Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of Dunfermline
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Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of Dunfermline
Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of Dunfermline (1555–1622) was a Scottish lawyer, judge and politician. He was Lord President of the Court of Session from 1598 to 1604 and Lord Chancellor of Scotland from 1604 to 1622.
Born at Seton Palace, East Lothian, Alexander was the son of George Seton, 7th Lord Seton and Isobell Hamilton. The Setons remained a Roman Catholic family after the Scottish Reformation of 1560, and continued to support Mary, Queen of Scots after her abdication and exile in England. Alexander was educated at the German and Roman College in Rome from June 1571 to December 1578.[1] Alexander was noted learning Italian and science (philosophy) in Rome by Baptista da Trento in 1577 in a letter describing plots to marry Elizabeth I of England to the Earl of Leicester and re-instate Mary in Scotland.[2]
In 1583, Alexander joined his father's embassy to France. William Schaw, the Master of Work to the Crown of Scotland was his companion. According to the Jesuit Robert Parsons, Lord Seton even considered sending the youthful Alexander back to Scotland as his representative at one point.[3]
Alexander became a Privy Councillor in 1585 and was appointed a Lord of Session as Lord Urquhart in 1586. Rome. He rose to be Lord President of the Court of Session and was created Lord Fyvie on 4 March 1598.[4] He was regarded as the finest legal mind of the time, becoming an advisor to James VI and guardian and tutor to Charles I. In 1604 he was appointed Lord Chancellor of Scotland and was created Earl of Dunfermline in 1605.
He spent January 1605 in London, co-inciding with the visit of the Duke of Holstein, and had a tour of armouries of the Tower of London. Alexander returned to Scotland with more funding to reward his keeping of Prince Charles, made Duke of York on Twelfth Night, and his expenses for his 'pains in the Union' amounting to £200 a year.[5]
His modern humanist and neo-stoic attitude was demonstrated by his energetic defence of Geillis Johnstone accused of witchcraft in 1614.[6]
A portrait of his wife Margaret Hay, painted by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger in 1615 is in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery. Part of a painted ceiling bearing his monogram and heraldry is displayed at Edinburgh's Huntley House museum: his painted long gallery is still preserved at Pinkie House.
Death and funeral
After 15 days of illness, Alexander died on Sunday 16 June 1622 at Pinkie. On the 19 June his body was taken by boat across the Forth to his house at Dalgety Bay near Dunfermline. He was buried in his vault in Dalgety Church, on 9 July 1622. A manuscript describes in detail the elaborate procession from the house (long demolished) to the kirk, which included his Master Stabler riding in full armour, and his Master Household with a black flag painted with a skull and tears. John Spottiswoode, Archbishop of St Andrews gave the sermon.[7]
References
- ^ Dilworth, Mark,Innes Review, 'Scottish Students at Collegium Germanicum', vol. 19, no. 1 (1968), 20.
- ^ Historical Manuscripts Commission, Salisbury Manuscripts, Hatfield, vol. 2 (1888), v-vi, 168, Baptista di Trento to Elizabeth.
- ^ Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 7 (1913), 235.
- ^ Maurice Lee jnr, 'King Jame's Popish Chancellor', in Cowan & Shaw ed., Renaissance and Reformation in Scotland, Scottish Academic Press (1983), 170-182.
- ^ Sawyer, Edmund, ed., Memorials of the affairs of State under Queen Elizabeth and James I, vol.2 (1725), p.46, Chamberlain to Winwood, 26 January 1605
- ^ David Allan, Philosophy and Politics in Later Stuart Scotland, Tuckwell (2000), 114.
- ^ The Scottish Antiquary, or, Northern Notes and Queries, vol.13, no.52 (April 1899), pp.160-168.
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William Baillie of Provand |
Lord President of the Court of Session 1593–1604 |
Succeeded by James Elphinstone, Lord Balmerino |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by 3rd Earl of Montrose |
Lord Chancellor of Scotland 1604–1622 |
Succeeded by 1st Earl of Kinnoull |
| Peerage of Scotland | ||
| Preceded by New Creation |
Earl of Dunfermline 1605–1622 |
Succeeded by Charles Seton |
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