Secret correspondence of James VI
Encyclopedia
The secret correspondence of James VI of Scotland was communication between the Scottish King and administrators of Elizabeth I of England
between May 1601 and the Queen's death in March 1603. In this period it was settled that James VI would succeed Elizabeth as James I of England, but the diplomatic result was kept secret. James's accession to the throne of England as well as Scotland is known as the Union of the Crowns
.
and Edward Bruce
, Commendator of Kinloss
, went to London as ambassadors in February 1601, attempting to secure the throne of England for James VI. Although the Scottish ambassadors expected to negotiate with the Earl of Essex
, the Earl was executed on 25 February 1601 before their arrival in London. Their first set of instructions are known from a summary by Essex's servant Henry Cuffe
who was condemned to hang.
James VI then gave his ambassadors new instructions that they should "walk surely between the precipices of the Queen and the people," and encouraged them to go forward in private negotiation and secure the individual support of key towns and ports. Although Mar and Bruce gained the confidence of Robert Cecil
and an understanding on the succession was reached, their success was kept secret.
Until the death of Elizabeth I a dual correspondence between England and Scotland was kept up. At a meeting at the Duchy of Lancaster House on the Strand
, Cecil requested James would not seek an English parliamentary recognition of his claim to the throne, and that future correspondence with the Scottish ambassadors should be a secret from Elizabeth herself.
. James's letters were written by Mar, Kinloss, and perhaps Mar's kinsman, Thomas Erskine of Gogar
. Some of the letters were sent to England as if they were meant for the Duke of Rohan in France, and so arrived in England to be added to the 'diplomatic bag
.' The 18th century historian Thomas Birch
suggested that a Scottish representative in London, James Hamilton
, was involved in sending the letters to Scotland. Hamilton had kept a school in Dublin, and later James made him Viscount Clandeboye.
The English diplomat Henry Wotton
later gave an anecdote that Elizabeth had once noticed mail arriving from Scotland. She demanded to see it, Cecil made to open the satchel (which Wotton calls a 'budget') but told the Queen it was filthy and smelled bad, and she could have the letters after they were aired. It remains unclear if Elizabeth was actually unaware of any detail of Cecil's negotiations.
As was quite usual in diplomatic correspondence, some of the letters employed numbers to refer to individuals, Robert Cecil was '10', James was '30', Howard '3' and Bruce '8.'
During this time a separate 'public' correspondence between Elizabeth and James continued. The historian J. D. Mackie
thought the tone of the letters was now more cordial than in previous years. The irregular subsidy which Elizabeth paid to James (in cash or jewellery) was also increased.
James criticised Howard's writing style, writing in May 1602 comparing, "my own laconic style" with Howard's "ample Asiatic and endless volumes." The 19th century historian Patrick Fraser Tytler
noted the excessive flattery used by Howard and the effort made to exclude others from the discussions. Although James did notice and challenge Howard's attempts to direct his actions with regard to other channels of communication, Tytler summed up their success;
J. D. Mackie noted amongst those unaware of the letters; George Nicholson the English resident agent in Scotland, the Master of Grey
, an intriguer who served the Duke of Lennox
, and James's own secretary James Elphinstone, 1st Lord Balmerino
.
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...
between May 1601 and the Queen's death in March 1603. In this period it was settled that James VI would succeed Elizabeth as James I of England, but the diplomatic result was kept secret. James's accession to the throne of England as well as Scotland is known as the Union of the Crowns
Union of the Crowns
The Union of the Crowns was the accession of James VI, King of Scots, to the throne of England, and the consequential unification of Scotland and England under one monarch. The Union of Crowns followed the death of James' unmarried and childless first cousin twice removed, Queen Elizabeth I of...
.
The embassy of the Earl of Mar
The Earl of MarJohn Erskine, 18th Earl of Mar
John Erskine, 2nd Earl of Mar was a Scottish politician, the only son of John Erskine, 1st Earl of Mar. Together with King James VI of Scotland he was educated by George Buchanan...
and Edward Bruce
Edward Bruce, 1st Lord Kinloss
Edward Bruce, 1st Lord Kinloss PC was an Anglo-Scottish lawyer and judge.Kinloss was the second son of Edward Bruce of Blairhall and Alison Reid. He served as a Lord of Session from 1597 to 1603 and was created Lord Kinloss in 1602, with remainder to his heirs and assigns whatsoever...
, Commendator of Kinloss
Abbot of Kinloss
The Abbot of Kinloss was the head of the property and Cistercian monastic community of Kinloss Abbey, Moray, founded by King David I of Scotland around 1151 by monks from Melrose Abbey. The abbey was transformed into a temporal lordship for Edward Bruce, the last commendator, who became Lord Kinloss...
, went to London as ambassadors in February 1601, attempting to secure the throne of England for James VI. Although the Scottish ambassadors expected to negotiate with the Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG was an English nobleman and a favourite of Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following a poor campaign in Ireland during the Nine Years' War in 1599...
, the Earl was executed on 25 February 1601 before their arrival in London. Their first set of instructions are known from a summary by Essex's servant Henry Cuffe
Henry Cuffe
Sir Henry Cuffe was an English author and politician, executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England, for treason.-Family connections:...
who was condemned to hang.
