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47-410: Ninian was the third son of William Cockburn of Ormiston , East Lothian and Janet Somerville. In Scotland the name Ninian was used interchangeably with "Ringan". The Cockburn family had strong Protestant leanings; John Knox was the tutor of his nephew, and George Wishart was arrested at Ormiston. Ninian married Elizabeth Kemp. Mary, Queen of Scots gave her a termly pension of £75. She may have been

94-491: A broad Main Street, with a row of mostly two storey houses along each side. It crosses two bridges, one over the now redundant railway route, and the other a narrow bridge over the river Tyne. Using strict guidelines for its appearance, John Cockburn put housing for artisans and cottage industries ( spinning and weaving ) around the original mill hamlet . When he did not achieve the expected return on his investment, he sold it to

141-548: A connection of Janet Sinclair , the nurse of Mary Queen of Scots , and Henry Kemp , who had been pursemaster to James V of Scotland . Ninian was paid for travelling in connection with the King's privy purse in 1540. Ninian may also have been Alexander Crichton of Brunstane 's servant "Cockburn." Brunstane worked for Cardinal Beaton at this time. Brunstane's servant was sent to France by James V in March 1540 with royal insignia borrowed from

188-481: A devout Catholic who welcomed a visit of Mary, Queen of Scots as an opportunity for his seven sons to hear mass said in their home. Their children included: At Halhill, Melville wrote the Memoirs of my own Life , a valuable authority for the history of the period, first published by his grandson, George Scott of Pitlochie , in 1683, from a manuscript discovered at Edinburgh Castle in 1660. The most complete edition of

235-852: A letter from Ninian to give to Mary. Ninian's letter had news of the French wars of religion that made the queen weep. Later, Randolph wrote that his report of the siege of Orléans had not "discomforted" her, but Ninian's plain speaking would do him little good in Scotland. Elizabeth died in 1565, they had a son Francis Cockburn. Ninian continued in France in the Scots Guard, and sent William Cecil inaccurate reports of French subsidies given to Scotland. Hugh Fitzwilliam met him in Paris in September 1566, and wrote to Cecil that Ninian

282-661: A licence to trade in England during the war of the Rough Wooing . According to the Earl of Glencairn , Ninian Cockburn was a double agent, a spy at St Andrews Castle for the Governor of Scotland, Regent Arran . After the battle of Pinkie in September 1547, Ninian Cockburn was involved in the handover of Broughty Castle to the English. Ralph Sadler who was treasurer of the English army gave him

329-445: A message from Somerset but her answer was not satisfactory, and she had managed to make him the enemy of Regent Arran, his half-brother John Hamilton , Bishop of Dunkeld , and George Douglas of Pittendreich . Ninian thought he would have to stay near English-held Haddington or Broughty Castle. Arran was going to harvest Ormiston wood as a punishment, and was taking timber and stones from the house of Alexander Crichton of Brunstane for

376-493: A number of diplomatic missions for Henry II of France . On Mary's return to Scotland in 1561 she gave Melville a pension and an appointment in her household. Sent to England as a diplomat, Melville included an account of his meeting with Elizabeth I in 1564 in his memoir. This often-quoted passage includes their discussion of the comparative attributes and accomplishments of the two queens. Elizabeth showed him miniature portraits and arranged for him to hear or overhear her play

423-550: A property transaction with Alexander Aitchison and John Sinclair. The lands concerned at "Gosfenot" had been occupied by French forces during the war with England. However, as Ninian was fully occupied in the king's service, Mary hoped the Queen Regent would settle the matter. ("Gosfenot" was perhaps near Gosford House at Longniddry ). During the crisis of the Scottish Reformation , Ninian's brother John, laird of Ormiston

470-412: A reward of £4. In October 1547, Ninian was a spy for Grey of Wilton and liaised with the English captain of Broughty, Andrew Dudley and the captain of Inchcolm , John Luttrell . He was trying to build support for an English Protestant takeover of Scotland and collected names of potential supporters. In his report, Ninian lamented that these supporters were motivated for gain from England rather than by

517-745: The Château before the tale was told. In December 1553, Montmorency received a very similar report of Arran and the Archbishop's intentions to retain Edinburgh Castle and Dumbarton Castle , sent by the ambassador, Antoine de Noailles , who had heard it from a banished Scotsmen in London. In May 1557 Mary, Queen of Scots wrote to her mother from the Château of Villers-Cotterêts on behalf of "le Cappitaine Cokborne." Ninian urgently needed to return to Scotland to conclude

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564-466: The Earl of Hopetoun in 1747. The linen trade became a failure, and by 1811 the distillery shut down. A brewery and one of Scotland's first bleachfields were also built here as well. Ormiston later became a mining village. The Ormiston Coal Company's workings were south of Tranent in East Lothian. The company was one of a number of small concerns working either a single or a few linked, small pits on

