Adam Otterburn of

Auldhame Auldhame and Scoughall are hamlets in East Lothian, Scotland. They are close to the town of North Berwick and the village of Whitekirk, and are approximately east of Edinburgh. Saint Baldred's legacy It is said that the 8th-century Christia ...

and Redhall (died 6 July 1548) was a Scottish lawyer and diplomat. He was

king's advocate The King's Advocate (or Queen's Advocate when the monarch was female) was one of the Law Officers of the Crown. He represented the Crown in the ecclesiastical courts of the Church of England, where cases were argued not by barristers but by ad ...

James V of Scotland James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of King James IV and Margaret Tudor, and du ...

and secretary to

Mary of Guise Mary of Guise (french: Marie de Guise; 22 November 1515 – 11 June 1560), also called Mary of Lorraine, was a French noblewoman of the House of Guise, a cadet branch of the House of Lorraine and one of the most powerful families in France. Sh ...

and

Regent Arran A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state ''pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy, ...

The King's lawyer

The law brought against the Douglas family

Adam Otterburn was an important servant of the Scottish monarchy as a lawyer and a diplomat. In August 1524

Margaret Tudor Margaret Tudor (28 November 1489 – 18 October 1541) was Queen of Scotland from 1503 until 1513 by marriage to King James IV. She then served as regent of Scotland during her son's minority, and successfully fought to extend her regency. Ma ...

sent him to England with the Earl of Cassilis and Scot of Balwearie to negotiate peace, and a possible marriage for James V with Princess Mary. In May 1525 the English ambassador Dr Thomas Magnus recommended him to

Cardinal Wolsey Thomas Wolsey ( – 29 November 1530) was an English statesman and Catholic bishop. When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, Wolsey became the king's almoner. Wolsey's affairs prospered and by 1514 he had become the controlling figur ...

for an annual pension of £20. In 1528 Magnus and Otterburn again discussed the possibilities of a marriage between James V and Princess Mary. When James V assumed the throne as an adult ruler and rejected the Douglases and their associates, Otterburn drew up charges of treason against them on 13 July 1529. On 8 November 1529 he was one of the Scottish commissioners who met English diplomats at

Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census re ...

. This meeting discussed the possible restoration of the

Earl of Angus The Mormaer or Earl of Angus was the ruler of the medieval Scottish province of Angus. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland, is held by the Duke of Hamilton, and is used as a courtesy title for the eldest son of the Duke's eldest son. Histor ...

, an issue which

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

could use as leverage to decide James's choice of future bride. A five-year truce was concluded and the Douglases were to go into English exile. In May 1532 he was of the first 15 lawyers appointed as Senators of Justice. While in England he was knighted by James V (in his absence) as Sir Adam Otterburn of Redhall on 16 February 1534. Redhall, his other estate, is within Edinburgh near

Longstone Longstone or Long Stone may refer to Places *Longstone, Edinburgh, a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland * Longstone, County Armagh, a townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland * Longstone, Cornwall, a hamlet in Cornwall, England * Longstone, Isles of ...

. Around this time, Otterburn had a conversation with Thomas Wharton about gold mining in Scotland at Crawford Moor. Otterburn said that

James IV James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 until his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He inherited the throne at the age of fifteen on the death of his father, James III, at the Battle of Sauch ...

had mines but only found loose pieces of gold or gold ore rather than a vein, and spent more on the work than he recovered. The Duke of Albany also opened mines. In 1546 Wharton had a gold medallion coined by Albany, said to be minted from Scottish gold.

Anglo-Scottish politics and the Protestant Reformation

Adam Otterburn signed a border peace treaty in London on 11 May 1534. After the English Reformation, in 1536, Henry VIII requested a meeting with James V, and Otterburn was sent to London again to discuss Henry's motives and the possible agenda. He was in London during the arrest and conviction of

Anne Boleyn Anne Boleyn (; 1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the second wife of King Henry VIII. The circumstances of her marriage and of her execution by beheading for treason and other charges made her a key f ...

. In April 1537 Otterburn and other courtiers joked with the English messenger Henry Ray about English

Friars A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the o ...

who were now refugees in Scotland. In June 1538 he wrote a speech with

David Lyndsay Sir David Lyndsay of the Mount (c. 1490 – c. 1555; ''alias'' Lindsay) was a Scottish herald who gained the highest heraldic office of Lyon King of Arms. He remains a well regarded poet whose works reflect the spirit of the Renaissance, speci ...

in French to welcome

to Edinburgh, to be given by Master Henry Lauder. In August 1538 he was imprisoned in

Dumbarton Castle Dumbarton Castle ( gd, Dùn Breatainn, ; ) has the longest recorded history of any stronghold in Scotland. It sits on a volcanic plug of basalt known as Dumbarton Rock which is high and overlooks the Scottish town of Dumbarton. History Dum ...

and in November deprived of office and fined £1000 for communicating with the forfeited Earl of Angus. The English border official Thomas Wharton heard that the former

comptroller A comptroller (pronounced either the same as ''controller'' or as ) is a management-level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization. A financial comptroller is a senior-level execut ...

