John Selby (died 1595) facts for kids

Sir John Selby of Twizell (who passed away in 1595) was an important English landowner and official. He worked closely with the Scottish border, helping to manage the relationship between England and Scotland.

Sir John Selby's Life and Work

Sir John Selby came from a well-known family in Northumberland, a county in northern England. His home was Twizell Castle, a strong castle in Northumbria. He held two important jobs:

• Gentleman Porter of Berwick-upon-Tweed: This was like being the chief security officer for the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed. Berwick was a very important town right on the border between England and Scotland.
• Depute-Warden of the East March: This meant he was an assistant manager of the "East March," which was a specific area along the border. His job was to help keep peace and order there.

He worked under a more senior border official named Lord Grey. In 1562, he had a disagreement with a Scottish nobleman, Lord Home, who complained about Selby to the English ambassador in Scotland.

Working for the Queen

Sir John Selby often sent important news about Scottish politics to powerful people in England. In 1581, he sent updates from Berwick to the Earl of Leicester, a close advisor to Queen Elizabeth I. He also sent messages to Francis Walsingham, who was Queen Elizabeth's spy master, sharing news about Scottish events. For example, in 1588, he reported that Lord Maxwell had arrived in Scotland in disguise, looking like a regular traveler.

Selby was knighted in 1582, which meant he was given the title "Sir" for his service to the Queen.

Helping with Royal Events

In 1589, when Anne of Denmark, the new Queen of Scotland, was expected to arrive, the English ambassador asked Sir John Selby to help provide food for her welcoming party. Sir John replied that his area didn't have special foods like deer or pheasants, only beef and mutton, which he said were no better than what Scotland already had!

Dealing with Border Issues

Sir John Selby was often involved in solving problems that happened on the border.

The Case of Richard Blithe

He helped with the case of Richard Blithe, a Scottish sailor who was considered a pirate. Blithe had been involved in robbing a ship belonging to the Master of Orkney and was caught in Newcastle, England. King James VI of Scotland wanted Blithe to be sent back to Scotland for trial. In 1590, the English ambassador arranged for a Spanish prisoner to be exchanged for Blithe.

Hunting for Criminals

In 1591, King James VI asked Selby to find John Dickson, who was wanted for a crime and believed to be hiding near Norham.

The Witchcraft Case

In February 1591, Sir John Selby also sent a Scottish woman, who was accused of witchcraft and held in Berwick, back to Edinburgh at King James VI's request. This woman then accused other people of witchcraft in Scotland. This was likely related to the famous North Berwick Witch Trials. King James VI even sent a Scottish expert on witches to England to help find anyone who had escaped from the trials. Selby was given permission to return any suspects who tried to flee back to Scotland.

The Queen's Jewels

In 1594, two men from Edinburgh, Queen Anna's jeweler Jacob Kroger and a stable worker named Guillaume Martin, stole some of the Queen's jewels. They were caught in North Shields, England. On June 11, 1594, Sir John Selby handed them over to the Scottish border official at Norham Castle. The two men were taken back to Edinburgh and faced justice.

Sir John Selby passed away in 1595. His son, William Selby (died 1612), took over his role as Gentleman Porter of Berwick. His daughter, Margaret, married George Selby (who died in 1625).