Robert Seton, 1st Earl of Winton
Encyclopedia
Robert Seton, 1st Earl of Winton (1553 – 22 March 1603) was one of the Scottish peer
s who supported Mary, Queen of Scots.
, Robert Seton grew up active in the affairs of his father and of the State. He was educated early in France
, and accompanied his father during his ambassadorships to France during the reign of Queen Mary. As a youth, he grew up a close childhood friend of the Queen’s son, the future King James VI
.
, and was part of his father’s rescue party for Queen Mary from Loch Leven Castle
. He was also present at the battle of Langside
in 1568. He was later one of the party who rescued King James VI from the hands of the Douglases, and supported his monarch during the Gowrie
and other conspiracies of the time.
He was a great builder and a wise improver of his property, especially by working on the old harbor of Cockenzie, along the Firth of Forth
, a curious fishing village of great antiquity whose history is little known. It originally sheltered only small boats, but when improved by art and accommodated vessels of a larger size. In January, 1599, the king granted him a charter unde the Great Seal of Scotland
concerning Cockenzie, which had previously been erected into a free port and burgh of barony.
He "was a great favorite of King James VI", and was created Earl of Winton
at Holyroodhouse, on 16 November 1600, to him and his heirs male.
, as may be seen by the Records.
One entry reads thus:
"1597. Setoun Kirk. The Presbitery asked Lord Setoun if he will suffer them to sit in the Kirk of Setoun for the space of two or three days, because they are to ‘gang about’ all the churches within their bounds; but this his Lordship altogether refused.” Protestant worship has never been held in Seton Church, as after the family conformed they attended the Tranent
parish church, leaving their own church deserted, as it has remained ever since.
for London
to become King James I of England
.
"As the monarch passed the house of Seton, near Musselburgh
, he was met by the funeral of Lord Seton, a nobleman of high rank; which, with its solemn movement and sable trappings, occupied the road, and contrasted strangely and gloomily with the brilliant pageantry of the royal cavalcade. The Seton’s were one of the oldest and proudest families of Scotland; and that lord, whose mortal remains now passed by, had been a faithful adherent of the kings mother: whose banner he had never deserted, and in whose cause he had suffered exile and proscription. The meeting was thought ominous by the people. It appeared, to their excited imaginations, as if the moment had arrived when the aristocracy of Scotland was about to merge in that of Great Britain; as if the Scottish nobles had finished their career of national glory, and this last representative of their race had been arrested on his road to the grave, to bid farewell to the last of Scotland’s kings. As the mourners moved slowly onward, the monarch himself, participating in these melancholy feelings, sat down by the way-side, on a stone still pointed out to the historical pilgrim; nor did he resume his progress till the gloomy procession had completely disappeared."
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland is the division of the British Peerage for those peers created in the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707. With that year's Act of Union, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England were combined into the Kingdom of Great Britain, and a new Peerage of Great Britain was...
s who supported Mary, Queen of Scots.
Early years
The son of George Seton, 7th Lord SetonGeorge Seton, 7th Lord Seton
George Seton V, 7th Lord Seton was a Lord of the Parliament of Scotland, Master of the Household of Mary, Queen of Scots and Provost of Edinburgh. He was the eldest son of George Seton, 6th Lord Seton and Elizabeth Hay, a daughter of John Hay, 3rd Lord Hay of Yester...
, Robert Seton grew up active in the affairs of his father and of the State. He was educated early in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and accompanied his father during his ambassadorships to France during the reign of Queen Mary. As a youth, he grew up a close childhood friend of the Queen’s son, the future King James VI
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
.
Langside
Like his father, he was strongly attached to the Queen and to the Royal House of StuartHouse of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
, and was part of his father’s rescue party for Queen Mary from Loch Leven Castle
Loch Leven Castle
Loch Leven Castle is a ruined castle on an island in Loch Leven, in the Perth and Kinross local authority area of Scotland. Possibly built around 1300, the castle was the location military action during the Wars of Scottish Independence...
. He was also present at the battle of Langside
Battle of Langside
The Battle of Langside, fought on 13 May 1568, was one of the more unusual contests in Scottish history, bearing a superficial resemblance to a grand family quarrel, in which a mother fought her brother who was defending the rights of her infant son...
in 1568. He was later one of the party who rescued King James VI from the hands of the Douglases, and supported his monarch during the Gowrie
John Ruthven, 3rd Earl of Gowrie
John Ruthven, 3rd Earl of Gowrie was a Scottish nobleman, the second son of William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie and his wife Dorothea Stewart...
and other conspiracies of the time.
Estates
Upon the death of his father, in 1585, Robert succeeded as 6th Lord Seton. Although his father left the estates heavily encumbered by reason of the great expense of several embassies and of his losses suffered by adhering to the Queen’s party, yet by prudence and ability he was soon able to put his affairs in good condition and provide both sons and daughters with respectable fortunes. "He was very hospitable, and kept a noble house, the king and queen being frequently there, and all French and other ambassadors and strangers of quality were nobly entertained."He was a great builder and a wise improver of his property, especially by working on the old harbor of Cockenzie, along the Firth of Forth
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
, a curious fishing village of great antiquity whose history is little known. It originally sheltered only small boats, but when improved by art and accommodated vessels of a larger size. In January, 1599, the king granted him a charter unde the Great Seal of Scotland
Great Seal of Scotland
The Great Seal of Scotland allows the monarch to authorise official documents without having to sign each document individually. Wax is melted in a metal mould or matrix and impressed into a wax figure that is attached by cord or ribbon to documents that the monarch wishes to make official...
concerning Cockenzie, which had previously been erected into a free port and burgh of barony.
