James Somerville, 6th Lord Somerville
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James Somerville, 6th Lord Somerville
, (c.1518-1569) was a Lord of the Parliament of Scotland
James was the son of Hugh Somerville, 5th Lord Somerville
and Jonet Maitland. He married Agnes, daughter of James Hamilton of Finnart
in 1536 at Craignethan Castle
.
, from Cowthally Castle
on 22 March 1554. He asked to be excused from a tax owed by his father from 1549. On 27 April 1560, he signed the bond of the Scottish nobility to promote the Scottish Reformation
, expel French troops supporting Mary of Guise, and to join with the English army sent for that purpose. On the 10 May 1560, he signed the ratification of the Treaty of Berwick
, by which the Lords of the Congregation
had invited the English army that was besieging Leith
.
to Elizabeth I of England
. The Lords asked Elizabeth not to let them have to take their cause to the other Princes of Europe. Another letter on the 30 July 1568 appealed to the Duke of Alba
to get Spanish support for the release of Mary. With no reply from Elizabeth, on 24 August Somerville signed another letter at Dumbarton Castle
. As Elizabeth had persuaded Mary to instruct them not to prevent Regent Moray's parliament by force, and they had thereby lost their advantage, the Lords now asked for Mary's instatement or release to France or Scotland.
. The Earl of Arran gave her a dowry of £886-13s-4d in his will. James's second wife was Agnes Hamilton, daughter of Sir James Hamilton of Finnart
, they married at Craignethan Castle
in 1536. Their eldest son became Hugh Somerville, 7th Lord Somerville.
Lord Somerville
Lord Somerville was a title in the Peerage of Scotland which is subject to a number of ambiguities. The date of creation is not known with certainty but it was probably created about 1435 for Thomas Somerville, Justiciar of Scotland...
, (c.1518-1569) was a Lord of the Parliament of Scotland
Parliament of Scotland
The Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early 13th century, with the first meeting for which a primary source survives at...
James was the son of Hugh Somerville, 5th Lord Somerville
Hugh Somerville, 5th Lord Somerville
Hugh Somerville, 5th Lord Somerville was a lord of the Parliament of Scotland. He is sometimes reckoned to be the 4th Lord Somerville. He succeeded his brother, John Somerville, 4th Lord Somerville...
and Jonet Maitland. He married Agnes, daughter of James Hamilton of Finnart
James Hamilton of Finnart
Sir James Hamilton of Finnart was a Scottish nobleman and architect, the illegitimate son of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran, and Mary Boyd of Bonshaw....
in 1536 at Craignethan Castle
Craignethan Castle
Craignethan Castle is a ruined castle in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located above the River Nethan, a tributary of the River Clyde, at . The castle is two miles west of the village of Crossford, and 4.5 miles north-west of Lanark...
.
James and Mary of Guise
James Somerville wrote to Queen Regent of Scotland, Mary of GuiseMary of Guise
Mary of Guise was a queen consort of Scotland as the second spouse of King James V. She was the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, and served as regent of Scotland in her daughter's name from 1554 to 1560...
, from Cowthally Castle
Cowthally Castle
Cowthally Castle, also known as Couthalley, is a ruined L-plan castle near Carnwath, Lanarkshire, Scotland. The remains are protected as a scheduled monument....
on 22 March 1554. He asked to be excused from a tax owed by his father from 1549. On 27 April 1560, he signed the bond of the Scottish nobility to promote the Scottish Reformation
Scottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was Scotland's formal break with the Papacy in 1560, and the events surrounding this. It was part of the wider European Protestant Reformation; and in Scotland's case culminated ecclesiastically in the re-establishment of the church along Reformed lines, and politically in...
, expel French troops supporting Mary of Guise, and to join with the English army sent for that purpose. On the 10 May 1560, he signed the ratification of the Treaty of Berwick
Treaty of Berwick (1560)
The Treaty of Berwick was negotiated on 27 February 1560 at Berwick-upon-Tweed. It was an agreement made by the representative of Queen Elizabeth I of England, the Duke of Norfolk, and the Scottish Lords of the Congregation...
, by which the Lords of the Congregation
Lords of the Congregation
The Lords of the Congregation were a group of Protestant Scottish nobles who in the mid-16th century favoured reformation of the church along Protestant principles and a Scottish-English alliance.- Historical events :...
had invited the English army that was besieging Leith
Siege of Leith
The Siege of Leith ended a twelve year encampment of French troops at Leith, the port near Edinburgh, Scotland. The French troops arrived by invitation in 1548 and left in 1560 after the English arrived to assist in removing them from Scotland...
.
Supporter of the captive Queen
With other Lords, Somerville signed three letters in support of the release Mary, Queen of Scots from England. On 28 July 1568, they wrote from LargsLargs
Largs is a town on the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland, about from Glasgow. The original name means "the slopes" in Scottish Gaelic....
to Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. The Lords asked Elizabeth not to let them have to take their cause to the other Princes of Europe. Another letter on the 30 July 1568 appealed to the Duke of Alba
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba
Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel, 3rd Duke of Alba was a Spanish general and governor of the Spanish Netherlands , nicknamed "the Iron Duke" in the Low Countries because of his harsh and cruel rule there and his role in the execution of his political opponents and the massacre of several...
to get Spanish support for the release of Mary. With no reply from Elizabeth, on 24 August Somerville signed another letter at Dumbarton Castle
Dumbarton Castle
Dumbarton Castle has the longest recorded history of any stronghold in Great Britain. It overlooks the Scottish town of Dumbarton, and sits on a plug of volcanic basalt known as Dumbarton Rock which is high.-Iron Age:...
. As Elizabeth had persuaded Mary to instruct them not to prevent Regent Moray's parliament by force, and they had thereby lost their advantage, the Lords now asked for Mary's instatement or release to France or Scotland.
Family
James was first married in 1529 to Jean Hamilton, an illegitimate daughter of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of ArranJames Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran
James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran and 2nd Lord Hamilton was a Scottish nobleman and first cousin of James IV of Scotland.-Biography:...
. The Earl of Arran gave her a dowry of £886-13s-4d in his will. James's second wife was Agnes Hamilton, daughter of Sir James Hamilton of Finnart
James Hamilton of Finnart
Sir James Hamilton of Finnart was a Scottish nobleman and architect, the illegitimate son of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran, and Mary Boyd of Bonshaw....
, they married at Craignethan Castle
Craignethan Castle
Craignethan Castle is a ruined castle in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located above the River Nethan, a tributary of the River Clyde, at . The castle is two miles west of the village of Crossford, and 4.5 miles north-west of Lanark...
in 1536. Their eldest son became Hugh Somerville, 7th Lord Somerville.