SHAW, ANDREW [SSNE 6688]
Text source
Andrew Shaw was a Scottish officer in the Swedish army who became a captain in Alexander Leslie's [SSNE 1] regiment. He may be the same as Andrew Shaw, noted as a servant of James Spens' [SSNE 1642] who served frequently as a letter-bearer between Spens and various correspondents. In 1615 Spens mentioned that Shaw was 'next of kin' to George Ferris of Västerås and that Spens was now interceding on Shaw's behalf with King Gustav II Adolf, supported by legal documentation, that Shaw should get his legal entitlement. He originially intended to join Polish service through the failed machinations of Sir Robert Stewart, but the Scottish spy working for the Swedes, John Fairbairn [SSNE 6285] managed to intercept him and bring him over to the Swedes. James Spens the above to Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna in April 1624 - further describing Shaw as a Protestant and willing to be a guarantor for Shaw's fidelity - but Shaw had already been serving as a letter-bearer before this time. In December 1623 James Spens [SSNE1642] wrote a letter to Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna asking him to entrust Doctor Robertson regarding some personal matters, implying that Spens and Robertson knew eachother rather well. He is probably the same Andrew Shaw mentioned in Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna's letter to James Spens dated December 1623, wherein the Chancellor mentions that Shaw was due payment from King Gustav II Adolf for some 'private business'. Spens noted the safe delivery of the Chancellor's letter to him in his response to the Swede, dated March 1624. In March 1625 he served as an envoy from Chancellor Oxenstierna to James Spens regarding Spens' interest in a property matter. In addition on 2 April 1627 Shaw was authorised by the Chancellor to collect 2 months' salaries for the officers of Leslie's regiment. On the 6 December he wrote a will now kept in the National Archives of Scotland. See [SSNE 4067].
Sources: Andrew Shaw signature as servitor to James Spens is found in: Riksarkivets ämnessamlingar. Personhistoria https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/A0073861_00041#?c=&m=&s=&cv=40&xywh=2485%2C-107%2C4381%2C2527
Swedish Riksarkiv, Anglica 3 f. 19, 13 September 1615; Swedish Riksarkiv, Anglica 5, 22 March 1614, and ibid, 3 May 1614, and ibid, 10 March 1624 and ibid, 8 April 1624; Rikskansleren Axel Oxenstiernas skrifter och brefvexling, first series II, p.602 and ibid first series, III, pp.48, 768; National Archives of Scotland, CC20/4/08. Will of Captain Andrew Schaw, 6 December 1627.
S. Murdoch, Network North: Scottish Kin, Commercial and Covert Associations in Northern Europe, 1603-1746 (Brill, 2006), chapter 7.
Service record
- SWEDEN, LONDON
- Departed 1614-05-09
- Capacity LETTER-BEARER, purpose DIPLOMACY
- SWEDEN, STOCKHOLM/LONDON
- Departed 1624-04-08
- Capacity LETTER-BEARER, purpose DIPLOMACY
- SWEDEN, ALEXANDER LESLIE
- Departed 1627-12-31, as CAPTAIN
- Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY