Thomas Kennedy of Cullean (1543 - 1602)

Born 1543 in Culzean Castle, Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 11 May 1602 at about age 59 in Culzean, Ayrshire, Scotland

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Dale Dart [send private message], Lamar Ross [send private message], Acacia Persinger [send private message], and Melissa McKay [send private message]

Sir Thomas Kennedy was a member of the aristocracy in British Isles.

Biography

Thomas Kennedy of Cullean is a member of Clan Kennedy.

• 1595/6

John Mure, of Auchindrain, in Ayrshire, was a gentleman of good means and connection; who acted at one time in a judicial capacity as bailie of Carrick, and gave general satisfaction by his judgments. He was son-in-law to the Laird of Bargeny, one of the three chief men of the all-powerful Ayrshire family of Kennedy. Sir Thomas Kennedy of Colzean, another of these great men, was on bad terms with Bargeny. Mure, who might naturally be expected to take his father-in-law side, was for a time restrained by some practical benefit; in the shape of land; offered to him by Sir Thomas; but the titles to the lands not being ultimately made good, the Laird of Auchindrain conceived only the more furious hatred against the knight of Colzean.

This happened about 1595, and it appears at the same time that Sir Thomas had excited a deadly rage in the bosom of the Earl of Cassius next brother, usually called the Master of Cassillis The Master and Auchindrain, with another called the Laird of Dunduff, easily came to an understanding with each other, and agreed to slay Sir Thomas Kennedy the first opportunity. Such was the manner of conducting a quarrel about land-rights and despiteful words amongst "gentlemen in Ayrshire in those days.

• Jan 1 1597

On the evening of the 1st of January, Sir Thomas Kennedy supped with Sir Thomas Nisbet in the house of the latter at Maybole. The Lairds of Auchindrain and Dunduff, with a few servants, lay in wait for him in the yard, and when he came forth to go to his own house to bed, they fired their pistols at him. He being safe of any hurt therewith, and perceiving them with their swords most cruelly to pursue his life was forced for his safety to fly; in which chase they did approach him so near, as he had undoubtedly been overtaken and killed, if he had not adventured to run aside and cover himself with the ruins of a decayed house; while, in respect of the darkness of the night, they did not perceive; but still followed to his lodging, and searched all the corners thereof, till the confluence of the people . . . . forced them to retire.

For this assault, Sir Thomas Kennedy pursued at law the Lairds of Auchindrain aud Dunduff, and was so far successful that Dunduff had to retire into England, while Colzean got the house of Auchindrain, and destroy it . . . . plenishing, and wrackit all the garden.

And also they made mony sets [snares] to have gotten [Auchindrain] himself; but God preservit him from their tyranny.' Auchindrain, however, was forced Ùtto cover malice by show of repentance, and for satisfaction of his by-past offence, and gage of his future duty, to offer his eldest son in marriage to Sir Thomas Kennedy dochter; whilk, by intercession of friends, [was] accepted.

• Dec 1601

Great hatred and strife had now lasted for some years between the Earl of Cassillis and Sir Thomas Kennedy of Colzean, on the one side, and the Laird of Bargeny, the Laird of Blairwhan, the Laird of Girvanmains, and some other Carrick gentlemen, on the other.

The crafty Laird of Auchindrain, though professedly reconciled to Sir Thomas Kennedy, was mainly on the side of Bargeny, who was his brother-in-law. It is believed that he employed himself to inflate Bargeny, who was but a youth, with ambitious designs, making him believe that he could easily put himself on a level with the Earl of Cassillis. The king made an effort to reconcile the parties, but it had no permanent effect. For some time these Carrick chieftains were chiefly busied in devising plots against each other's lives.

On the 6th of December 1601, the Laird of Bargeny had occasion to go to Ayr on business. Along with him rode his brother and the Laird of Benand and ten or twelve other horsemen. Passing within a quarter of a mile of Cassillis Castle, and not stopping to pay their respects to the earl, they violated one of the most sacred of the social laws then existing.

After spending four or five days in Ayr, Bargeny proposed to return to his own house, much against the advice of his friends, who feared dangers by the way. Setting out with a company of about eighty on horseback, in the midst of a dense snow-storm, he made a halt at the Bridge of Doon that place since made so famous from another cause and there addressed his people, protesting that he sought no quarrel with Lord Cassillis, but expressing his hope that, if attacked, they would stand around him, and do their duty as became men of honour. They all assured him that they would die in his defence.

