18 h 33 minAudiobook6 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
At the court of James V, a king’s favour can vanish—and love and loyalty face dangerous tests.
In James Grant’s Jane Seton; Or, the King's Advocate, a young woman of the Scottish gentry stands at the heart of a troubled court. Jane’s love and loyalty are tested in a world where noble families watch one another, and royal favour offers no certain safety.
Scotland under James V is a country shaped by rival houses and uneasy ties between king and nobles. The title also points to the King's Advocate, the law officer who acts for the crown. Grant brings these tensions into a historical romance, with a narrator who pauses to explain the past as the story unfolds.
What you’ll discover
- Love under pressure Follow Jane Seton as love and loyalty meet the dangers of the royal court.
- A watchful royal court Enter a world where noble families watch each other and a king’s favour can disappear.
- Rival houses, uneasy loyalties Explore a Scotland where powerful families struggle for influence over the king and country.
- The crown and justice Discover the office of the King's Advocate and its place in the exercise of royal justice.
- History woven into adventure Let Grant’s history-minded narrator guide you through a romance rooted in Scotland’s past.
Who will love it
You will enjoy this if you love Scottish history, castles and feuds, swordplay and chases on horseback. It also welcomes readers who enjoy loyal friendships and a love story threatened by plots at court.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A queen arrives and old hatreds show
- A love that depends on a king's favour
- The advocate's love turns to hatred
- A masque, a dance and an angry blow
- The trap closes on the Ashkirk family
- Escape, a fierce march and a poisoned cup
- An outlaw faces danger on the shore
- What the story is about and how it is told
Who’s who
- Jane SetonThe gentle, brave daughter of the Earl of Ashkirk, who loves Roland Vipont and is hunted by his rival.
- Sir Roland VipontThe king's master of ordnance, a poor but gallant soldier who loves Jane and trusts his king.
- Sir Adam Otterburn of RedhallThe King's Advocate, learned and feared, who loves Jane to madness and turns that love to hatred.
- Archibald, Earl of AshkirkJane's reckless outlawed brother, who dares the streets of Edinburgh to see his family.
- Margaret, Countess of AshkirkThe proud old Douglas widow, a healer who distrusts princes and believes in omens.
- Nichol BirrelRedhall's loyal witch-pricker, a cruel ruffian who carries out his master's plots.
- Sybil DouglasJane's quiet, dark-eyed cousin, who loves the earl and follows him into danger.
- LintstockRoland's one-eyed old gunner and servant, a loyal forager who watches over his master.
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- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, from the first page.
- Audiobook
- 18 h 33 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 6 minutes, to read or to hear.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
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- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
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Jane Seton; Or, the King's Advocate
by James Grant · 1853
In 1537 a jealous lawyer with the power of life and death hunts the Scottish knight who loves Jane Seton.
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In short
What happens when a king's own lawyer falls in love with a woman who loves another man? Jane Seton, or the King's Advocate is a historical romance by James Grant, set in Edinburgh in 1537.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A queen arrives and old hatreds show
The story opens on May 19, 1537, when Edinburgh rings its bells for King James V and his French bride, Magdalene. The crowds cheer, but the Douglas faction, driven into exile by the king, watches in silence. Among the watchers is the disguised Earl of Ashkirk, with a price on his head.
From a flower-hung balcony, the earl's mother, the proud old countess, and his sister Jane Seton watch the procession. Jane throws a rose to the king and wins a smile from a man who hates her family. Her lover, Sir Roland Vipont, master of the king's ordnance, rides at the king's side and bows to her in secret.
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What is Jane Seton; Or, the King's Advocate about?
It is a Scottish historical romance set in 1537. Jane Seton, daughter of an outlawed noble house, is loved by the soldier Roland Vipont and hunted by the powerful lawyer Sir Adam Otterburn. The story follows plots, escapes and a charge of witchcraft.
Who is the King's Advocate in the book?
He is Sir Adam Otterburn of Redhall, a real historical figure. In the story he is a feared state official who can arrest and torture anyone, and who loves Jane Seton so obsessively that his love turns to hatred.
Is Jane Seton a true story?
It is a novel, though it is built on real history. King James V, Queen Magdalene, Cardinal Beaton and Sir Adam Otterburn were real people, and the author adds legends of Fife and notes on old customs.
The author
James Grant
1822–1887 · Scottish historical novelist
James Grant was a Scottish novelist born in Edinburgh in 1822. He wrote historical novels and books about military history. His first novel, The Romance of War, appeared in 1845. His other novels included Jane Seton and Under the Red Dragon. He died in London in 1887.
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