Sir Thomas Burnett, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Covenanter
The Covenanters were a Scottish Presbyterian movement that played an important part in the history of Scotland, and to a lesser extent in that of England and Ireland, during the 17th century...
who had represented Kincardineshire
Kincardineshire
The County of Kincardine, also known as Kincardineshire or The Mearns was a local government county on the coast of northeast Scotland...
in the Scottish Parliament in 1621.
Early years
The eldest surviving son of Alexander Burnett of LeysAlexander Burnett of Leys (d. 1619)
Alexander Burnett of Leys was the Laird of Crathes Castle in the late 16th and early 17th century, being credited for the completion of Crathes in 1596 He acquired Muchalls Castle circa 1600 and commenced its early 17th century reconstruction...
and Katherine, eldest daughter of Alexander Gordon of Lesmoir, "Thomas Burnaetus de Leyes" appears in the records of King's College, Aberdeen
King's College, Aberdeen
King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and an integral part of the University of Aberdeen...
and Aberdeen University, as a student who matriculated in 1603. In 1604 and 1606 when he was a witness to sasines he is designed as his father's "son and heir apparent", whom he succeeded in 1619 in the feudal barony of Leys and a range of other lands and rights. He completed the work of restoring Muchalls Castle
Muchalls Castle
Muchalls Castle stands overlooking the North Sea in the countryside of Kincardine and Mearns, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The lower course is a well preserved double groined 13th century towerhouse structure, built by the Frasers of Muchalls. Upon this structure, the 17th century castle was begun by...
, which his father acquired in the year 1588.
In 1619, prior to his father's death, Thomas Burnet younger of Leys was one of a body of Commissioners named by King James VI of Scotland, at the instance of Bishop Patrick Forbes, to visit the universities of Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
. The same year he was made an honorary Burgess of Aberdeen, and in 1620 he was knighted. He was one of the earliest reciprients of the dignity of Baronet of Nova Scotia, his patent dated at Holyroodhouse on 21 April 1626.
In the Act of 1621 for the Plantation of new kirks, mention is made of Burnet of Leys having petitioned for the erection of a new church at Fetteresso, the parish in which his lands and castle of Muchalls
Muchalls Castle
Muchalls Castle stands overlooking the North Sea in the countryside of Kincardine and Mearns, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The lower course is a well preserved double groined 13th century towerhouse structure, built by the Frasers of Muchalls. Upon this structure, the 17th century castle was begun by...
lay, the castle being begun by his father was completed by Sir Thomas in 1627. The religious strife of the 1620s found Sir Thomas a decided opponent of the Episcopalian
Scottish Episcopal Church
The Scottish Episcopal Church is a Christian church in Scotland, consisting of seven dioceses. Since the 17th century, it has had an identity distinct from the presbyterian Church of Scotland....
Court party and he became a supporter of the Solemn League and Covenant
Solemn League and Covenant
The Solemn League and Covenant was an agreement between the Scottish Covenanters and the leaders of the English Parliamentarians. It was agreed to in 1643, during the First English Civil War....
.
Covenanting wars
Immediately on the subscription of the CovenantSolemn League and Covenant
The Solemn League and Covenant was an agreement between the Scottish Covenanters and the leaders of the English Parliamentarians. It was agreed to in 1643, during the First English Civil War....
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
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...
, the powerfully organized body, known as the Tables, made arrangements for enforcing its acceptance throughout the whole country and gathering funds to support military detachments.
Sir Thomas Burnett of Lees was one of their Commissioners for the district north of the Grampians. He and other Commissioners paid a preliminary visit to Aberdeen in early July 1638 where they were told politely but firmly by the town's magistrates and other leading citizens that they had no legal authority to exact the subscriptions demanded. The deputation returned in force on the 20th of that month headed by the Earl of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose was a Scottish nobleman and soldier, who initially joined the Covenanters in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, but subsequently supported King Charles I as the English Civil War developed...
