Sir William KIRKCALDY of Grange [6245] ¹⁴⁶⁸

   Cause of his death was Execution/Hanged.

   FamilySearch ID: GFQK-42Y. Find a Grave ID: 11268962.

  General Notes:

Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange (c. 1520 \endash 3 August 1573) was a Scottish politician and soldier who fought for the Scottish Reformation. He ended his career holding Edinburgh castle on behalf of Mary, Queen of Scots and was hanged three months after the surrender of the "Queen's Men" ended the "Lang Siege" (long siege) of Edinburgh Castle.

When it was made clear that he would not be allowed to go free even if he ended the siege, Kirkcaldy of Grange resolved to continue the resistance, but the garrison threatened to mutiny. He therefore arranged for Drury and his men to enter the castle on 28 May, preferring to surrender to the English rather than the Regent Morton. Edinburgh Castle was handed over to George Douglas of Parkhead, the Regent's brother, and the garrison were allowed to go free. In contrast, Kirkcaldy of Grange, his brother James and two jewellers, James Mossman and James Cokke, who had been minting coins in Mary's name inside the castle, were hanged at the Cross in Edinburgh on 3 August 1573.

Kirkcaldy was involved in the murder of Cardinal David Beaton at St. Andrews Castle in May 1546. From 1550 to 1556 he served in France as a secret agent for England. He returned to Scotland in 1557 and joined the Protestant Lords as a Lord Provost of the Royal Burgh and City of Edinburgh.

Family
William Kirkcaldy of Grange held lands at Hallyards Castle in Fife. William's father, James Kirkcaldy of Grange (died 1556), was lord high treasurer of Scotland from 1537 to 1543 and a determined opponent of Cardinal Beaton, for whose murder in 1546 William and James were partly responsible.

William Kirkcaldy married Margaret Learmonth, a sister of Sir Patrick Learmonth of Dairsie and Provost of St Andrews, and George Learmonth of Balcomie. Kirkcaldy's heir was a nephew.

A few days before Kirkcaldy's execution in August 1573, Ninian Cockburn reported that he had a child with a young woman. Kirkcaldy wrote a letter in code to the woman from his captivity, which was intercepted and decoded. Later, Mary, Queen of Scots, corresponded in cipher with the French diplomat Michel de Castelnau about this woman and her daughter. Mary arranged to give the daughter 40 crowns in 1582.

War with England, service with France, and the Reformation
William Kirkcaldy, with other courtiers, was a witness to the instrument made at Falkland Palace at the deathbed of James V of Scotland in 1542 which Cardinal Beaton used to attempt to claim the Regency of Scotland.[8] However, he participated in the Cardinal's murder in May 1546, and when St Andrews Castle surrendered to the French in July the following year Kirkcaldy was sent as a prisoner to Normandy. He escaped in 1550.[2]

Kirkcaldy was employed in France as a secret agent by the advisers of Edward VI, being known in the ciphers as "Corax". Later he served in the French army, where he gained a lasting reputation for skill and bravery.[2] Kirkcaldy was in London in December 1553, discussing border issues with the French ambassador, Antoine de Noailles.[9]

The sentence passed on Kirkcaldy for his part in Beaton's murder was removed in 1556. Returning to Scotland in 1557, he became prominent by killing Ralph Eure, the brother of the Governor of Berwick upon Tweed, in a duel. As a Protestant he was one of the leaders of the Lords of the Congregation in their struggle with the Regent of Scotland, Mary of Guise.[2] Kirkcaldy fought the French troops in Fife and they destroyed his house at Halyards. In January 1560 he took down part of Tullibody bridge to delay the return to Stirling of French troops commanded by Henri Cleutin.

Mary, Darnley, and Bothwell
Kirkcaldy was knighted at Holyrood Palace by Mary, Queen of Scots on 8 February 1562 during the festivities at the wedding of the queen's half-brother Lord James Stewart and Agnes Keith.[10] He opposed Queen Mary's marriage with Lord Darnley, and was associated with her half-brother, Lord James, now Earl of Moray, during the Chaseabout Raid. For his participation in this rebellion, he was forced for a short time to seek refuge in England. He returned to Scotland, and was an accessory to the murder of Rizzio. He had no share in Darnley's assassination.[2]

Kirkcaldy was opposed to Mary's marriage with Bothwell and regarded the proceedings in the Scottish Parliament with dismay. He wrote to the Earl of Bedford, an English diplomat, that Mary did not care if she lost France, England and Scotland for Bothwell's sake, and Mary had said she would go with him to the world's end in a petticoat;


sho caris not to lose France Ingland and her owne countrie for him, and sall go with him to the warldes ende in ane white peticote or she leve him.[11]

Elizabeth however disapproved of Kirkcaldy's opinions of a fellow queen as if she were "worse than any common woman".[12] Yet Kirkcaldy was one of the lords who banded themselves together to rescue Mary after her marriage with Bothwell. After the fight at Carberry Hill the queen surrendered herself to Kirkcaldy.[2] Bothwell escaped and Kirkcaldy sailed in pursuit with William Murray of Tullibardine to Shetland. He was made Lord High Admiral of Scotland for the time. Some of their ships came from Dundee, including the James, the Primrose, and the Robert.[13] He was determined to capture Bothwell and declared to the Earl of Bedford, Governor of Berwick:

