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Sir James ("the loyal") Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming

b. circa 1527, d. 18 December 1558

Person Exhibits

Arms of the Fleming Earls of Wigtown

Birth

Sir James ("the loyal") Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming, was born circa 1527.
1

Parents

FatherSir Malcolm ("the Brave") Fleming, 3rd Lord Fleming (b. 14 January 1494, d. 10 September 1547)
MotherJanet ("la Belle Écossaise") Stewart, Lady Fleming (b. 17 July 1502, d. 20 February 1562)

Family life

Sir James ("the loyal") Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming, and Lady Barbara Hamilton, dau of the Duke of Chatelherault and formerly Lady Gordon, were married on 22 December 1553.2,3,4

Children

SonThomas Fleming, bailey of Perth+ (b. circa 1545)
SonWilliam Fleming, bailey of Perth (b. circa 1548)

Child with Lady Barbara Hamilton, dau of the Duke of Chatelherault and formerly Lady Gordon, (b. after 1535, d. before 26 November 1577)

DaughterJean ("Jane") Fleming, Countess of Cassilis+ (b. circa 1555, d. 23 June 1609)

Titles

Sir James ("the loyal") Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming, held the title of was granted a charter of service as heir to the later Malcolm 3rd Lord Fleming his father who died in the battle of Pinkiecleugh on 20 May 1549. Sasines were documented for the barony of Lenzie comprhending Kirkintilloch; and the lands and barony of Uchtermony and Cumbernauld.5

Working life

  • On 25 October 1546 Sir James ("the loyal") Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming, was occupied as student at University of Glasgow in Glasgow.6
  • 2,1,7,8,9,10
  • He served in the military as taken prisoner by the English during the war of the rough wooing before November 1549.
    1
  • Before 23 September 1552 Sir James ("the loyal") Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming, was occupied as sheriff in Dumfries. Horning was ordered against Robert, Lord Symple, sheriff of Renfrew, John Blane, sheriff-depute of Wigtown, the bailies of Wigtown, John, Lord Hay of Yester, sheriff of Peebles, James Lord Fleming;, sheriff of Dumfries, for failure to account.11
  • On 19 June 1553 Sir James ("the loyal") Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming, was occupied as Privy Councillor in Perth.12
  • On 28 August 1553 Sir James ("the loyal") Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming, was occupied as Privy Councillor in Edinburgh.13
  • On 12 November 1553 Sir James ("the loyal") Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming, was occupied as Great Chamberlain of Scotland for life. He was constituted Great Chamberlain of Scotland for life by letters patent.

    Hunter -
    As Lord Fleming stood high in the estimation of the Queen Dowager, he was, by letters patent under the Great seal, appointed to the office of Lord Chamberlain of the kingdom, which had formerly been held by his father2,14,15,16,17,18,19,20
  • On 20 January 1556 Sir James ("the loyal") Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming, was occupied as Justiciary for the apprehension, judging and punishment of John Lennie in Auchmony for suspected theft in Edinburgh.21,22
  • On 10 October 1556 Sir James ("the loyal") Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming, was occupied as Guardian, with power of justiciary within the limits of his jurisdiction in East and Middle Marches. He was also, on the death of Patrick, Earl of Bothwell, chosen Guardian and Lieutenant of the East and Middle Marches on the Border, with the power of justiciary within the limits of his jurisdiction.2,23,15,18,19,24
  • On 14 December 1557 Sir James ("the loyal") Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming, was occupied as was one of the eight commissioners elected by Parliament to represent the Scottish nation at the nuptials of Queen Mary and Francis the Dauphin in Paris on 24 April 1558. To defray their expenses, a tax of L. 15, 000 Scots was imposed on the burghs and the estates of the clergy and nobles. They set sail on the 8th February, and encountered extremely stormy weather ; the consequence of which was, that one of the vessels that carried the rich apparel, in which they intended to make an imposing appearance at the French court, was lost off St Abb's Head, and another foundered in the roadstead off Boulogne, and all on board perished, except the Earl of Rothes and the Bishop of Orkney, who were picked up by a French fishing-boat, while the other ships were separated from each other, and arrived at different French harbours. The Commissioners, before leaving Scotland, had been carefully instructed to give no sanction to the marriage unless they obtained the most ample guarantees that the independence of the country would be maintained, and its laws and liberty secured.2,25,26,15,27

