Regents of James VI of Scotland
John Erskine, Earl of Mar (d.1572) and James Douglas, Earl of Morton (1516-1581)
Estimate: £300 - £500
Auction: 18 June 2025 from 10:00 BST
Description
Erskine, John, Earl of Mar. Letter, signed, to Hugh Rose as Regent of Scotland, dated 9th September 1571, remarking on the “unhappy accident” of the Earl of Lennox's ‘murder’ “casting the state lowis, and the nobilitie and thre estatis considering alsweel the danger of the kingis Maiesties innocent persoun”, he announces his regency and writes: “Praying and desiring yow eftectuuslie to comfort yourself, your freindis, and nychtbouris, requiring thame to continew in thair constancy to the king and his seruice, nor shrinking for thti awaytaking of my lordis grace his guidsir and lait regent, quhilk rather hes proourit farder indignatioun to our aduersaries, nor put tham in better state, sen sic spedy order is takin to prosequute the mater, quhill God put it to a finale end…”, signed John Regent, 32 lines on paper, 20 x 30.5cm [Rose, Shaw & Innes pp.256-7];
idem? Letter, signed, unrecorded, dated 21st October 1571;
Douglas, James, Earl of Morton, writing pre-Regency. Letter, signed, to Baron Kilravock dated 16th September 1572, writing: “I am aduertist of the slauchter off my kynnisman and seruand Hutchon Ros of Logy, quhairof I am sorye, and sen he is sua takyn away be the plesour of God, I will request yow maist hartlie to stand guid freind to his wyif and barnis…”, signed Mortoun, 13 lines on paper, 21 x 31cm [Rose, Shaw & Innes p.78] (3)