William Stewart of Caverston and Traquair (died 1605), was a Scottish landowner and 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 ...

Career

He was a brother of Sir John Stewart of

Traquair Traquair () is a small village and civil parishes in Scotland, civil parish in the Scottish Borders; Counties of Scotland, until 1975 it was in the county of Peeblesshire. The village is situated on the B709 road south of Innerleithen at . H ...

. His lands were at Caverston, or Caberston, sometimes given as "Taberstoun". Caverston was a property of the Traquair Stewarts in

Innerleithen Innerleithen () is a civil parish and a small town in the committee area of Tweeddale, in the Scottish Borders. It was formerly in the historic county of Peeblesshire or Tweeddale. Etymology The name "Innerleithen" comes from the Scottish G ...

parish with a fortified house. No visible traces of Caberston Tower remain.

Regent Moray James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray (c. 1531 – 23 January 1570) was a member of the House of Stewart as the illegitimate son of King James V of Scotland. At times a supporter of his half-sister Mary, Queen of Scots, he was the regent of Scot ...

gave William Stewart a charter of the lands of "Caverstoun" in January 1568, which notes that the lands in

Peebleshire Peeblesshire (), the County of Peebles or Tweeddale is a historic county of Scotland. Its county town is Peebles, and it borders Midlothian to the north, Selkirkshire to the east, Dumfriesshire to the south, and Lanarkshire to the west. Histo ...

were formerly held from the

Earl of Bothwell Earl of Bothwell was a title that was created twice in the Peerage of Scotland. It was first created for Patrick Hepburn in 1488, and was forfeited in 1567. Subsequently, the earldom was recreated for the 4th Earl's nephew and heir of line, F ...

and were part of the Barony of Crichton. Stewart was appointed an extraordinary attendant at the court of

James VI of Scotland James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...

in 1580. An extraordinary postholder was not expected to be present at court at all times, unless required by the Lord Chamberlain, and might not have a fee. He was one of the 25 gentlemen appointed to ride and pass to the fields with James VI in May 1580, with

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 ...

Patrick Hume of Polwarth Sir Patrick Hume, of Polwarth and Redbraes (about 1550– 20 May 1609) was a Scottish landowner, courtier and makar ( court poet). Origins Born about 1550, he was the eldest son and heir of Sir Patrick Hume (died 20 May 1599), of Polwarth and ...

, John Stewart of Baldynneis, John Carmichael, and Walter Stewart of Blantyre. In 1580 Stewart captured John Cunningham of Drumquhassil in Edinburgh. Drumquhassil had opposed the delivery of Dumbarton Castle to the king's favourite Esmé Stewart. Drumquhassil surrendered the keeping of Dumbarton to Stewart, with an inventory of the munitions and furnishings. The inventory gives useful information about locations in the castle, including the "chamber between the craigs" that can still be visited today. Stewart and Drumquhassill signed the inventory on 27 August 1580. After this, Stewart was officially the deputy captain of Dumbarton. Esmé Stewart,

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 Dumbarton (; , or ; or , meaning 'fort of the Britons (histo ...

, rewarded Caverston for his loyalty with the tenancy of the lands of Inzertoun in

Dalkeith Dalkeith ( ; , ) is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, on the River Esk. It was granted a burgh of barony in 1401 and a burgh of regality in 1541. The settlement of Dalkeith grew southwestwards from its 12th-century castle (now Dalkeith Pala ...

. When Lennox was threatened by the

Raid of Ruthven The Raid of Ruthven, the kidnapping of King James VI of Scotland, was a political conspiracy in Scotland which took place on 23 August 1582."Ruthven, William", by T. F. Henderson, in ''Dictionary of National Biography'', Volume 50 (Smith, Elder, ...

, he fled to safety at Dumbarton. In March 1583, Stewart swore an oath of his continuing loyalty and service to James VI as captain of Dumbarton. In May he was asked to open and inspect a locked chest containing Esmé Stewart's letters at Dumbarton with Walter Stewart of Blantyre. They were looking for a copy of the

Articles of Association In corporate governance, a company's articles of association (AoA, called articles of incorporation in some jurisdictions) is a document that, along with the memorandum of association (where applicable), forms the company's constitution. The ...