James VI then gave his ambassadors new instructions that they should "walk surely between the precipices of the Queen and the people," and encouraged them to go forward in private negotiation and secure the individual support of key towns and ports. Although Mar and Bruce gained the confidence of Robert Cecil
Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury
Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, KG, PC was an English administrator and politician.-Life:He was the son of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley and Mildred Cooke...
and an understanding on the succession was reached, their success was kept secret.
Until the death of Elizabeth I a dual correspondence between England and Scotland was kept up. At a meeting at the Duchy of Lancaster House on the Strand
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
, Cecil requested James would not seek an English parliamentary recognition of his claim to the throne, and that future correspondence with the Scottish ambassadors should be a secret from Elizabeth herself.
The letters
The private letters to Scotland were written by Robert Cecil and Henry HowardHenry Howard, 1st Earl of Northampton
Henry Howard, 1st Earl of Northampton was a significant English aristocrat and courtier. He was suspect as a crypto-Catholic throughout his life, and went through periods of royal disfavour, in which his reputation suffered greatly. He was distinguished for learning, artistic culture and his...
. James's letters were written by Mar, Kinloss, and perhaps Mar's kinsman, Thomas Erskine of Gogar
Thomas Erskine, 1st Earl of Kellie
Sir Thomas Erskine, 1st Earl of Kellie KG was a Scottish peer.-Biography:Thomas Erskine was the eldest surviving son of Sir Alexander Erskine of Gogar and Margaret Home....
. Some of the letters were sent to England as if they were meant for the Duke of Rohan in France, and so arrived in England to be added to the 'diplomatic bag
Diplomatic bag
A diplomatic bag, also known as a diplomatic pouch is a kind of receptacle used by diplomatic missions. The physical concept of a "diplomatic bag" is flexible and therefore can take many forms e.g. an envelope, parcel, large suitcase or shipping container, etc...
.' The 18th century historian Thomas Birch
Thomas Birch
Thomas Birch was an English historian.-Life:He was the son of Joseph Birch, a coffee-mill maker, and was born at Clerkenwell....
suggested that a Scottish representative in London, James Hamilton
James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Claneboye
James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Claneboye was a Scot who became owner of large tracts of land in County Down, Ireland, and founded a successful Protestant Scots settlement there several years before the Plantation of Ulster...
, was involved in sending the letters to Scotland. Hamilton had kept a school in Dublin, and later James made him Viscount Clandeboye.
The English diplomat Henry Wotton
Henry Wotton
Sir Henry Wotton was an English author and diplomat. He is often quoted as saying, "An ambassador is an honest gentleman sent to lie abroad for the good of his country." -Life:The son of Thomas Wotton , brother of Edward Wotton, 1st Baron Wotton, and grandnephew of the diplomat...
later gave an anecdote that Elizabeth had once noticed mail arriving from Scotland. She demanded to see it, Cecil made to open the satchel (which Wotton calls a 'budget') but told the Queen it was filthy and smelled bad, and she could have the letters after they were aired. It remains unclear if Elizabeth was actually unaware of any detail of Cecil's negotiations.
As was quite usual in diplomatic correspondence, some of the letters employed numbers to refer to individuals, Robert Cecil was '10', James was '30', Howard '3' and Bruce '8.'
During this time a separate 'public' correspondence between Elizabeth and James continued. The historian J. D. Mackie
J. D. Mackie
John Duncan Mackie CBE MC Hon. LLD was a distinguished Scottish historian who wrote a one-volume history of Scotland as well as several works on early modern Scotland....
thought the tone of the letters was now more cordial than in previous years. The irregular subsidy which Elizabeth paid to James (in cash or jewellery) was also increased.
James criticised Howard's writing style, writing in May 1602 comparing, "my own laconic style" with Howard's "ample Asiatic and endless volumes." The 19th century historian Patrick Fraser Tytler
Patrick Fraser Tytler
Patrick Fraser Tytler was a Scottish historian.-Life:The son of Lord Woodhouselee, he was born in Edinburgh, where he attended the Royal High School. He was called to the bar in 1813; in 1816 he became King's counsel in the Exchequer, and practised as an advocate until 1832...
noted the excessive flattery used by Howard and the effort made to exclude others from the discussions. Although James did notice and challenge Howard's attempts to direct his actions with regard to other channels of communication, Tytler summed up their success;
"At all events, nothing could have been more secretly or adroitly managed than the whole correspondence between Howard, Cecil, and the Scottish king. No one had the least suspicion of the understanding that existed between the trio."
J. D. Mackie noted amongst those unaware of the letters; George Nicholson the English resident agent in Scotland, the Master of Grey
Patrick Gray, 6th Lord Gray
Patrick Gray, 6th Lord Gray , known most of his life as Patrick, Master of Gray, was a Scottish nobleman and politician during the reigns of James VI of Scotland and Mary, Queen of Scots.-Early life:...
, an intriguer who served the Duke of Lennox
Ludovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of Lennox
Ludovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of Lennox and 1st Duke of Richmond was a Scottish nobleman and politician. He was the son of Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox and his wife Catherine de Balsac. Stewart was involved in the Plantation of Ulster in Ireland and the colonization of Maine in New England...
, and James's own secretary James Elphinstone, 1st Lord Balmerino
James Elphinstone, 1st Lord Balmerino
James Elphinstone, 1st Lord Balmerino was a Scottish nobleman and politician, disgraced in 1609.-Life to 1605:He was the third son of Robert Elphinstone, 3rd Lord Elphinstone, by Margaret, daughter of Sir John Drummond of Innerpeffray, and was born about 1553...
.