English subsidy of James VI facts for kids
Queen Elizabeth I of England gave money to King James VI of Scotland between 1586 and 1602. This money, called a subsidy, helped her influence James. She could make him wait for payments or give him less than he expected.
We have records of how much money was given each year and how it was spent. A lot of it went towards clothes for James and his wife, Anne of Denmark. Anne also had her own money, called a "tocher" or dowry, which helped pay for some royal costs. The Scottish crown usually got money from land rents, customs (taxes on goods), and fees for land grants. Old financial records like the "exchequer rolls" and "lord treasurer's accounts" tell us about these incomes and payments.
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A Special Gift for the King
This money was a yearly gift from Elizabeth I to James VI. But it came with strings attached! James had to follow policies that favored England. For example, he had to stop powerful Catholic lords like Huntly and Erroll in northern Scotland.
This gift also gave Elizabeth more power in other areas. It helped her deal with border problems, like the famous Kinmont Willie incident in 1596. It also influenced Scotland's approach to Ireland.
In 1580, an English ambassador named Robert Bowes suggested that Elizabeth's money should go directly to King James. This way, it would connect him and his nobles to the English Queen. They thought it was better than giving money to individual Scottish nobles. The subsidy plan made this idea a reality.
Elizabeth would show her unhappiness with James's policies by making his diplomats wait in London for payments. Sometimes, she sent less money than James hoped for. James once complained to Elizabeth about the "endless detaining" of his agent Robert Jousie. He said the money had changed from an "honorable annuity" (a regular payment) to an "uncertainty" that required "long begging." James often reminded Elizabeth and William Cecil of a Latin saying: bis dat qui cito dat – meaning, "he who gives quickly gives twice."
In July 1585, Edward Wotton offered James a regular payment of 20,000 crowns. However, they never made a formal agreement. Elizabeth suggested £4,000 Sterling in March 1586, which was often seen as the usual amount. This payment was part of the plans that eventually led to the Union of the Crowns, when James became king of both Scotland and England. Historian Julian Goodare prefers to call it a "Subsidy" rather than a "pension" or "gift." This is because it showed a special relationship where James should be grateful.
James's English courtier, Thomas Fowler, wrote that England sent James "a poor pension to make your majesty their pensioner to your more disgrace." Fowler also said that James gave away money too easily. He claimed James gave "to every one that asks what they desire." He even said James gave away "the very lands of his crown" to "vain youths and proud fools." Fowler thought James was "careless of any wealth" if he could just enjoy hunting. However, Julian Goodare explains that giving gifts and money was a normal and necessary part of being a king in those times.
Fowler was involved in managing the English properties of James VI's grandmother, Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox. Later, Archbishop John Spottiswoode claimed the subsidy was payment for these properties. But Julian Goodare found no proof of this. Elizabeth never made a legal promise to continue the payments.
Getting the Agreement in Writing
James VI sent Elizabeth a draft agreement for regular payments in April 1586, but she never signed it. He wrote that she seemed "to marvel and mislike" (be surprised and dislike) his idea of a written agreement. James kept her letter from Greenwich dated June 2, 1586. In it, Elizabeth mentioned a "portion meet for your own private use" that she hoped to "always continue." In November 1596, this letter about the "annuity" (yearly payment) was copied into the records of the Privy Council of Scotland.
During the crisis of the Spanish Armada in 1588, Elizabeth's ambassador William Asheby promised a yearly payment of £5,000. However, Elizabeth's chief minister, William Cecil, noted that Asheby made these offers "without warrant" (without official permission). James later claimed that Asheby had permission and had written a statement about the subsidy with Elizabeth's approval.
Making Ends Meet in Scotland
In December 1591, a Scottish diplomat named James Hudson observed that the usual income of the Scottish crown wasn't enough to cover the royal family's expenses. A steady income would help support a royal guard.
Several ideas for saving money were suggested. A document from a committee that looked into the king's finances included signatures from important people like Robert Melville and James Melville of Halhill. In July 1592, after the Raid of Falkland (a rebellion), James had to ask Elizabeth for extra money to catch the rebels.
In July 1593, the Scottish ambassador in London, Sir Robert Melville, and Roger Aston insisted that a deceased diplomat, Thomas Randolph, had promised £5,000 yearly in 1586. William Cecil doubted this and ordered Randolph's papers to be searched. Melville had also been asked to request money for 600 soldiers and for records of all subsidy payments since 1586. These attempts to make the payments regular were not successful.
