The Spanish Blanks

The Spanish Blanks

This was another plot in 1592 by the Catholic Earls of Huntly, Erroll and Angus resuming their correspondence and plotting of three years earlier with Spain. The English secret service gained wind of the plot and informed Andrew Knox, minister in Paisley, who boarded a ship in the River Clyde and seized a George Ker, a Catholic from the Borders, who was carrying incriminating letters. Among the letters were eight `blanks` bearing the signatures of the Earls and Sir Patrick Gordon of Auchindoune. Despite prompting from Queen Elizabeth and ministers James again declined to take action against the Earls. A minor player Graham of Fintry was executed 15 February 1593 but the Earls did not compear to their summonses nor were steps taken to to punish them.

The `Blanks`, eight of them, were pieces of paper without a designation or address other than a customary courteous conclusion used with royalty – ` your Majesty`s very humble and very obedient servant ` . Two were signed by Angus and Erroll jointly; two by Huntly; one by Angus another by Erroll and two in Latin which were signed by all three Earls and Gordon of Auchindoune. None of the other letters provided clear evidence of treason and torture was used to reveal their intention. This revealed that the central plotter was Father William Crichton, a Jesuit, living in Spain who had convinced Philip of Spain to attempt another invasion. Crichton had represented that the Scottish Catholics were amenable to a rising and proposed that an army of 30,000 Spanish troops should invade, restore the faith and march into England and avenge Mary Queen of Scots. To encourage and confirm Philip`s concurrence the Blanks were to be filled in by himself when negotiations were completed, and intended for use as proclamations.

James was aware of the enterprise in June 1592 which was proven by a memorandum from himself to Crichton but this document was `withdrawn for safety of his Majesty`s honour`. It showed plainly that James was playing a dangerous middle course policy , holding off from directly inviting Spain`s intervention while he sought to treat with Elizabeth for his title to the English Crown. James was, however, wrong in his estimation of the purpose – it did not seek to place him on the throne of England but that he would be held at Philip of Spain`s disposal.

The consequence of the affair was a loathing of James and an outcry against his inactivity. The Synod of Fife summarily excommunicated the conspirators who disdainfully `consented` to stand trial in their heartland at Perth. This was regarded with great suspicion by the Kirk and on 17 November 1593 they convened a Committee of Security requiring James to postpone the trial until they were ready to prosecute. In the alternative they proposed to assemble in force at Perth to pursue the defendants ` to the uttermost`. This threat of civil war finally raised James to action. The Estates declared a compromise which proscribed the Catholic religion and required the Earls to to conform by 1 February 1594; it also effectively rejected the Blanks as evidence and thus the charges of treason. None of the conspirators complied and neither did they obey orders to go into ward.