Donald Allen CAMPBELL, Abbot of Coupar Angus [6771] ¹⁵⁸⁹

   FamilySearch ID: LVZM-FKX.

  General Notes:

In early life he was a soldier. By 1525 he was a clerk of Lismore in the diocese of Argyll. By 1529 he became the last Roman Catholic abbot of the Cistercian abbey of Cupar Angus in eastern Perthshire. Appointed a Lord of Session in 1541. Under Queen Mary Stewart was appointed member of the Privy Council of the Earl of Arran, Regent of Scotland. Sat in the Scottish Parliament. Nominated in 1549/50 to be Bishop of Dunkeld, and again nominated by the Regent Queen Mother, Mary of Guise, to be Bishop of Brechin. Was considered a very able abbot, diplomat and politician.

Biography
"In the political and religious history of Scotland, the life of Donald Campbell is well documented. But to document him as an ancestral parent of many children encounters the problem of identifying their mother(s) for marriages of religious men were not acknowledged until the Scottish Reformation in 1560, a few years before Donald Campbell's death. However, official sources well document land grants to many of his children." [1]

1492 Birth and Parents
Donald Campbell is believed to have been born in 1492 at Inverary, seat of the Campbells of Argyll. [1]

However,

His parents, Archibald Campbell and his wife, Lady Elizabeth Stewart, eldest daughter of John, first Earl of Lennox, had four sons and five daughters. [2] Donald was the fourth son of Archibald second Duke of Argyll and his wife, Elizabeth Stewart.

Sisters
There is no documented list of his five sisters. The following, numbered well in excess of five, have been named by various sources:

Janet Campbell. Janet Campbell, b. 1470, Balveny, Fifeshire, Scotland d. 2 Feb 1546, Atholl, Perthshire, Scotland (Age 76 years) [2]
Margaret Campbell, b. Abt 1477, Lochow, Argyllshire, Scotland [2]
Isabel Campbell, born 1484 or Isabella Campbell, born 1489. Isabel Campbell, d. Aft 1529 [2]
Catherine Campbell, born 1486 or Catherine Campbell, born 1492. Catherine Campbell, b. Abt 1489, Lochow, Argyllshire, Scotland, d. Yes, date unknown [2]
Mary Campbell, born 1498. Mary Campbell, d. Dsp - Died Without Children. [2]
Helen Campbell, d. 1534 [2]
Ellen Campbell, [2]
Jean Campbell, b. Abt 1498, Lochow, Argyllshire, Scotland, [2]
Marion Campbell,[2]
Brothers
Archibald Campbell, born 1474. Alexander (Archibald) Campbell, of Skipness, b. Abt 1474, d. 18 Jul 1537, Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland (Age ~ 63 years) [2] Archibald Campbell -- the second son of the 2nd Earl of Argyll, held the lands of Skipnish (Skipnich). His second marriage was to Janet Douglas, Lady Glamis, widow of John Lyon, 6th Lord Glamis. Archibalnd Campbell and Janet Douglas had no children. [3] Archibald, his second son, had a charter of the lands of Skipnish, and the keeping of the castle thereof, 13th August 1511. His family ended in an heir-female in the reign of Mary. Sir John Campbell, the third son, at first styled of Lorn, and afterwards of Calder, married Muriel, daughter and heiress of Sir John Calder of Calder (now Cawdor), near Nairn. Archibald's daughter Elisabeth was married to Lauchlan Cattanach Maclean of Dowart who later left her on Lady's Rock to drown her ca. 1497 but she escaped and Lachlan was later assasinated by Sir John Calder of Calder.[2]
Colin Campbell, born 1487. Colin Campbell, of Carrick, 3rd Earl of Argyll, b. 13 Jul 1475, Argyllshire, Scotland, d. Bef 26 Mar 1529 (Age 53 years) [2] Colin Campbell, who became 3rd Earl of Argyll in 1513, and married Lady Janet Gordon. He died in 1530 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Archiblad, who became the 4th Earl of Argyll. [1]
John Campbell, born 1490. Sir John Campbell, 1st of Cawdor (Calder), b. Abt 1490, d. 1 May 1546, Calder Castle, Nairnshire, Scotland (Age ~ 56 years) [2]. Sir John Campbell -- who became Treasurer of Scotland. He married Muriel, daughter of Sir John Calder, and founded the House of Calder (Casdor). [1]
1516 Was there a marriage prior to holy orders?
In 1517, at the age of 25, Donald became the father of Nicholas, assuming the correctness of his memorial stone inside the Bendochy Kirk at the West end, indicating that he died in 1587 at the age of 70. [4]

This would appear to support a supposition that Donald may have been married with children before taking religious orders in 1529 -- he certainly would have been of a suitable age -- however there is no evidence of his having done this, and the question of what became of such a wife prior to his taking holy orders also remains unanswered.

In fact, however, a Latin document dated December 12, 1543 issued in the first year of the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, refers to "Nicholas Campbell, bastard, natural son of Donald Campbell" and restores him to all legal and natural rights before 1542. Nicholas became dean of the Cathrdral Church of Lismore of the diocese of Argyll - which he retained until his death and he was buried Benduchy Parish Church. [5]

Kurz asserts that two additional children were born before 1529 -- David of Keithick and Margaret of Kemphill -- and that the mother of all three was named Margaret. However, no documentation for this is provided.[1]

Young Adulthood
There is a tradition that in his early life Donald was a soldier, but by 1525 he was clerk of Lismore in the diocese of Argyll. [1]

His early life is not discovered but he appears to have studied at university and gained Master of Arts degree as he is termed Master in some records.

