In collecting some notices of this memorable person, it may be remarked,
that Knox has passed over his history much more briefly than likely he
would have done, had he himself been at St. Andrews at the time of his
execution. It has been customary to give a rather exaggerated account of
Hamilton's birth and family connexions. Bishop Burnet says, "The first
who suffered in this age (in Scotland) was Patrick Hamilton, a person of
very noble blood: his father was brother to the Earl of Arran, and his
mother sister to the Duke of Albany: so nearly was he on both sides
related to the King. He was provided of the Abbey of Fern in his youth;
and being designed for greater preferments, he was sent to travel,"
&c.--(Hist. of the Reform., vol. i. p. 291.) Similar terms are employed
by later writers.
This notion to Hamilton's high descent and parentage requires to be
somewhat modified. His father, Sir Patrick Hamilton of Kincavel, was an
illegitimate son of James first Lord Hamilton, by a daughter of
Witherspoon of Brighouse, and died in 1479. Sir Patrick afterwards
obtained a letter of legitimation under the Great Seal, 20th January
1512-13; and in a charter of the settlement of the Hamilton estates
about the same time, by the Earl of Arran, he was called next in
succession, (failing the Earl's lawful issue,) after Sir James Hamilton
of Fynnart, who was the natural son of James second Lord Hamilton,
created Earl of Arran in 1503, and who was legitimated on the same day
with Sir Patrick. The latter was slain in a conflict on the streets of
Edinburgh, 30th April 1520. His wife was Catharine Stewart, daughter of
Alexander Duke of Albany, the second son of King James the Second. She
is also described as a natural daughter; the marriage of her parents
having been dissolved on alleged propinquity of blood, by a sentence of
divorce, pronounced 2d March 1477-8. It is proper however to observe,
that illegitimation caused by the dissolution of such marriages, in
conformity with the complicated rules of the Canon Law, was not
considered to entail disgrace on the children, nor did it always
interrupt the succession either in regard to titles or property. Their
children were,--
1. James Hamilton of Kincavel, Sheriff of Linlithgowshire, and Captain
of Blackness in 1525. He was summoned on a charge of heresy in 1534, but
escaped to England. (See note 139.) He obtained permission to return in
1540, and was the means of accomplishing the downfall of his cousin, Sir
James Hamilton of Fynnart, (ib. p. 66.) The sentence given against him
by the Popish Clergy at Holyrood House, 26th August 1534, was reversed
and annulled by the General Assembly in June 1563.