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PREFACE
In submitting a narrative
of the Royal House of Stuart, from its origin to the accession of the
House of Hanover, the author fully recognises the great importance of
the subject as an integral part of Scottish history. The House of Stuart
in its detached form every student of history knows, but the precursors
of the Stuart sovereigns—the High Stewards of Scotland —form a branch of
the subject that hitherto has been very imperfectly known, and probably
will always be so from the want of authentic information to create a
consecutive narrative.
So far as we have material we have made a brief narrative of the High
Stewards, and so far as it affects Scottish history a narrative of
surpassing interest it is. The origin of the Stuarts will always be a
controversial question until more light is thrown on the subject by
scientific research. The reader will remember that “ Steward of the
King’s Household ”—an appointment which probably applies to the two
first Stewards only —was a distinct office from that of “ High Steward
of Scotland,” the first nominee to the latter office being Walter, the
founder of Paisley Abbey, who became High Steward in 1152, and
discharged the duties for twenty-five years during the reigns of Malcolm
IV. and William the Lion.
In these early feudal times the administration of the kingdom was of
slow development, but it is important to observe that Walter, the first
High Steward of Scotland, was also Chancellor of the kingdom, and
doubtless was in his day the first officer of the realm. The High
Stewards were also military officers, as we find Walter, the sixth High
Steward, commanding a regiment at Bannockburn, and doing gallant service
for xi
King Robert Bruce on that great occasion. Some early writers believe he
did as much to gain this victory as did Bruce himself. His bravery on
that occasion was rewarded by his getting the King’s daughter to wife,
with a large dowry in land : and the issue of this marriage was Robert
II., who became the first Stuart sovereign.
It is noticeable that after the first Stuart sovereign only one Stuart
King chose a wife from his own people. That sovereign was Robert III.,
who fell in love with the daughter of John, Lord Drummond of Stobhall.
The portrait of this lady is the frontispiece of this volume. It is said
by more writers than one that the House of Drummond was notable for its
handsome daughters, who in their day were distinguished for their
natural beauty and for their many accomplishments.
In considering the administration of the Stuarts we are met on the
threshold of the subject with the significant fact that all the
sovereigns between Robert III. and Charles I. (the six Jameses), were
crowned when they were children. This involved a regency under each of
the Jameses, and a large proportion of the crime, lawlessness and
rebellion, and attempts to subvert the Crown, which threatened the
national life for 250 years after Robert III., is due mainly to the
incapability and misgovernment of the Regents, notwithstanding their
responsibility to the Scottish Parliament, which always retained the
supreme authority. The administration of the first five Jameses after
they assumed the reins of government was creditable to them, and if we
except James III., they contributed largely to the abolition of crime,
anarchy and rebellion, and created laws which greatly influenced the
development of a more healthy civilisation. The accession of James VI.
set back the dial on account of his feeble administration, and no
improvement on that monarch’s rule took place until the accession of
William of Orange, when the kingdom was once more restored to its normal
condition as it was in the days of James V.
All but two of the Stuart sovereigns belonged to the Catholic faith, but
there is nothing to indicate that this was in any way prejudicial to the
interests or the prosperity of the realm, or to its trade and commerce,
until the advent of Charles II. and James VII. These two brothers, the
last of the Stuart kings, disgraced their high office by their
persecution of those who differed from them in religion, and the
last-named ruler was in consequence driven from the throne after a brief
reign of three and a half years.
We do not wonder that the Scottish Parliament made it a condition that
after that period no Catholic could sit on the throne of Scotland. It is
very noticeable that the son of James VII., the Chevalier St. George,
would have succeeded Queen Anne but for this prohibitory statute. All
the eloquence of Queen Anne, however, would not induce him to change his
religion and accept the crown, and so the House of Hanover was called
in, and the House of Stuart became extinct.
The Chevalier was a most creditable member of the House of Stuart, as
his subsequent career showed, and his whole life indicated that had he
ascended the throne he would have been no discredit to his ancestors.
Had he even been victorious at Sheriffmuir he would not necessarily have
got the throne because of the determined opposition of the Scottish
people at that period to the Catholic faith, and their fresh remembrance
of the tyrannical rule of his father.
The scheme of the following work is as follows :—
I. Condition and general administration of the kingdom at the Norman
Conquest and the Stuart origin.
2. The supposed ancestors or progenitors of the High Stewards.
3. General outline of the High Stewards and their official duties.
4. Administration of the Stuart sovereigns, from Robert II. to the
accession of George of Hanover.
The Stuart dynasty is now matter of history, and whatever we may think
of the early rulers of the House of Hanover, we now live in an age of
enlightenment and freedom under the rule of a wise and judicious
monarchy, enjoying to an unlimited extent civil and religious liberty.
The charters and portraits which accompany this work will be found of
great value. We have to acknowledge with thanks the following portraits,
among others, received for insertion in this work:—
The frontispiece of Vol. I., Queen Annabella Drummond, from Sir James
Drummond of Hawthornden.
The frontispiece of Vol. II., the Orkney portrait of Queen Mary, from
His Grace the Duke of Sutherland.
Portrait of Robert III., from the Marquis of Lothian.
Portrait of James IV., from Captain Stirling of Keir.
Portraits of James V. and Mary of Guise, from His Grace the Duke of
Devonshire.
Portrait of William of Orange, from His Grace the Duke of Portland.
In the literary department of the work, we have received assistance from
the Rev. Professor Kennedy, Edinburgh, Dr. Maitland Thomson, Rev. John
Anderson of the Register House, Edinburgh, who gave valuable assistance
in the revision of the proofs, and Mr. A. M. Cowan of Perth.
S. C.
Edinburgh, January, 1908.
Volume 1 |
Volume 2 |
