Maister of Gray

“Patrick was the eldest son of Patrick, 5th Lord Gray and served later as 6th Lord Gray of Fowlis and Castle Huntly,” writes Donald Abbott of Invergowrie.

“The ‘Maister’ died in 1612, having succeeded to the barony of Gray in 1608 and he lived mostly in Gray homes at the castles of Fowlis or else Broughty.

“He was married twice, firstly to a daughter of Lord Glamis and secondly to a daughter of the Earl of Orkney. He had one son and six daughters, the son Andrew succeeding him as 7th Lord on the death of his father.

“Patrick is always better recognised as the ‘Maister of Gray’. He was educated at St Andrews and in France; he was attached to the cause of Mary, Queen of Scots; appointed gentleman of the bedchamber to King James V1 in 1583 and Commendator of Dunfermline Abbey in 1584.

“He was ambassador to the court of England’s Queen Elizabeth, but the suggestion was that, instead of interceding for Mary Queen of Scots, he materially helped bring about her execution in 1586. His complicity in that regard was never proved, however.

“He was obviously something of an accomplished but Machiavellian character and at one time a favourite of King James VI. He was tried for high treason and found guilty of having had correspondence with England. He was banished, although that was never put into effect. When King James VI became English king in 1603, he left the, by then, 6th Lord on his Scottish lands and did not take him in his entourage to England.”

“Your recent photograph of fishermen on the beach ‘barkin’ their nets was the subject of a painting given to me by local artist J.B.Houston,” says reader Irene McKay. “The scene was extended and includes Broughty Castle and harbour. The picture was painted in 1994.”