Humphrey Dethick facts for kids
Humphrey Dethick (born in 1577) was an English merchant who worked in Italy. He was involved in a serious incident in Scotland in 1602 during a royal christening.
Humphrey Dethick's Early Life and Work
Humphrey Dethick was the son of William and Helen Dethick from Smithston in Derbyshire, England. He went to school in Ashbourne and then briefly attended Cambridge University. His father was a gentleman who sold his family's land.
After leaving school, Humphrey worked for Richard May, a merchant in London who sold wool and fabric. His brother, Edward Dethick, also worked with silk in London.
Humphrey later became a "factor" for Baptist Hicks. A factor was like a business agent who helped buy and sell goods. Hicks hired Humphrey to make sure the fabrics he imported from Italy were of very good quality.
Humphrey Dethick traveled to Scotland, hoping to get a special permission from the king. He wanted to export leather to Ireland and become wealthy. Roger Aston, an English courtier (someone who attends a royal court), helped him meet the king.
Incident at Dunfermline Palace
On May 2, 1602, a christening ceremony was held for Robert, the son of James VI of Scotland and Anne of Denmark. The event took place at Dunfermline Palace. Many important people gathered there for the celebration.
The day before the christening, a serious incident occurred. Humphrey Dethick was involved in an event where a man named James Chambers died, and two other people were hurt. Humphrey was arrested and put in prison.
People thought Humphrey might be unwell. Court doctors, likely Martin Schöner and John Naysmyth, examined him. They believed he was pretending to be unwell. Humphrey claimed he had heard a prediction that he should harm someone. He was taken to Edinburgh Castle. He later said his actions were due to "madness of drink," but this topic is not suitable for children.
His trial was delayed because King James's son, Robert, became ill. The king stayed at Dunfermline. King James was unsure how to handle the situation, especially since Humphrey was from England and seemed unwell.
News of the incident reached London. John Chamberlain, a letter writer, mentioned the event. He wrote that people were talking about Dethick, who was once a factor in Italy. He said Dethick might have come to Scotland with a bad intention, but then became unwell.
Robert Cecil and Queen Elizabeth of England began to suspect that Humphrey Dethick was part of a plan against King James VI. They sent letters written by Dethick in Italian to Scotland. Humphrey sent a message to King James, saying he only came to Scotland to improve his family's wealth. Queen Elizabeth did not want King James to be lenient with Dethick just because he was English.
Humphrey Dethick's exact fate is not clear from historical records.
