JAMES CRICHTON, Commonly Called (And Apparently in His Own Lifetime)
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
I. NOTICE SilF SO l ROBER JAMESTN CRICHTOSO S , HI CLUNYF F NO O D AN , " THE ADMIRABLE CRICHTON." BY JOHN STUART, Esa., F.S.A. SCOT. JAMES CRICHTON, commonly called (and apparently in his own lifetime) " The Admirabl ee leas th Crichton, t t memorablno s wa e ban" th f literar o f do e y knights-errant who, in the sixteenth century, made Scotland celebrated through- out Europe. 104 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY 0V s fathe Robers Hi wa r t Crichto Lors f Eliocko nwa d o Advocatwh , e during reigne parth f Queef o to s nsonr Marhe , d Jameyan . sVI James, eldest son of Robert Crichton, by Elizabeth, only daughter of Sir James Stewart of Beath, is supposed by his biographers to have been born on the 19th of August 1560. In the year 1570 he was sent to the University of St Andrews, wher tooe edegree h kth A.Bf eo 20tn o . h Marc fole th -h n 1574i d an , lowing 1577f yeao d beginninr ro , en tha e A.Mf th to n I g. of 1578 repairee ,h d to France, where he is said to have distinguished himself by his skill alike in literatur s sai i havarmsn o di t e d H e .e an gon Italo et 1580n yi , arriving at Venice before the close of that year. Here he became familiar with Aldus Manutius and other men of letters. On the 3d of July 1582 he is said to have met his death under circumstances of romantic interest at Mantua. Having taken notes fro e title-deedmth estate th f Clunyf o eo s , whicw hno belongs to the Earl of Airlie, when arranging his Lordship's charters some years ago, of certain facts connected with Crichton and his father, which may serve to amplify our present information regarding them, I take the opportu- nit bringinf yo g them befor Societye eth , when various portrait formee th f so r exhibitede b o t e ar . The lands of Cluny for some time belonged to the Herrings of Glasclune. On llth October 1501, Andrew Herring of Glasclune and his father, James Herring of Tulibole, granted a procuratory for resigning the lands of Overcardny and others, with the lands of Cluny, into the King's hands, for infeftmeat to be given to George Bishop of Dnnkeld. This deed was granted within the Chap- r Houste Dunkelf o e d before witnesses, Andrew Lord Gray, Justicia f Scotro - land ; Laurence Abbot of Inchaifray ; Sir John Rattray of that Ilk; Mr Wal- ter Broun, Official General of Dunkeld; George Broun, Chancellor; and Sir Thomas Lyn, Canon of that cathedral. George Brown, the prelate, who thus acquired the lands of Cluny, was f Dunkelo consecratee se n 1484e di died th deeda n 1515 an i o d,y dt B , . dated 10th June 1504, the Bishop, in honour of Almighty God, Our Lord Jesus Christ s Blessehi , d Mother Mary t ColumbaS , , patro f Dunkeldno d an , also out of special devotion for St Catherine, Virgin and Martyr, founded a Chaplainry for two Chaplains on the island in the Loch of Cluny, for which he mortified a sum of sixteen pounds, payable out of the lands of Wester Craigend of Cluny, along with two acres of land lying nearest to the Loch, on e soutth h e sideconstituteH . d these chaplains guardian e islanth d f dan o s loch f theI . y shoul absene db t fro islane mth fifteer dfo n days r shoulo , d keep a public concubine, or receive any woman of whatever condition to residence islande onth r retaie nighto , r theron nr he ,e fo the t shoulni lawfue e db th o t l ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND. 105 Bisho f Dunkels constitute pi o time e o th r wh , dfo d patroChaplainrye th f no , to institut chaplainw ene s ipso facto. Alexander Myln, Canon of Dunkeld, who was afterwards Abbot of Cambus- kenneth, and first President of the College of Justice, in his Lives of the Bishop Dunkeldf o s preserves ha , d many particulars connected with the rulf eo Bishop Brown. In relating the foundation in the Chapel of St Catherine at Cluny sayse ,h , " Thi swhole chapeth d e an lfortalic islane th n di e (excepe th t greatee vaulth f o t r tower buils restored Bishop.e wa )tan th y db " Robert Crichton famile th f Crichtof ,o yo Nauchtonf no Fifeshiren ,i , ascended the Episcopal throne about 1550. uncles Hi 1 , George Crichton previousld ha , y been Bishop. Of him it has been remarked by Archbishop Spottiswood, that he was a man nobly disposed, very hospitable, and a magnificent housekeeper, bumattern i t religiof so t mucinclinee b nno y h recognizo skilleddma t e W . e the truth of the last part of this statement, on hearing from