James Colville was also imprisoned for "his accomptes". Following the death of James V, Otterburn received from the king's wardrobe a gift of armour on 22 December by the order

Cardinal Beaton David Beaton (also Beton or Bethune; 29 May 1546) was Archbishop of St Andrews and the last Scottish cardinal prior to the Reformation. Career Cardinal Beaton was the sixth and youngest son of eleven children of John Beaton (Bethune) of Bal ...

, including a "secret courage", a helmet covered with corduroy, a "

jack of plate A jack of plate is a type of armour made up of small iron plates sewn between layers of felt and canvas. They were commonly referred to simply as a "jack" (although this could also refer to any outer garment). This type of armour was used by co ...

", two rapiers and other items.

If your lad was a lass: The War of the Rough Wooing

A sympathy for England strained

The English diplomat Ralph Sadler reported that Otterburn was a member of Cardinal Beaton's pro-French faction, but Adam insisted the contrary, attributing his troubles and difficulties during the adult rule of James V to his pro-English position. The Governor of Scotland,

, ordered Otterburn's arrest on 28 April 1544 but Robert Reid the

Bishop of Orkney The Bishop of Orkney was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Orkney, one of thirteen medieval bishoprics of Scotland. It included both Orkney and Shetland. It was based for almost all of its history at St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall. Th ...

interceded for him. Years later in 1561, Ralph Sadler reminded the English

Privy Council A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mo ...

of Adam's words to him on the marriage proposed between Mary and

Edward Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sax ...

;

"Our people do not like of it. And though the governor and some of the nobility have consented to it, yet I know that few or none of them do like of it; and our common people do utterly mislike of it. I pray you give me leave to ask you a question: if your lad was a lass, and our lass were a lad, would you then be so earnest in this matter? ... And lykewise I assure you that our nation will never agree to have an Englishman king of Scotland. And though the whole nobility of the realm would consent, yet our common people, and the stones in the street would rise and rebel against it"

Chivalry at the gates of Edinburgh

When the English army intent on the destruction of Edinburgh landed at Granton and took

Leith Leith (; gd, Lìte) is a port area in the north of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith. In 2021, it was ranked by ''Time Out'' as one of the top five neighbourhoods to live in the world. The earliest ...

, as

Provost of Edinburgh The Right Honourable Lord Provost of Edinburgh is the convener of the City of Edinburgh local authority, who is elected by the city council and serves not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the entire city, ex officio the ...

, Adam Otterburn was sent out with two heralds to parley with the

Earl of Hertford Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...

on the morning of 5 May 1544. Hertford had been instructed not to negotiate, so Adam replied in defiance and refused to yield up the town. Hertford had not yet landed his guns so offered to wait till 7:00 pm. During an interlude in the war with England, Otterburn was concerned to recover money owing to him. His holding of lands at Auldhame, like those of his neighbours

Oliver Sinclair Sir Oliver Sinclair of Pitcairnis (died 1576?) was a favourite courtier of James V of Scotland. A contemporary story tells that James V gave him the battle standard and command at the Battle of Solway Moss. Another story tells how at the end of h ...

, the favourite of James V, and John, 5th

Lord Borthwick Lord Borthwick is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. Alexander Nisbet relates that "the first of this ancient and noble family came from Hungary to Scotland, in the retinue of Queen Margaret, in the reign of Malcolm Canmore, ''anno Domini'' 10 ...

, required duties to be paid to

. Adam wrote to the Cardinal hoping for money owed to him by Sinclair, and he noted that Borthwick and other landowners south of the

River Forth The River Forth is a major river in central Scotland, long, which drains into the North Sea on the east coast of the country. Its drainage basin covers much of Stirlingshire in Scotland's Central Belt. The Gaelic name for the upper reach of t ...

sold their wool in England. Adam was now distrusted by Regent Arran and briefly imprisoned with a threat of further lawsuits. Friends like Elizabeth Gordon, wife of

John Stewart, 4th Earl of Atholl John Stewart, 4th Earl of Atholl (died 25 April 1579), called the Fair, was a Scottish nobleman and courtier. He was favoured by Mary, Queen of Scots, but later turned against her. Biography Stewart was the son of John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Atho ...

wrote to Mary of Guise on his behalf. They were closely allied; Adam's son John had married the Countess' sister in law, Janet Stewart. In October 1546, Adam set out with David Panter and a servant of d'Oysel, the French ambassador in Scotland to meet with Henry VIII at Oatlands. They brought the Scottish ratification of the Treaty of Ardres or Camp. Before they left Adam complained he had not enough money and horses to get to

Musselburgh Musselburgh (; sco, Musselburrae; gd, Baile nam Feusgan) is the largest settlement in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, east of Edinburgh city centre. It has a population of . History The name Musselburgh is Ol ...

(a town close to Edinburgh). While they were waiting to see Henry the other diplomats were delighted to see them arguing. In March 1547, three of his servants were allowed to return to Scotland.