611-574: The jewels of Mary, Queen of Scots . He sent the letter with his "good friend" Ninian Cockburn, who had delivered some of the queen's jewels to Sir Valentine Browne . Cockburn served at Morton's justice ayre at Peebles in 1574. He corresponded with the Earl of Leicester , who discussed his letters with Francis Walsingham . (Ninian warned of someone coming to Scotland from France, (possibly Esmé Stewart who arrived five years later). Morton sent Ninian to Berwick with letters in July 1575 but he broke his leg and

658-563: The virginals . Mary employed him as special emissary to reconcile Elizabeth to her marriage with Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley . Later, when an English merchant gave Melville a water spaniel , Melville gave the dog to Darnley. This gift displeased Mary as Darnley was not then in her favour. Melville met the English agent Christopher Rokeby in Edinburgh in May 1566. In June 1566 he attended Mary in Edinburgh Castle, and when Mary Beaton told him of

705-603: The " Octavians ", was appointed and Melville was not included. On 24 July, Melville went to reassure two Danish ambassadors, Steen Bille and Niels Krag who were lodged at John Kinloch's house in the Canongate after the Raid of Holyrood . He attended Anne of Denmark at the baptism of Prince Henry at Stirling Castle in August 1594, standing behind her and making speeches for her in French to

752-589: The "Word of God." Andrew Dudley hoped to distribute English bibles in Dundee from his base at Broughty. His brother John Cockburn was declared a traitor on 29 February 1548. Regent Arran had captured the House of Ormiston and the Privy Council ordered its demolition. Ninian wrote to Protector Somerset on 16 March, repeating some older news from a letter of 20 February which does not survive. He had been to Mary of Guise with

799-493: The 12th and 13th centuries. Ormiston or 'Ormistoun' is not an uncommon surname, and Ormr also survives in some English placenames such as Ormskirk and Ormesby . The latter part of the name, formerly spelt 'toun', is likely to descend from its Northumbrian Old English and later Scots meaning as 'farmstead' or 'farm and outbuildings' rather than the meaning 'town'. There was an "Ormiston" in Berwickshire , near Linton, where

846-537: The Cockburn Halls, formerly the Miners' Welfare building. The 15th-century pre-Reformation Mercat Cross on Main Street is unusual for its truly cruciform shape, with three modern steps and a railed enclosure. It is in the care of Historic Scotland . James Melville of Halhill Sir James Melville (1535–1617) was a Scottish diplomat and memoir writer, and father of the poet Elizabeth Melville . Melville

893-506: The Earl a present of a ring set with seven diamonds. Melville entered the service of the queen as a Gentleman of her Chamber. In his memoir he records how he was appointed to the position by James VI at Falkland Palace and had to overcome the Queen's initial suspicions of him as her keeper and a potential informant. In July 1593 an advisory council for the administration of her estates, the genesis of

940-425: The East Lothian coalfield. The principal collieries at Ormiston were: Ormiston Hall lay to the south of the village. It was built for John Cockburn in 1745–48 and was later extended for the Earl of Hopetoun. It was added to on at least three occasions in the next 100 years. The Hall now lies in ruins following a fire during World War II with residential properties built in and around the grounds. The remains of

987-450: The English ambassador, and others was discovered in July 1568. He became a fugitive and lost all his offices and influence in France. The English ambassador, Henry Norris , reported that his house in Paris was raided just after he fled. Another agent, Master James Gordon was keen to step in his place. Ninian returned to Scotland, and in October 1568 he travelled to York with Regent Moray for

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1034-500: The English cause. The Scottish diplomat James Melville of Halhill recorded his meeting at St Germain en Laye with Ninian in 1553, now a Captain of Horse in the French king's guard. Mary of Guise was about to become Regent of Scotland in place of Regent Arran, and Ninian brought news from Scotland of the opinion of her political enemy John Hamilton, now Archbishop of St Andrews , who had been ill when Arran discussed relinquishing his powers to her. The Archbishop had recovered due to

1081-458: The French at the siege of Leith in May 1560. Throckmorton described Ninian's rewards as an officer of the Scots Guard. He was a gentleman archer with a salary of 800 Francs, and was lord of the manor of Themis (or Captain of Feismes Castle) with an income of another 800 Francs. As an officer of the Guard, he commanded a company of 100 horsemen. Usefully, Ninian's wife, Elizabeth Kemp, was an attendant in

1128-563: The King's pursuivant Patrick Ogilvy. Ninian was among those accused of the murder of Cardinal David Beaton in 1546, and he joined the Protestant garrison during the subsequent siege of St Andrews Castle . For this, Ninian was summoned for treason on 10 June 1546. Ninian's older brother, John Cockburn of Ormiston was also accused of involvement in the Cardinal's murder. John Cockburn was a prominent Protestant and on good terms with England. He had