, then an earnest Covenanter, with several notable Covenanting preachers with them. The latter were promptly refused the pulpits of the city churches. The University promptly denounced the Covenant as unlawful, and three of the leading preachers, Henderson, Dickson, and Cant, made a temporary retreat to the safety of Sir Thomas's Muchalls Castle
Muchalls Castle
Muchalls Castle stands overlooking the North Sea in the countryside of Kincardine and Mearns, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The lower course is a well preserved double groined 13th century towerhouse structure, built by the Frasers of Muchalls. Upon this structure, the 17th century castle was begun by...
.
In March 1639, some 11000 men under Montrose and Huntly
George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly
George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly , styled Earl of Enzie from 1599 to 1636, eldest son of George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly by Lady Henrietta Stewart, daughter of Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, was brought up in England as a Protestant, and later created Viscount Aboyne by Charles I.On...
were told to 'reduce' the northern districts to subjection, but on 12 March 1639, Montrose and Argyll wrote to Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys to reassure him. Aberdeen made strong representations to Montrose who retired to Strathbogie whilst his army were admitted into the town for accommodation, most of the opposition to them having fled. Sir Thomas Burnett was one of the tribunal established to sit on 2 April in Greyfriars Church there and on following days, to force 'malignants' to subscribe to the Covenant under pain of confiscation of their goods. Viscount Aboyne
Viscount Aboyne
Viscount Aboyne was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created on 20 April 1632 for George Gordon, Earl of Enzie, eldest son of George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly, with remainder that the title should pass to his second son the Hon. James Gordon on his death or on the death of his...
's part of the Covenanting army then encamped at Muchalls and ransacked Burnett's property, despite his protestations.
Further Covenanters arrived at Aberdeen in 1644 under the Earl of Argyll and the Earl Marischal
Earl Marischal
The title of Earl Marischal was created in the peerage of Scotland for William Keith, the Great Marischal of Scotland.The office of "Marischal of Scotland" had been held heritably by the senior member of the Keith family since Hervey de Keith, who held the office of Marischal under Malcolm IV and...
, and during that occupation a Committee of the Estates for Northern Business met there, to which a petition was presented by Lord Fraser, Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys, Patrick Leslie the Provost, and others, complaining of their losses by the quartering of troops and seeking redress from the first and readiest effects of the 'malignants' which come to hand.
Later that year, Montrose, raised to a Marquess and now opposed to the Covenant, marched north to suppress opposition to the King's cause. Leys clearly thought the Covenanters had gone too far in open rebellion against their King, and summoned Montrose to his castle at Crathes
Crathes Castle
Crathes Castle is a 16th century castle near Banchory in the Aberdeenshire region of Scotland. This harled castle was built by the Burnetts of Leys and was held in that family for almost 400 years...
to sup with him, whereupon he offered Montrose arms, horses, and 5000 merks. Montrose accepted the arms and horses but refused the money. Sir Thomas and his son were subsequently the only known Covenanters who were protected by the Marquess. In the meantime Sir Thomas armed and organised half of his retainers to protect his lands from robber bands now all too plentiful due to the state of the north. At the same time Sir Thomas petitioned the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
for an exemption from excise
Excise
Excise tax in the United States is a indirect tax on listed items. Excise taxes can be and are made by federal, state and local governments and are far from uniform throughout the United States...
and other heavy taxation being raised for Covenanting armies being sent to England, and for aid against maurauding Highlanders
Gàidhealtachd
The Gàidhealtachd , sometimes known as A' Ghàidhealtachd , usually refers to the Scottish highlands and islands, and especially the Scottish Gaelic culture of the area. The corresponding Irish word Gaeltacht however refers strictly to an Irish speaking area...
.
It would appear that Sir Thomas was refused exemption for he subsequently sent his whole silver plate to Edinburgh to be melted down, by way of a loan, and also loaned money to the Marquess of Argyll.