Changes and Continued Payments
In 1596, there were rumors that James VI would stop asking for payments because of a new group of financial managers called the Octavians. But the payments continued. In 1597, a payment was late and smaller than expected. James wrote that the situation had changed from an "honourable annuity" to an "uncertainty" after "long begging." Elizabeth had decided to hold back payment until James sent Robert Ker, Laird of Cessford to England as a prisoner for raiding the border.
In March 1598, Edward Bruce, Commendator of Kinloss, went to London as an ambassador. His job was to get a promise of regular payments and a fixed amount. James VI expected £6,000, but Kinloss only got £3,000. Elizabeth also wrote that she was unhappy with James's handling of the border and his involvement in Ireland. David Foulis was sent to London in August 1598. He reported that James had announced a ban on sending weapons to Ireland. Foulis got another £3,000 in December 1598, but James was still not happy. He even suggested that Kinloss and Foulis might have been dishonest.
After William Cecil (Lord Burghley) died in 1598, his secretary Henry Maynard sent Sir Robert Cecil a copy of the letter from Elizabeth that James VI claimed promised £4,000 yearly. Burghley's note said that in 1586, Ambassador Edward Wootton had not been allowed to offer a larger sum.
After the visit of the Earl of Mar and Edward Bruce to London in April 1601, the amount paid increased. This was thanks to Sir Robert Cecil. The payment dates were now set, as noted by the Scottish Secretary James Elphinstone and diplomat James Hudson. Payments would be made regularly on June 10 and at Christmastime.
Keeping Track of the Money
There are several lists of the actual amounts paid each year. Some records of how the money was spent are kept in the British Library, the National Library of Scotland, and the National Records of Scotland.
Some of the subsidy money in 1589 and 1590 was managed by Jean Fleming, wife of the Chancellor of Scotland, John Maitland. Some money went to William Schaw, the Master of Work, to fix royal palaces. Maitland was also paid back from the subsidy for his expenses when the king traveled to Norway and Denmark to meet his future wife, Anne of Denmark. The records show the costs of preparing and decorating a ship belonging to Robert Jameson of Ayr. Maitland also managed some of Anne of Denmark's dowry money and a gift from her mother, Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow.
By May 1591, the money was managed by Thomas Foulis, a well-known Edinburgh goldsmith, and his business partner, Robert Jousie, an Edinburgh textile merchant. By July 1596, Foulis and Jousie were seen as the main suppliers for the king and queen. An account by Foulis for 1594 to 1596 still exists. This money came from the English subsidy, from duties on the gold mines, from money coined at the royal mint, and more subsidy money from the Secretary, Richard Cockburn of Clerkington. Elizabeth had made it clear that the money given to Cockburn should be taken to Scotland, not spent in London as it had been before.
Robert Jousie was stuck in England in 1597, waiting for the subsidy. James VI wrote to Elizabeth I about his "endless detaining." Foulis went bankrupt in February 1599. After that, the money from England was recorded in the usual treasurer's accounts kept by Walter Stewart, 1st Lord Blantyre and his successor, Alexander Elphinstone, 4th Lord Elphinstone. A Scottish diplomat, Archibald Douglas, suggested that Foulis was dishonest. Douglas claimed Foulis bought a ring for the king to give as a gift, but it was worth only half the amount Foulis claimed in the accounts.
Called "English Knights"
Not everyone in Scotland liked the subsidy. In April 1591, James VI sent Sir John Carmichael and William Stewart of Blantyre to Glasgow. Their mission was to arrest Brian O'Rourke, an Irish rebel against Queen Elizabeth, and send him to England. This caused a riot in Glasgow! People thought the arrest would harm trade with Ireland. Carmichael and Blantyre were cursed as "Queen Elizabeth's knights," and the king was cursed for taking "English angels" (a clear reference to the subsidy). James VI later argued that he deserved more subsidy money for helping to hand over O'Rourke.
Clothes for the King and Queen
A large part of the subsidy money was used to pay for the king's and queen's clothes. In July 1594, the textile merchant Robert Jousie was paid £18,280 Scots from the subsidy for clothes he supplied to James and Anne. On February 1, 1596, Jousie stated he had spent £71,513 Scots on the queen's clothes in six years! He kept very detailed records of fabrics given to the royal tailors. These records show how powerful and stable the Scottish monarchy was.
Thomas Foulis's account of the subsidy money mentions eight ruffs (fancy collars) bought in London for Anne of Denmark. They cost £24 sterling and were worn in August 1594 at the baptism of Prince Henry. Robert Jousie's account also mentions velvet for the uniform of an African servant who rode with Anne of Denmark.
