John Fleming, 5th Lord Fleming

John Fleming, 5th Lord Fleming (1529–6 September 1572) supporter of Mary Queen of Scots.

Life

He was the son of Malcolm Fleming, 3rd Lord Fleming, lord high chamberlain, by his wife Johanna or Jonet Stewart, natural daughter of James IV. He succeeded his brother James Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming.

He was Governor of Dumbarton Castle in 1565, and made the Principal Master Usher of the Queen's Chamber.^[1] He supported of Mary, Queen of Scots, fighting for her at the Battle of Carberry Hill, and the Battle of Langside. He accompanied her, on her flight to England in 1568, and returned to Scotland in 1569. He held Dunbarton Castle for the Queen until 1571, when he escaped to France and returned shortly before his death in 1572.^[2]

Family

He married on 10 May 1562, Elizabeth Ross (died after 14 April 1578), only child of Robert Ross, Master of Ross by his wife Agnes Scott.^[3] They had children:

• John Fleming, later 6th Lord Fleming later 1st Earl of Wigtown
• Margaret Fleming, married after 19 April 1588, Sir James Forrester of Carden
• Elizabeth Fleming (died after 24 September 1579)
• Jane Fleming (died October 1630), married after 1582/3 William Bruce of Airth
• Mary Fleming, married after 9 December 1581, Sir James Douglas, 8th of Drumlanrig, and had issue.

While John was defending Dumbarton Castle against the supporters of James VI in 1570 in the cause of Mary, Queen of Scots, his young family was harassed at his houses at Biggar and Cumbernauld Castle by Regent Lennox's men. It was reported;

"they wald noct suffir his wyf within na boundes (expelled from her home), thre infantis with hir, the eldest of thame nocht thre yeir auld, schaiking thame furct of ther claythes and bedding most schamefullie ... and ther is twa of thame can noct speik."

As well as the farm livestock the King's men took his deer and wild white cattle for Lennox's table in Edinburgh.^[4]

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