Archibald Wauchope of Niddrie facts for kids
Archibald Wauchope of Niddrie was a Scottish landowner who lived from about 1565 to 1597. He was known for being a bit of a rebel during the time of King James VI. His father was Robert Wauchope of Niddrie, and his mother was Margaret Dundas from Dundas Castle. People often called him the "Laird of Niddrie, younger." His family's land was in Niddrie, Edinburgh, also known as "Niddrie-Merschell."
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Archibald Wauchope's Early Life and Conflicts
In 1580, Archibald Wauchope was involved in a serious argument at Peffermill. This led to a conflict where a servant of the Abbot of Holyrood was killed. The family of the servant later accepted Wauchope's apologies.
In 1588, Wauchope and his father were part of conflicts that resulted in the deaths of several people, including James and John Giffart. He was captured in May 1589 near Edinburgh. King James VI himself helped end a short siege to bring Wauchope to Edinburgh.
Escaping from Prison
Archibald Wauchope was held in Edinburgh's Tolbooth prison. In May 1589, he managed to escape from a window! A courtier named James Sandilands of Slamannan helped him get away. Even though Sandilands helped a prisoner escape, he soon became friends with the king again.
King James VI was still very angry with Wauchope. In May 1590, the king even stopped a ceremony where he was riding with his new wife, Anne of Denmark. He rode off to try and catch Wauchope, who was nearby.
Wauchope often had powerful friends. One of them was the Earl of Bothwell. This Earl helped Wauchope in his disputes, sometimes by preventing witnesses from speaking in court. King James VI even had to step in to stop Wauchope from fighting a duel with David Edmondstone.
Rebellions and Escapes
Archibald Wauchope was deeply involved in several plots against King James VI.
Attack on Holyrood Palace
On December 27, 1591, Wauchope took part in an attack on Holyrood Palace. This attack was led by Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell. During the raid, Wauchope was shot and injured in his leg and hand. The king's stable master, John Schaw, was killed by the attackers. Because of his role in this attack, Wauchope was declared a traitor. In March 1592, Wauchope and other leaders of the raid were thought to be hiding in England.
Capture at Craignethan Castle
After attacking Falkland Palace with Bothwell's men, Wauchope was captured on July 1, 1592. He was taken prisoner near Lesmahagow by Lord John Hamilton. Wauchope was then held in Craignethan Castle.
Lord Hamilton went to Edinburgh to talk to King James VI about his prisoners. The king was staying in a house that was heavily guarded by soldiers. When Hamilton arrived, the soldiers fired their muskets by accident. This sadly killed one man and injured another.
Lord Hamilton expected the king to pardon Wauchope and his friends. However, the king sent someone to collect the prisoners. Before they arrived, one of Hamilton's sons released Wauchope and the others. It seems Lord Hamilton's family released them rather than break a promise to the king.
Plot to Capture the King on a Ferry
In July 1592, Bothwell and his followers came up with a detailed plan. They wanted to capture King James VI while he was crossing the Forth on a ferry boat. But someone told the English ambassador about the plot.
Bothwell waited with two boats hidden near Inchkeith island. When he realized his plan was discovered, he landed his boats at Wardie. Before this daring plan, Bothwell gave his men a speech. He reminded them not to hurt the king. Wauchope then asked everyone to raise their hands and promise not to harm the king. He held both his hands high in the air as a sign of his promise.
Plots at Dalkeith Palace
In August 1592, King James VI gave Wauchope's family estates to one of his servants. Bothwell and his supporters made several plans to capture the king at Dalkeith Palace. They even thought about using Wauchope as a distraction.
Two of the plotters, Michael Balfour and John Wemyss of Logie, were caught. Wauchope waited with horses outside Dalkeith Palace at night. His friend, John Wemyss of Logie, escaped from Queen Anne of Denmark's window with help from his Danish friend.
It was said that Wauchope even put up a written challenge in Dalkeith. He offered to fight anyone who questioned his loyalty to the king, dressed only in his shirt. People believed Wauchope and another captain were very brave for any risky plan for Bothwell.
On September 4, 1592, Wauchope almost got caught in Leith. He had refused to stay and play cards with a friend, choosing to sleep in a secret place. His friend and another captain were arrested instead. They were taken to Dalkeith Palace. The royal guard threatened to torture them to get information. Their meeting in Leith had been betrayed by a tailor. Soon after, Wauchope and the Countess of Bothwell made peace with King James VI. The king hoped to use them to catch Bothwell.
Later Life and Death
In April 1594, King James VI went to Rossend Castle in Fife. He tried to capture Wauchope and John Wemyss of Logie, but he was not successful. Wauchope planned to help Bothwell attack Holyroodhouse again in September 1594. The goal was to take King James VI to Blackness Castle. By November, there were rumors that Wauchope was no longer supporting Bothwell as strongly.
In May 1597, Wauchope was thought to be in England. A request was made to have him returned to Scotland with other fugitives. On June 18, 1597, he was surrounded in a house in Edinburgh. He fell to his death while trying to escape from a window.
Family Life
In 1584, Archibald Wauchope married Rachael MacGill. She was the daughter of an important advisor to the king. Rachael was also the widow of George Stewart of Rosyth. Their son was named Francis Wauchope, after Francis Stewart, the Earl of Bothwell. Francis later married Jean Sandilands.
In 1592, when Wauchope was declared a rebel, a special law was passed. This law allowed Rachael MacGill to keep her property and income from her first marriage and from her marriage to Wauchope. This was because it was well known that she had a very difficult time while Archibald was in Scotland. His wild spending had used up all their money. The law also encouraged her to end her marriage to him.
In June 1600, it looked like Francis Wauchope's father-in-law might get his estates back for him. This made another powerful family angry because they had benefited from Wauchope losing his lands. However, Francis Wauchope was eventually given back his family's estates in 1603. He was fully restored to his lands in April 1609.
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