He "was a great favorite of King James VI", and was created Earl of Winton
Earl of Winton
The title Earl of Winton was once created in the Peerage of Scotland, and again the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It is presently held by the Earl of Eglinton....
at Holyroodhouse, on 16 November 1600, to him and his heirs male.
Religion
A strict Roman Catholic, the Earl and his family suffered indignities from the Presbytery of Haddington, East LothianHaddington, East Lothian
The Royal Burgh of Haddington is a town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is the main administrative, cultural and geographical centre for East Lothian, which was known officially as Haddingtonshire before 1921. It lies about east of Edinburgh. The name Haddington is Anglo-Saxon, dating from the 6th...
, as may be seen by the Records.
One entry reads thus:
"1597. Setoun Kirk. The Presbitery asked Lord Setoun if he will suffer them to sit in the Kirk of Setoun for the space of two or three days, because they are to ‘gang about’ all the churches within their bounds; but this his Lordship altogether refused.” Protestant worship has never been held in Seton Church, as after the family conformed they attended the Tranent
Tranent
Tranent is a town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is close to the A1 road and approximately east of Edinburgh. It is one of the oldest towns in East Lothian, and built on a gentle slope, about 300 feet above sea level.Population of the town is 9,917....
parish church, leaving their own church deserted, as it has remained ever since.
Marriage
In 1582, Lord Seton married Lady Margaret Montgomerie, eldest daughter of Hugh Montgomerie, 3rd Earl of Eglinton, by whom he had five sons and a daughter:- Robert Seton, 2nd Earl of WintonRobert Seton, 2nd Earl of WintonRobert Seton, 2nd Earl of Winton and 9th Lord Seton was a Scottish Peer.He succeeded his father Robert Seton, 1st Earl of Winton in March, 1603...
- George Seton, 3rd Earl of WintonGeorge Seton, 3rd Earl of WintonGeorge Seton, 3rd Earl of Winton was a notable Royalist and Cavalier, the second son of Robert Seton, 1st Earl of Winton and 6th Lord Seton, by his spouse Margaret, daughter of Hugh Montgomerie, 3rd Earl of Eglinton....
- Sir Alexander Seton of Foulstruther, Knight, who succeeded as 6th Earl of EglintonEarl of EglintonEarl of Eglinton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland.Some authorities spell the title: Earl of Eglintoun In 1859 the thirteenth Earl of Eglinton, Archibald Montgomerie, was also created Earl of Winton in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, which gave him an automatic seat in the House of Lords,...
, and in descent from whom is the present Earl of Eglinton and Winton, Lord Montgomerie, Baron Ardrossan, Baron Seton and Tranent, etc. - Sir Thomas Seton, Bt., of Olivestob., ancestor of this family.
- Sir John Seton, Bt., of St. Germains.
- Lady Isabel Seton, who married (1) James Drummond, 1st Earl of Perth, (2) Francis, eldest son of Francis Stewart, 1st Earl of Bothwell, with issue to both.:
Death & burial
The Earl of Winton in his Latter-Will, dated 28 February 1603, he ordained "My body to be buried whole in most humble, quiet, modest, and Christian manner without all extraordinary pomp or unlawful ceremony, within my College Church of Seton among my progenitors of worthy memory." By the words unlawful ceremony, the staunch old Catholic nobleman wished to say that he didn't want any Protestant interference or Kirk rites about him after death, as he hadn't 'brooked' them in life. He was buried on Tuesday 5 April, on the same day that King James VI of Scotland set out from EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
for London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to become King James I of England
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
.
"As the monarch passed the house of Seton, near Musselburgh
Musselburgh
Musselburgh is the largest settlement in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, six miles east of Edinburgh city centre.-History:...
, he was met by the funeral of Lord Seton, a nobleman of high rank; which, with its solemn movement and sable trappings, occupied the road, and contrasted strangely and gloomily with the brilliant pageantry of the royal cavalcade. The Seton’s were one of the oldest and proudest families of Scotland; and that lord, whose mortal remains now passed by, had been a faithful adherent of the kings mother: whose banner he had never deserted, and in whose cause he had suffered exile and proscription. The meeting was thought ominous by the people. It appeared, to their excited imaginations, as if the moment had arrived when the aristocracy of Scotland was about to merge in that of Great Britain; as if the Scottish nobles had finished their career of national glory, and this last representative of their race had been arrested on his road to the grave, to bid farewell to the last of Scotland’s kings. As the mourners moved slowly onward, the monarch himself, participating in these melancholy feelings, sat down by the way-side, on a stone still pointed out to the historical pilgrim; nor did he resume his progress till the gloomy procession had completely disappeared."