The Earl of Erroll | |
|---|---|
 Arms of the Earl of Erroll | |
| 12th Lord High Constable of Scotland | |
| In office 1573–1585 | |
| Preceded by | George Hay |
| Succeeded by | Francis Hay |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1531 Errol, Perthshire, Scotland |
| Died | 8 October 1585 Perth, Perthshire |
| Spouse(s) | Lady Jean Hay Agnes Sinclair |
| Children | 7, including Francis and Helenor |
| Parent(s) | George Hay, 7th Earl of Erroll Margaret Robertson |
Andrew Hay, 8th Earl of Erroll (c. 1531 – 8 October 1585) was a Scottish nobleman and politician.
He was the son of George Hay by his first wife, Margaret Robertson.[1] His father inherited the earldom after the death of his uncle, William Hay, 6th Earl of Erroll, who died leaving only a baby girl, Jean Hay.[2]
The Peerage of Scotland is unique in that it allows the titles to descend along the female line. Jean could have conceivably inherited the earldom as Countess of Erroll. Instead, the crown negotiated for George to inherit, with the condition that he pay 4,000 merks to the sixth earl's widow, Helen, Dowager Countess of Erroll, and that one of his sons marry Jean Hay "at the King’s pleasure."[2][3][4]
Andrew Hay died in October 1585. James VI of Scotland sent officers to his house of Logiealmomd in Perthshire and took a large sum of money.[5]
He married his cousin Lady Jean Hay, c. June 1552, daughter of the sixth Earl of Erroll and had issue. Sir James Balfour Paul writes that documents show King James VI and I frequently getting involved in the Earl of Erroll's family affairs and Erroll's clear displeasure with his interference.[6]
His first wife died in August 1570. In 1581, he married Agnes, daughter of George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness and Elizabeth, daughter of William Graham, 2nd Earl of Montrose. They had three children:
The eighth earl also had an illegitimate daughter Agnes, who married Patrick Bruce of Fingask.[7]
His second wife, Lady Agnes survived him. In September 1587 she complained to the Privy Council about Colin Campbell of Glen Lyon, who came with a force of 100 men to her house of Inchestuill and assaulted her. Later, she married Alexander Gordon of Strathdoun, a son of George Gordon, 5th Earl of Huntly.[8] She was charged with treason in 1596 for aiding the rebel earl Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell.[9] In 1598 she sent her servant John Smaill with a shopping list to London to buy household goods to replace those lost in 1593 and 1594. She wrote to Archibald Douglas asking him to help Smaill and lend him money if necessary.[10]
On 14 April 1604, the Privy Council of Scotland charged George Hay with having "violently seized upon his stepfather" and held him captive in the fortress of "Blairfudie" or Blairfindy. The council ordered him to reveal Gordon's whereabouts to his mother. On 14 December 1619 the council formally ordered George to keep the peace with his half-brother, Alexander Gordon, over their mother's estate.[11]
In 1613, William Hay was charged by the Privy Council along with three others (Alexander Hay of Brunthill and his sons Patrick and George) for "violently molesting" his mother. They did not appear in front of the council and were denounced. They were later imprisoned. William Hay was released 7 December 1616.[7]