Baptist Hicks, the Merchant
Baptist Hicks, an English textile merchant and financier, wrote to James VI on March 1, 1600. He hoped to be repaid for money owed to him by Robert Jousie. Hicks had written to the king twice before and was disappointed to hear that he wouldn't be paid from the money Queen Elizabeth gave. This suggests that Hicks might have supplied some of the expensive fabrics worn by the Scottish court. Hicks bought the best fabrics from places like Florence.
English Goods for the Royal Household
Other items sent from England "for the use of the King of Scots" were exempt from customs (taxes). These might have been bought with subsidy money. In November 1596, James VI received 20 tons of beer, 4 hampers of pewter, 2 hampers of glasses, 2 chests of sugar, and other sweet treats. He also got a pack of rugs and upholstery items, and two trunks of wool fabrics. In December 1597, a trunk of costumes for pages and servants arrived. In April 1598, six trunks, four packs, and two hampers of clothes for James VI were sent north with the departing ambassador Edward Bruce. From March 1595, English beer, brewed in London, was sent yearly for the king and queen's households.
Special Gifts and Purchases
A Poet and a Family Tree
An English poet named "Mr Breton" visited the Scottish court in 1588 or 1589 and received a gift of £160 Scots. This might have been Nicholas Breton. Around the same time, James VI paid a "Highlandman" for drawing a family tree of all the Kings of Scotland. Such charts were displayed in the gallery of Linlithgow Palace.
Wedding Preparations
James VI gave some of the subsidy money to the Earl Marischal for his trip to Denmark. The Earl was going there to arrange James's marriage to Anne of Denmark. James VI spent 75% of the 1589 subsidy payment on his wedding and related diplomatic efforts. An Edinburgh tailor, Alexander Oustean, who supported the marriage, also received a payment.
A Silver Service
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On September 26, 1589, the Maitlands made a list of a beautiful gilt silver service. This collection of silver items was called a "cupboard" because it was displayed on shelves during meals. Some of the service came from Thomas Foulis. Other silver pieces were likely from £2,000 sterling worth of silver and silk fabrics given to James VI by Elizabeth. Master John Colville arrived in Scotland on September 22 with the silver, which was supplied by Alderman Martin.
The silver service was taken to Denmark-Norway, and parts of it were given as gifts to important people. James gave silver plates from the service to Steen Brahe and Axel Gyldenstierne in Oslo. The rest became a gift from the king to Maitland. A gift of silver was mentioned again in March 1594. James VI wrote to Robert Bowes, asking that John Colville be paid £1,266 sterling from the subsidy for his services. James noted that despite rumors, Colville had delivered the silver plates.
Masquerade Costumes and Gifts
Robert Jousie's costume records include outfits for masquerade dances for Anne of Denmark and James VI. These included costumes for a dance at the wedding of Marie Stewart, Countess of Mar and for James VI and his valet (personal servant) at wedding celebrations for the "laird of Tullibardine's daughter." This was the wedding of Lilias Murray and John Grant. The record mentions "a stand of maskerye claythis to hym that wes his majesties vallett att thatt tyme" (a set of masquerade clothes for the king's valet at that time). The valet was almost certainly John Wemyss of Logie.
In 1591, Anne of Denmark received £1,000 Scots from the subsidy. Lord Sypynie also received £1,000. "Rachaell, an Englishwoman," was given £400, and John Wemyss of Logie received £300. An "English lady" who visited Scotland gave James a copy of the Geneva Bible, which the King did not approve of.
Prince Henry and Royal Repairs
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In May 1594, James VI ordered English alabaster for the Chapel Royal at Stirling Castle. He also ordered lead to repair the roof of Linlithgow Palace, which was the responsibility of Roger Aston. The alabaster might have been for carving or to make plaster to decorate the chapel for the baptism of Prince Henry. James VI often visited Prince Henry at Stirling. On August 16, 1595, he ordered some silver work for Henry's room from Thomas Foulis. James even encouraged the baby prince to hold a pen and make a mark on the order, then certified it by writing, "I will testify this is the prince's own mark."
Subsidy money was also used to pay for Prince Henry's household at Stirling. In September 1595, the Earl of Mar's servant, Gilbert Mastertoun, received £5,000 Scots.
Fighting Catholic Lords in the North
Richard Cockburn of Clerkington, the Secretary of State, was sent as ambassador to London in October 1594 and received £2,000. The cost of Cockburn's trip was partly paid with £1,000 Scots from the Danish dowry that James VI had invested with the town council of Haddington. He gave £680 Scots from the subsidy money to the goldsmith and royal financier Thomas Foulis for the king's use. The rest of the payment went to the Duke of Lennox, who was in charge of the north. This money was for his soldiers' wages for one month.
