Lord Chancellor of Scotland
Encyclopedia
The Lord Chancellor of Scotland was a Great Officer of State
in pre-Union Scotland
.
Holders of the office are known from 1123 onwards, but its duties were occasionally performed by an official of lower status with the title of Keeper of the Great Seal
. From the 15th century, the Chancellor was normally a Bishop or an Earl.
At the Union, the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal
of England became the first Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain
, but the Earl of Seafield
continued as Lord Chancellor of Scotland until 1708. He was re-appointed in 1713 and sat as an Extraordinary Lord of Session
in that capacity until his death in 1730. It has been argued that the office is only in abeyance and could be revived, although revival seems unlikely at the present time.
Great Officer of State
In the United Kingdom, the Great Officers of State are traditional Crown ministers, who either inherit their positions or are appointed to exercise certain largely ceremonial functions. Separate Great Officers exist for England and Scotland, and formerly for Ireland...
in pre-Union Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Holders of the office are known from 1123 onwards, but its duties were occasionally performed by an official of lower status with the title of Keeper of the Great Seal
Great Seal of Scotland
The Great Seal of Scotland allows the monarch to authorise official documents without having to sign each document individually. Wax is melted in a metal mould or matrix and impressed into a wax figure that is attached by cord or ribbon to documents that the monarch wishes to make official...
. From the 15th century, the Chancellor was normally a Bishop or an Earl.
At the Union, the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal
Lord Keeper of the Great Seal
The Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England, and later of Great Britain, was formerly an officer of the English Crown charged with physical custody of the Great Seal of England. This evolved into one of the Great Officers of State....
of England became the first Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
, but the Earl of Seafield
James Ogilvy, 4th Earl of Findlater
James Ogilvy, 4th Earl of Findlater and 1st Earl of Seafield KT PC was a Scottish politician.Findlater was the son of James Ogilvy, 3rd Earl of Findlater, and Lady Anne Montgomerie. He was elected to the Faculty of Advocates in 1685, and was a Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland for...
continued as Lord Chancellor of Scotland until 1708. He was re-appointed in 1713 and sat as an Extraordinary Lord of Session
Extraordinary Lord of Session
Extraordinary Lords of Session were lay members of the Court of Session in Scotland from 1532 to 1762.When the Court of Session was founded in 1532, it consisted of the Lord President, 14 Ordinary Lords and three or four Extraordinary Lords. The Extraordinary Lords were nominees of the King, not...
in that capacity until his death in 1730. It has been argued that the office is only in abeyance and could be revived, although revival seems unlikely at the present time.
David I
- 1124-1126: John Capellanus
- 1126-1143: Herbert of SelkirkHerbert of SelkirkHerbert of Selkirk was a 12th century Tironensian monk, who rose to become 3rd Abbot of Selkirk-Kelso and bishop of Glasgow. While abbot of Selkirk, King David I of Scotland moved Selkirk Abbey to nearby Kelso. He was elected to the see of Glasgow soon after the death of his Bishop John, and...
- bef.1143-1145: EdwardEdward of AberdeenEdward [Ēadweard, Eadward, Édouard, Étbard] was a 12th century prelate based in Scotland. He occurs in the records for the first time as Bishop of Aberdeen in a document datable to some point between 1147 and 1151. His immediate predecessor, as far as the records are concerned, was Bishop Nechtán...
, Bishop of AberdeenBishop of AberdeenThe Bishop of Aberdeen was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Aberdeen, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th century cleric named Nechtan... - c.1147–c.1150: William Comyn
- bef.1150-1153: Walter, possibly Walter fitz Alan
William I
- 1165-1171: Nicholas
- c.1171-1178: Walter de BidunWalter de BidunWalter de Bidun was a clerk of King William of Scotland, Chancellor of Scotland and Bishop-elect of Dunkeld. Walter was a witness to a charter that granted the mainland properties of Iona Abbey, then under the rule of the Lord of the Isles, to the Monks of Holyrood Abbey. He was elected to the...
