'King of Scotland': Lauderdale and the Restoration North of the Border
Raymond Campbell Paterson re-examines the fortunes and friendships of a key figure of Charles II’s administration.
In early April 1657 John Maitland, then Earl of Lauderdale (1616-82), wrote from his prison in Windsor Castle, one of the several places he had been confined in ever since his capture by Cromwell’s troops after the Battle of Worcester in 1651, that ‘my days of action I think are at an end’. His mood seems to have been one of stoic resignation, rather than despair, as reported by James Sharp, a leading Scots Presbyterian. But Lauderdale’s career was far from over: in a very real sense it had hardly even begun.
To continue reading this article you need to purchase a subscription, available from only £5.
Start my trial subscription now
If you have already purchased access, or are a print & archive subscriber, please ensure you are logged in.
Please email digital@historytoday.com if you have any problems.
