Archibald Douglas of Spott
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Sir Archibald Douglas of Spott was the son of
Sir James, and grandson
of James, 4th earl of Morton.
FOE
THE EARLE OF LAWDERDALE, SOLE SECRETARIE OF STATE FOR SCOTLAND.
Hamilton, 13 of June.
M. D. L.
I hope you will thinke I was
drunke yesterday for sending you a complaint of a poor mans being
oppressed, and forgetting to tell you his name. It is Thomas Blair,
merchant of Aire. I request you order them to set him at liberty. Be
pleased likewise to write to my Lord Hume* to cease pursuing the
Laird of Spot, since Mr
1 For an account of Provost Cunningham's
accusation before the Privy Council, see Wodrow, vol. I. p. 286.
* Alexander, fourth Earl of Home.
William Douglas1 life was taken
yesterday, if the king will not give a remission ; but if he will,
send it downe. I am vindictive
1 On the fourth of June 1667,
Archibald Douglas of Spot, and Mr William Douglas, " sone to umquhil
Sir Robert Douglas of Blackerstoune," were, as appears from the
Criminal Record of Edinburgh, " indytit and accusit for the
slaughter of umquhill Sir James Home of Eccles, Knight."—John Home
of Eccles, son of the deceased, is one of the pursuers—" My Lord
Advocat insists primo loco against Mr William; and continues the
trial of the Laird of Spott, to the first Wednesday of July next to
come."—No circumstances of the murder are detailed. The jury
acquitted Mr William of " the cryme of combatting, specified in the
dittay," but found him guilty, " airt and part," of the slaughter of
Sir James. Sentence—" To be tane upon Wednesday next, the 7th day of
Junii, instant, to the mercat croce of Edin: and ther, betuixt two
and four hours in the afternoone, to have his head stricken off from
his bodie, and all his moveable guids and geir to be escheet," &c.—"
3d July.—The said day compeiret Sir Robert Sinclar of Longformacus,
Advocat, and produced ane act of the Lords of his Maties. Privie
Counsell, whereof the tenor follows:—Att Edin. the twentie day of
Junii 1667, qra* anent a petitione presentit be Archibald Douglas of
Spott, shewinge that qr** the petitioner is incarcerat within the
tolbuith of Edin. for the slaughter of umq'e Sir James Home of
Eccles, and is to be pannelled for the said cryme, before the
Justices, upon the — day of July ensewing; and seeing Mr Wm Douglas,
by his solemne declaration, subscrivit with his hand, and produced,
hes taken upon him the said cryme, and acknowledgat that he was the
only committer of the said slauchter ; and hes lykwayes suffered for
the samen : humblie, therfor, desyring that the dyet befor the
Justices might be continewit for some tyme, as the petitioun bears.
Whilk petitioun, with the declaration of the said Mr Wm Douglas,
being at lenth heard and considered, The Lords of his Maties privie
counsall do ordein the Justices to supersede and continew anie
procedour against the petitioner in the said proces, untill the
first day of November nixt to come, &c.—In obedience to which, the
Justices continewit the said action, &c—1st Novr. 1667.—The which
day Archibald Douglas of Spott, being oft tymes callit, to have
compeiret before his Maties Justice Generall, Justice Clerk, or
Justice deputtes, in the hour of cans, to have under] yen his Maties
lawes, for being accessarie airt and pairt, of (the slaughter of)
umqu Sir James Home of Eccles, committed upon the — day of Apryll
last, by
but I thinke life for life is all can be sought, since
it is knowne they hated him not in time past. So, adieu.
(Endorsed by the Duke, " Lady Margaret Kennedy, 13 Jan. 1667.")
past, in maner mentionit in the Criminall Letters raisit at the
instance of John Home of Eccles, for himself, and in name and behalf
of the remenant kin and friends of his said deceast father, and Sir
John Nisbit of Dirleton, Knight, his Maties Advocat for his Hienes
interest, against the said Archibald Douglas y'anent, as he who was
lawfully heard to have found caution for his compeirance before his
Maties Justices upon the fourth day of May ; at which tyme the samyn
dyett was continewit to the fourth day of July last; at which tyme
also the said dyet was continewit to the nynth day of July last
bypast, by ane act of his Maties privie counsall to this day.
Lawfull tyme of day bidden, and the said Archibald Douglas of Spott
not enterand to the effect abore written ; my Lord Justice Clerk,
therfor, be the mouth of John Schort officer of Court, decernit and
adjudged the said Archibald Douglas of Spott, to be denunced our
Boveraigne Lords rebel), and put to the borne, and all his moveable
goods and gear to be escheit, and in brought to his Majesties use,
as outlaw and fugitive, &c."—No more has been discovered respecting
the Laird, whose estate came afterwards into the possession of a
gambler, named Murray, who sold it to Lord Alexander Hay, fifth son
of the first Marquis of Tweedale. Murray's wife, a daughter of James
Lord Forrester (formerly pronounced Foster) who was murdered with
his own sword, in his garden at Corstorphine, by his first lady's
niece, addressed the following tempestuous letter to Lord Alexander
during her husband's bargain. It is said that after all her pride
and indignation, she was reduced to solicit pecuniary aid from Lord
Alexander, who, with a benevolence characteristic of his
descendants, never withheld it; and that to receive this, she
frequently appeared at the door of Spott house, in the meanest dress
of a common mendicant.
His will recorded, Edinburgh, 1647
He had a son, Archibald, who was retoured to his father 1647
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