The Queen's Scapegoat Is My Rebellious Ancestor

At first glance, the details of our Davidson ancestors were of American patriots, Georgia explorers, and North Carolina settlers. As I was looking for more Scottish roots, I discovered an interesting story. See American patriotic items on SoMag2.com. 

Our Davidson ancestor, William McDavid Davison (spelled differently in days of olde), was Queen Elizabeth I's scapegoat for the be-heading of her popular sister Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots.

He (devout Presbyterian) was given her death warrant, after it was signed by the Queen, and was instructed to hold it until Elizabeth gave him the word. Instead, he sent the execution warrant to Mary's jailers immediately. She was executed a few days later without Elizabeth's knowledge, sort of.

There had been a previous attempt by the Queen to have the jailer kill her secretly but he refused. He didn't want that on his conscience.

Once Elizabeth found out her sister was dead, she expelled Davison from court. He lived out his days in the Scottish enclave in Dublin at his estate. He continued to receive, and so did his children, a stipend from the court of £100 annually. After his death his widowed sister also received a pension. His daughters received money as well, through their husbands of course.
He had 4 sons and 2 daughters.
He was born December 17,1538 in Fife, Scotland. He passed at his home in Stepney, Middlesex, England on December 22, 1608 and is buried in London.

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