Humphrey Dethick facts for kids

Humphrey Dethick was an English merchant born in 1577. He worked in Italy and later traveled to Scotland. In 1602, during a royal christening event, he was involved in a serious incident where a man was fatally injured.

Humphrey Dethick's Life and Work

Humphrey Dethick grew up in Smithston, Derbyshire, England. His parents were William and Helen Dethick. He went to school in Ashbourne and briefly attended Cambridge University. Humphrey's father was a gentleman who sold his family's land.

Early Adventures

After his schooling, Humphrey Dethick went to sea. He sailed with Captain Clegmond and captured ships from France and Spain. Later, he worked for Richard May, a merchant in London who sold wool and fabrics. Humphrey also had a brother, Edward Dethick, who worked with silk in London.

Working in Italy

Humphrey Dethick was hired by Baptist Hicks, a wealthy London merchant. Hicks sent Dethick to Italy to be his "factor." A factor was like an agent who made sure the fabrics Hicks bought were of very good quality. In Florence, Italy, Dethick met Lorenzo Usimbardi, who was a secretary to Ferdinando I de' Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Usimbardi gave Dethick a special jewel.

Dethick also became involved in a disagreement about shipping goods. This issue was important enough to be noticed by Sir Robert Cecil, a powerful English official.

Journey to Scotland

Humphrey Dethick left Italy and traveled through France. He then took a boat to Leith, Scotland. He had once thought about going to Turkey and even wrote to an adventurer named Sir Thomas Shirley, but that plan didn't happen. In Scotland, Dethick hoped to get a special permission from the king. He wanted to export leather to Ireland and become rich. Roger Aston, an English courtier, helped Dethick meet King James VI.

The Dunfermline Incident

On May 2, 1602, a special event took place at Dunfermline Palace in Scotland. This was the christening of Prince Robert, the son of King James VI and Queen Anne of Denmark. Many important people gathered at Dunfermline for the celebration.

A Troubling Event

The day before the christening, Humphrey Dethick was involved in a serious conflict. He used a rapier, a type of sword, and a man named James Chambers was fatally injured. Two other people were also hurt, including a barber who was styling Chambers' hair. The day before this incident, Dethick had seemed very upset, and Roger Aston had tried to calm him down. Some people wondered if Dethick had come to Scotland with a dangerous plan against the king.

After the Incident

Humphrey Dethick was arrested and put in prison. He seemed to be acting strangely, as if he was not well. Court doctors, possibly Martin Schöner and John Naysmyth, examined him. They believed he was pretending to be unwell. Dethick claimed he had heard a prophecy in Spain that told him to harm someone. He was taken to Edinburgh Castle. He later said his actions were due to "the madness of drink."

His trial was delayed because Prince Robert, the king's son, became ill. King James stayed at Dunfermline. The king was unsure how to handle Dethick, especially since he was English and seemed unwell.

Concerns and Suspicions

Sir John Carey, who was in Berwick-upon-Tweed, heard that Dethick was asleep in his room at Dunfermline when others, including the person who was hurt, came in to take away his weapons. The details of Dethick's statements were kept secret. However, it seemed to Carey that Dethick was still favored by the king.

News of the incident reached London. John Chamberlain, a letter writer, mentioned on June 17 that there was much talk about Dethick. People wondered if he had come from Florence to Scotland to harm the king, but then became unwell and confused. Robert Cecil and Queen Elizabeth I of England began to suspect Dethick was part of a plot against King James VI. They sent letters written by Dethick in Italian to Scotland. Dethick 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.

In June, Dethick's mental state worsened, and he even tore off his clothes. King James VI gave Dethick's Italian letters to David Foulis for translation.

Uncertain Outcome

Humphrey Dethick's final fate is not clear. News of his imprisonment was known in London. On June 27, Philip Gawdy wrote that the King of Spain was thought to be involved in a conspiracy against the King of Scots. This plot was supposedly to be carried out by Dethick and an Italian who did not show up. Gawdy wrote that Dethick was taken and had become unwell since being imprisoned.