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MAITLAND, John, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane (1543-1595), lord chancellor of Scotland. Document signed, Edinburgh, 1 November 1587, granting to Robert Creichtoun during his lifetime the chaplaincy and benefice of the Magdalene Chapel in Maitland's lordship of Musselburgh, in a secretary hand on vellum, the date and witnesses apparently completed in Maitland's own hand, one membrane, approx 275 x 265mm (some staining, especially at folds, two small punctures at centre folds), Maitland's armorial seal in red wax pendant on vellum tag, approx 45mm diameter (rubbed, chipped at borders), framed and glazed (unexamined out of mount).
John Maitland, regarded by the English ambassador Sir Edward Wotton as 'the wisest man in Scotland', had at the time of this document just reached the pinnacle of his power, when from 1587 to 1592 he was chief minister and political tutor to the young James VI, and the most powerful man in the realm after the king; he was the first lord chancellor since the reign of James II to be neither an aristocrat nor a bishop. He had received the lordship of Musselburgh in the year of this document as part of the crown's annexation of church lands, which he himself had orchestrated. The witnesses include two allies of Maitland's in the higher justiciary and administration, Sir Lewis Bellenden of Auchnoll (1555/7-1591), hereditary justice clerk, and Robert Melville, 1st Lord Melville (1527/8-1621), treasurer-depute.
John Maitland, regarded by the English ambassador Sir Edward Wotton as 'the wisest man in Scotland', had at the time of this document just reached the pinnacle of his power, when from 1587 to 1592 he was chief minister and political tutor to the young James VI, and the most powerful man in the realm after the king; he was the first lord chancellor since the reign of James II to be neither an aristocrat nor a bishop. He had received the lordship of Musselburgh in the year of this document as part of the crown's annexation of church lands, which he himself had orchestrated. The witnesses include two allies of Maitland's in the higher justiciary and administration, Sir Lewis Bellenden of Auchnoll (1555/7-1591), hereditary justice clerk, and Robert Melville, 1st Lord Melville (1527/8-1621), treasurer-depute.
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