George Seton, 3rd Earl of Winton
Encyclopedia
George Seton, 3rd Earl of Winton (December 1584 – 17 December 1650) was a notable Royalist
and Cavalier
, the second son of Robert Seton, 1st Earl of Winton
and 6th Lord Seton, by his spouse Margaret, daughter of Hugh Montgomerie, 3rd Earl of Eglinton.
His elder brother Robert Seton, 2nd Earl of Winton
, had no issue, and resigned the Earldom on 26 June 1606, to George, who continued the developments that his brother and father had begun at Seton Palace
, and later, in 1630, at Port Seton, as well as throughout the many estates under his control in both that county and Linlithgowshire.
In 1619 he built the mansion
house of Winton near Pencaitland
, the earlier tower house
having been burned in the English invasion of the Earl of Hertford
, and restored the park, orchard, and gardens around it.
When King James VI of Scotland revisted Scotland in 1617, he spent his second night, after crossing the River Tweed
, at Seton Palace
, and King Charles I
was twice entertained there, with all his retinue, in 1633.
after the pacification of Berwick
to offer his loyal services, for which the rebels did him great injury; and thereafter all through the Civil Wars he was constantly harassed:
When James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
was in command of the Royal forces in 1645, the Earl's eldest son, George, Lord Seton, joined him, and was taken prisoner at the disastrous battle of Philiphaugh
and remained long "in hazard of his life". George, Lord Seton died before his father, in 1648.
George, Earl of Winton, entered into the 'Engagement' for the rescue of His Majesty in 1648, giving £1000 sterling to the Duke of Hamilton
, the commander-in-chief, in free gift for his equipage.
Like his father, the Earl suffered a long series of petty persecutions from the Presbytery of Haddington
because of his allegiance to the Roman Catholic faith. For instance, on 4 November 1648, the Presbytery ordained "a purge the House of Setoun of 'Popish servants', and to proceed both against them and against the Earl of Wintoun if he protect or resset them after admonition."
When King Charles II
came to Scotland in June 1650, the Earl of Winton was in continuous attendance on him, and continued with His Majesty until November. He then went home to Seton to prepare for his attendance at the Coronation
, but died on the 17th of December of that year.
and Elizabeth, daughter of William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton
, they had five sons and three daughters, of whom:
By his second wife, Elizabeth, only daughter of John Maxwell, 7th Lord Herries of Terregles, Lord Winton had six sons and six daughters, of whom:
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
and Cavalier
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
, the second son of Robert Seton, 1st Earl of Winton
Robert Seton, 1st Earl of Winton
Robert Seton, 1st Earl of Winton was one of the Scottish peers who supported Mary, Queen of Scots.-Early years:The son of George Seton, 7th Lord Seton, Robert Seton grew up active in the affairs of his father and of the State. He was educated early in France, and accompanied his father during his...
and 6th Lord Seton, by his spouse Margaret, daughter of Hugh Montgomerie, 3rd Earl of Eglinton.
His elder brother Robert Seton, 2nd Earl of Winton
Robert Seton, 2nd Earl of Winton
Robert Seton, 2nd Earl of Winton and 9th Lord Seton was a Scottish Peer.He succeeded his father Robert Seton, 1st Earl of Winton in March, 1603...
, had no issue, and resigned the Earldom on 26 June 1606, to George, who continued the developments that his brother and father had begun at Seton Palace
Seton Palace
Seton Palace was situated in East Lothian, a few miles south-east of Edinburgh near the town of Prestonpans. Often regarded as the most desirable Scottish residence of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the palace was erected in the 15th century by George, 4th Lord Seton and was similar in...
, and later, in 1630, at Port Seton, as well as throughout the many estates under his control in both that county and Linlithgowshire.
In 1619 he built the mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
house of Winton near Pencaitland
Pencaitland
Pencaitland is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, about south-east of Edinburgh, south-west of Haddington, and east of Ormiston.The land where the village lies is said to have been granted by William the Lion to Calum Cormack in 1169, who gave the church, with the tithes and other property...
, the earlier tower house
Tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
having been burned in the English invasion of the Earl of Hertford
Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset
Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, 1st Earl of Hertford, 1st Viscount Beauchamp of Hache, KG, Earl Marshal was Lord Protector of England in the period between the death of Henry VIII in 1547 and his own indictment in 1549....
, and restored the park, orchard, and gardens around it.
When King James VI of Scotland revisted Scotland in 1617, he spent his second night, after crossing the River Tweed
River Tweed
The River Tweed, or Tweed Water, is long and flows primarily through the Borders region of Great Britain. It rises on Tweedsmuir at Tweed's Well near where the Clyde, draining northwest, and the Annan draining south also rise. "Annan, Tweed and Clyde rise oot the ae hillside" as the Border saying...
, at Seton Palace
Seton Palace
Seton Palace was situated in East Lothian, a few miles south-east of Edinburgh near the town of Prestonpans. Often regarded as the most desirable Scottish residence of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the palace was erected in the 15th century by George, 4th Lord Seton and was similar in...
, and King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
was twice entertained there, with all his retinue, in 1633.
