The Incident was a

Royalist A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of gov ...

plot to kidnap a group of Scottish nobles. The Incident took place in October 1641 during the

Wars of the Three Kingdoms The Wars of the Three Kingdoms were a series of related conflicts fought between 1639 and 1653 in the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, then separate entities united in a personal union under Charles I. They include the 1639 to 1640 Bi ...

, and the plot's targets were all prominent members of the

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their n ...

Covenanter Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from '' Covena ...

faction who opposed

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 ...

's attempts to control the Scottish Church. The plot failed and Charles, denying any involvement in the matter, was left with no option but to agree to the Covenanters' demands that he assented to the abolition of

episcopacy A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

in Scotland, and appoint Covenanting nobles to the

Privy Council of Scotland The Privy Council of Scotland ( — 1 May 1708) was a body that advised the Scottish monarch. In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of m ...

and other positions.

History

Charles I, King of England and of Scotland, had been forced to agree a truce with the Covenanters, to conclude the

Bishops' Wars The 1639 and 1640 Bishops' Wars () were the first of the conflicts known collectively as the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms, which took place in Scotland, England and Ireland. Others include the Irish Confederate Wars, the First ...

of 1639–1640. In August 1641 he ratified the Treaty of London, and travelled to

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

to finalise negotiations with the

Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyr ...

. Charles hoped to make common cause with the

Earl of Argyll 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 Old Norse, Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "Germanic ch ...

, the effective leader of the Presbyterian Covenanters, against the English

Long Parliament The Long Parliament was an English Parliament which lasted from 1640 until 1660. It followed the fiasco of the Short Parliament, which had convened for only three weeks during the spring of 1640 after an 11-year parliamentary absence. In Septe ...

, and created him Marquis of Argyll. The

Marquis of Hamilton Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in April 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that peerage (except for the Dukedom of Rothesay held by the Sovereign's eldest son), and as such its holder is the premier peer of S ...

, while remaining a Royalist, sought to develop a friendship with the Marquis of Argyll. It is not clear how much Charles I approved of this liaison, but many in the Scottish Royalist faction felt threatened by this development. On the evening of 29 September, Lord Henry Ker (the son of the

Earl of Roxburgh The Duke of Roxburghe () is a title in the peerage of Scotland created in 1707 along with the titles ''Marquess of Bowmont and Cessford'', ''Earl of Kelso'' and ''Viscount Broxmouth''. John Ker, 5th Earl of Roxburghe became the first holder ...

), rode into Edinburgh at the head of an armed retinue and challenged Hamilton to a duel, calling him a traitor. The episode ended without violence as Lord Ker backed down and apologised. However it set in motion murmurs and whispers amongst others Royalists which led to plotting. The plot was directed against the Marquis of Argyll, the Marquis of Hamilton, and the latter's brother, the

Earl of 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 ...

. It was hatched by the Royalist, and rival of Argyll, the

Earl of Montrose Montrose may refer to: Places Scotland * Montrose, Angus (the original after which all others ultimately named or derived) ** Montrose Academy, the secondary school in Montrose Australia *Montrose, Queensland (Southern Downs Region), a locality i ...

, who had already attempted to have Argyll charged with

high treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...

. The three were to be kidnapped and taken on board a ship at

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 ...

, but on 11 October,

General Leslie David Leslie, 1st Lord Newark (c. 1600–1682) was a Scottish cavalry officer. He fought for the Swedish army of Gustavus Adolphus during the Thirty Years' War. He had entered Swedish service in 1630, serving as a captain in the regiment of Ale ...

, the leader of the Covenanter army, was informed of the plot by Sir John Hurry, a Scottish soldier who had been invited to join the conspiracy. Argyll, Hamilton and Lanark were forced to flee from Edinburgh to Hamilton's property at

Kinneil House Kinneil House is a historic house to the west of Bo'ness in east-central Scotland. It was once the principal seat of the Hamilton family in the east of Scotland. The house was saved from demolition in 1936 when 16th-century mural paintings were ...

, near

Bo'ness Borrowstounness (commonly known as Bo'ness ( )) is a town and former burgh and seaport on the south bank of the Firth of Forth in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Historically part of the county of West Lothian, it is a place within the Fal ...

.George F. Warner, ''Nicholas Papers'', vol. 1 (London: Camden Society, 1886) p. 56. The next day, Charles denied any involvement in the plot, and was soon forced to allow an investigation into the matter. Charles was left with no option but to submit to the Covenanters' demands. He assented to the abolition of

in Scotland, and appointed Covenanting nobles to the

and other positions, before returning to England in November to face the increasing threat of civil war.

Notes

References

* * ** ** ** * {{DEFAULTSORT:Incident, The Wars of the Three Kingdoms 1641 in Scotland Conspiracies