, the Earl obtained a
divorce in the Consistory Court, not, however, on the ground of his wife's
unfaithfulness to him, but the marriage was declared null and void from the
first, on the plea that the Earl confessed to having illicit intercourse before
his marriage with Matilda Striveling, who was related to Margaret Crichton in
the second and third degree of consanguinity, thus making the Earl and Margaret
related to each other in the same degrees of affinity, and rendering their
marriage incestuous and illegal according to existing law. This remarkable
proceeding, connected as it is with 'one of the strangest and darkest stories to
be found in Scottish family history,' throws a flood of light on the state of
morals at that period among the upper classes in Scotland through the operation
of the law of marriage and divorce instituted by the Papal Court.
THE
MAXWELLS.
page 5
It appears that during his captivity in England, Lord Maxwell had become
favourable to the doctrines ofthe Reformed Church, though there is no evidence
that he had joined its communion. It was he whointroduced into the first
Parliament of Queen Mary— 1542-43—a Bill to secure the people liberty
topossess and to read the sacred Scriptures in the vernacular tongue, but under
the restriction that 'na mandespute or hold opinions under the pains contenit in
the Acts of Parliament.' The measure was approved by the Regent Arran, and
passed into a law. 'So,' says John Knox, 'by Act of Parliament it was maid free
to all men and women to reid the Scriptures in their
awen toung, or in the English toung: and so was all actes maid on the contrait
abolished…Then mycht have been seen the Byble lying almaist upoun evrie
gentlemanis table. The New Testament was borne about in many manis handes. We
grant that some(alace) prophaned that blessed wourd; for some that, perchance,
had never it maist common in thare hand; thei would chope thare familiares on
the cheak with it, and say, "This has lyne hyd under my bedfeitt these ten
years." Others wold glorie, "O how oft have I bein in danger for this
booke: how secreatlie have I stollen fra my wyff at mydnicht to reid
upoun it."'
THE GORDONS.
page 327
Huntly's first step was to seize and fortify the city of Aberdeen. Having
learned that a meeting of Covenanters was to be held at Turriff on February 14,
he resolved to disperse them, and marched thitherat the head of two thousand
men. But Montrose having received intimation of Huntly's purpose,anticipated
this movement, and by a rapid march across a range of hills called the
Grangebean, reached Turriff before his arrival. The Marquis, finding that he had
been forestalled, retreated to Aberdeen without venturing on an attack, alleging
that he had authority to act only on the defensive. On the approach of Montrose,
however, to Aberdeen, Huntly precipitately retreated northward, and
theinhabitants surrendered without resistance to the Covenanting general. It was
on this occasion [p.327] that distinctive colours were for the first time
adopted by the Royalist and the Presbyterianparties. Spalding says, 'Here it is
to be noted, that few or none of the haill army wanted ane blew ribbin hung
about his craig [neck], down under his left arme, which they called the
"Covenanters' Ribbon." But the Lord Gordon, and some other of the
Marquess's bairnes and familie, had ane ribbin when he was dwelling in the toun
of ane reid flesh cullor, which they wore in their
hatts, and called it the "Royall Ribbin," as a sign of their love and
loyaltie to the King. In despyte and derision thereof, this blew ribbin was
worne, and called the "Covenanters' Ribbon" be [by] the haill
souldiers of the army, and would not hear of the "Royall Ribbin," such
was their pryde and malice.' Spalding, i. 94.*
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