New Year's Gifts
For New Year's Day gifts in 1596, Thomas Foulis provided jewels. These included a gold salamander (a mythical creature) covered in diamonds, given to the Master of Work, William Schaw. Anne of Denmark received a gold locket with diamonds and a diamond and ruby necklace. Sir Thomas Erskine got a locket with rubies and diamonds. The Duke of Lennox received a hat badge shaped like a gold crown with diamonds. A courtier known as the "Little Dutchman" (possibly William Belo) received a diamond ring.
A Sapphire Portrait
In 1598, Robert Jousie's costume account includes a payment to a Dutch craftsman in London. This craftsman engraved a sapphire with Queen Elizabeth's portrait for Anne of Denmark. It cost £17 Sterling or £280 Scots. Master David Foulis carried the sapphire "home" to Scotland. This craftsman, Cornelius "Draggie," appeared in Edinburgh in 1601. He tried to set up a weaving workshop, hoping for money given to skilled craftsmen. But other weavers protested, saying he was a lapidary (gem cutter), not a weaver. In London, Cornelius seemed to be connected with the Harderet family workshop. In Edinburgh, he might have worked for the goldsmith George Heriot. Heriot was a witness at the baptism of Cornelius's son Daniel in Edinburgh on January 25, 1601.
The sapphire is the last item mentioned in Thomas Foulis's accounts of royal clothing. On February 20, 1600, James Sempill of Beltrees delivered £400 Sterling from the yearly payment directly to the goldsmith George Heriot, probably for jewelry made for Anne of Denmark.
Anne's Dowry: The "Tocher Gude"
Maitland also kept a record of the dowry paid to James VI in Denmark. This record is part of a British Library manuscript. Some of the dowry was spent in Denmark on gifts, but Maitland saved some to invest in Scotland. The dowry was sometimes called the "tocher," "toquher," or "tocher gude."
The dowry money was given in Denmark in February 1590. The king's previous expenses abroad had been partly covered by a £5,000 loan from Maitland. Maitland received 75,000 dalers of dowry money from Christoffer Valkendorff and another 10,000 dalers from the Queen Mother, Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. He paid 6,030 dalers for a debt of George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal for a jewel given to Anne of Denmark when she became engaged in September 1589. This payment and the next fourteen entries were copied into a manuscript called the "Hopetoun manuscript." The account also mentions entertainment for the newly-weds in Oslo by acrobats called "vautis."
Maitland recorded gifts given to the printer working for Tycho Brahe on Hven, his servants, and the workers building his paper and corn mills. Gifts were also given to the boatmen who took the royal party to Tycho's island. On March 13, 1590, James VI visited Frederiksborg Castle. He gave money to the poor, to the park keeper who lent the couple horses, and to a woman who kept pheasants. He also gave 100 dalers to the Captain of Frederiksborg for his officers and servants. They stayed longer at Kronborg, and the captain and servants there received 2,000 dalers.
Investing the Dowry Money
The dowry money that wasn't spent was taken back to Scotland on James's ship. It was invested in various towns by the Comptroller, David Seton of Parbroath. The towns paid 10% interest, which provided income for the royal households. Around December 1591, James VI wrote to Alexander Hay, urging him to help with the "matter of the tocher" (dowry) with the officials of Edinburgh. According to a historical account, the money had been placed with the towns to give the queen a yearly income. However, James was urged by some advisors to spend it to cover his costs for "unnecessary" soldiers.
The towns lent the money out at even higher interest. The town council of Dundee carefully checked the status of the borrowers. In 1593, £4,000 from the "annualrent" (yearly interest) of the dowry was given to Anne of Denmark. Also, £4,170 was paid to John Arnot, who was owed money by James VI. James Dalziel, an Edinburgh merchant, received £130.
Paying for Prince Henry's Baptism
Part of the dowry was spent on the celebrations for Prince Henry's baptism at Stirling Castle in 1594. Costumes for the women of Queen Anne's household were bought using £4,000 held at St Andrews and Anstruther. This money was collected by John Elphinstone. Another £3,000 from Perth paid for upholstery and tapestry repairs. The money from Perth was delivered at Stirling Castle. Robert Jousie received £1,000 (out of £8,000) from Aberdeen. Anne of Denmark was not happy with this decision.
At the banquet in the Great Hall during the masque, James VI was called a "New Jason" because of his sea voyage to Norway. The story of Jason and the Argonauts is an old Greek myth. In this comparison, Anne of Denmark was like Medea, and also like the Golden Fleece itself, representing her valuable dowry.
