Maurice, Prince of Orange
Edmonds, born at Stirling, was the son of a baker. While still a boy he ran away from home for an unknown reason and found his way to the Low Countries, where he enlisted as a common soldier under Maurice, Prince of Orange. He was commissioned as a captain on 10 June 1589, and was promoted on 11 June 1599 as colonel commanding the first Scottish infantry regiment in the Netherlands. He returned briefly to Scotland from late July to October 1606 – it was probably about this time that he was knighted – before returning to the Low Countries with 800 new recruits. He died of head wounds received on 3 September 1606 during the defence of Rheinberg.