1175-498: The Privy Chamber of Mary, Queen of Scots in France. Throckmorton wanted Ninian to assume the name "Beaumont," and thereafter he continued to sign his letters to William Cecil as "George Beaumont." On 22 and 23 June 1560, Ninian (as Beaumont) met Thomas Gresham at Antwerp. He told Gresham the French ambassador was planning on behalf of Francis II of France to write to James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran , who had been commander of

1222-551: The Scot's Guard. Arran would be offered the Crown of Scotland and the withdrawal of French troops if he abandoned the plan for him to marry Elizabeth I of England Mary Queen of Scots made Ninian chamberlain and factor of the Priory of Sciennes . His wife Elizabeth Kemp joined the queen's household in Scotland and she received Ninian's royal pension of £225 per year. Thomas Randolph gave Elizabeth

1269-554: The ambassadors who brought gifts. Having been adopted as his heir by the reformer Henry Balnaves , he inherited from him, at his death in 1579, the estate of Halhill in Fife; and he retired there in 1603, refusing the request of James to accompany him to London on his accession to the English throne. By his wife, Christina Boswell, he had one son and two daughters; the elder of these, Elizabeth Melville , who married John Colville, de jure 3rd Baron Colville of Culross, has been identified with

1316-496: The author of a poem published in 1603, entitled Ane Godlie Dreame . Sir James Melville died at Halhill on 13 November 1617. He was buried in Collessie churchyard. "Halhill" was the name of the main house of the lands of Easter Collessie in Fife . In 1569 Melville married Christian Boswell (d. 1609), a daughter of David Boswell of Balmuto in Fife. Her father was said to have been

1363-487: The birth of Prince James , he rode to London with the news. Melville was sent to Elizabeth with messages from Mary and her half-brother, the Earl of Moray . Melville was back in Edinburgh on 3 July. After the murder of Darnley in February 1567, Melville joined Lord Herries in boldly warning Mary of the danger and disgrace of her projected marriage with Bothwell, and was only saved from the latter's vengeance in consequence by

1410-530: The care of the Italian physician Gerolamo Cardano . Melville was not pleased by Ninian's intervention and called him a "busy meddler." Melville described how Ninian tried to use him as an interpreter in an interview with Anne de Montmorency , Constable of France , and pretended Melville was his nephew. Melville conveyed his reluctance to proceed to the Constable and he dismissed Ninian from his presence in his cabinet in

1457-666: The conference discussing Mary's alleged crimes and the Casket letters . In Scotland, Ninian received payments from the Regents who ruled on behalf of James VI of Scotland . In August 1572 George Buchanan mentioned the Captain in a letter to Thomas Randolph. Buchanan was joking about the news of Randolph's marriage, and said he preferred in this case Captain Cockburn's "shrewd Scottish wit" to Randolph's "English Solomoniacal sapience", Randolph being sick in

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1504-562: The courageous resolution of the queen. Just before the coronation of James VI , Melville was sent to Hamilton to invite the Archbishop of St Andrews and Abbot of Arbroath . During the troubled times following Mary's imprisonment and abdication Melville conducted several diplomatic missions of importance, and won the confidence of James VI when the king took the government into his own hands. Richard Douglas met him at Falkland Palace in 1588 and mentioned that his uncle Archibald Douglas

1551-543: The difficulties her father experienced banishing the Earl of Angus and George Douglas in 1529. He returned to France and was joined by his nephew, Christopher Cockburn, in November. George Buchanan wrote that Ninian was in Scotland in 1567. Ninian raced back to the French court in June 1567 with news of Mary's capture at the battle of Carberry Hill . On the way he overtook her ambassador, William Chisholm , Bishop of Dunblane , who

1598-621: The head whilst Cockburn was infirm in the feet. Ninian was sent to London on royal business carrying letters in July 1573. He was proud that he could still ride post-haste. At York the Lord President of the North looked at the date of the letters he carried from London and asked his age and marvelled. He reached Newcastle in a day and Berwick the next. Regent Morton wrote to the Countess of Lennox on 19 August 1573. He had asked for her help to recover

1645-714: The legend of the Worm of Linton was related to land ownership by Lord Somerville and Lord Lindsay. The Cockburn family may have brought the name from the Berwickshire "Ormiston" to the East Lothian location in the 14th-century. Ormiston was the home of the poet Elizabeth Douglas (died 1594), wife of Samuel Cockburn of Templehall , who with Mary Beaton contributed sonnets to a work by the poet William Fowler in 1587. Fowler wrote an epitaph for her. James VI came to Ormiston to hunt deer on 22 November 1588, and returned to Biel and Ormiston to hunt in October 1599. The "model village"

