Robert Melville, 1st Lord Melville (c. 1527–1621) was a Scottish diplomat, administrator, jurist, and intriguer, and uncle of the poet Elizabeth Melville. Family Known as Sir Robert Melville of Murdocairnie or Murdochcairnie, Robert was the second son of Sir John Melville of Raith in Fife and Helen Napier of Merchiston. His younger brother Sir James Melville of Halhill wrote a famous political memoir. Another brother, Andrew Melville of Garvock, joined the household of Mary, Queen of Scots in Scotland. Robert married firstly; Katherine Adamson; secondly Mary Leslie, daughter of Andrew Leslie, Earl of Rothes; thirdly, Jean Stewart, daughter of Robert Stewart, Earl of Orkney. His heir was his son with Katherine Adamson, Robert Melville, 2nd Lord Melville. Career During the Scottish Reformation, Robert Melville sided with the Protestant Lords of the Congregation. He was sent to England as a diplomat by Mary, Queen of Scots. He opposed her marriage to Henry, Lord Darnley and joined the rebellion called the Chaseabout Raid. Melville was sent to Elizabeth I of England as the rebel lords' envoy. He was forgiven by Mary and sent again to the English court as her diplomat. Mary expelled the English diplomat Thomas Randolph and Elizabeth ordered Melville's return to Scotland on 15 March 1566. He arrived in Edinburgh and reported back to Elizabeth and Cecil on the aftermath of the murder of David Rizzio. He brought her letters from the Earl of Bothwell who was now the Duke of Orkney. When Mary was captured at the battle of Carberry, Melville took Elizabeth's letters to her at Lochleven Castle and brought her requests to the Confederate Lords and her supporters. On the day that James VI of Scotland was crowned he wrote to Elizabeth that her ambassador Nicolas Throckmorton had helped defuse the situation and save Mary's life. Melville worked for Regent Moray, and arranged with Sir Valentine Browne, treasurer of Berwick, for loans of money secured with pledges of Mary's jewels. However he supported Mary at the Battle of Langside in 1568. After Mary fled to England he brought jewels, clothing, and horses to her at Bolton Castle. Subsequently, he joined his nephew William Kirkcaldy of Grange who held Edinburgh Castle for Mary. At the end of the "lang siege" of the castle he was imprisoned at Holyroodhouse and at Lethington Castle (now Lennoxlove.) While awaiting his "examination", a kind of interrogation, in September 1573, he wrote