He then divided his train into two parties, and riding on, at the Lady Cross met the earl, who came out of Maybole with fully two hundred men. 'Being all ready to meet, the one on the Teind knowe, and the other on the next, within the shot of one musket, they began to flyte [use despiteful language towards each other].

The Laird of Bargeny, anxious still to avoid fighting if possible, led off his men along the side of a bog; but the Cassillis party came by the other side, and met him at the bottom. He then made a dash forward across a ditch, with Mure of Auchindrain, his page, and three other gentlemen, but, not being supported by any others, found himself outnumbered by the enemy.

A brief conflict took place, in which the laird and his friends did some damage to the opposite party; but it was all in vain. Auchindrain was wounded, the page was killed, one of his friends unhorsed, and another sore hurt. He himself, though but one of his friends remained, was not daunted, but rode rapidly into the ranks of the enemy, calling: 'Where is my lord himself? Let him now keep promise and break ane tree!'

He was instantly set upon by a host of the earl's friends, who strake at him with swords, and bore him back by sheer force. At that moment, one John Dick, who had formerly received benefits at his hands, thrust a lance through his throat and stopped his breath. The skirmish being now at an end, his friends were allowed to conduct him away from the field, taking him first to a barn at a place called Dingham, then to Maybole, and finally to Ayr, where he soon after died, being but twenty-five years of age, leaving a widow and two children to bewail his bloody end.

The procedure consequent on this sad tragedy is very notable. The Countess of Cassillis-a lady much the senior of her husband, the widow of the late Chancellor Maitland, and of course well acquainted with all the principal people around the king-rode immediately to court, to intercede for James's favour towards her lord. With the help of the Laird of Colzean, she contrived to obtain an act of Council, making the earl's part in the late conflict 'good service to the king'-the pretext being that, in the opposite party, was Thomas Kennedy, Bargeny's brother, a denounced rebel. 'The ten thousand merits given to the treasurer was what did the turn.'

'The Lady Bargeny rode to Edinburgh, and made her complent to the king and queen, but was little better, or least but heard; ' It is alleged that she afterwards used all the means she could to take the life of Lord Cassillis, in revenge for her husband's death.

• May 1602

Sir Thomas Kennedy of Colzean was this day murdered in the immediate neighbourhood of the town of Ayr. He was one very potentous man, and very wise. He had build it one proper house in the Cove [the mansion superseded by the present Colzean Castle], with very brave yards; and, by ane moyen and other, had conquest ane guid living.

We have seen, under January 1, 1596—7, an attempt upon the life of this gentleman at Maybole, by Mure of Auchindrain, who subsequently was reconciled to him, and, for the confirmation of amity, caused his son to be married to Sir Thomas daughter. It nevertheless became in time apparent that Mure was the prime mover of this atrocious murder, the circumstances of which are thus related by the king advocate, Sir Thomas Hamilton.

Sir Thomas Kennedy, being only intentive on his own adoes, whilk did require his resort to Edinburgh, there to consult with his lawyers in his wechty business, he send his servant to Maybole, to seek Auchindrain and advertise him of his purpose; with direction, if he missed him there, that he sould certify him by letter of his intended journey; to the effect Auchindrain might, upon the next day, meet him upon the way at [the Duppil, a place near Ayr], and inform him of anything he wald wish him to do for him in Edinburgh, seeing it was but ane travel for him to do his friend's business and his own.

In the courtyard of Greenan Castle on the morning of 12th May, 1602, Sir Thomas Kennedy of Culzean and his servant, Lancelot Kennedy, mounted their horses to ride to Edinburgh, having spent the night before with Thomas's half-brother, John Kennedy of Baltersan. Just a few miles away in the woods of St Leonards (now a suburb of Ayr), they were ambushed by Thomas Kennedy of Drummurchie, Thomas Kennedy, brother to the Laird of Bargany, Walter Muir of Cloncaird, Thomas M'Alexander, Thomas Wallace, a boy called Gilbert Ramsay and a Borderer, Williame Irrwing. Sir Thomas was murdered in retaliation for the death of the young Laird of Bargany in December, 1601 at the Battle of Brockloch, near Maybole. Years later, the Mures of Auchindrain (father and son) were executed for their "art and part" in this murder.

