James Douglas

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 36959

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• Reference Number: 4265

Notes:

WILLIAM DOUGLAS, tenth Earl, who became a Roman Catholic, and, in conjunction with the Earls of Errol and Huntly, disturbed the peace of the country and perilled its safety by their treasonable intrigues with the King of Spain. They were implicated in the conspiracy of the ‘Spanish Blanks,' as it was called in consequence of certain blank sheets of paper, having at the bottom the seals and signatures of the Popish lords, being found in the possession of George Kerr, a brother of the Abbot of Newbattle, who was about to proceed on a secret mission to Spain. Kerr, on being put to the torture, confessed the whole affair.

It appears that the King of Spain was to land an army of thirty thousand men on the west coast of Scotland, where they were to be joined by the Popish lords with all the forces they could muster. Fifteen thousand of the Spanish troops were to march across the Border and assist in raising an insurrection in England, while the remainder, with the assistance of the Romish faction, were to overthrow the Protestant Church in Scotland. This nefarious plot against the independence of the country and the national religion was repeatedly renewed by the three Popish lords; but James, who was unwilling to proceed to extremities against them, contrived to delay the infliction of the punishment which their crime deserved. The lenity shown by the King seemed only to embolden them to open resistance against the royal authority. They were at length declared guilty of high treason, and excommunicated as obstinate Papists, their estates and honours were forfeited, and a commission was given to the young Earl of Argyll to pursue them with fire and sword. Huntly and Errol collected their retainers, and, after a stubborn conflict, defeated the royal forces at a place called Glenlivet, 3rd October, 1594.

The King, indignant and alarmed at this disaster, marched at the head of a powerful army to the north, and laid waste the estates of the insurgents and destroyed their strongholds. Angus was not present at the battle of Glenlivet, but he shared the fate of his associates, and implored the King's permission to leave the kingdom, which was granted on condition that he would not return without the royal sanction, nor during his exile make any attempt to injure the Protestant religion or the peace and liberties of his native country. He returned secretly in 1595 and was suffered to remain in Scotland on giving assurance that he would henceforth conduct himself like a loyal and peaceful subject. In the following year he was formally ‘released' from the bond, and in 1597, along with Huntly and Errol, was publicly absolved from his excommunication and reconciled to the Kirk at Aberdeen, in the presence of a great assembly of persons of all ranks. He subsequently retired to the Continent, and died at Paris, 3rd March, 1611, in the fifty-seventh year of his age.

Buried:
Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés

William married Elizabeth of Oliphant 1585. Elizabeth (daughter of Laurence IV of Oliphant and Margaret Hay of Erroll) was born 1571; died 1622. [Group Sheet]

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• Reference Number: 10610

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• Reference Number: 4264

William — Gille Egidia Graham. Gille (daughter of Robert Graham) was born 1534; died 1609. [Group Sheet]

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• Reference Number: 5409

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• Reference Number: 10611

Laurence — Margaret Hay of Erroll. Margaret was born 1530. [Group Sheet]

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• Reference Number: 6413

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• Reference Number: 4279

Archibald — Marischal Keith. Marischal was born 1511; died 16 Jul 1588. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 8168

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 5410