Robert Sempill, 4th Lord Sempill
Robert Sempill, 4th Lord Sempill, (d.1611), Scottish Lord of Parliament.
Robert Sempill succeeded his grandfather as Lord Sempill in 1576, his father, Robert Sempill, Master of Sempill, having died in 1569. The 4th Lord Sempill's mother was Barbara Preston, daughter of the laird of Valleyfield near Dunfermline. At first, as a minor, Robert's estates were managed by Regent Morton, who served as his 'Tutor' according to Scots law.
Career
Robert 4th Lord Sempill served as a Privy Councillor to James VI of Scotland. In 1596 he was sent as ambassador to Spain. In 1602, he was dealing with Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy over a possible marriage for the Scottish Prince Henry.[1]
Between 1595 and 1599, Robert was sending intelligence of a Spanish invasion scare either against England or Scotland, an invasion which never came. On 12 December 1595 he wrote to the Earl of Essex from Rouen, with this uncertain but "constant bruit", saying that he would come to London and kiss Queen Elizabeth and the Earl's hands. In May 1599, James VI discussed the Spanish invasion scare with the English ambassador William Bowes, based on Sempill's information.[2]
Colonel William Sempill of Lochwinnoch, who was involved in the Spanish blanks plot and other Hispano-Scottish activities was probably Robert Sempill's half-brother, and in August 1592 Lord Robert was commanded to surrender Colonel Sempill for questioning.[3]
Family
Robert married firstly, Anne Montogomery, daughter of Hugh, Earl of Eglinton. Lady Agnes/Anne Montgomerie, was descended from James I of Scotland and Edward III of England on her father’s (Hugh Montgomerie, 3rd Earl of Eglinton’s) side. Also her mother, Agnes Drummond of Inverpeffery, was a daughter of Margaret Stewart, illegitimate daughter of James IV of Scotland. A portrait of Robert, 4th Lord Sempill can be seen in a new Sempill history. [4] Their children were:
- Hugh Sempill, 5th Lord Sempill
- Ann, married Archibald Stewart of Castlemilk
- Barbara, married Colin Lamomt of Lasmont.
- Grizzel, married John Logan of Raiss.
- a fourth daughter, married Robert Bisbrane of Bishopton.
Robert married secondly, Joanna Everard from Ireland. Their son was:
- William Sempill of Letterkenny (in Ireland).[5]
References
- ^ Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol.13 part 2 (1969), p.1051
- ^ HMC: Manuscripts Salibury Hatfield, vol.5 (1894), p.496: CSP Scotland, vol.13 part 1, (1969), p.481
- ^ Saenz-Cambra, Concepción, 'Colonel William Sempill of Lochwinnoch (1546-1630): A Strategist for Spain', in Tiempos Modernos, no.13 (2006), see external links: CSP Scotland, vol.10 (1936), 747
- ^ Roxine A. Beaumont-Sempill (2015) The Semples, Lord Sempills of West Scotland: family and contextual history from the 11th to 19th Centuries, pgs 138, 220, 222-6. Cites J.B. Paul (1910) The Scots peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas
- ^ Lundy, Darryl. "Robert Sempill, 4th Lord Sempill". www.thepeerage.com. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
External links
- Saenz-Cambra, Concepción, 'Colonel William Sempill of Lochwinnoch (1546-1630): A Strategist for Spain', Tiempos Modernos, no.13 (2006).