1525 Religious Leadership
"Donald Campbell's brother Colin, the 3rd Earl of Argyll, had become prominent in the court of young King James V. On 14 June 1526, the King sent to the Pope the nomination of Donald Campbell to become abbot of Cupar Abbey. [6]

Master Donald had support of the King in letters to the Pope 25 Aug 1525 recommending him to be Abbot of Coupar.[7]

The Convent of monks at Coupar disputed this and some local lairds supported other contendors for Abbot. One of the local lairds supporting the monks in the dispute was James Ogilvy of Cookston. Nevertheless, Donald was confirmed by the Estates on 14 June 1526 [8] and secured the papal grant of recommendation on the death of William Turnbull, abbot for eight months to allow him to be professed as a monk 24 Sep 1529. [9]

He promised his services 30 Jan 1530 [10] and was granted another eight months extension before profession on 11 Feb 1530/1. The King was only been able to say on 10 Jan 1530/1 that the monks at Coupar had lost their lengthy litigation. [11]

In 1529, King James V expreessed his satisfaction at the appointment of the new abbot of Cupar [12]

"Thus, by 1529, Donald Campbell became the last Roman Catholic abbot of this very ancient Cistercian abbey of Coupar Angus in eastern Perthshire. As abbot, he traveled to Rome, England and France as a Cistercian prelate and as a diplomat. [1]

1530 Disposition of Abbey Rents
Fruits of the Abbey for 1529 to 1531 were set to Master David Campbell and to Sir John Campbell. On p. 57, Kurz [1] makes the parenthetical notation that Master David Campbell was Donald's son and Sir John Campbell was his brother, however, the relationships were not specified in the actual Act.

Since Master David was mature and a farmer of Abbey lands by 1530 and probably earlier, it would appear he is not the son of the Abbot, but rather the David who was born in 1496.

The dispute with others over the Abbey properties continued when on 28 November 1530 an action was brought, at the instance of John Campbell of Cawdor and Mr. David Campbell, farmers of the Abbey of Coupar for Donald, abbot thereof, against James Ogilvy of Cuikston (Cookston) and others for spoliation. The case continued on the 27th January following and then 2 Dec 1531, when escheat is granted to him. [13]

1540 Abbott makes David Ogilvy and wife Margaret Tenants
Her husband David Ogilvy in the 1540's was tenant of the Newton of Bellaty in Glenisla having been sett a tack of that land by the Abbot, Donald Campbell. [14]

1543 Member of Privy Council to the Regent Arran
In 1543 he was appointed one of the Privy Council to the Regent Arran[15], and on the 12th June 1546 was again named as one of those who should remain with the governor, and be of his Secret Council.

Rental Books
The Rental Books or Register of Cupar Abbey Vol.i pp100-113 [16] gives a detailed accpount of his life and Vol.ii [17]and Charters of Coupar Angus Abbey are an excellent source for transactions he made including the disposal of kirk lands to his kinsfolk.

1552 Abbott extends tenancy terms to David Ogilvy and wife Margaret Campbell
On 16 November 1552 the Abbot extended the terms of the tack to David Ogilvy and his spouse, Margaret Campbell and their son. [14]

1558 election to See of Brechin
In 1558 he was elected to the See of Brechin, then vacant by the death of Bishop Hepburn, but the election was not agreeable to the court of Rome, on account of the abbot's supposed predilection for the doctrines of the Reformed Church, and his election was not confirmed.

1559 Officially a Protestant
Although he was present at the burning of the Protestant Walter Milne in April 1558, in the following year Abbot Campbell himself became a Protestant and, at the urging of the Lords of the Congregation, abandoned monastic habit, banned mass from his monastery and destroyed its icons and altars. In the following year he attended the Reformation Parliament which severed Scotland's ties with Rome. [18]

1560 End of Papal Jurisdiction
In August 1560 he sat as Abbot of Coupar in the parliament which destroyed the papal jurisdiction in Scotland.

He sat in the Scottish Parliament and in the Convention of Estates, where on 17 August 1560 the reformed doctrine was legally recognized and the Protestant Church was established, thereby annulling the Pope's authority in Scotland and prohibiting celebration of the mass. [19]

1562 Death
Donald Campbell died in 1562, aged 70 years. [1]

He died sometime between 16 December 1562 and 20 January 1562/3 and is believed to be buried in Bendochy parish chu

  Noted events in his life were:

1. He worked as a Keeper of the Privy Seal. ¹⁵⁹⁰

2. He worked as an Abbot of Coupar Angus. ¹⁵⁹⁰ Royal appoinment by James V of Scotland.

Donald married Lady Margaret GORDON [6772] [MRIN: 5469], daughter of Sir George GORDON 2nd Earl of Huntly - High Chancellor of Scotland [6826] and Lady Annabella STEWART Princess of Scotland [6827], in 1515 in Inveraray, Argyll, Scotland.¹⁵⁹⁰ (Lady Margaret GORDON [6772] was born in 1470 in Huntly, Gordon, Berwickshire, Scotland,¹⁵⁸⁹ died on 24 November 1529 in , , Aberdeenshire, Scotland ¹⁵⁸⁹ and was buried on 24 November 1529 in , , Aberdeenshire, Scotland ¹⁵⁸⁹.)