Biography of Thomas Erskine 1st Earl Kellie 1566-1639

Diary of Anne Clifford. 24th March 1603. About 10 o'clock King James was proclaimed in Cheapside by all the Council with great joy and triumph.¹ I went to see and hear. This peaceable coming-in of the King was unexpected of all sorts of people. Within two or three days we returned to Clerkenwell again. A little after this Queen Elizabeth's corpse came by night in a barge from Richmond to Whitehall, my Mother (age 42) and a great company of ladies attending it, where it continued a great while standing in the Drawing Chamber, where it was watched all night by several lords and ladies, my Mother sitting up with it two or three nights, but my Lady would not give me leave to watch, by reason I was held too young. At this time we used to go very much to Whitehall, and walked much in the garden which was frequented by lords and ladies, my Mother being all full of hopes, every man expecting mountains and finding molehills, excepting Sir R. Cecil (age 39) and the house of the Howards, who hated my Mother and did not much love my Aunt Warwick (age 55). About this time my Lord Southampton (age 29) was enlarged of his imprisonment out of the Tower. When the corpse of Queen Elizabeth had continued at Whitehall as the Council had thought fit, it was carried with great solemnity to Westminster,² the lords and ladies going on foot to attend it, my Mother and my Aunt of Warwick being mourners, but I was not allowed to be one, because I was not high enough, which did much trouble me then, but yet I stood in the church at Westminster to see the solemnities performed. A little after this my Lady and a great deal of other company as Mrs Eliz. Bridges (age 25), Lady Newtin, and her daughter Lady Finch (age 43) [?], went down with my Aunt Warwick to North Hall, and from thence we all went to Tibbalds to see the King who used my Mother and aunt very graciously, but we all saw a great change between the fashion of the Court as it is now and of that in the Queen's time, for we were all lousy by sitting in the chamber of Sir Thomas Erskine (age 37). As the King came out of Scotland, when he lay at York, there was a strife between my Father (age 44) and Lord Burleigh³ (who was the President,) who should carry the sword, but it was adjudged on my Father's side because it was an office by inheritance and so it lineally descended to me. From Tibbalds the King went to Charterhouse, where Lord T. Howard (age 41) was created Earl of Suffolk, and Lord Mountjoy (age 40) Earl of Devonshire, and restored Lords Southampton and Essex (age 12), who stood attainted, likewise he created many barons, among which my uncle Russell (age 43) was made Lord Russell of Thorney, [sic] and for knights they were innumerable. All this spring I had my health very well. My Father used to come to us sometimes at Clerkenwell but not often, for he had at this time as it were wholly left my Mother, yet the house was kept still at his charge.

Note 1. The first time that King sent to the Lords in England, he gave command that the Earls of Northumberland (age 38), Cumberland, Lord Thomas Howard, and Lord Mountjoy should be added to the Council.

Note 2. Queen Elizabeth's funeral was on Thursday, April the 8th.

Note 3. A dispute between George Earl of Cumberland, and the Lord Burleigh.