Property

Sir James ("the loyal") Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming, possessed a reversion of these lands was assigned to the King by James Douglas Earl of Morton on 13 September 1541 in Kilbocho.282,29302 He possessed was served heir to his father in the lands of Castlerankine on 20 May 1549 in Castlerankine.2 He possessed had sasine in Dunbulls on 25 September 1549 in Dunbulls.31 He possessed had sasine of Lenzie and Kirkintilloch baronies on 25 September 1549 in Lenzie and Kirkintilloch baronies.31 He possessed had sasine in Overkingledoors, Overmynyen, Glenrusco, Olivercastle, Logane, Mosfennan, Quarter, Chapelgill and Cardrono, Hadington on 25 September 1549 in Overkingledoors, Overmynyen, Glenrusco, Olivercastle, Logane, Mosfennan, Quarter, Chapelgill and Cardrono, Hadington.31 He possessed Had sasine of Auchtermony, Cumbernauld, Biggar and Boghall on 25 September 1549 in Auchtermony, Cumbernauld, Biggar and Boghall.31 He possessed had sasine in Lour on 25 September 1549 in Lour.3132 He possessed had a charter from Robert Commendator of Holyrood for the lands of Plewlands and Slaughton and mill lands and multures in Midlothian in 1552 in Plewlands and Slaughton.27 He possessed was granted the ward and nonentry duties of several lands of the late William Lord Crichton of Sanquar (his brother-in-law) on 24 June 1553.332,34,35 He possessed recieved a summons initiated by James Douglas Earl of Morton re Kilbocho in 1554 in Kilbocho.36 He possessed was served heir to his father in the lands of Glenquotho and Quarter Chapel on 7 May 1555 in Glenquotho and Quarter Chapel.2373839,10,102,40,41,42 He possessed granted in favour of his brother John Fleming the Charter and precept of Sasine of his estate on 4 February 1558.4344 He possessed assigned land to "young Boghall and his other friends" on 13 March 1558 in Paris.45442,4647

Death

Sir James ("the loyal") Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming, was named an executor for the will of Sir Malcolm ("the Brave") Fleming, 3rd Lord Fleming, on 15 February 1547.2,48,49,50 Sir James ("the loyal") Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming, signed a will on 8 November 1558. He died probably died from malarial fever on 18 December 1558 at age ~31 in France. George Leslie 4th Earl of Rothes died while returning from the solemnization of the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots, which he witnessed. Several of the other Scottish commissioners died, Lord Fleming at Paris, and the Bishop of Orkney and Earl of Cassillis at Dieppe on the same night as George, 24 November 1558. It was rumoured that they were murdered because of their stance on the issue of giving the Crown-Matrimonial of Scotland to the Dauphin.
Whervpon the ambassadors being dismissed from the court, foure of the chiefe of them (before they departed home) which were these, Gilbert Kennedie, George Lesle, Robert Read, and also lames Fleming, all men of singular vertue and loue to their countrie, besides manie other of the companie, died there, not without mistrust of poison. - Holinshed

Hunter -
but, after all, he was seized with the same distemper, and died on the 18th December 1558, in the 24th year of his age. As no infectious disorder prevailed at the time, the general impression in Scotland was, that he and his colleagues died from the effects of poison, which had been administered to them in consequence of their refusal to comply with the ambitious designs of the French court.51,2,26,15,34,19

