![JAMES IV (1473-1513), King of Scots. Letter signed ('James R') to William, Lord Livingston [of Kilsyth] and his bailiffs, Edinburgh, 13 July 1513.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2018/CKS/2018_CKS_16019_0033_001(james_iv_king_of_scots_letter_signed_to_william_lord_livingston_of_kil054128).jpg?w=1)
![JAMES IV (1473-1513), King of Scots. Letter signed ('James R') to William, Lord Livingston [of Kilsyth] and his bailiffs, Edinburgh, 13 July 1513.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2018/CKS/2018_CKS_16019_0033_000(james_iv_king_of_scots_letter_signed_to_william_lord_livingston_of_kil071155).jpg?w=1)
Details
JAMES IV (1473-1513), King of Scots. Letter signed ('James R') to William, Lord Livingston [of Kilsyth] and his bailiffs, Edinburgh, 13 July 1513.
14 lines written in brown ink in a secretary hand, one page, 160 x 297mm, traces of signet seal (split along centre fold). Provenance: Spiro Family Collection – sale at Christie's, 3 December 2003, lot 46.
Less than two months before his death at the Battle of Flodden, James IV orders a Border lord to send men to join the Scottish fleet sailing to France. James renews an order to supply 'abill yong men' to be sent to France, after a previous order was met with refusal: 'As we wrait to yow of before like as we did to the laif of the baronis of our Realme to furniss certane abill yong men weill abilyeit to pass in our schippis w[i]t[h] our armye to the supple of our traist cousing & bruth[er] the King of Franc[e] And as we ar informit yo[u]r tenents abill men for the said viage Refusis to pass and will not ansuer to yow y[er]in, houbeit ye tyme Is schort and our armye reddy to depart. It is our will heirfor and we pray yow that ye Incontine[n]t furniss for yo[u]r part sic noum[er] of abill yong men fensabill personis and weill abilyeit as ye think expedient'. The troops are to reach Edinburgh by the following Friday (22 July).
James IV had entered into an agreement with Louis XII of France in July 1512 by which each would assist the other if attacked by England. Henry VIII's invasion of France in June 1513 activated the treaty (which had earned James a suspended sentence of excommunication from the pope), and as discussed in the present letter the Scottish fleet set sail for France on 25 July. A month later, James invaded northern England at the head of his army: but on 9 September he was killed at the Battle of Flodden, together with the flower of the kingdom – amongst them William Livingston of Kilsyth, the probable recipient of the present letter.
14 lines written in brown ink in a secretary hand, one page, 160 x 297mm, traces of signet seal (split along centre fold). Provenance: Spiro Family Collection – sale at Christie's, 3 December 2003, lot 46.
Less than two months before his death at the Battle of Flodden, James IV orders a Border lord to send men to join the Scottish fleet sailing to France. James renews an order to supply 'abill yong men' to be sent to France, after a previous order was met with refusal: 'As we wrait to yow of before like as we did to the laif of the baronis of our Realme to furniss certane abill yong men weill abilyeit to pass in our schippis w[i]t[h] our armye to the supple of our traist cousing & bruth[er] the King of Franc[e] And as we ar informit yo[u]r tenents abill men for the said viage Refusis to pass and will not ansuer to yow y[er]in, houbeit ye tyme Is schort and our armye reddy to depart. It is our will heirfor and we pray yow that ye Incontine[n]t furniss for yo[u]r part sic noum[er] of abill yong men fensabill personis and weill abilyeit as ye think expedient'. The troops are to reach Edinburgh by the following Friday (22 July).
James IV had entered into an agreement with Louis XII of France in July 1512 by which each would assist the other if attacked by England. Henry VIII's invasion of France in June 1513 activated the treaty (which had earned James a suspended sentence of excommunication from the pope), and as discussed in the present letter the Scottish fleet set sail for France on 25 July. A month later, James invaded northern England at the head of his army: but on 9 September he was killed at the Battle of Flodden, together with the flower of the kingdom – amongst them William Livingston of Kilsyth, the probable recipient of the present letter.
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