Family Trees

Home

History Search People Help Certificates Links Contact
 
Home
Place Names

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
FB1-16-5
Andrew
Pitcairn 
Chief Falconer to King Charles I
B. at Ref.
M. at Ref.
D. 1642 at Ref.
Spouse
B. at Ref.
D. at Ref.
Other Marriages. Link:
Issue
Charles b. at
Janet b. at
b. at

Notes

Andrew Pitcairn youngest son of Henry Pitcairn 15th laird.  From and early age Andrew, Robert, Patrick and David Pitcairn, were servitors or pages to Sir Alexander Seaton, afterwards Earl of Dunfermline.  The later had the charge of the two young children of James VI.  Andrew Pitcairn was called servitor to the Duke of York, afterwards Charles I and so were Robert and David. David is mentioned as a favourite of the young Prince also. 

On the 19th day of November 1600, the Queen had given birth to a son (Charles) at Dunfermline, and on the day of his christening he was created Lord of Ardmanocke, Earl of Ross, Marquis of Ormonde, and Duke of Albany; and within six days thereafter, his Majesty made a great feast to his nobility and lords of his Privy Council and to honour the feast the more he created Lord Livingstone Earl of Linlithgow, Lord Seaton, Earl of Winton and Sir Robert Ker of Cessford, Earl of Roxburgh and sundry gentlemen he knighted.

Charles was a very peevish child, and used to annoy his parents dreadfully by his cries during the night.  He was one night puling in his cradle, which lay in an apartment opening from the bedroom of the King and Queen, when the nurse employed to tend him suddenly alarmed the Royal pair by a loud scream, followed up by the exclamation, “Eh! My bairn!”  The King started out of bed on hearing the noise, and ran into the room where the child lay, crying.  “Hout, tout, what’s the matter wi ye, nursie?” “Oh,” exclaimed the woman, “There was like an auld man came into the room, and threw his cloak owre the Prince’s cradle; and syne drew it till him again, as if he had ta’en cradle, bairn, and a’way wi’ him.  I’m feared it was the thing that’s no canny.”  “Fiend, nor he had ta’en the girnin’ brat clean away!” said King James, whose demonological learning made him at once see the truth of the nurse’s observation; “gin he ever be King, there’ll be nae gude a’ his ring [reign]; the deil had cusen [cast] his cloak owre him already!”   This story is generally told, and in the same manner, by the aged and more primitive portion of the inhabitants of Dunfermline, and the latter part of the King’s observation is proverbial in the town, it being common to say to a mislearned or ill-conditioned person, “I daresay the deil had cusen his cloak owre you!”

Andrew Pitcairn was a persona grata at Court, and the first mention of him is in a letter of King James VI to Patrick Murray,  James Rex, Royston Herts. 19th October 1612 £1800 paid by Patrick Murray, we haif assigned and be the tenoure heir of assignes be payet to Maistr Andro Pitcarne, servitour to our well beloved sone, the Duik of York.  Thairfoir it is oure will, and we command you the said Patrick Murray to answer, obey, and make payment to the said Maister Andro >Pitcairn of the sowme above written.

In 1623, on March8th at Westminster, there was a grant to Andro Pitcairne, Groom of the Bed-chamber, of an annuity of £200 on is surrender of annuities of a similar amount to William Snelling, fishmonger of London, and Elizabeth his wife.  Andro Pitcairn must therefore have been for a long time in the service of Prince Charles and James VI for as far back as 1612 King James had given him the £1800 just mentioned, when he ws only a boy.   There was quite a little coterie of friends and relations at Court – Patrick, Andro, David, and Robert Pitcarne; their cousins the three Auchmuties, John Alexander and George, Robert Ayton and the Murrays, other cousins.   They had been much with the Earl of Dunfermline, some as pages, and were great friends of his.

In the year 1625 James VI died and his son Charles I was crowned King, May 15 at Whitehall.   Pensions of £500 to the Grooms of the Bed-chamber of the late King – namely Andro Pitcairn &c.

On 25th Sept. 1626, at Whitehall, there is a note of a letter written by Sec. Conway to Mr Cary, Mr Pitcairn, or Mr Kirk, sending them instructions which are to be presented to his Majesty for signature.  On 27th July of the same year, the King granted to Andro Pitcairn for life the office of Master Surveyor and Keeper of his Majesty’s Hawks, with the accustomed fee of £30 a month and 10s. per diem for provision of meat for the hawks.  He therefore now has £500 a year annuity and £360 per annum as Chief Falconer.

The following are two Royal Grants by Charles I:- 1. To Andrew Pitcairn as Gentleman Usher  2.  To Andrew Pitcairn, giving him the office of Chief Falconer.

Pitcairn died in 1642 and in the returns for the County of Fife on April 13 of that year, his son Charles Pitcairn was served heir.

Andrew Pitcairn had one daughter, Janet, who was served heir to her father, Sept. 13 1642.  

 

Sources

PFH: by Constance Pitcairn