Citations

  1. [S2] Various contributors, Various contributors, "Wikipaedia," database, Commons, Wikipaedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/: accessed ), ., online; 8 November 2023; Janet Stewart, Lady Fleming at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Stewart,_Lady_Fleming
  2. [S28] Sir James Balfour Paul, The Scots Peerage, vol viii, Fleming Earl of Wigtown pages 519 - 558
  3. [S36] James Toshach Clark (ed), Genealogical Collections concerning families in Scotland, made by Walter MacFarlane 1750-51, Vol 1, page 27, "Elizabeth (or Barbara according to Bishop Leslie) married to James Lord Flyming"
  4. [S68] KM Brown and others, Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, 1569/11/5
  5. [S17] Francis J Grant (Ed), Charter Chest of the Earldom of Wigtown, Charters 89-92
  6. [S124] Cosmo Innes, Records of the University of Glasgow, vol ii, p 168
  7. [S51] Raphael Holinshed, Holinshed's Chronicle, Scotland, vol v, p 558, https://archive.org/details/chroniclesofengl05holiuoft/page/558/mode/2up
  8. [S5] William Hunter, Biggar and the House of Fleming, p 519-20
  9. [S111] Joseph Robertson, Inventaires de la Royne Descosse Douairiere de France, p xlvi, note 4
  10. [S111] Joseph Robertson, Inventaires de la Royne Descosse Douairiere de France, p li, note 2
  11. [S136] Robert Kerr Hannay, Acts of the Lords of Council in Public Affairs, p 617
  12. [S148] editor John Hill Burton, "Apud Perth," The Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, vol i, 1545-1569 (1894), online image (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=msu.31293106399409&seq=267 : viewed 19 Aug 2025), p 141.
  13. [S148] editor John Hill Burton, "Apud Edinburgh," The Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, vol i, 1545-1569 (1894), online image (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=msu.31293106399409&seq=269 : viewed 19 Aug 2025), p 143.
  14. [S17] Francis J Grant (Ed), Charter Chest of the Earldom of Wigtown, Charter 94
  15. [S83] George Vere Irving, The upper ward of Lanarkshire described and delineated, vol i, p 322
  16. [S43] Scotland Court of Exchequer, Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum, vol iv, ch 877, p 196
  17. [S5] William Hunter, Biggar and the House of Fleming, p 465
  18. [S5] William Hunter, Biggar and the House of Fleming, p 525
  19. [S21] George Crawford, The Peerage of Scotland, p 491-499, Fleming, Earl of Wigtown
  20. [S138] George Crawford, The Lives and Characters of the Officers of the Crown and of the State in Scotland, vol i, p 464-465, appendix xxii
  21. [S17] Francis J Grant (Ed), Charter Chest of the Earldom of Wigtown, Charter 96
  22. [S44] Scotland Court of Exchequer, Rotuli scaccarii regum Scotorum, vol 18, p 598
  23. [S17] Francis J Grant (Ed), Charter Chest of the Earldom of Wigtown, Charter 98
  24. [S58] Edinburgh, National Records of Scotland, "Online Catalogue," National Records of Scotland (https://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue: accessed ), ., viewed; 25 September 2025; RH1/2/565, 1556, Instructions to Lord Fleming, lieutenant and warden of the West Marches
  25. [S17] Francis J Grant (Ed), Charter Chest of the Earldom of Wigtown, Charter 104
  26. [S51] Raphael Holinshed, Holinshed's Chronicle, Scotland, vol v, p 582-3, https://archive.org/details/chroniclesofengl05holiuoft/page/582/mode/2up
  27. [S5] William Hunter, Biggar and the House of Fleming, p 526
  28. [S58] Edinburgh, National Records of Scotland, "Online Catalogue," National Records of Scotland (https://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue: accessed ), ., viewed; 25 September 2025; GD150/296, 13 Sep 1541, Instrument narrating that James, earl of Mortoun, made the king his assignee in the following reversions
  29. [S17] Francis J Grant (Ed), Charter Chest of the Earldom of Wigtown, Charter 88
  30. [S136] Robert Kerr Hannay, Acts of the Lords of Council in Public Affairs, p 580
  31. [S44] Scotland Court of Exchequer, Rotuli scaccarii regum Scotorum, vol 18, p 480-1
  32. [S136] Robert Kerr Hannay, Acts of the Lords of Council in Public Affairs, p 602
  33. [S17] Francis J Grant (Ed), Charter Chest of the Earldom of Wigtown, Charter 95
  34. [S5] William Hunter, Biggar and the House of Fleming, p 528
