Laurence Bruce
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Laurence or Lawrence Bruce of Cultmalindie (b. 20 Jan 1547 – d. Aug 1617) – an incoming nobleman from Perthshire.
Laurence Bruce was the son of John Bruce of Cultmalindie and Euphemia Elphinstone, a former mistress of King James V, with whom she had Robert Stewart. Laurence Bruce was thus half brother to Earl Robert Stewart and uncle of Earl Patrick Stewart.
In 1571 Laurence Bruce was appointed Foud[1] of Shetland by Earl Robert. He went to Shetland with his own band of armed men and other officials. He eventually settled on Unst where he acquired a large estate. Soon after his arrival in the islands he became very unpopular, due to his corrupt rule and misbehaviour. He was accused of taking bribes and changing the old weights and measurements in order to increase revenues. His troops seized ships and wrecks and he allowed his men to billet themselves in the homes of the islanders without any kind of compensation.
Bruce helped himself to the local women, and is said to have fathered more than 20 illegitimate children in addition to the 10 legitimate children he had with his two wives, Helen Kennedy and Elizabeth Gray.
His misdeeds and misbehaviour resulted in a petition sent to the Privy Council. Following an inquiry by a royal commission, which was sent to Shetland in February 1577, the Privy Council removed Laurence Bruce from his office. But Earl Robert backed his friend and right-hand man and by June 1578 Bruce returned to Shetland, this time as "sheriff-depute".
By 1593, when Patrick Stewart succeeded his father as Earl of Orkney, friendly relations with Bruce had cooled down. Patrick's own interests in Shetland were strong but Patrick still avoided an open conflict with the former ally. The situation changed after Bruce had built his castle at Muness to strengthen his position in the north of Shetland.
In 1608 Laurence Bruce gave refuge to Thomas Black, yet another adherent with whom Patrick had quarrelled. Patrick arrived in Unst with a band of 36 men under arms, his master gunner who had brought "a number of great brazen and iron pieces". From that we can conclude that Patrick had intended to siege on the new fortified house at Muness, but the whole action was diverted by the arrival of some news at the very last moment.[2]
In 1610 Laurence Bruce testified against Earl Patrick before the Privy Council. Following the rebellion of Patrick's son Robert in Orkney, in August 1614 the Privy Council appointed Laurence Bruce a Commissioner with orders to apprehend any pro-Stewart rebels who might seek shelter in Shetland.
Laurence Bruce died at Muness castle in August 1617. Despite his different behaviour in his last years, when the opressive rule of the Stewart Earls in the northern isles came to an end, we have to admit that it was Laurence Bruce himself who carried out a lot of all the misdeeds and crimes which official history has attributed to the Stewart Earls.
References
- ↑ Foud, the Shetland equivalent to an English Sheriff
- ↑ see William P.L. Thomson: History of Orkney, chapter 18. We do not what the news might have been, but it is quite possible that is was a new summons requiring Earl Patrick to appear before the Privy Council again.
