George Learmonth of Balcomie
George Learmonth of Balcomie (died 1585) was a Scottish landowner.
Family background
[edit]He was the son of James Learmonth of Dairsie and Balcomie (d. 1547), who was Master of Household to James V of Scotland, and Katherine Ramsay. James Learmonth was a commissioner for the 1543 Treaty of Greenwich.[1]
Career
[edit]
His home was Balcomie Castle in Fife. He also leased property belonging to the Hospital of St Nicholas in St Andrews.[2]
On 9 August 1569 he wrote to John Lesley, Bishop of Ross, from London, asking for a passport for himself, the son of James MacGill, Peter Young, and Patrick Adamson. He mentioned he carried a supply of German pistols.[3]
His brother Patrick Learmonth of Dairsie was Provost of St Andrews. Patrick Learmonth lent money to his son-in-law, William Kirkcaldy of Grange, during the "lang siege" of Edinburgh Castle taking jewels belonging to Mary, Queen of Scots as security. These included a "carcan" necklace of 7 great rubies set in gold with 32 great pearls, for a loan of £1000 Scots made jointly with Michael Balfour feuar of Montquhanie.[4]
At this time Learmonth and James Sandilands of St Monans were prosecuted by St Andrews burgh council for not paying rents for lands formerly belonging to the Dominican friars.[5]
He died in 1585.
Family
[edit]He married Euphemia Leslie, a daughter of George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes and Margaret Crichton. Their children included:
- James Learmonth of Balcomie, one of the Gentleman Adventurers of Fife and father of James Learmonth, Lord Balcomie. James Learmonth had a child with Grissell Gray in 1585, and with Helen Huntar, the wife of Alan Lentroun in St Andrews, in 1586.[6]
- John Learmonth of Balcomie, who married Elizabeth Myrton. Their heraldry with the date 1602 is carved above the gateway at Balcomie.[7]
- Robert Learmonth, who married Janet Skene, a daughter of John Skene, Lord Curriehill.
After his death, Euphemia Leslie married John Cunningham of Barns.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, 18:1 (London, 1901), no. 804.
- ^ Gordon Donaldson, Thirds of Benefices (SHS, Edinburgh, 1949), p. 158.
- ^ Joseph Bain, Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1563-1569, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1900), p. 667.
- ^ Accounts of the Treasurer, xii, pp. 352-3: National Records of Scotland E35/11/15, 30.
- ^ Bess Rhodes, Riches and Reform: Ecclesiastical Wealth in St Andrews: 1520-1580 (Leiden, 2019), p. 146.
- ^ David Hay Fleming, Register of St Andrews Kirk Session, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1890), pp. 556-7, 574, 673-4, 676, 690, 696-8.
- ^ Walter Wood, The East Neuk of Fife (Edinburgh, 1862), p. 274.
- ^ Walter Wood, The East Neuk of Fife (Edinburgh, 1862), p. 274.