Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus

Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus, 1st Earl of Ormond (1609–1655) was the eldest son of William Douglas, 1st Marquis of Douglas, from whom he obtained the courtesy title of Earl of Angus. Douglas was a member of privy council of Scotland, 1636; vacillated in his opinions on the new service-book, originally (1636) approving its use. Appointed extra ordinary lord of session in 1631. He signed the covenant, was unwilling to take up arms in its defence, but was a commissioner for the covenanters in England in 1643. In 1646 made colonel of Régiment de Douglas in France when his brother Lord James Douglas, was killed in action. Member of committee of estates in 1650. Created Earl of Ormond in 1651; fined £1,000 by Cromwell's Act of Grace, 1664.

Douglas was the eldest son of William Douglas, 11th Earl of Angus and 1st Marquis of Douglas, by his first wife, Margaret Hamilton, daughter of Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley, was born in 1609. In a charter of the barony of Hartside or Wandell, granted to him and his father 15 June 1613, he is named Lord Douglas, Master of Angus, and it is by the title of Earl of Angus, which became his on his father's elevation to the marquisate, that he is generally known. In 1628 Angus married Lady Anne Stuart, second daughter of Esmé Stewart, 3rd Duke of Lennox, Charles I being a party to the marriage contract.

In 1630 Angus went abroad and did not return before the latter end of 1633. In May 1636 he was appointed a member of the Privy Council of Scotland, and was present at the meeting in December of that year at which the use of the new service-book was sanctioned. His sympathies, however, were believed to lie with the Covenanters, for when the Duke of Lennox was sent to enforce the use of the service-book, Angus was chosen to treat with him. Yet when the royal proclamation was issued commanding the use of the book, the order was made with the approval of Angus. On the final suppression of the book he was one of those members of the privy council who addressed a letter of thanks to the king. Judged by his vacillation in this matter Angus would seem to have had a large share of that spirit of irresolution which was the chief characteristic of the political careers of his half-brother and nephew and the third and fourth dukes of Hamilton. Angus was appointed an extraordinary lord of session 9 February 1631, and not long afterwards signed the covenant. But when the Covenanters prepared to take the field, he left the country.

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