Spottiswood2 " of an argument which he used to one of Ids vicars, viz., that he thanked God he knew neither the New nor the Old Testament, and yet had prospered well enough all his days." followine Th g fac-simil Georgf eo e Crichton's signatur fros ei mprecepa f o t sasine,3 dated at Edinburgh, 7th of June 1542 :— It is well to remark, with the view of preventing confusion, that there was a contempo- 1 rary famil Crichtof yo f Clunyo n Fifeshiren i , , possesse lande th Clunf f so o d othersd yan , in the parish of Kinglassie, in that county. In the Records of the Commissariot of Edin- burg recordes hi dTestamene "Th t Testamenta Inventad gudisran e th f o ,r geir, soumef so money, and dettis, perteining to umquhile Maister George Creichtoun of Clunie the time of his decei Marcn si h 1573," Marianngivey b p nu e Creichtoun spouss hi , , Andro Abircrumby, and Patrick Creichtou Lugtounf no s Executorshi , , who nominatee mh 10tn do h Marcd han year foresaid before witnesses, Mr John Abircrumby, David Creichtoun, brother to the Laird of Lugtoun, and William Boswell of Craigsyd. 2 Spottiswood's Hist, of Church of Scot., Vol. i. p. 199. Edin. 1847. chartee 3 th Thi d whico t rsan t relateshi , als opossessioe signeBishope th th n i y de b nar , of David I.aiiig. Esq. 106 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY OF deatOe nth Bishof ho p George Crichton 24tn ,o h January 1543-4 Regene ,th t Arran nominate brothers dhi , John Hamilton vacane th o ,t t see. Robert Crich- ton, who was in Italy at the time, and held several ecclesiastical appointments, appears to have had sufficient influence to prevent the completion of Hamilton's appointment, he himself having been designed for the vacant see by his uncle, havind an g apparently receive nominatios dfrohi e Popee se m th e th . o nt Lega l proceedings were carried on for several years between the rival Bishops ; but promotioe onth f Hamiltono Primace th t Andrewso nS t f yo , Crichtone th n i , year 15SO, became undisputed occupant of the see. s probabli t I e that Rober f moro n et Crichtolearningma a s nwa thas nhi uncle, while it appears that he inherited part of his worldly wisdom. Looking forwar probable th o dt e existine issuth f eo g confusion Scotlandn i s seeme ,h o st have judged it prudent to secure the lands of Cluny from confiscation; and on 1st January 1558 he entered into a contract with Robert Creichtoun, then styled simply advocate, by which he engaged to infeffc the latter in the lands of 10tn o Clunhd Julan y; y 1562, Robert Bisho Dunkeldf po , with consens hi f to Chaplaino tw Chapee ChapteCatherint e th S th f islanf e o d so l th ran n n di eo loce Clunyf th ho , grante charteda lande th - Clunf f so ro Ro r favoun yi M f o r bert Creichtoun stylew ,no d Lord Advocate Elizabetd an , h Stewart wifes d ,hi an , the survivor of them in conjunct infeftment, and the heirs-male to be begotten betwee saie bodr Roberte nth d th M them f f yo o r o ,; whom failin r JameM o gt s Crechtoun, fiar of Cranstoun, and the heirs-male of his body; whom failing to Patrick Crechtoun of Lugtown, and the heirs-male of his body ; whom failing to Edward Lord Crechtou f Sanquharno e heirs-malth bods d hi an , y ; f who o e m all failing to the nearest and lawful heirs-male and assignees of the said Mr Robert. Sasin gives thiewa n no s charte 13fce Augusf th ho n ro t following pren i , - sence of the Bishop, and Mr Robert Veitch and Thomas Atkin, Franciscan friars. By a deed, dated 14th August 1562, granted by " Maifter Robert Crychton, aduoca Quenie th o t s grace, n favou"i f Robero r t Bisho f Dunkeldpo sete h , s fort h: " Albei feu-farn i faidlordftiit s e fe hi tth s Robermo t pha lordftiip's hi t s barone landth f sf Cluno yo y : Neverthelef- t falsi in lo t noch e lefue m b t o mt tromit thairwith, nor to tak and uplift the mails and duties thereof, nor to labour e groun famee th th f ,do outpu r inpuo t t tenants, neithe mako t t eye rrefidenc e faide th n caftli e withou Biftiop'e tth s good will, permiffion fpeciad an , l leavd eha and obtaine faide th y Roberdb t thereto, willin Bilhoe ghailth e takth o p t l p eu profits of the faid lands, and difpone thereupon as his lordfhip thinks good, fet and remove the tenants and inhabit the faid caftle fo long as his lordfliip pleafes: Providing always tha faie th td Rober t aftricte keepinno e e th faie b t o dth t d f go caftle paymene , th neithe dutie o t th t f eo tye rfpecifie infeftmens hi n i d t during ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND.