William Stewart (floruit 1585–1607) was a Scottish courtier.

Career

In 1591 William Stewart was described as a valet in the chamber of

James VI James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...

. The other valets in 1591 were William Murray, John Gibb, and John Stewart. He may have been the servant of

Regent Morton James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton (c. 1516 – 2 June 1581) was a Scottish nobleman. He played a leading role in the murders of Queen Mary's confidant, David Rizzio, and king consort Henry Darnley. He was the last of the four regents of Scot ...

in 1581, mentioned in Morton's confession, who witnessed that the former Regent had slept well through the night before his execution. William Stewart served the king during his visit to Norway and Denmark, in 1589 and 1590, when he met his bride

Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I. She was List of Scottish royal consorts, Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and List of English royal consorts, Queen of Engl ...

. A Danish record of the royal company listed names in rank, and Gibb and Stewart appear at the very end of the list, next to James VI's English courtier,

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), Thomas Aston (died 1553). Scottish sources spell his n ...

. James VI played cards in Denmark, and William Stewart acted as his pursemaster, as John Tennent had done for

James V James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was List of Scottish monarchs, 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 a ...

, paying out sums of money lost by the king. James VI staked Danish dalers and rose nobles from his queen's dowry. An account of the dowry mentions that Stewart gave money to the king to play on several occasions, on 4 March 1590 James lost 4 dalers at a game called "mont". The king also played a dice game called " mumchance" and lost 41 dalers. Stewart also handed out tips and gratuities when James visited the ships and at other times. James enjoyed another card game called 'maye' which he played 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 Duke of Hamilton, Hamilton family in the east of Scotland. The house was saved from demolition in 1936 when 16th-century mu ...

at Christmas 1588 with

. William and John Stewart of Rosland, both royal servants, were rewarded with the escheat, the forfeited property, of James Hall of Foulbar in 1591. James VI wrote on 29 May 1591 to Robert Mure of Caldwell, requesting him to ask Lord Ross of Halkhead to pay annual rents owed to the royal servants John Stewart of Rosland and William Stewart for the lands of Foulbar. In April 1592 James VI sent Stewart to warn 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 ...

to attend him at Perth. Stewart was still a valet in the king's chamber in 1594 when clothes costing £300 Scots were bought for him to wear at the baptism of Prince Henry.

John Stewart, the usher and the valet

John Stewart of Rosland at Rothesay, was usher of the inner chamber door. John Stewart of Rosland married Jonet Graham, and acquired lands at

Partick Partick (, Scottish Gaelic: ''Partaig'') is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch, to the east Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Park (across the River Kelvin), and to the north Broo ...

. Their daughter Jonet Stewart married Ninian Stewart. He witnessed a charter in the king's chamber at

Holyrood Palace The Palace of Holyroodhouse ( or ), commonly known as Holyrood Palace, 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 Castle, Holyrood has s ...

on 8 January 1588. Another John Stewart was a valet to James VI from 1573. He was a son of John Stewart, Constable of

Stirling Castle Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most historically and architecturally important castles in Scotland. The castle sits atop an Intrusive rock, intrusive Crag and tail, crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill ge ...

, and Margaret Maxtoun.

Other contemporaries called William Stewart

There were several men called William Stewart active in this period, including: *

William Stewart of Grandtully William Stewart of Grandtully (1567–1646) was a Scottish landowner and courtier. Career He was a son of William Stewart or Steuart of Grandtully (died 1574) and Isobella Stewart, a daughter of John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Atholl. It is said t ...

and Banchrie, (1567–1646), royal servant *

William Stewart of Houston Sir William Stewart of Houston (c. 1540 – c. 1605) was a Scottish soldier, politician and diplomat. He is often known as "Colonel Stewart", or the Commendator of Pittenweem. Life He began his career as a soldier in the Netherlands, where he ...

, known as Colonel Stewart, who also attended James VI in Denmark. * William Stewart (skipper), of Dundee, captain of one of the ships of James VI in Denmark. *

William Stewart of Monkton William Stewart of Monkton and Carstairs (died 1588) was a Scottish landowner and courtier. Career He was a son of Andrew Stewart, 2nd Lord Ochiltree and Agnes Cunningham. His elder brother was James Stewart, Earl of Arran and his sister Marga ...

(d. 1588), Provost of Ayr. *

William Stewart of Caverston William Stewart of Caverston and Traquair (died 1605), was a Scottish landowner and Captain of Dumbarton Castle. Career He was a brother of Sir John Stewart of Traquair. His lands were at Caverston, or Caberston, sometimes given as "Taberstoun". ...

, Captain of

Dumbarton Castle Dumbarton Castle (, ; ) 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 Dumbarton Rock was forme ...

.William Boyd, ''Calendar of State Papers Scotland, 1581-1583'' (Edinburgh, 1910), p. 347 no. 368.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stewart, William 16th-century Scottish people Court of James VI and I