Albeit I be na gud seeman, I promes unto your lordschip, gyf I may anes enconter with hym eyther be see or land, he sall eyther carre me with hym, or ellis I sall bryng hym dead or quik to Edinbrucht.[14]

However, they did not meet, Kirkcaldy's ship, the Lion, ran aground north of Bressay.[15]

After Mary escaped from imprisonment at Lochleven Castle, his military command was mainly responsible for her defeat at the Battle of Langside. Kirkcaldy seems to have believed that a peaceful settlement with Mary was possible. He was influenced by William Maitland of Lethington. In September 1569 Kirkcaldy released Maitland by a stratagem from his confinement in Edinburgh Castle. Kirkcaldy was now vehemently suspected by his former allies.[16]

The "Lang Siege" of Edinburgh Castle

Woodcut of the "lang siege" of Edinburgh Castle showing the English intervention, Holinshed's Chronicle.
After the murder of Regent Moray in January 1570, William Kirkaldy of Grange ranged himself definitely among the friends of the imprisoned queen. Defying Regent Lennox, Grange began to strengthen the fortifications of Edinburgh castle and town, of which he was captain and Provost, and now held for Mary. On 2 March 1571, Grange organised a military exercise, with some of his troops pretending to be an English army attacking Edinburgh Castle.[17]

Kirkcaldy forcibly released one of his supporters from imprisonment in Edinburgh's tolbooth, a step which led to an altercation with his former friend John Knox, who called him a murderer and throat-cutter.[18] He arrested some leading burgesses on 29 April 1571. The King's party established their headquarters in Leith. The subsequent period has become known as the "Wars between Leith and Edinburgh." Kirkcaldy began to strengthen the spur fortification at the entrance of the castle, and in May built fortifications in the town, on the Royal Mile and on St Giles Kirk.[19] In October 1571 the town council established itself in Leith, and Grange's men fortified Edinburgh by blocking the ends of streets and closes and burning houses on the outskirts of the city, such as Potterrow. The "lang siege" of Edinburgh castle began in mid-October, when Regent Mar brought artillery from Dumbarton and Stirling Castle.[20]

Raising money for Mary's cause
Grange received supplies and money from France, England, and the Spanish Netherlands where George Seton, 7th Lord Seton negotiated with the Duke of Alva. John Chisholm, Master of the Scottish Artillery, obtained money and arms from the exiled Bishop of Glasgow and Charles IX of France.[21] He sailed from Dieppe in June 1571 but was captured at North Queensferry.[22]

Grange established a mint in the castle to coin silver with the goldsmiths James Mosman and James Cockie, and raised loans by pawning jewellery belonging to Mary, Queen of Scots.[23] On 27 January 1573, William's brother, James Kirkcaldy arrived at Blackness Castle with arms and money from France, but the castle was besieged by Regent Morton, and James Kirkcaldy was captured.[24] Early in 1573, Kirkcaldy refused to come to an agreement with Regent Morton because the terms of peace set out by the "Pacification of Perth" did not include a section of his friends.[18]

Surrender of Edinburgh Castle
After the Pacification of Perth, English troops and artillery arrived to help Regent Morton and the King's party. On 28 May 1573 the castle surrendered. The English commander Sir William Drury took Grange to his lodgings at Robert Gourlay's House[25] and then to Leith. During this time Master Archibald Douglas negotiated with Grange and Drury over the jewels belonging to Mary, Queen of Scots. Several jewels were returned to Drury at Leith.[26] After a week Grange was handed over to Regent Morton and imprisoned in Holyroodhouse.[27]

Strenuous efforts were made to save Kirkcaldy from the vengeance of his enemies, but they were unavailing; Knox had prophesied that he would be hanged, and he was hanged on 3 August 1573.[18][28]

A year later, one of Grange's letters came to light, which mentioned the jewels Mary, Queen of Scots had left behind in Scotland, and that Drury had taken some as a pledge for a loan of £600.[29] Grange's wife, Margaret Learmonth, was in hiding but her whereabouts became known in June 1574 after she was summoned to return jewels.[30]

Posthumous rehabilitation
On 15 July 1581, James VI restored his lands to his heirs, giving a long recitation of Kirkcaldy's service, mentioning a single combat in 1557 while Scotland was at war with England,[31] his support of the Scottish Reformation, and his conduct at Carberry Hill and pursuit of Bothwell;

Schir Williame Kirkcaldie of Grange, quhen weiris stude betuix this realme and Ingland, did sic vailyeand and acceptable service at mony common jeopardis in thai weiris, and als did sa vailyeantlie and manfullie in ane singular combat according to the law of armeis that it meritis perpetuall commendatioun, lyke als alsua he wes ane of the maist notabill instrumentis usit be almichtie God amangis the nobilitie and gentilmen of this realme in suppressing the idolatrus religioun, ...
als as ane of the maist bent to the revealing of the odious murthour of his hienes derrest fader and offerit his body to ony of honest degre that would tak the defence of the erle of Bothwell, and to have had revenge followit him upoune the seyis to Zetland, quhair Schir Williame wes than schipbrokkin in greit hasert, ...

Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange, when wars stood between this realm and England, did such valiant and acceptable service at many battles in those wars, and also did so valiantly and manfully in a single combat according to the Laws of Arms that it merits perpetual commendation, and likewise he was one of the most notable instruments used by Almighty God amongst the nobility and gentlemen of this realm in suppressing idolatrous religion, ... and one of the most keen to reveal the odious murder of the king's father and offered his body to any of honest degree that would take the defence of the Earl of Bothwell (at Carberry), and to have revenge followed him by sea to Shetland, where Sir William in great danger shipwrecked ...[32]

William's heir was his nephew, also William Kirkcaldy, son of his brother Master James Kirkcaldy.[33]

  Burial Notes:

This inscription is in the Castle Wall of Edinburgh Castle: "In memory of Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange, justly reputed to be one of the best soldiers and most accomplished cavaliers of his time. He held this castle for Queen Mary from May 1568 to May 1573 and after its honourable surrender suffered death for devotion to her cause on 3rd August 1573."

  Noted events in his life were:

1. He worked as a Governor of Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, , Midlothian, Scotland. ¹⁴⁶⁹ (Edingurgh Castle, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.)

2. He worked as a Governor of Grange in Grange, , Banffshire, Scotland. ¹⁴⁶⁹

3. He was Protestant in Edinburgh, , Midlothian, Scotland.

4. He resided at Hallyards Castle in 1539 in Auchtertool, , Fife, Scotland. William Kirkcaldy of Grange held lands at Hallyards Castle in Fife. William's father, James Kirkcaldy of Grange (died 1556), was lord high treasurer of Scotland from 1537 to 1543 and a determined opponent of Cardinal Beaton, for whose murder in 1546 William and James were partly responsible.

5. Biographical Information: Involved in the murder of Cardinal David Beaton, on 26 May 1546, in Saint Andrews, , Fife, Scotland. Involved in the murder of Cardinal David Beaton at St. Andrews Castle in May 1546. (St Andrews Castle, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland.)

6. He worked as a Secret Agent for England from 1550 to 1556 in , , , France.

7. Title Of Nobility: Knighted by Mary, Queen of Scots, on 8 February 1562, in Edinburgh, , Midlothian, Scotland. Occured during the festivities after the wedding of the queen's half-brother Lord James Stewart and Agnes Keith. The wedding took place at St. Giles Catherdral with the reception at Holyrood Palace. (Holyrood Palace, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.)

8. He served in the military on 15 June 1567 in Carberry, , East Lothian, Scotland: He received Mary, Queen of Scot’s surrender at Carberry Hill. The Battle of Carberry Hill took place on 15 June 1567, near Musselburgh, East Lothian, a few miles east of Edinburgh, Scotland. A number of Scottish lords objected to the rule of Mary, Queen of Scots, after she had married the Earl of Bothwell, who was widely believed to have murdered her previous husband Lord Darnley. The Lords were intent to avenge Darnley's death. However, Bothwell escaped from the stand-off at Carberry while Queen Mary surrendered.

Bothwell offered single combat to any of the Confederate Lords. William Kirkcaldy accepted the challenge, but Bothwell would not fight him as he was merely a baron. He also refused Murray of Tullibardine, and then Lord Lindsay. It was hot and Queen Mary's supporters had nothing to drink. The day dragged on. Two of Bothwell's supporters, Edmund Blackadder and the laird of Wedderburn, understanding that Bothwell was intending to leave, made their apologies to the Queen and rode away. In response to an oath made by the rebel Lords, Queen Mary agreed to surrender to Kirkcaldy. He led her horse by the bridle down from the hill, while Bothwell rode off to Dunbar Castle with 25 horsemen. A drawing of the battlefield sent to London with a newsletter survives and gives a schematic idea of the events.

The rebel Lords took Queen Mary to Edinburgh. Betraying their oath at Carberry Hill, the Lords imprisoned her in Lochleven Castle, near Kinross, where her keeper was Sir William Douglas, half brother to James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray. William Kirkcaldy was infuriated at the rebel Lords' betrayal of the oath, which he had represented to her in good faith.

9. William served in the military after 15 June 1567 in Edinburgh, , Midlothian, Scotland: Lord High Admiral of Scotland.

William married Margaret LEARMONTH [6246] [MRIN: 5333], daughter of Sir James LEARMONTH of Dairsie [6261] and Katherine RAMSAY [6262]. (Margaret LEARMONTH [6246] was born on 28 August 1542 in Dairsie, Fife, Scotland ¹⁴⁶⁸ and died on 29 November 1574 in Dunfermline, , Fife, Scotland ¹⁴⁶⁸.)