, a scheme to return

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legit ...

to power in Scotland. In August 1583, after the fall of the Gowrie Regime, the English ambassador Robert Bowes heard that Stewart would also get the role in the royal wardrobe held by James Murray. In September 1583 he mediated between

James Stewart, Earl of Arran Captain James Stewart, Earl of Arran (died 1595) was created Earl of Arran by the young King James VI, who wrested the title from James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran. He rose to become Lord Chancellor of Scotland and was eventually murdered in 1 ...

and Colonel Stewart who were contesting the reward of a forfeited estate, called an "escheat". He joined the Privy Council in June 1584, and was made Commendator of

Dryburgh Abbey Dryburgh Abbey, near Dryburgh on the banks of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders, was nominally founded on 10 November (Martinmas) 1150 in an agreement between Hugh de Morville, Constable of Scotland, and the Premonstratensian canons reg ...

in 1584 and 1585, replacing David Erskine. This was a position giving a valuable income. In May 1585 Stewart came to Edinburgh with the king's letter asking the town council for a loan of 1000 merks, for soldiers for the English border. In 1585 the former royal favourite James Stewart, Earl of Arran was said to have embarked on a boat in Ayrshire carrying royal jewellery including "Kingis Eitche" or " Great H of Scotland". William Stewart of Caverston or William Stewart of Monkton negotiated the recovery of the royal jewels from the Earl of Arran and his wife Elizabeth Stewart, Lady Lovat, about ship on the Fairlie Roads. Stewart delivered the "Great H" into the "king's own hands". In 1585 Stewart gave up the keeping of Dumbarton Castle to Lord John Hamilton.

Rebel follower of the Earl of Bothwell

The lawyer and historian

David Moysie David Moysie () was a Scottish notary public, known as the author of the ''Memoirs of the Affairs of Scotland, 1577–1603''. Life He was by profession a writer and notary public. A notarial attestation of a lease by him occurs in 1577. From 1582 ...

mentions that William Stewart was a follower of

Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell (c. December 1562 – November 1612), was Commendator of Kelso Abbey and Coldingham Priory, a Privy Counsellor and Lord High Admiral of Scotland. He was a notorious conspirator who led several uprisings aga ...

and took part in the

Raid of Holyrood The Raid of Holyrood was an attack on Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh on 27 December 1591 by Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell in order to gain the favour of King James VI of Scotland. Bothwell subsequently staged a raid at Falkland Palace, and in J ...

in 1591. He was forfeited with the other raiders in May 1592.

Laird of Traquair

He inherited the lands of Traquair from his older brother John Stewart in 1594, and became known as "William Stewart of Traquair". At the baptism of Prince Henry at

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 ...

in August 1594 he was of the men appointed to carry the "paill", a red velvet canopy held up with four poles over Prince Henry during the ceremonies. In 1597,

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 ...

arranged a loan for the dowry of one her maidens of honour, Jean Stewart, who was marrying Gilbert Kennedy of Bargany and Ardstinchar. She asked William Stewart of Traquair, who was Jean Stewart's brother-in-law, to be a guarantor or cautioner for the loan. Eventually, the Traquair Stewarts became liable for the loan. William Stewart contributed 8 kids, 15 moor fowls, 2 black cocks, 28 capons and a roe deer to a banquet 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 ...

for Anne of Denmark's brother, Ulrik, Duke of Holstein on 30 April 1598. He died on 20 May 1605.

Contemporaries called William Stewart

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

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. * William Stewart, of Dundee, skipper and captain of one of the ships of James VI in Denmark. William Stewart also served as skipper of the ''Bruce'' for

George Bruce of Carnock Sir George Bruce of Carnock (c. 1550 – 1625) was a Scottish merchant, ship-owner, and mining engineer. Family George Bruce was a son of Edward Bruce of Blairhall and Alison Reid, a sister of Robert Reid (bishop), Robert Reid, Bishop of Or ...

. * William Stewart of Monkton (d. 1588), Provost of Ayr. * William Stewart, valet of the king's chamber. * William Stewart, a 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 ...

mentioned in Morton's "Confession". Robert Bowes' letter of 19 September 1583 to

Francis Walsingham Sir Francis Walsingham ( – 6 April 1590) was principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I of England from 20 December 1573 until his death and is popularly remembered as her " spymaster". Born to a well-connected family of gentry, Wa ...

mentions Arran's brother William Stewart of Monkton, Colonel William Stewart, and William Stewart of Caverston.William Boyd, ''Calendar of State Papers Scotland, 1581-1583'' (Edinburgh, 1910), p. 616 no. 644.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stewart, William 16th-century Scottish people Court of James VI and I Scottish soldiers 1605 deaths