Sir John Carmichael (died 16 June 1600) was a Scottish soldier, the Keeper of Liddesdale, a diplomat, and owner of Fenton Tower at Kingston, East Lothian.
Career He was the son of John Carmichael and Elizabeth Somerville, a daughter of Hugh Somerville, 5th Lord Somerville. The estate and village of Carmichael is in South Lanarkshire.
He was active in the Marian Civil War, and in September 1571 the Earl of Morton wrote approvingly of an incident where he had chased and fought some horsemen of Queen Mary's side near Edinburgh.William Boyd, Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 3 (Edinburgh, 1903), p. 710.
He was appointed warden of the Scottish West March.
In 1573 Regent Morton went to Jedburgh to hold justice courts, and he sent Carmichael to arrest Black James Ormiston for his involvement in the murder of Lord Darnley.Thomson, The historie and life of King James the Sext (Edinburgh, 1825), p. 149. In 1574 Carmichael was recommended for a pension from England, given to those of power and influence who could support English interests in Scotland. He was said to be "a favourer of the amity, a good executioner, and in favour with the Regent."William Boyd, Calendar of State Papers Scotland: 1574–1581, vol. 5 (Edinburgh, 1907) p. 2.
Raid of the Redeswire Carmichael fought against the English at the Raid of the Redeswire on 7 July 1575 on a day of border truce, and captured Sir John Forster, the English Warden and commander, after an argument turned to violence. At the start of the fighting two Scottish men, Symonton and Robson were killed, and Carmichael was hit by a bullet but unharmed. Other witnesses claimed two Northumbrians, Fenwick and Robert Shafton were the first casualties. Francis Walsingham asked Henry Killigrew to ask the ruler of Scotland, Regent Morton to have Carmichael arrested. Forster and his companions were entertained with some expense at Dalkeith Palace, and sent home. Carmichael was taken to Berwick to be lodged with the President of the Council of the North, the Earl of Huntingdon, at York.Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 5 (Edinburgh, 1907), p. 167–173, 190, 194.
In 1580 he was one of the 25 gentlemen pensioners appointed to attend James VI when he went riding. Other members of this entourage included, Captain James Stewart, Captain Crawford, Walter Stewart of Blantyre, the Master of Cathcart, James Anstruther, Roger Aston, Patrick Hume of Polwarth, and John Stewart of Baldynneis.National Records of Scotland, 'Estate of the king's house', E34/35 f.8v.
In September 1587 James VI sent him to ask Edinburgh council for a loan of 100 gold crowns to buy velvet saddles to give to the French poet and diplomat Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas.John Marwick, Extracts from the Burgh Records of Edinburgh: 1573–1589 (Edinburgh, 1882), p. 500. On 8 July 1588 he collected £2,000 of the subsidy or annuity money that Elizabeth gave to James VI at Hutton Hall near Berwick-upon-Tweed, and £3,000 on 9 September from Robert Bowes at Cawmills.William Boyd, Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1586–1588, vol. 9 (Edinburgh, 1915), pp. 575 no. 466, 613 no. 515, 620 no. 527: Joseph Bain, Calendar of Border Papers, vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1894), p. 333.
Huntly and Holyroodhouse In August 1588 a party of soldiers and sailors from the Spanish Armada came ashore and met up with Colonel William Sempill. The Edinburgh authorities arrested them, and Colonel Sempill rode towards Crichton Castle. Carmichael gave chase and caught him, and brought him back to Holyrood House. James VI ordered that Sempill should be imprisoned in Robert Gourlay's house.Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 9 (Edinburgh, 1916), p. 595. The Earl of Huntly tried to prevent this, and helped Colonel Sempill escape.David Calderwood, History of the Kirk of Scotland, vol. 4 (Edinburgh, 1843), pp. 680–1: John Spottiswood, History of the Church of Scotland, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1847), p. 386
According to David Hume of Godscroft, the Earl of Angus and Lord John Hamilton argued over precedence in the king's privy or outer chamber at Holyrood Palace. James VI came out of his bed chamber and made them reconcile. Meanwhile Carmichael had made the palace secure, and Angus had to signal to his followers, who were preparing to break in, from a window that all was well. Godscroft mentions that Carmichael was an ally and dependent of the Douglas family.David Reid, David Hume of Godscroft's History of the House of Angus, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 2005), pp. 418–9.
Carmichael was made Warden of West March and Steward of Annandale in place of the forfeited John, Lord Maxwell, in September 1588.David Masson, Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, 1585–1592, vol. 4 (Edinburgh, 1881), p. 322.
In May 1589 the Earl of Huntly surrendered to Carmichael and Captain William Home at Terrisoul near Aberdeen, who brought him to Edinburgh to be warded in Robert Gourlay's house.James Dennistoun, Moysie's Memoirs of the Affairs of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1830), p. 76-7
Royal marriage Carmichael sailed to Norway and Denmark with James VI of Scotland in 1589. James VI wrote from Leith on 22 October to Queen Elizabeth and the English border warden Lord Scrope mentioning that Carmichael was with him.Thomas Rymer, Foedera, vol. 16 (London, 1715), p. 27: Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1589–1593, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 179. James Melville of Halhill mentions that Carmichael did not sail in the king's ship, but in one of three other ships, along with Lewis Bellenden, the Provost of Lincluden, William Keith of Delny, George Home, James Sandilands and Peter Young.Thomas Thomson, James Melville Memoirs of his own life (Edinburgh, 1827), p. 372
On 1 January 1590 he presented Henrik Gyldenstierne, Captain of Bohus Castle, with a ring and a gold chain, for which James VI reimbursed him 3,000 Danish dalers.Miles Kerr-Peterson & Michael Pearce, 'James VI's English Subsidy and Danish Dowry Accounts, 1588–1596', Scottish History Society Miscellany XVI (Woodbridge, 2020), p. 36. Carmichael returned to Scotland on 15 April 1590 with instructions for the welcoming party at Leith for Anne of Denmark.Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1589–1593, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 261–2.HMC Salisbury Hatfield, vol. 4, p. 29.
