Queen Margaret of Scotland was the consort of James IV of Scotland. She was the eldest daughter of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York. She had married King James in 1503.
William Dunbar was a poet employed at the Scottish court during the reign of Margaret and James.
The royal "wardrobe" was a store of the Queen's possessions bearing little resemblance to a modern wardrobe. James Dog, or Doig, was a servant at the Scots court, first mentioned in the royal accounts in 1489.[4] He was first employed in the royal kitchens, and was later an usher in the hall. His role in the wardrobe was to manage the store of textiles and clothes and direct the servants who worked there.[5] He was in charge of the cloths of estate and canopies which were hung behind the king's throne.[6] In 1495 he put up tapestries in the king's chamber at Holyrood Palace for the reception of the Chancellor of Denmark.[7] When James IV was at Stirling Castle in April 1497, James Dog supplied him with footballs.[8] He put up hooks in Holyrood Palace in 1503 and bought cords to suspend the bed canopies, for the reception of Margaret Tudor.[9]
Like several other servants in the royal household, James Dog had a variety of skills and considerable influence.[10] He is also known to have travelled and carried Margaret Tudor's letters.[11]
Dog was given lands at Dunrobin in Perthshire in May 1500.[12] His usual annual fee was 6 merks and his clothing allowance was 4.5 ells of rissilis (Lille) black and 2.5 ells of velvet.[13]
He came with Margaret Tudor to London and served her at Baynard's Castle in 1516.[14] He was still alive in 1523, and his son, James Dog younger, was appointed 'Yeoman of the Wardrobe' to James V on 17 September 1524.[15] Margaret sent 'Jame Dokt' or 'Jamy Dog' as a messenger to the Duke of Norfolk at Brandspeth in October 1524, and in February 1525 she sent him to the English ambassador Thomas Magnus to ask for a loan of 300 crowns.[16]
