The Octavians were a financial commission of eight in the government of Scotland first appointed by

James VI James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

on 9 January 1596. James VI's minister

John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane (1537 – 3 October 1595), of Lethington, Knight (1581), was Lord Chancellor of Scotland. Life He was the second son of Sir Richard Maitland of Thirlestane, Berwickshire, and Lethington, Haddi ...

had died on 3 October 1595, and his financial situation was troubled. The Octavians were a reforming body, eager to bring order to the royal finances and bear down on patronage. They imposed a 5% import tax and promoted an expedition into the Highlands to recover tax revenue. The Octavians were in part drawn from a committee appointed in 1593 by the

Parliament of Scotland The Parliament of Scotland ( sco, Pairlament o Scotland; gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba) was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland from the 13th century until 1707. The parliament evolved during the early 13th century from the king's council o ...

to look after the estates of

Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I; as such, she was Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and Queen of England and Ireland from the union of the Scottish and Eng ...

. An English courtier in Scotland

Roger Aston Sir Roger Aston (died 23 May 1612) of Cranford, Middlesex, was an English courtier and favourite of James VI of Scotland. Biography Aston was the illegitimate son of Thomas Aston (died 1553). Scottish sources spell his name variously as "Ascheto ...

described events at the end of December 1595 in a letter to James Hudson: "The queen's council joins with the prior (Alexander Seton) and other of the king's council for the reformation of the king's particular affairs". The committee for the queen's estates continued after the

Union of Crowns The Union of the Crowns ( gd, Aonadh nan Crùintean; sco, Union o the Crouns) was the accession of James VI of Scotland to the throne of the Kingdom of England as James I and the practical unification of some functions (such as overseas dip ...

, and new appointments were made in April 1617. It was said that at the end of December 1595, the Queen's council, newly appointed as the Octavians, gave Anne of Denmark a purse of gold which she then presented to the king as a New Year's Day gift. The details of this incident are obscure. The Octavians made particular efforts to reduce the cost of the royal households of James VI and Anne of Denmark. The chamberlain, the

Duke of Lennox The title Duke of Lennox has been created several times in the peerage of Scotland, for Clan Stewart of Darnley. The dukedom, named for the district of Lennox in Dumbarton, was first created in 1581, and had formerly been the Earldom of Lenno ...

, and the Master Households, were encourage to reduce the number of courtiers who received fees and meals at court, and as many as 70 posts were trimmed. The Octavians appointed Henry Wardlaw of Pitreavie as Receiver General, responsible for the income from the Comptrollery, the New Augmentations (duties paid from former church lands), and the

mint MiNT is Now TOS (MiNT) is a free software alternative operating system kernel for the Atari ST system and its successors. It is a multi-tasking alternative to TOS and MagiC. Together with the free system components fVDI device drivers, XaAE ...

. The initial commission for the Octavians lasted only one year, and was much disliked; Presbyterians attempted a coup on 17 December 1596, and one demand was that the Octavians should be disbanded. James VI was in the

Tolbooth A tolbooth or town house was the main municipal building of a Scottish burgh, from medieval times until the 19th century. The tolbooth usually provided a council meeting chamber, a court house and a jail. The tolbooth was one of three esse ...

of Edinburgh with most of the

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 ...

and the Octavians. After a sermon given by Walter Balcanquhall in

St Giles Saint Giles (, la, Aegidius, french: Gilles), also known as Giles the Hermit, was a hermit or monk active in the lower Rhône most likely in the 6th century. Revered as a saint, his cult became widely diffused but his hagiography is mostly lege ...

, the congregation came out crying "the sword of

Gideon Gideon (; ) also named Jerubbaal and Jerubbesheth, was a military leader, judge and prophet whose calling and victory over the Midianites are recounted in of the Book of Judges in the Hebrew Bible. Gideon was the son of Joash, from the Ab ...

" and some rioters called for arms. The royal guard escorted James VI back to

Holyroodhouse The Palace of Holyroodhouse ( or ), commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace or Holyroodhouse, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh ...