1692-405: The new Spur blockhouse at Edinburgh Castle , (designed by Migliorino Ubaldini ). Ninian had asked Andrew Dudley, the commander of Broughty, to write to Mary of Guise that he was well able to defeat any attack from French galleys. In August, Ninian told Grey of Wilton the news that Mary, Queen of Scots, had sailed for France from Dumbarton Castle . In his History John Knox mentions that Ninian

1739-526: The north bank of the River Tyne at an elevation of about 276 feet (84 m). The village was the first planned village in Scotland, founded in 1735 by John Cockburn (1685–1758), one of the initiators of the Agricultural Revolution . The word Ormiston is derived from a half mythical Anglian settler called Ormr , meaning 'serpent' or 'snake'. 'Ormres' family had possession of the land during

1786-587: The pre-Reformation St Giles Parish Church can still be seen nearby. The Great Yew of Ormiston grows to the south of the hall site. It is a rare example of a layering yew-tree and, according to the Forestry Commission , is up to one thousand years old. There are a number of shops in Ormiston. On the Main Street: Elsewhere in the village: There are a number of small businesses operating from units in

1833-563: Was Cecil's "old acquaintance, not minded yet to settle himself for any age, but to visit the world after his accustomed manner." Ninian died on 6 May 1579. He had a son, Francis Cockburn, who was granted the office of chamberlain and factor of the Nunnery of Sciennes in June 1579, which his father had held. Ormiston Ormiston is a village in East Lothian , Scotland, near Tranent , Humbie , Pencaitland and Cranston , located on

1880-435: Was friendly and helpful but his information was unreliable. Ninian came to Scotland to the court of Mary in September 1565. He travelled through England, and at Berwick upon Tweed he met the Earl of Bedford who wrote that Ninian was "the same old man and had not changed his vein." Ninian reported to Cecil that he spoke to Mary discussing the political roles of the Earl of Lennox and the Earl of Bothwell , reminding her of

1927-544: Was ignorant of Mary's defeat, and upstaged him in front of Charles IX of France and Catherine de Medici . Ninian was mostly stationed in Dieppe, though Catherine de Medici kept him at court in January 1568. In April 1568 his fellow archers wrote they wished he had been fighting alongside them at battle of Saint Denis . After Mary Queen of Scots went into exile in England, Ninian's correspondence with her half-brother Regent Moray ,

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1974-662: Was involved in a major setback for the Protestant Lords of the Congregation . Ormiston carried £1,000 or 6,000 crowns from England to aid their fight against French troops in Scotland on 31 October 1559. The Earl of Bothwell ambushed him and after a sword fight captured the money. This caused diplomatic embarrassment as the English were caught out aiding Mary of Guise's rebels. The English ambassador in Paris Nicholas Throckmorton considered sending Ninian to spy on

2021-488: Was involved in the trial of John Melville of Raith for treason. Knox, with some uncertainty, says Ninian discovered a compromising letter at the House of Ormiston. Raith's correspondence with his son in England was deemed treasonous. Raith was beheaded in December 1548. At this time, Ninian was in favour with Mary of Guise, who was Regent Arran's rival for power in Scotland, and he told Andrew Dudley he hoped to bring her round to

2068-483: Was laid out in 1736 by the new laird John Cockburn who had inherited the estate from his uncle, who had died without a male heir. William Begg, Robert Burns 's nephew became the parish schoolmaster at Ormiston. The whole Begg family moved to live with him at Ormiston's schoolhouse. Isabella Begg née Burns also ran a school here. The family later moved to nearby Tranent in 1834 when William resigned his post and emigrated to America. The village consists mainly of

2115-466: Was laid up at Coldingham . Morton sent the surgeon Gilbert Primrose to care for him. Ninian recovered and went to the French court and England in August 1576. For this journey, Morton requested a passport for the "old gentlemen" from Cecil. In May 1578, Mary, Queen of Scots, wrote a letter in cipher code to the French ambassador in London, mentioning her distrust of Cockburn. Ninian carried another message to Cecil from Morton, who mentioned that Ninian

2162-423: Was sending him a pair of virginals from London, for the education of his daughter, Elizabeth Melville . Melville was knighted at the coronation of Anne of Denmark on 17 May 1590. Melville was delegated to entertain the English ambassador, Edward Somerset, 4th Earl of Worcester , who travelled to Edinburgh to congratulate James VI on his safe return from Denmark and marriage to Anne of Denmark. James VI gave

2209-461: Was the third son of Sir John Melville, laird of Raith , in the county of Fife, who was executed for treason in 1548. One of his brothers was Robert, 1st Baron Melville of Monimail (1527–1621). James Melville in 1549 went to France to become page to Mary, Queen of Scots . Serving on the French side at the Battle of St. Quentin in 1557 Melville was wounded and taken prisoner. He subsequently carried out

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