Sir James Sandilands (died 1618) was a courtier to King James VI and I and captain of Blackness Castle
Career
James Sandilands of Slamannan was a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to the king in 1590 and later keeper of Blackness Castle.
He was a half-brother of Sir James Sandilands of Calder, Lord Torpichen, a son of John Sandilands of Calder and Jean Fleming, who was a daughter of Malcolm Fleming, 3rd Lord Fleming. For a time, he was "Tutor of Calder", in charge of his younger brother's estates.
He married Jean Crawfurd, and secondly Barbara Napier.
In August 1588 the Privy Council decided to raise a force against the threat from the Spanish Armada. Sandilands and George Douglas of Niddry were made captains of 100 light horsemen. The commander was Sir John Carmichael.
In May 1589 Sandilands helped the double-murderer Archibald Wauchope, younger of Niddrie, escape from Edinburgh's Tolbooth. Despite this, Sandilands soon regained royal favour.
Norway and Denmark
Sandilands went with James VI to Norway in 1589 to meet Anne of Denmark. James Melville of Halhill mentions that Sandilands did not sail in the king's ship, but in one of three other ships, along with Lewis Bellenden, John Carmichael, the Provost of Lincluden, William Keith of Delny, George Home, and Peter Young.
On his return from Denmark James VI made his lodgings and privy chamber within Holyrood Palace more private than before, and Sandilands' role included deterring unwelcome visitors, like Lord John Hamilton. Sandilands' lodging at Holyrood was a bed chamber located on the floor above the King's cabinet room. He was knighted on 4 November 1590, when Alexander Lindsay was made Lord Spynie.
In 1590 and 1591 Sandilands was involved with the English subsidy money, accounting for £6,000 Scots brought by Thomas Foulis, giving £300 to John Wemyss of Logie and to an English woman called Rachael, and £260 to the king to play cards. In March 1591 he planned to visit the English court, but did not go.
The king gave him the estate of Cliftonhall, taken from Euphame MacCalzean (who was falsely convicted of witchcraft) in 1591.
Bothwell
On 18 October 1591 Carmichael joined the Duke of Lennox and the Earl of Huntly in Leith to search for the rebel Earl of Bothwell. Carmichael captured Bothwell's servant Robert Scott, a brother of the James Scott of Balwearie with Bothwell's horse "Valentine".
On 27 December 1591 the Earl of Bothwell attacked Holyrood Palace and Sandilands was sent to fetch help from the Provost of Edinburgh, Nicol Uddert. On 13 January 1592 James VI was riding near Haddington, in pursuit of the Earl of Bothwell, and fell into the River Tyne. He changed clothes with Sandilands.
Sandilands was captain of Blackness Castle, and in March 1592 received the Earl of Huntly as a prisoner. The historian David Calderwood said that Huntly and his servants became the true keepers in effect. Another prisoner Colonel William Stewart, to gain favour and divert suspicions, asked Sandilands to accuse Alexander Lindsay, 1st Lord Spynie of entertaining the rebel Earl of Bothwell at Aberdour Castle in 1592 but he denied this.
Bothwell attacked Falkland Palace on 27 June 1592, with a force including men from the borders, both English and Scottish. Sandilands captured nine or ten men, mostly of the Armstrong surname, on Bothwellmure. Five were executed, but the others were spared at the request of the border warden Sir John Carmichael because they were not habitual border reivers.
Lennox and the four young and counselling courtiers
Sandilands was a friend of the Duke of Lennox, and in June 1592 the Secretary Richard Cockburn of Clerkington heard that Lennox intended to go travelling with Sandilands and young Robert Melville, the son of the Treasurer-depute Robert Melville of Murdocairnie.
In August 1592 James VI gave him the forfeited lands of Archibald Wauchope of Niddrie, a supporter of Bothwell, who he had helped in the past.
In November 1592 Sandilands was identified with the Duke of Lennox, Sir George Home, Colonel William Stewart, the Laird of Dunipace, and Thomas Erskine, as a supporter of the king's former favourite James Stewart, Earl of Arran, working for his rehabilitation to the disadvantage of the Chancellor, John Maitland and the Hamilton family. The English diplomat Robert Bowes called this group the "four young and counselling courtiers." This faction was aligned with Anna of Denmark.
