| He had from his father a charter of the lands of Bast and West Barnes, dated 10 May 1583. He bore in his coat armorial the sword supporting an imperial crown said to have been granted as an augmentation to his ancestor Sir Alexander Seton along with those lands. He was brought up at the Court of Spain. Lord Kingston states that King Philip II made him a Knight of Santiago, a Gentleman of the Bedchamber and Caballero de la boca, and granted to him and his heirs a pension of two thousand crowns yearly. In 1575 he visited the English Court, and was well received. He was appointed Master of the Horse 9 May 1581, having been so styled on the tenth of the previous month, when he received instructions for his conduct as envoy to the Court of England. The mission proved abortive; Sir John was not allowed to pass the frontier; the English warden believed him to be a servant of the King of Spain, and suspected him of a design to communicate with the French and Spanish ambassadors in London. He seems to have been in Spain in 1583 or 1584. In 1586 he was nominated Scottish Ambassador to the Court of Spain. On 3 January 1586-87 he was appointed for life First Master of the Royal Household. On 1 July 1587 he is styled Miles, sive Eques auratus. On 8 July 1587 he was appointed for life Comptroller of the Royal property, and on 17 February 1587-88 he was admitted an Extraordinary Lord of Session.5 |