Last minute negotiations in London before the Battle of Pinkie

Otterburn was still negotiating for peace in London before the

Battle of Pinkie The Battle of Pinkie, also known as the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh ( , ), took place on 10 September 1547 on the banks of the River Esk near Musselburgh, Scotland. The last pitched battle between Scotland and England before the Union of the Crow ...

. On Sunday 7 August 1547 he went to

Hampton Court Hampton Court Palace is a Grade I listed royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, southwest and upstream of central London on the River Thames. The building of the palace began in 1514 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the chi ...

and met

Edward VI of England Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour and the first ...

. There he was dismissed as a diplomat by the council as it was now a time of hostility. He was given £75 as a gift for his departure. Otterburn saw,

"afoir my eis verray gret preparatioun of weir, and actualie the gret hors, the harnes, the hagbutaris, and all gorgious reparrale set forwart towart our realme."

Before my eyes very great preparation of war, and actually the great horse, the armour, the firearms, and all the gorgeous equipment set forward towards our realm.

The "gorgeous" equipment included leather horse armour designed and made by the workshop of the Italian artist Nicholas Bellin of Modena. On Monday he returned to Hampton Court and had further discussions with the

Protector Somerset Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset (150022 January 1552) (also 1st Earl of Hertford, 1st Viscount Beauchamp), also known as Edward Semel, was the eldest surviving brother of Queen Jane Seymour (d. 1537), the Wives of Henry VIII, third w ...

. He wrote to Regent Arran urging him take his warnings of the English invasion seriously, and begged him to allow

George Douglas of Pittendreich George Douglas of Pittendreich (died 1552) was a member of the powerful Red Douglas family who struggled for control of the young James V of Scotland in 1528. His second son became James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton and Regent of Scotland. Initi ...

to negotiate with Somerset, writing; "I dreid ye will nocht gif credence quhill ye se thame cum in at the dur," (I dread you will not believe till you see them come in the door). Arran had already set up a system of coastal watchers and warning beacons. However, his army was defeated by the English at the Battle of Pinkie on 10 September 1547.

Sore hurt on the head

In his letters in 1546 and 1547 Otterburn mentions that he was "aged and sickly", but Otterburn died after an assault in Edinburgh by a servant of Regent Arran on 3 July 1548, "sore hurt on the head and his servant slain at his heels." Patrick Mure, laird of Annestoun near

Lanark Lanark (; gd, Lannraig ; sco, Lanrik) is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, located 20 kilometres to the south-east of Hamilton. The town lies on the River Clyde, at its confluence with Mouse Water. In 2016, the town had a population of 9 ...

, and his son were charged with treason for his murder, their last recorded summons for the crime was at the instance of Mary of Guise.

Family

Adam married firstly, Janet Rhynd, and secondly, Euphame Mowbray, with whom he had three sons, John, Robert and Thomas. He had three daughters, Margaret, Janet, and another whose name is unknown. His eldest daughter Margaret married Sir John Wemyss of Wemyss. In February 1544 another daughter was married and Adam asked Mary of Guise for financial support as "sik materis requiris coist and expensis", and again in 1546 he mentioned to

David Beaton David Beaton (also Beton or Bethune; 29 May 1546) was Archbishop of St Andrews and the last Scottish cardinal prior to the Reformation. Career Cardinal Beaton was the sixth and youngest son of eleven children of John Beaton (Bethune) of Bal ...

his difficulty in paying "my dochteris tocher". His son John married Janet Stewart, sister of the

Earl of Atholl The Mormaer or Earl of Atholl was the title of the holder of a medieval comital lordship straddling the highland province of Atholl (''Ath Fodhla''), now in northern Perthshire. Atholl is a special Mormaerdom, because a King of Atholl is repor ...

.Annie I. Cameron, (SHS: Edinburgh, 1927), p. 157.

Footnotes

Sources

* Cameron, Annie I., ed., ''Scottish Correspondence of Mary of Lorraine'' (Scottish History Society: Edinburgh, 1927). * Cameron, Jamie, ''James V'' (Tuckwell: East Lintton, 1998). * Findlay, John, 'Otterburn, Sir Adam (d. 1548)', ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 200
accessed 3 Oct 2010
* Harrison, John G.
''Wardrobe Inventories of James V: British Library MS Royal 18 C'' (Historic Scotland: Edinburgh, 2008)
* Inglis, John Alexander, ''Sir Adam Otterburn of Redhall, King's Advocate'' 1524–1548, (1935) * Merriman, Marcus, ''The Rough Wooings'' (Tuckwell: East Linton, 2000).
Excavation at the site of Redhall Castle, Red River Archaeology

Auldhame Castle, Stravaiging Around Scotland

Auldhame Castle and landscape, Edinburgh Drift
{{DEFAULTSORT:Otterburn, Adam Members of the Privy Council of Scotland Provosts of Edinburgh 16th-century Scottish people 1548 deaths Year of birth unknown People murdered in Scotland Assassinated Scottish politicians Scottish diplomats Ambassadors of Scotland to England Court of James V of Scotland Scottish people of the Rough Wooing Lords Justice Clerk Lord Advocates