. When their commission was renewed in 1597, they faced disabling opposition from vested interests, and some of the Octavians were suspect as sympathetic to Catholics. But the concept of the commission as an extension of the exchequer into government persisted, and under the name of New Octavians it played a part in Scottish administration into the reign of

Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...

Octavians of 1596

David Carnegie of Colluthie David Carnegie of Colluthie (1559–1598) was a Scottish landowner and administrator. He was an auditor of the Scottish exchequer in 1595 and joined the government finance committee known as the Octavians in 1596. David Carnegie was the younger ...

James Elphinstone, 1st Lord Balmerinoch James Elphinstone, 1st Lord Balmerino (1553?-1612) was a Scottish nobleman and politician, disgraced in 1609. Life to 1605 He was the third son of Robert Elphinstone, 3rd Lord Elphinstone, by Margaret, daughter of Sir John Drummond of Innerpef ...

, formerly a member of the queen's council. *

Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Haddington Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Haddington (1563 – 29 May 1637), designated before his peerage as 'of Drumcarny, Monkland, and Binning', was a Scottish administrator, Lord Advocate, judge, and Lord Lieutenant of Haddingtonshire. Family The son ...

, formerly a member of the queen's council. *

John Lindsay of Balcarres John Lindsay of Balcarres (1552–1598) was Secretary of State, Scotland. On 5 July 1581 he was appointed a Lord of Session under the title Lord Menmuir. Life He was the second son of David Lindsay, 9th Earl of Crawford and Catherine Campbell, ...

, formerly a member of the queen's council. *

Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of Dunfermline Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of Dunfermline (1555–1622) was a Scottish lawyer, judge and politician. He served as Lord President of the Court of Session from 1598 to 1604, Lord Chancellor of Scotland from 1604 to 1622 and as a Lord High Commiss ...

, formerly a member of the queen's council. *

Sir John Skene Sir John Skene, Lord Curriehill (1549–1617) was a Scottish prosecutor, ambassador, and judge. He was involved in the negotiations for the marriage of James VI and Anne of Denmark. He was regent in St Mary's College, St Andrews from 1564 to 156 ...

Walter Stewart, 1st Lord Blantyre Walter Stewart, 1st Lord Blantyre (died 8 March 1617) was a Scottish politician, administrator, and judge. Life He was the son of Sir John Stewart of Minto and Margaret Stewart sister of James Stewart of Cardonald Educated with James VI unde ...

* Peter Young of Seton

New Octavians of 1611

*Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Haddington * Gideon Murray,

Lord Elibank Lord Elibank, of Ettrick Forest in the County of Selkirk, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1643 for Sir Patrick Murray, 1st Baronet, with remainder to his heirs male whatsoever. He had already been created a Baronet, of E ...

John Preston, Lord Fentonbarns Sir John Preston, Lord Fentonbarns (died 1616), of Penicuik, was a Scottish lawyer and judge who became lord president of the court of session. Life He was the son of a burgess, town councillor, and dean of guild in Edinburgh. John Preston was ...

*Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of Dunfermline * John Spottiswoode John Preston of Fentonbarns was already involved in crown finance. A letter from James VI of June 1599 mentions that he had instructed him to repay a sum of money advanced on the security of some of the

jewels of Anne of Denmark The jewels of Anne of Denmark (1572–1619), wife of James VI and I and queen consort of Scotland and England, are known from accounts and inventories, and their depiction in portraits by artists including Paul van Somer. A few pieces survive. So ...

to the goldsmith and financier

George Heriot George Heriot (15 June 1563 – 12 February 1624) was a Scottish goldsmith and philanthropist. He is chiefly remembered today as the founder of George Heriot's School, a large independent school in Edinburgh; his name has also been given to H ...

. Preston however, had reserved the money for the costs of an embassy to France.James Orchard Halliwell, ''Letters of the Kings of England'', vol. 2 (London, 1846), pp. 96-7.

Notes

{{reflist 1590s establishments in Scotland 1596 establishments in Europe Octavians Monarchy and money Scottish exchequer