Gavin Hamilton, 6th of Raploch, Commendator of Kilwinning

GAVIN HAMILTON OF RAPLOCH

Commendator of Kilwinning

• An Historical Account of the Senators of the College of Justice: From Its Institution in MDXXXII; by George Brunton, David Haig; 1832; Page 101

Biography

The above Gavin, Commendator, was the youngest son of James Hamilton of Raploch, and Isobel Weir, his spouse, a daughter of Blackwood's. There is a charter, dated the 6th of May 1548, of the lands of Raploch, granted by James Earle of Arran, governour, upon the resignation of James Hamilton of Stenhouse, Captain of the Castie of Edinburgh, [and 1549, provost of said burgh,*] and eldest son to umquhile James Hamilton of Raploch, (this he was obleidged to doe by the above Earle, because he had married Mowat, heiress of Stenhouse, and gotten these lands,) in favours of Archibald Hamilton, his brother, and the airs-male of his body, which failzieing, to Mr Gavin Hamilton, his other brother, and the airs-male of his body, which all failzieing, to return to Stenhouse himself. (2)

Gawin Hamilton, Commendator of Kilwinning, who had a precept of dare constat, from James, Duke of Chatelherault, for infefting him in the lands of Raploch, of date 3rd March 1559.

Having been bred to the church, he was made Dean of the metropolitan church of Glasgow, in 1550, which office he soon after exchanged with Henry Sinclair, Commendator of Kilwinning, for the commendam of that Abbacy.

He was a man of much spirit and ability, had great talents for business, and was well versed in all the learning of the times. He was in high favour with Queen Mary, to whose interest he ever continued attached. He was at the battle of Langsyde, in 1568, was one of Mary's commissioners at York, in 1570, and included in the treaty of Perth, 1572.

He was the intimate friend, and, along with the Archbishop of St Andrew's, the confidential adviser of the Duke of Chatelherault. He obtained a breviate from the Pope, with consent of his Sovereign, appointing him coadjutor and successor to Archbishop Hamilton in the archiepiscopal see of St Andrew's.

On the establishment of the reformed religion in Scotland, he followed the example of many churchmen at that period, and took to wife Margaret, daughter of John Hamilton of Broomhill.(3)

Sources

1. http://www.thepeerage.com/p34236.htm#i342356

2. Account of the families of Birnie and Hamilton of Broomhill

By John Birnie, William Barclay Turnbull 1838 p14
3. Historical and Genealogical Memoirs of the Branches of the House of Hamilton, George Hamilton, J. Skinner & Company, Limited, 1933 p364

Footnotes

Acknowledgments

Thanks to John Hunter for starting this profile.

Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by John and others.