Charles II
Following the Proclamation of Charles IICharles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
as King in Scotland, the Scottish Parliament adopted the most uncompromisingly covenanting character and its records for 1649 contain a complaint from Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys to the effect that he was owed £67,000 for supporting their cause. The result was an Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
in favour of Sir Thomas exempting him from further levies and recommending he be repaid, although it is unclear he ever was.
Charles II summoned Sir Thomas to support him in a letter dictated to the Earl Marischal
William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal
William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal was a Scottish nobleman and Covenanter. He was the eldest son of William Keith, 6th Earl Marischal...
dated 5 October 1650. The King wrote again to Sir Thomas on 12 April 1651, granting him an exemption from the quartering of soldiers. There followed Charles's defeat at the battle of Worcester
Battle of Worcester
The Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 at Worcester, England and was the final battle of the English Civil War. Oliver Cromwell and the Parliamentarians defeated the Royalist, predominantly Scottish, forces of King Charles II...
after which there were widespread persecutions. However, Sir Thomas Burnett appears to have again trod a diplomatic course as General Monck wrote to him from Dundee on 26 December 1651, assuring him of protection.
Educational matters
Sir Thomas Burnett had co-operated with Bishop Patrick Forbes in removing 'abuses' in King's College, AberdeenKing's College, Aberdeen
King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and an integral part of the University of Aberdeen...
, and amending its discipline, although there is no trace of his having had a hand in its "purgation" in 1640. His continued love of his Alma Mater, notwithstanding its prelatic leanings, is shown by his endowment, in October 1648, of three Bursaries
Bursary
A bursary is strictly an office for a bursar and his or her staff in a school or college.In modern English usage, the term has become synonymous with "bursary award", a monetary award made by an institution to an individual or a group to assist the development of their education.According to The...
of Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
in King's College. The Parliamentary records of 1649 record Sir Thomas again as one of a proposed Commission to visit Aberdeen University.
Another education foundation by Sir Thomas Burnett was an endowment by a bond of 5000 merks to the Grammar School of Banchory-Ternan
Banchory
Banchory is a burgh or town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, lying approximately 18 miles west of Aberdeen, near where the Feugh River meets the River Dee.- Overview :...
on 29 October 1651.
At a later period he built a hospital at Banchory for the support of the aged dwelling on his estates and, in October 1651, he mortified 6300 merks secured on his lands in the parish of Crimond
Crimond
Crimond is a village in the northeast of Scotland, located nine miles northwest of the port of Peterhead and just over two miles from the coast.- Local area :...
for the inmates of that hospital.
Marriage
Sir Thomas was twice married with issue from both. He married (1) Margaret (d. before August 1621), eldest daughter of Sir Robert Douglas of Glenbervie, second son of William Douglas, 9th Earl of AngusWilliam Douglas, 9th Earl of Angus
William Douglas, 9th Earl of Angus was a Scottish nobleman and zealous supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots.He was the eldest son of Sir Archibald Douglas of Glenbervie, Knt., by his spouse Agnes, daughter of William Keith, 3rd Earl Marischal, and upon the death of Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of...
. They had two sons and two daughters,
He remarried by contract dated 9 August 1621 (2) Jean, daughter of Sir John Moncrieff of that Ilk, and widow of Sir Simon Fraser of Inverallochy. They had three sons and four daughters.
A portrait of Sir Thomas by the Scottish painter George Jameson
George Jameson
George Jamesone was Scotland's first eminent portrait-painter.-Early years:He was born in Aberdeen, where his father, Andrew Jamesone, was a stonemason. Jamesone attended the grammar school near his home on Schoolhill and is thought to have gone on to further education at Marischal College...
remains in Crathes Castle
Crathes Castle
Crathes Castle is a 16th century castle near Banchory in the Aberdeenshire region of Scotland. This harled castle was built by the Burnetts of Leys and was held in that family for almost 400 years...
.