Arthur Erskine of Blackgrange

Arthur Erskine of Blackgrange (died 1571) was a Scottish courtier.

Career

He was a son of John Erskine, 5th Lord Erskine and Margaret Campbell.

He became an equerry or master of the stable to Mary, Queen of Scots. John Knox noted that he accompanied her during her formal Entry to Edinburgh in September 1561. Knox says the queen was given a Bible during the pageant, and quickly passed it to Erskine, who was a Catholic.[1]

In 1562 he married Magdalen Livingstone, a lady in waiting to Queen Mary, and daughter of Alexander Livingston, 5th Lord Livingston and Agnes Douglas.[2] Mary bought him a horse for £40 in April 1562.[3] In December 1566 she gave him £60 Scots, from her income known as the "Thirds of Benefices".[4]

The escape from Holyrood Palace

After the murder of David Rizzio on 9 March 1566, Mary escaped from Holyrood Palace the next day at midnight and rode behind Arthur Erskine to Seton Palace and then to safety at Dunbar Castle.[5][6][7] The description of the murder of Rizzio made by the Earl of Bedford and Thomas Randolph says that Lord Robert Stewart and Arthur Erskine tried to resist the murderers when they entered the queen's chamber.[8]

A French report mentions the king and queen rode to Dunbar behind the escuier.[9] Anthony Standen, who served as Darnley's equerry, wrote that Mary was mounted behind Erskine, Darnley was on another horse, and there were six in the party riding to Dunbar, including the Laird of Traquair, and a chamberer or servant for Mary.[10]

Later career

Arthur Erskine and Magdalen Livingstone stayed at Dryburgh on the 9 and 10 of October 1566 with his kinsman David Erskine, Commendator of Dryburgh before riding to Jedburgh to join Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary then rode from Jedburgh to Hermitage Castle to see the Earl of Bothwell.[11]

As one of the masters of the queen's stable, Erskine kept an account with Robert Abercromby, an Edinburgh craftsman who made saddles and reins.[12]

He died in 1571.

After his death, Magdalen Livingstone married James Scrimgeour of Dudhope in 1577. Mary, Queen of Scots, was displeased by the news of this marriage.[13]

References
  1. David Laing, Works of John Knox, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1848), p. 288.
  2. Rosalind Marshall, Queen Mary's Women: Female Relatives, Servants, Friends and Enemies of Mary, Queen of Scots (John Donald: Edinburgh, 2006), p. 138: Gordon Donaldson, Scotland's History: Approaches and Reflections (Scottish Academic Press, 1995), p. 71.
  3. James Balfour Paul, Accounts of the Treasurer, vol. 11 (Edinburgh, 1916), p. 159.
  4. Gordon Donaldson, Accounts of the Thirds of Benefices (Edinburgh, 1949), p. 187.
  5. Henry Ellis, Original Letters Illustrative of English History, 1st series vol. 2 (London, 1824), p. 214.
  6. Joseph Stevenson, The History of Mary Stewart: From the Murder of Riccio Until Her Flight Into England by Claude Nau (Edinburgh, 1883), pp. ciii, 11, 16, 227.
  7. John Maxwell, Lord Herries, Historical memoirs of the reign of Mary Queen of Scots: and a portion of the reign of King James the Sixth (Abbotsford Club, 1836), p. 78.
  8. HMC Salisbury Hatfield, vol. 1 (London, 1883), pp. 334-5.
  9. Alexander Teulet, Relations Politiques, 2 (Paris, 1862), p. 263
  10. M. S. Giuseppi, HMC Salisbury Hatfield, vol. 16 (London, 1933), p. 17.
  11. Registrum Cartarum de Dryburgh (Edinburgh, 1847), p. 399.
  12. Charles Thorpe McInnes, Accounts of the Treasurer, vol. 12 (Edinburgh, 1970), p. 60.
  13. William Boyd, Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 5 (Edinburgh, 1907), p. 248 no. 279.
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