James VI sent orders that Carmichael should raise a company of 200 soldiers to attend their landing, and restrain those trying to meet him at Leith, including "nobility and ladies". This was disappointing news which led to fears amongst the Scottish aristocracy that the "order used in Denmark", where noble titles were not used, might prejudice their ancient rights of access to the royals.Jemma Field, Anna of Denmark: Material and Visual Culture of the Stuart Courts (Manchester, 2020), p. 137: Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1589–1593, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 274, 285. Carmichael also carried a letter from Colonel William Stewart to the English diplomat in Edinburgh, Robert Bowes, and another letter to Bowes with a verbal message from the Chancellor, John Maitland of Thirlestane.Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1589–1593, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 267–8. He was knighted at the coronation of Anne of Denmark on 17 May 1590.Thomas Rymer, Foedera, vol. 16 (London, 1715), p. 60.
England He was sent as ambassador to England with Colonel William Stewart in June 1590, and was instructed to tell Elizabeth about the journey of James VI to marry Anne of Denmark. He was also to renew requests made by the Justice Clerk, Lewis Bellenden for money to help James VI govern Scotland, to maintain an armed guard, and fund an embassy to Germany. William Cecil gave him £500, which he passed to the Colonel and John Skene for use in their embassy to Germany.Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 261–2, 305, 315–9, 334, 479. He had an audience with Elizabeth I on 19 June.David Scott Gehring, Diplomatic Intelligence (Cambridge: Camden Society, 2016), p. 151.
On 2 July 1590 he was given £3,000 Sterling, or £27,000 Scots, for James VI as part of an occasional subsidy or annuity.Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 344. Carmichael delivered the money to the Chancellor, John Maitland of Thirlestane, keeping £277 Scots for his expenses and was given a further £3,780 by the king's order, for the guard. From the remainder James VI gave money to a courtier Sir James Sandilands for household expenses, to Robert Jousie for textiles for court costume, to William Schaw for building work, bought gifts for the French ambassadors François de Civille and Jean Hotman, and paid for the banquet, sugar confections, and gold chains given to Danish ambassadors at his homecoming.Miles Kerr-Peterson & Michael Pearce, "King James VI's English Subsidy and Danish Dowry Accounts", Miscellany of the Scottish History Society, XVI (Woodbridge: Boydell, 2020), pp. 4–7, 71–4.
Glasgow and Fenton The king sent Carmichael and William Stewart of Blantyre to Glasgow to arrest Brian O'Rourke, a rebel to Queen Elizabeth, and take him to England on 3 April 1591.John Mackenzie, A chronicle of the kings of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1830), p. 142 This caused a riot in Glasgow, because the arrest was thought likely to damage the Irish trade, and they were cursed as "Queen Elizabeth's knights" and the king for taking "English angels", the annuity or subsidy received from Queen Elizabeth. Carmichael took O'Rourke to his own house on the way to Carlisle. Carmichael and Blantyre hoped Elizabeth might spare O'Rourke so the inhabitants of Glasgow would be reconciled to them, but he was executed.Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1589–1593, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 495–6, 505.
Carmichael built Fenton Tower in East Lothian, but there was a claim to the title of the lands by Hamilton of Innerwick in February 1591. The English ambassador Robert Bowes spoke to James VI in Carmichael's favour saying that Queen Elizabeth would like to see him rewarded.Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1589–1603, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 452. James VI visited several times, and in May 1592 stayed with Anna of Denmark attended by his English servant Roger Aston, and had a meeting with the Earl of Mar.Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 452, 673–4: David Moysie, Memoirs of the affairs of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1830), p. 94.
In December 1592 he rode with Sir George Home with news of the crisis caused by the discovery of the Spanish blanks to Alloa Tower, where James VI and Anna of Denmark were celebrating the wedding of the Earl of Mar and Marie Stewart.Thomas Thomson, The historie and life of King James the Sext (Edinburgh, 1825), p. 260.
Bothwell's rebellion Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell attacked Falkland Palace on 27 June 1592, with a force including men from the borders, both English and Scottish. James Sandilands captured nine or ten men, mostly of the Armstrong surname, on Bothwellmure. Five were executed, but the others were spared at the request of John Carmichael because they were not habitual border reivers.David Calderwood, History of the Kirk, vol. 5 (Edinburgh, 1844), p. 168.
Lord John Hamilton captured Archibald Wauchope of Niddrie with other rebel followers of the Earl of Bothwell at the meadow of Lesmahagow on 1 July 1592 and imprisoned them in Craignethan Castle. James VI sent Carmichael to collect the prisoners, but one of Hamilton's sons released them.David Calderwood, History of the Kirk, vol. 5 (Edinburgh, 1844), p. 169–170. In September 1592 he escorted Captain James Halkerston and John Hamilton of Airdrie to Dalkeith Palace where they were interrogated and threatened with the boot, a device to crush their legs. By now Carmichael's sight was failing, in one eye due to old age, and in the other a film was forming, and it was thought he would retire from court and the royal guard.Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1589–1593, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 771, 773. His depute-warden was John Johnstone, Laird of Newbie.
Murder