This servant of Colzean, missing Auchindrain in Maybole, desired Mr Robert Mure, schoolmaster at Maybole, to write ane letter of that substance to Auchindrain; who did so, and sent it by ane boy of his school, called William Dalrymple; who, finding Auchindrain at his house of Auchindrain, with his cousin Walter Mure of Cloncaird, ane deadly enemy to the Earl of Cassillis; so soon as he [Auchindrain] fand himself certified of Colzean's purpose and diet, he dismissed the boy, commanding him to return back in haste, carrying the letter with him; directing him further to shaw to his master and Colzean's man that he had not fand him at his house. Immediately thereafter, [he] resolved with his cousin Cloncaird, that this occasion of revenge of BargenyÙus slaughter by ColzeanÙus murder was not to be unslipped....

After some deliberation, [he] concluded upon the choice of the actors and manner of the execution, making advertisement thereof; as weel by letter to Thomas Kennedy of Drumurchy....as by message to Cloncaird.... The said Thomas Kennedy, Walter Mure of Cloncaird, and four or five servants with them, weel armed and horsed, convoying themselves near the way appointed by Colzean's letter for his meeting with Auchindrain, did lie await for ColzeanÙus by-coming; who, being in full security of his dangerless estate, riding upon ane pacing nag, and having with him ane servant only, they suddenly surprised him, and with their pistols and swords gave him ane number of deadly wounds; and, not content to have so barbarously and traitorously bereft him of his life, spoiled him of ane thousand merks of gold, being in his purse, ane number of gold buttons upon his coat, and some rings and other jewels.

He being slain, his man Lancelot brings him with him to the Greenan, and there gets ane horse litter, and takes him to Maybole, where there was great dule made for him.

Sir Thomas Hamilton proceeds to narrate that, while the actual murderers were first outlawed and afterwards forefaulted, Auchindrain fell under strong suspicion of having been the deviser of the deed. He, being summoned to underlie the law, did boldly compear, and, seeing that the pursuers, for want of sufficient evidence, were not then to adventure his trial, fearing that he might be cleansed and so perpetually freed of that crime . . . . he seemed grieved thereat, as bragging exceedingly of his innocency, whereof he had given proof; by offering himself to trial of law - [He now proposed] if there were any man of Colzean's kindred or friendship, who wald advow him any ways participant of the device or execution of that murder, he wald readily offer himself in that quarrel to the trial of combat to the death . . . . So, wanting ane party, [he] was dismissed, more free in the persuasion of most part of such as were present, than in his own conscience.

Here, however, may be introduced the remarkable fact, that the Earl of Cassillis made an attempt to obtain a private revenge on Auchindrain for the murder of his uncle Colzean. The earl had long been on bad terms with his brother Hugh, whom we have seen as the guilty associate of Auchindrain. Now, he made up all past quarrels with Hugh, and granted him a bond, September 4, 1602, stating: Howsoon our brother, Hugh Kennedy of Brownston, with his complices, takes the Lain! of AuchindrainÙus ljfe, we sall mak guid and thankful payment to him and them of the sum of twelve hundred merks yearly, together with corn to six horses, [until] we receive them in household with ourself, beginning the first payment immediately after their committing of the said deed. Attour [moreover], howsoon we receive them in household, we shall pay to the twa serving gentlemen the fees, yearly, as our awn household servants. And hereto we oblige us, upon our honour.

The story inspired Sir Walter Scott to write a short play, "An Ayrshire Tragedy".

Sources

• HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL ACCOUNT OF THE PRINCIPAL FAMILIES OF THE NAME OF KENNEDY. by Robert Pitcairn

• Kennedy, Sir Thomas 1st of Culzean

• Geni

• KENNEDY CLAN

• Family Search

• The Peerage

• Clan Macfarlane

• Scots Peerage - Page 486

• Canadian Headstones Entry - McMicking Family

• Ancestry of Catherine Jane MCMICKING

• Stephen McCullough's Family Tree

• genealogieonline

Acknowledgments

• Thank you to Valerie Kerr for creating WikiTree profile Kennedy-4022 through the import of wiki.ged on Jul 25, 2013.

• Family sources and details supplied in part by Melissa McKay

• This person was created on 30 April 2011 through the import of Kahn Family Tree 3.2.11_2011-04-29.ged.

• WikiTree profile Kennedy-1521 created through the import of ross20genancestors-children6-22-2011.ged on Jun 22, 2011 by Lamar Ross.