War of the Three Kingdoms
In 1639, at the commencement of the Scottish rebellion against the Crown, Lord Winton left the country and waited upon King Charles ICharles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
after the pacification of Berwick
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed or simply Berwick is a town in the county of Northumberland and is the northernmost town in England, on the east coast at the mouth of the River Tweed. It is situated 2.5 miles south of the Scottish border....
to offer his loyal services, for which the rebels did him great injury; and thereafter all through the Civil Wars he was constantly harassed:
"Cromwell and his army of cavalry domineered in all parts where they came, and in especial about EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, and in East LothianEast LothianEast Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
. The good Earl of Winton, to whose well-furnished table all the noblemen and gentlemen had ever been welcome, was pitifully abused by them; his fair house of Seaton made a common inn; himself threatened to be killed, if they had not whatsoever they called for; his rich furniture and stuff plundered, and all the enormities that could be offered by Jews or Turks to Christians, he suffered daily; and when he complained to those of our nobility who now rule all, he got no redress, but [was] ordered with patience to give them whatsoever they called for."
When James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose was a Scottish nobleman and soldier, who initially joined the Covenanters in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, but subsequently supported King Charles I as the English Civil War developed...
was in command of the Royal forces in 1645, the Earl's eldest son, George, Lord Seton, joined him, and was taken prisoner at the disastrous battle of Philiphaugh
Battle of Philiphaugh
The Battle of Philiphaugh was fought on 13 September 1645 during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms near Selkirk in the Scottish Borders. The Royalist army of the Marquess of Montrose was destroyed by the Covenanter army of Sir David Leslie, restoring the power of the Committee of Estates.-Prelude:When...
and remained long "in hazard of his life". George, Lord Seton died before his father, in 1648.
George, Earl of Winton, entered into the 'Engagement' for the rescue of His Majesty in 1648, giving £1000 sterling to the Duke of Hamilton
James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton
General Sir James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton KG was a Scottish nobleman and influential Civil war military leader.-Young Arran:...
, the commander-in-chief, in free gift for his equipage.
Like his father, the Earl suffered a long series of petty persecutions from the Presbytery of Haddington
Haddington, East Lothian
The Royal Burgh of Haddington is a town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is the main administrative, cultural and geographical centre for East Lothian, which was known officially as Haddingtonshire before 1921. It lies about east of Edinburgh. The name Haddington is Anglo-Saxon, dating from the 6th...
because of his allegiance to the Roman Catholic faith. For instance, on 4 November 1648, the Presbytery ordained "a purge the House of Setoun of 'Popish servants', and to proceed both against them and against the Earl of Wintoun if he protect or resset them after admonition."
When King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
came to Scotland in June 1650, the Earl of Winton was in continuous attendance on him, and continued with His Majesty until November. He then went home to Seton to prepare for his attendance at the Coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
, but died on the 17th of December of that year.
Family
Lord Winton was twice married: (1) Lady Ann, eldest daughter of Francis Hay, 9th Earl of ErrollFrancis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll
Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll , Scottish nobleman, was the son of Andrew, 8th earl, and of Lady Jean Hay, daughter of William, 6th earl...
and Elizabeth, daughter of William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton
William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton
William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton was the son of Sir Robert Douglas of Lochleven and Margaret Erskine, a former mistress of James V of Scotland. Sir William's half-brother from his mother's liaison with the king was James Stewart, Earl of Moray, Regent of Scotland from 1567 until his...
, they had five sons and three daughters, of whom:
- George, Lord SetonGeorge Seton, Lord SetonGeorge Seton, Lord Seton, Master of Winton was the eldest surviving son of the 3rd Earl of Winton, and continued the family's long-standing Roman Catholic traditions...
(d.1648) - Alexander Seton, 1st Viscount of KingstonAlexander Seton, 1st Viscount of KingstonSir Alexander Seton, 1st Viscount of Kingston , a Cavalier, was the first dignity Charles II conferred as King.-Family:...
- Elizabeth (1621 - 1650), married in 1637 William Keith, 7th Earl MarischalWilliam Keith, 7th Earl MarischalWilliam Keith, 7th Earl Marischal was a Scottish nobleman and Covenanter. He was the eldest son of William Keith, 6th Earl Marischal...
.
By his second wife, Elizabeth, only daughter of John Maxwell, 7th Lord Herries of Terregles, Lord Winton had six sons and six daughters, of whom:
- William
- Christopher, regarded as a great scholar. These two brothers and a preceptor, while going "on their travels abroad, were cast away at sea upon the coasts of Holland in 1648".
- John
- Robert
- Ann, married at Winton HousePencaitlandPencaitland is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, about south-east of Edinburgh, south-west of Haddington, and east of Ormiston.The land where the village lies is said to have been granted by William the Lion to Calum Cormack in 1169, who gave the church, with the tithes and other property...
in April 1654, to John Stuart, 2nd Earl of Traquair, by whom she had three sons and one daughter, Elizabeth, who died "a brave hopeful young lady", at twenty years of age. It is said that when Lord Traquair married Lady Anne Seton, the Covenanters made him stand at the kirkKirkKirk can mean "church" in general or the Church of Scotland in particular. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it.-Basic meaning and etymology:...
door of DalkeithDalkeithDalkeith is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, lying on the River North Esk. It was granted a burgh of barony in 1401 and a burgh of regality in 1540...
in a sack, for marrying a papistPapistPapist is a term or an anti-Catholic slur, referring to the Roman Catholic Church, its teachings, practices, or adherents. The term was coined during the English Reformation to denote a person whose loyalties were to the Pope, rather than to the Church of England...
. - Mary, married James Dalzell, 4th Earl Carnwath, by whom she had a daughter, also named Mary, who married Lord John Hay, second son of the Marquess of Tweeddale, a brigadier-general under the Duke of MarlboroughDuke of MarlboroughDuke of Marlborough , is a hereditary title in the Peerage of England. The first holder of the title was John Churchill , the noted English general, and indeed an unqualified reference to the Duke of Marlborough in a historical text will almost certainly refer to him.-History:The dukedom was...
.