CUNNINGHAM, ROBERT [SSNE 7107]
- Surname
- CUNNINGHAM, KUNIGEM
- First name
- ROBERT
- Nationality
- SCOT
- Education
- UNIVERSITY
Text source
Robert Cunningham was listed as a Scot enrolled at Greifswald University in 1649 as Kunigem 'Scotus'. He was probably the same boy, aged 14, who was the son of the late Colonel Alexander Cunningham [SSNE 2115] who was mentioned in a court case in Scotland after he was sent home there.
The case relates that Robert (aged 14 as proven by production of his father's bible) had been returned to Scotland for an education with his uncle Harry (Alexander's brother), but that Robert had been siezed by men of the Laird of Kilburnie on his way home from the Grammar School of Leith. The charge was 'Rapt and Raveisching' (Kidnap, rape and ravishing). The editors of the Stair Society are confounded by the interest the Laird had in the boy, why Parliament intervened and why the men wanted the boy sent to Sweden, though it appears obvious in order to protect him. In the case it is made clear that after his father's death, Robert had briefly been in the care of Colonel Hugh Hamilton sometime "tutor testamenter to the boy". The outcome of the case is unclear. However, one Robert Cunningham turns up in the Swedish lifeguard as an ensign a few years later and it may have been this man [SSNE 2134].
Stair Society, Selected Judiciary Cases, 1624-1650 (3 vols., 1953-1974), III, pp.826-832; T. Fischer, The Scots in Germany, (Edinburgh, 1902), p.314.
From the Records of the Parliament of Scotland:
Act in favors of Mr Thomas Hendirsone
The estaits of parliament, having hard and considerit a suplicatioun presentit unto them by Hendrie Cuninghame, portionar of Restallrig, bearing that he wes narest kinsman to ane Robert Cuninghame, minor, sone to umquhile Colonell Alexander Cuninghame, and tutor and curator left to him be his said wmquhill father, and that Liutenent Ker had violentlie takine away the said minor from the said Hendrie. As also ane other suplicatioun presented to them be the said Liutenent Ker, shewing that he had onlie takine the keiping of the minor for his good and at the desyr† of his freinds, and thairfoir creaving a favorable constructioun of his cariage and that the minor be not returned to Hendrie Cuninghames keiping. And lykwayis a thrid suplicatioun presented be the laird of Kilbirnie, creaving the said minor, shewing that by the advyse of some of the minor's freinds he causit bring him hame from Sueden to this kingdome, and that Captaine Johne McMichall, who did bring home the chyld, had delyverit him to Hendrie Cuninghame, who hes causit choose Mr Thomas Hendirsone with the said Hendrie to be curators to him, and thairfoir desyring the parliament to tak the protectioun of the minor and rescind the act of curatorie that the minor's other freinds and kinsmen may be chosin curators, as the saids thrie suplicatiouns respectivlie at moir lenth proportis. The saidis estaits afoirsaid, haveing referred the saidis thrie suplicatiouns to the committie of bills, which committie, eftir consideratioun of the same and the supplicants intress and relatiounis to the said minor, did returne thair humble opinione bearing that the minor sould be put in the company of the persoune or persounis eftirspeit to be bread and educat be them or aither of them wpon the minor's owine estait and according to his qualitie and the conditioun of his means; and that in the meantyme, for the bettir preserving of his means and estait inregaird the said Mr Thomas Hendirsone is nominat curator by the minor himselff and he hes his writs and papers in his custodie and knowis the conditioune of his affairs, and hes alreadie laid out soums of money for the minor's aliement, and is also desyred by letteres from the minor's grandmother at Londone and by letteres from Colonell Hamiltoun in Germanie (who wes intrusted with the minor by his umquhile faither) to taik cair of the chyld, that thairfoir the said Hendrie Cuninghame for any richt he can have as tutor or curator grant a factorie for administrating the† said minor's estait aither to the said Mr Thomas Hendirsoun himselff or conjunctlie with the said laird of Kilburnie, he and they being comptable to the lord chancellor and the minor's freinds for thair intromissioun, which factorie the parliament sould ratifie. And incaice the said Hendrie Cuninghame sould refuise to grant a factorie to the effect foirsaid, that the parliament sould than as now and now as then authorize and give powar to the said persounis for the special behove, wtilitie and profeite of the said minor to adminstrat his estait in maner and with the conditiouns abonewrittin, and that this be declaired to be without prejudice of the said Hendrie Cuninghame, his richt of successioun to the minor as narrest of kin prout de jure, as the said report undir the handis of Sir James Hope of Hoptoune and Johne Dicksone of Hairtrie moir fullie bears. Which report of the said committie the saidis estaits of parliament, having at lenth considerit and be weill advysit thairwith, they doe ratifie and approve the same, and ordaine and appoint Mr Thomas Hendirsoune to have the breiding of the said minor and intromissioun with his estait, and siclyk the lord chancellor, the said laird of Kilbirnie, the said Hendrie Cuninghame and the said Liuetenent Ker to be ovirseers.
Service record
- SWEDEN, GREIFSWALD UNIVERSITY, POMERANIA (Pommern)
- Arrived 1649-01-01
- Capacity STUDENT, purpose ACADEMIC
- SCOTLAND, LEITH GRAMMAR SCHOOL
- Departed 1649-11-02
- Capacity STUDENT, purpose EDUCATION