Sir James
Douglas of Spott
Sir James Douglas of Spott, the natural son of
James, 4th Earl of Morton was
a lay prior of Pluscarden Abbey. He was involved in a conspiracy
against King James Vl. He was one of the
Irish Undertakers.
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Sir James Douglas of Spott: Clancarney, 2,000 acres, Fews
barony, Armagh. Natural son of fourth earl of Morton, Scottish
Regiment 1572 to 1578. From Haddington. Married Anna, only daughter of Sir
George Home, fiar of Spott. Received numerous gifts from King. 1610
described as gentleman of the privy chamber. Not in Ireland 1610.
(Carew Reort) initially only an agent present, but commissioners had
left, fifteen families of workmen and officers brought from
Scotland. Aug 1611 Douglas expected on his Irish estate. By 2 May
1611 conveyed proportion to Henry Atcheson (Acheson).
Douglas remained in Ulster. 1612 among planters who complained to
the King of
robberies by Irish. Had died by end of Jul 1614 (Bodley's Report).
Henry Acheson's and Douglas's proportions combined contained
forty-seven British families (Pynar's Report).
Douglas's proportion in the hands of Sir Archibald Acheson, Henry's
brother. Stone bawn built and strong house begun. Twenty-nine
families in town of Clancarney. These, along with the rest of Sir
Archibalds tenants, could make 173 men at arms. 1622 report: Sir
Archibald's estates contatined 130 British families.
Henry
Acheson: Coolemalish, 1,000 acres, Fews barony, Armagh. From
Edinburgh, though the family came from Gosford, Hadingtonshier.
Applied for Ulster land 1609, By 20 Apr 1610 chosen as undertaker.
Ulster patent dated Jul 1610. 1611 purchased the 2,000 acres granted
to Sir James Douglas. (Carew report): timber and stones collected;
eight or nine settlers established. Livestock present. Had two land
disputes; most serious was with the archbishop of Armagh, which was
settled after the King's intervention. (Bodley's report):
forty-seven British families of Acheson's and Douglas's proportions.
By 1619, Douglas land had passed to Archibald Acheson, brother to
Henry. (Pynnar's report): Henry Acheson's land - considered progress
in building, thirty men present, but no leases granted.
Into this district, - a region then clothed with dense forests, much
of it bogland and wild, where wolves lurked and wild Irish kerns,
roamed in marauding bands - came the new land owners and their
settlers. (Kerns were the native Irish foot-soldier or peasant).
These people laboured and lived through these barbaric times,
bringing with them a form of civilisation. They married and brought
up families, who were to be the cornerstones of the community. Many
of our people today can trace their ancestors back to these settlers
who came with the Douglas, Acheson and Hamilton families.
------------------------------------------------------
It was not long before James was exposed to dangers from another
quarter, fully as formidable as those by which he supposed himself
threatened through Satanic agency.
Bothwell, whose fierce
temper was exasperated to the highest degree by the proceedings
which had been taken against him, and which he imputed chiefly to
the influence of the chancellor, now formed the daring design of
suddenly entering the palace, and surprising and making prisoners
[both him and] the king. Maitland, who aimed at too exclusive a
place in the confidence and affection of his master, had become
odious to many of the courtiers, all of whom, including the Duke of
Lennox, were consequently easily induced to enter into a conspiracy
which promised to issue in the overthrow of that minister; and
Bothwell, having Collected a small band of his desperate followers,
it was resolved that the attempt should be made.
Accordingly, on the 27th of December, about seven o'clock in the
evening, Bothwell and his party repaired to the palace, and having
without noise obtained entrance by a back passage that led through
the stables of the Duke of Lennox, they soon found themselves,
unobserved, in the inner court of the palace. At that moment, when
neither the king nor the chancellor had the least suspicion of
danger, and had taken no precautions for their own protection, it
would have been an easy matter to seize and make prisoners of both;
but fortunately for them this result was prevented by the incaution
and precipitancy of one of the conspirators.
Some of the
servants of James Douglas of Spot had, a few days before, been
apprehended on suspicion of having been concerned in the murder of
George Hume of Spot, the father-in-law of Douglas, and had been
confined in the palace, preparatory to being examined by torture.
Anxious for their release, and seeing no other means of effecting
it, Douglas had been induced to join Bothwell in the conspiracy,
and, eager only for the accomplishment of that object, he at once
proceeded with a detachment of the conspirators to the chamber where
his people were confined, and began to batter down the door with
sledge-hammers.
The unusual noise alarmed the whole
household. The king, who was then at supper in the queen's
apartments, rushed precipitately down a back stair leading to one of
the turrets, in which he took refuge; the chancellor, who happened
to be then in the palace, shut himself up with a few servants in his
own chamber; and the attendants of the queen barred and barricaded
the door of her apartments. Bothwell, having first sent a party to
secure the chancellor, went with the rest of the conspirators to the
queen's apartments, with the intention of seizing the king, whom he
expected to find there; but being unable to obtain admission, he
became furious with rage, and called loudly for fire to burn the
door.
In the meantime, the chancellor and his attendants
were courageously defending themselves, and beating back their
assailants; while Sir James Sandilands, one of the gentlemen of the
king's bedchamber, having been informed of his majesty's danger, had
run with all speed to the provost, who hastily collected a number of
armed citizens, with whom he entered the palace by a private door
leading to the chapel, and compelled Bothwell and his followers to
take to flight. The greater part, owing to the darkness of the
night, succeeded in effecting their escape, but nine of the lower
order were captured, and, without the formality of a trial, were
hanged next morning at the Cross of Edinburgh. In this daring
attempt, sometimes denominated in history the "Raid of the Abbey",
only one person was killed,—Shaw, the king's equerry, who was shot
by Bothwell while attempting to prevent his escape.
James Douglas, Prior of Pluscardine married (mcrt 18 Feb 1577/8)
Anna Home (dau of George Home, fiar of Spott), and had issue,
Archibald.
Sir James Douglas, of Spott; Haddington constabulary, 1612.
Commendator of Pluscardine, natural son of James, Earl of Morton,
had a charter, 31 Jan 1577/78 of the lands of Easter Spott, Co.
Edinburgh from George Home, Fiar of Spott
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