  35. [S58] Edinburgh, National Records of Scotland, "Online Catalogue," National Records of Scotland (https://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue: accessed ), ., viewed; 25 September 2025; GD103/2/2/10, 23 Dec 1553, Bond by Barbara Hammiltoun, relict of Lord Gordoun, with consent of John, Archbishop of St. Andrews, her curator, to James, Lord Flemyng
  36. [S58] Edinburgh, National Records of Scotland, "Online Catalogue," National Records of Scotland (https://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue: accessed ), ., viewed; 25 September 2025; GD150/1284, 23 Jul 1535, (a) Reversion by Malcolm, Lord Flemyng, to James, earl of Mortoun, on Kilbocho
  37. [S43] Scotland Court of Exchequer, Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum, vol iv, ch 1088, p 242
  38. [S58] Edinburgh, National Records of Scotland, "Online Catalogue," National Records of Scotland (https://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue: accessed ), ., viewed; 25 September 2025; GD103/2/2/11, 16 Jun 1556, Discharge by Robert Lord Creichtoun of Sanqhuair
  39. [S17] Francis J Grant (Ed), Charter Chest of the Earldom of Wigtown, Charter 108
  40. [S17] Francis J Grant (Ed), Charter Chest of the Earldom of Wigtown, Charters 100-102
  41. [S43] Scotland Court of Exchequer, Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum, vol iv, ch 1237, p 276-277
  42. [S58] Edinburgh, National Records of Scotland, "Online Catalogue," National Records of Scotland (https://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue: accessed ), ., In favour of John Flemying [Fleming], brother of James, Lord Flemyng, of the barony of Auchtermony and an annualrent on the lands of Kers in the sheriffdom of Striviling [Stirling] the barony of Leinzie [Lenzie] with the burgh of Kirkintillo [Kirkintilloch] and lands of Cumbernald [Cumbernauld] in the sheriffdom of Dumbartane [Dunbarton], lands of the Maynes of Boghall, burgh of Biggar, and barony of Thankertoun [Thankerton] and Biggar in the sheriffdom of Lanark, lands of Over Minzeoun, Over Kingildurris, Urisland and others in the sheriffdom of Peebles, half lands of Sunderland in sheriffdom of Selkirk, lands of Loure in the sheriffdom of Forfar, lands of Dunbullis in sheriffdom of Perth, and lands called Frissellislands in the constabulary of Haddington, following on a precept of sasine by the said James, Lord Flemyng, dated 19 Jan 1557/1558. Witnesses to the precept - William Vaitche [Veitch] of Dawick [Dawyck], John Flemyng, younger of Boighall [Boghall], William Flemyng and John Flemyng. Witnesses to the instrument - James Steill [Steel], curate of the kirk of Biggar, William Rob [Robb] in Westirraw [Westerhall], Nicholas Purdie, Walter Gray in Mosfennane [Mossfennan], John Bryssoune [Bryson] in Rachane [Rachan], John Jhonestoune [Johnston], younger in Mosfennane, John Frissell [Frizzell], Sebastian Thomesoune [Thomson], Sir John Blakfurd [Blackford], curate of the kirk of Thankertoun, Matthew Muire [Muir] in Thankertoun, James Liddell, Thomas Mure, John Young, William Stark, bailie of Kirkintilloch, Neil Cunynghame [Cunningham] and John Mochrie. Notary - (the said) James Harlaw, writer in Edinburgh., viewed; 11 September 2025; GD124/1/506, 29 Jan 1630, Decree of transumpt at instance of John, Earl of Wigtown, against Mr Alexander Hay, a clerk of Session
  43. [S17] Francis J Grant (Ed), Charter Chest of the Earldom of Wigtown, Charter 105
  44. [S17] Francis J Grant (Ed), Charter Chest of the Earldom of Wigtown, Charter 106
  45. [S17] Francis J Grant (Ed), Charter Chest of the Earldom of Wigtown, Charter 107
  46. [S17] Francis J Grant (Ed), Charter Chest of the Earldom of Wigtown, Charter 122-5
  47. [S17] Francis J Grant (Ed), Charter Chest of the Earldom of Wigtown, Charter 103
  48. [S17] Francis J Grant (Ed), Charter Chest of the Earldom of Wigtown, Charter 86
  49. [S91] Various contributors, Miscellany of the Spalding Club, vol v, charter xxxvi, p 308
  50. [S91] Various contributors, Miscellany of the Spalding Club, vol v, preface re Lord Fleming, p 29
  51. [S2] Various contributors, Various contributors, "Wikipaedia," database, Commons, Wikipaedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/: accessed ), ., online; 9 November 2023; George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Leslie,_4th_Earl_of_Rothes
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