Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange, Kt.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Kirkcaldy_of_Grange

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Abridged biography excerpted from the Mary Queen of Scots website by Robert Stedall

http://www.maryqueenofscots.net/people/sir-william-kirkcaldy-grange/

Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange

• Alias:Corax - as agent of Edward VI
• Born: About 1530 [likely closer to 1520, given family relationships; the 1530 birth estimate probably the result of his first appearance in records as being part of 1546 conspiracy against Cardinal David Bethune, presuming him to be at least 16 by this time]
• Died:3 August 1753
• Cause of Death:Hanged
• Religion:Reformer
• Parents:Sir James Kirkcaldy of Grange and Janet Melville
• Spouse(s):Unknown [Wikipedia cites Calendar of State Papers Scotland, vol. iv, (1905), 601, in asserting that she was Margaret Learmonth, sister of Sir Patrick Learmonth of Dairsie, Provost of St. Andrews - supposedly she was included in a report by Ninian Cockburn that William had tried to send an encoded letter to her before his execution.]
• Children:Janet Kirkcaldy, wife of Sir Thomas Kerr of Ferniehurst

Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange was the son of Sir James Kirkcaldy, Lord High Treasurer under James V. His mother was Janet Melville sister of the five Melville brother who played such a prominent part as civil servants and diplomats during the reign of Mary Queen of Scots.

He first came to notice in 1546 during the conspiracy against Cardinal David Bethune, when a group of Fife lairds entered the castle at St Andrews bent on killing him. This was in retaliation to the Cardinal’s proposal to attaint the reformers among the nobility. The Kirkcaldys were early converts and Sir William was a prominent member of the conspiracy, gaining access to the castle by letting down its drawbridge while Norman, Master of Rothes, held the porter in conversation. He also blocked the Cardinal’s escape route at the privy postern gate. Yet all the conspirators’ estates were forfeited.

During the subsequent siege of St. Andrews, Kirkcaldy played an active part in its defence and was sent to France after its surrender in July 1547. He was imprisoned in Mont St-Michel for 18 months until he escaped to England, where he was granted a pension by Edward VI. In February 1551, the English sent him as their secret agent to Blois, but, on Mary Tudor’s accession, his activities were curtailed, and he joined the French service as a Captain of 100 light horse. He distinguished himself against Charles V, ‘both in valour in battle and skill in knightly pursuits’, being described by Henry II as ‘one of the most valiant men of our time’. Yet he became nervous of growing French influence in Scotland, and, on 30 November 1556, offered to become Mary Tudor’s agent against both France and Scotland, but she again refused his offer. Yet, under Elizabeth I, he resumed his English employment.

In 1557, his forfeiture having been rescinded thanks to the heroics of the Master of Rothes at Renti, Kirkcaldy returned to Scotland, where he was married, but the name of his wife is not known. With his unrivalled reputation as a military commander, he was welcomed by the Reformist Lords of the Congregation. When his cousin, John Kirkcaldy, was severely treated by the English after a Border skirmish, Sir William challenged the English commander, Lord Evers, to a duel. As they were not of equal rank, Lord Evers refused, but his brother, Sir Ralph, a man of some repute, accepted the fight in full armour with sharp spears before the assembled English and Scottish troops outside Berwick. When their horses met with a furious shock, Kirkcaldy unhorsed Evers by running him through the shoulder, and was declared the victor...

[Extensive biography abridged, for full biography, refer to website]

...When the Earl of Mar became Regent, his first test was to deal with Kirkcaldy’s son-in-law, Ferniehirst, who, in October 1571, captured Jedburgh, Lord Ruthven arrived and defeated Ferniehirst, who was forced to go abroad. Kirkcaldy had now lost his son-in-law as an ally in protecting Edinburgh Castle. Hay of Yester, Ferniehirst’s brother-in-law, now realised that Kirkcaldy’s cause was hopeless and stopped his active support.

Following Mar’s death, Morton became Regent and sent Sir James Melville and Boyd to come to terms with Kirkcaldy, but when the Hamiltons and other of Mary’s supporters were not included in the proposed amnesty, Kirkcaldy felt, in all honour, that he could not accept. On 5 July 1572, Fleming was accidently shot in the knee by a French soldier discharging his firing piece on the pavement, so that the bullet ricocheted. For a time, he remained at the Castle, but later went on a litter to Biggar, where, on 6 September, he died. Enfeebled in body, but still mentally alert, Maitland realised that the game was up and sought a compromise, but Morton was no longer in a mood to negotiate. When Rothes approached Kirkcaldy on Morton’s behalf to persuade him to give up his great struggle, it was to no avail.

At last Morton called for Drury to bring in his 1,500 English troops. On 17 May 1573, Drury started a devastating cannonade, lasting four days. Maitland had to be carried to the vaults below St. David’s chapel, as his frame ‘could not abide the shot’. Although Lord Home was in support, Kirkcaldy’s troops were dwindling, and the eastern front of the Castle was destroyed. On 28 May, the attackers stormed the spur of the Castle, providing its water supply. Without water and short of provisions, Kirkcaldy realised that he was lost. On the following day, with Maitland at his side, he surrendered with his garrison of one hundred and sixty-four men, thirty-four women and ten boys. Drury accepted the surrender, treating them with great courtesy. Kirkcaldy had hoped for leniency from Elizabeth, but she insisted on him being handed over to Morton.

Mary’s supporters offered Morton substantial financial inducement to save Kirkcaldy’s life, but he wanted to stamp out any lingering opposition and saw Kirkcaldy’s sacrifice as essential for the Regency’s continuance in power. David Lindsay, a Reformist minister, tried to intercede for him, and remained with him at the scaffold. On 3 August, he was taken to the gibbet at the Market Cross to be executed ‘as a stern necessity as he had exasperated public feeling’. Maitland, who was imprisoned at Leith, took poison on 9 July to kill himself ‘after the old Roman fashion’.

It is difficult to understand Kirkcaldy, Maitland and Home in their determination to hold out to the end. With Maitland dying, he may have want to make a last gesture to gain the sympathy of a Queen, who he had served to greater or lesser benefit. Kirkcaldy’s political judgement had always been irrational, and he rejected ample opportunities for an honourable surrender, but wanted protection for his colleagues. He seems to have relished the military challenge of defending the Castle against all odds. No one can doubt his achievement, or his constancy. He was in the forefront of the military commanders of his age. Sir James Melville described him as ‘humble, gentle, meek, like a lamb in the house, and like a lion in the field, a lusty, stark and well-proportioned personage, hardy and of magnanimous courage’.