John Kennedy, 6th Earl of Cassilis facts for kids
John Kennedy, 6th Earl of Cassilis (died April 1668), was an important Scottish nobleman. He was the grandson of Gilbert Kennedy, 4th Earl of Cassilis. John Kennedy became the 6th Earl of Cassilis in 1616. He was a member of the Scottish government as a Privy Counsellor and also served as a top judge, called Justice-general, and later as an Extraordinary Lord of Session.
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Standing Up for Scottish Faith
John Kennedy was a strong supporter of the Presbyterian faith in Scotland. This was a time when King Charles I wanted Scotland to follow the Anglican church, which was different. In 1638, Kennedy joined many Scots who disagreed with the King. These people were known as Covenanters because they signed a special agreement, or "Covenant," to protect their faith.
In 1639, Kennedy was part of a large group of 20,000 Covenanters who met the King's army. This show of strength convinced the King to allow a free General Assembly (a church meeting) and a free Parliament to decide on church matters.
In 1643, Kennedy went to the Westminster Assembly in England. This was a meeting of English church leaders and politicians. They wanted to make the Church of England more like the Scottish Presbyterian Church.
After the Covenanters lost a battle in 1645, Kennedy had to flee to Ireland. The next year, he was one of the Scottish leaders who met with King Charles. They wanted the King to agree to the decisions made by the English Parliament. However, in 1648, Kennedy disagreed with a group of Covenanters called the Engagers. This group wanted to make a deal with King Charles I.
After the Engagers were defeated, Kennedy joined other leaders in a protest called the Whiggamore Raid. They marched on Edinburgh to remove the Engagers from power and strengthen the Covenanter cause.
Meeting with King Charles II
After King Charles I was executed in 1649, the Scots still recognized his son, Charles II, as their king. John Kennedy was one of seven leaders who met with Charles II in The Hague in March 1649. They wanted the young King to agree to both the Scottish National Covenant (1638) and the Solemn League and Covenant (1643). They also insisted he make Scottish laws apply to England and Ireland.
Charles II replied that he would accept the Scottish laws about the National Covenant and Presbyterian faith. He would also adopt parts of the Solemn League and Covenant that helped Scotland, as long as they didn't harm England or Ireland. However, he wouldn't undo a recent peace agreement with Ireland. The Scottish leaders felt this wasn't enough and returned home.
In 1650, Kennedy attended another important meeting. Some leaders wanted to send people to meet Charles II again in Breda, Netherlands. There were rumors that Charles was making alliances with Irish Catholics. Kennedy and others insisted that Charles must fully accept the Scottish Parliament's decisions.
Kennedy's strong opinion won out. The group sent to Breda was told to demand the same full surrender from Charles that had been asked for in The Hague. Kennedy was part of this important group.
Demands at Breda
On March 25, the Scottish leaders met Charles II in the Netherlands. They made several clear demands:
- He must agree to set up the Presbyterian system in England and Ireland.
- He must practice Presbyterianism himself and make his household do the same.
- He must agree that the recent meetings of the Scottish Parliament were legal.
- He must agree that Scottish Parliament would decide all non-church matters, and the General Assemblies of the Kirk (church) would decide church matters.
- He must stop allowing Catholicism and cancel any statements against the Covenant.
Charles II tried to negotiate, but the Scottish leaders would not change their demands. They told him that if he didn't agree, he should trust his Scottish people and let his Parliament decide.
After more discussions, Charles II finally agreed. On April 28, he sent a private note to Kennedy, promising to add the required words to the agreement once he landed in Scotland. On May 1, Charles signed the agreement, known as the Treaty of Breda. The Scottish leaders were satisfied and invited Charles to Scotland.
After the King Returned
In 1660, Charles II became King of England again after Oliver Cromwell died. The arguments about religion were still strong. In 1662, Parliament canceled all laws made during the time when there was no king (the Interregnum). They brought back the old church rules from 1633, which gave a lot of power to bishops.
John Kennedy was known as a "man of most inflexible firmness," meaning he was very strong-willed. When asked to accept these new rules, he chose to resign from his government jobs and leave Parliament instead.
In 1665, some Scots wanted help from Holland against England. They asked Kennedy for support, but he refused. He said he had promised the King he would not join any plots. In return, the King had promised that Kennedy and his family would not be bothered for practicing their faith.
The Test Act and Conventicles
In 1681, King Charles II wanted Scots to take a "Test Act" oath. This oath was similar to one in England. Anyone who wanted to hold a job in the church, education, or government in Scotland had to swear this oath. It made them promise to follow the Protestant religion and also to obey the King in all matters, even church ones. It also said it was wrong to form groups or fight against the King.
Many Scots found this oath very difficult to accept. Some, like the Marquess of Argyll, chose to leave Scotland rather than sign it. Kennedy and other nobles stayed in Scotland but made it clear they would not sign the oath, even if it meant losing their land.
Tensions grew, and Covenanters began holding secret worship meetings in the hills, called "conventicles," to avoid punishment. In 1670, a very harsh law called the Conventicles Act was passed. It had severe punishments, even execution. John Kennedy was the only member of Parliament to vote against this act.
In 1675, even though Scottish nobles were not allowed to leave Scotland, Kennedy was the first to go to London. He wanted to complain to the King about the harsh measures being used. The King later said that he knew his minister, Lauderdale, had done bad things to the Scottish people, but he didn't think Lauderdale had acted against his own interests.
"The Gypsy Laddy" Story
There's an old Scottish folk song called "The Gypsy Laddy." It's about a gypsy band who took away a lady loved by John Faa, the "King of the Gypsies." In the 1700s, people in Ayrshire started to connect this song to Jean Hamilton, John Kennedy's first wife.
The story claimed that the gypsies kidnapped her while the Earl was away in Westminster. It also said the Earl got revenge on the gypsies and then locked his wife away for the rest of her life, even marrying another woman while she was still alive.
However, these parts of the story are not true. Jean Hamilton died in 1642, a year before the Earl went to Westminster. His second marriage didn't happen until more than a year after her death, in 1644. When Jean died, the Earl wrote a sad letter to a friend, saying she had gone "to her home." This shows he was grieving her loss, not punishing her.
Family Life
John Kennedy's first wife was Jean Hamilton (1607–1642). She was the daughter of Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Haddington. They married in January 1622 and had three children:
- Lady Catherine Kennedy (died around February 1700)
- James Kennedy, Lord Kennedy (died 1642/43)
- Lady Margaret Kennedy (died 1685), who was the first wife of Bishop Gilbert Burnet
His second wife was Lady Margaret Hay. She was the daughter of William Hay, 10th Earl of Erroll. They married on March 15, 1643/44. They had one child:
- John Kennedy, 7th Earl of Cassilis (November 1653 – July 23, 1701)
