Sir Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Haddington (1563-1637) was a Scottish politician, lawyer and judge. Events February 1 - Sarsa Dengel succeeds his father Menas as Emperor of Ethiopia February 18 - The Duke of Guise is assassinated while besieging Orléans March - Peace of Amboise. ... Events February 3 - Tulipmania collapses in Netherlands by government order February 15 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor December 17 - Shimabara Rebellion erupts in Japan Pierre de Fermat makes a marginal claim to have proof of what would become known as Fermats last theorem. ... Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Alba) is a country in northwest Europe, occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain. ...

The son of a judge, Hamilton was educated in Paris. He was appointed an Advocate (1587) and later a Lord of Session (1592) and was widely regarded as an able administrator and shrewd lawyer. He was on very friendly terms with James VI, his legal talents being useful to the king, and he was one of the eight men called the Octavians who were appointed to manage the finances of Scotland. Having also become Lord Advocate in 1596, Hamilton was entrusted with a large share in the government when James went to London in 1603. In 1612 he was appointed Secretary of State and in 1613 he was created Lord Binning and Byres. In 1616 he became Lord President of the Court of Session, and three years later was created Earl of Melrose, a title which he exchanged in 1627 for that of Earl of Haddington. After the death of James VI the earl resigned his offices, but he served Charles I as Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland. He died in May 1637. James referred familiarly to his friend as 'Tam o' the Cowgate', his Edinburgh residence being in that street. James VI of Scotland and I of England (Charles James) (19 June 1566–27 March 1625) was a King who ruled over England, Scotland and Ireland, and was the first Sovereign to reign in the three realms simultaneously. ... Her Majestys Advocate, known as the Lord Advocate (Morair Tagraidh in Scots Gaelic), was the chief legal adviser of the United Kingdom Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters until the passing of the Scotland Act 1998. ... Events February 5 - 26 catholics crucified in Nagasaki, Japan. ... Events March 24 - Elizabeth I of England dies and is succeeded by her cousin King James VI of Scotland, uniting the crowns of Scotland and England April 28 – Funeral of Elizabeth I of England in Westminster Abbey July 17 or July 19 - Sir Walter Raleigh arrested for treason. ... Events January 20 - Mathias becomes Holy Roman Emperor. ... Events January - Galileo observes Neptune, but mistakes it for a star and so is not credited with its discovery. ... Events Dirk Hartog lands on an island off the Western Australian coast Pocahontas arrives in England War between Venice and Austria Collegium Musicum founded in Prague Nicolaus Copernicus De revolutionibus is placed on the Index of Forbidden Books by the Roman Catholic Church Births May 18 - Johann Jakob Froberger, German... The Lord Justice General of Scotland is head of the High Court of Justiciary, Lord President of the Court of Session and head of the judiciary in Scotland. ... Events A Dutch ship makes the first recorded sighting of the coast of South Australia. ... The title Earl of Haddington was created in 1627 for Sir Thomas Hamilton in the Peerage of Scotland, Earl of Melrose. ... Charles I (19 November 1600–30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 27 March 1625, until his death. ... The office of Keeper of the Privy Seal, one of the Great Offices of State first appears in the reign of David II. After the Act of Union 1707 its holder was normally a peer, like the Keeper of the Great Seal. ...