Alexander Hay (died 1594) facts for kids

Alexander Hay of Easter Kennet (died 1594) was an important Scottish lawyer and politician. He held several key roles in the Scottish government during the time of Mary, Queen of Scots and her son, King James VI.

What did Alexander Hay do?

Hay started his career as a clerk for the Privy Council of Scotland in March 1564. The Privy Council was a group of trusted advisors to the monarch. Later, in 1567, he became the Director of Chancery and Keeper of the Quarter Seal. These were important jobs dealing with official government documents and seals. In October 1579, he became the Clerk of Register, which meant he was in charge of all public records. His family's lands were in Kennet, in Clackmannanshire.

Hay and Mary, Queen of Scots

In 1568, Hay attended important meetings in York, England. These meetings were about the problems surrounding Mary, Queen of Scots, who had been removed from her throne. A list of evidence and accusations against Mary was given to Queen Elizabeth's representatives. This list became known as "Hay's articles" or the "Book of Articles."

In November 1570, Hay wrote a letter from Stirling Castle to the Earl of Mar. He described a conversation he had with the English ambassador, Thomas Randolph. Hay learned that Margaret Fleming, Countess of Atholl had sent a special jewel to Mary, Queen of Scots. However, the jewel was stopped and given to Queen Elizabeth instead.

The Mysterious Jewel

The jewel was small, about the size of a person's palm. It was shaped like a "hearse of harthorne" (which might mean a deer's head or a funeral carriage, but in this context, it likely refers to a decorative item). It was beautifully decorated with gold and enamel. The jewel showed a queen sitting on a throne, with a fierce lion fighting a leopard. It also had a message: "Fall what may fall, the lion shall be lord of all." This discovery was meant to be kept a secret. Richard Bannatyne, who worked for John Knox, also wrote about this jewel. People thought the jewel's message might have been about who would become the next ruler of England.

In December 1571, Hay wrote from Leith, probably to John Knox. He listed important documents he had collected to support the King's side in the ongoing conflicts. He also mentioned that George Buchanan had published writings that were critical of Mary, Queen of Scots. Hay had also gathered other papers, including documents about the divorce between the Earl of Bothwell and Jean Gordon. He also had papers about Mary's marriage to Bothwell and her statement that she married him willingly. Hay offered to share many other documents with Knox.

In 1577, Hay wrote a description of the Scottish noble families. He briefly noted their ages and how much land they owned. He probably wrote this for an English diplomat, someone who represented England in Scotland. English diplomats like Robert Bowes and George Nicholson kept records of noble families and their family trees in Edinburgh. In 1606, Hay's original notes were owned by John Withie, a painter of coats of arms in London.

In November 1580, the Edinburgh town council decided to give Hay a special gift: two silver cups with his name engraved on them. This shows how much they respected him.

Hay and the King's Journeys

When King James VI and John Maitland of Thirlestane traveled to Norway in 1589, Hay temporarily took on the role of Secretary. They went to Norway so King James could meet his future wife, Anne of Denmark.

King James VI wrote to Hay, probably in December 1591. He asked Hay to make sure that officials dealing with royal money and household matters were doing their jobs. The letter also mentioned the dowry of Anne of Denmark. A dowry was money or property a bride brought to her marriage. Part of Anne's dowry had been loaned as an investment to the city council of Edinburgh.

In December 1593, Hay was chosen to be part of a committee. This committee's job was to check the records of money spent by Maitland on the royal voyages. The money for these trips came from the English subsidy (money given by England to Scotland) and Anne of Denmark's dowry.

Death

Alexander Hay passed away on September 19, 1594. He was buried at Holyrood Abbey. A note in an old manuscript says he died "shortly after the baptism of the Prince." It also says he died because of the "excessive pains and travails" (hard work and effort) he put in right before and during the baptism.

Hopetoun Manuscript

A collection of old papers, once kept at Hopetoun House and now at the British Library, seems to be part of Alexander Hay's official work documents. This collection includes information about the York conference, money (coinage), the English subsidy of James VI, ways to save money for the royal household in 1591, and gifts received at the baptism of Prince Henry. You can even view this collection online now.