, Bishop of DunkeldBishop of DunkeldThe Bishop of Dunkeld is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunkeld, one of the largest and more important of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th century cleric named Cormac... - c.1178–1189: Roger de BeaumontRoger de Beaumont (bishop)Roger de Beaumont was Bishop of St Andrews .-Life:He was the son of Robert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester. Roger's position as a younger son of the Earl of Leicester meant that Roger had to seek a fortune elsewhere, and did so withiin the church...
, Bishop of St Andrews - 1189–1199: Hugh de RoxburghHugh de RoxburghHugh de Roxburgh was a late 12th century Chancellor of Scotland and bishop of Glasgow. He was elected to the see soon after the death of his predecessor Jocelin. However, it is probable that he was not consecrated, because he died on 10 July 1199, less than four months after his election...
, Bishop of Glasgow - 1199–1202: William de MalveisinWilliam de MalveisinGuillaume or William de Malveisin was Chancellor of Scotland, Bishop of Glasgow and then Bishop of St. Andrews .William Malveisin was probably born in France...
, Bishop of Glasgow - 1203-1210: Florence of HollandFlorence of HollandFlorence was a late 12th century and early 13th century nobleman and cleric.He was the son of Florence III, Count of Holland and Ada of Huntingdon, sister of Kings Malcolm IV of Scotland and William I....
, Bishop-elect of Glasgow - 1211-1224: William del Bois, Archdeacon of Lothian
Alexander II
- 1226-1227: Thomas de Stirling, Archdeacon of Glasgow
- 1227-1230: Matthew the ScotMatthew the ScotMatthew the Scot was a 13th century Scottish cleric. Matthew had been the Chancellor of Scotland in the late reign of king Alexander II of Scotland. He was appointed in 1227 after the death of Thomas, Archdeacon of Lothian...
, Bishop-elect of Dunkeld - 1231–1233: William de BondingtonWilliam de BondingtonWilliam de Bondington was a 13th century bishop of Glasgow. Before becoming bishop, William was rector of Eddleston, a prebendary of Glasgow, and archdeacon of Lothian. From the year 1231, William was Chancellor of Scotland. He was elected Bishop of Glasgow sometime between 19 May 1232 and June 1233...
, Bishop of Glasgow - 1233-1249: Sir William de Lindsay
Alexander III
- 1249–1250: Robert de KeldelethRobert de KeldelethRobert de Keldeleth was a 13th century Benedictine and then Cistercian abbot. He started his senior career as Abbot of Dunfermline , becoming Chancellor of Scotland later in the 1240s...
, Abbot of DunfermlineAbbot of DunfermlineThe Prior, then Abbot and then Commendator of Dunfermline was the head of the Benedictine monastic community of Dunfermline Abbey, Fife, Scotland. The abbey itself was founded in 1128 by King David I of Scotland, but was of earlier origin. King Máel Coluim mac Donnchada had founded a church there... - 1250-1253: GamelinGamelin (bishop)Gamelin was a 13th century Bishop of St Andrews. He had previously been the chancellor to King Alexander III of Scotland, as well as Papal chaplain. He was postulated to the see in Lent, 1255, and confirmed by Pope Alexander IV on 1 July 1255, who also agreed to overlook Gamelin's apparent "defect...
, Bishop of St Andrews - 1256–1257: Richard de InverkeithingRichard de InverkeithingRichard de Inverkeithing was a 13th century cleric from Scotland, probably from Inverkeithing in Fife. He was a Chamberlain of King Alexander II of Scotland and bishop of Dunkeld....
, Bishop of DunkeldBishop of DunkeldThe Bishop of Dunkeld is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunkeld, one of the largest and more important of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th century cleric named Cormac... - 1259-1273: William WishartWilliam WishartWilliam Wishart was a 13th century Bishop of St. Andrews. He was postulated to the see of St. Andrews while holding the position as Bishop-elect of Glasgow, which he resigned when, on 2 June 1271, he was elected to that vacant see. He was succeeded at Glasgow by his cousin , Robert Wishart...
, Bishop of Glasgow - 1273–c.1279: William FraserWilliam Fraser (bishop)William Fraser was a late 13th century Bishop of St Andrews and Guardian of the Kingdom of Scotland. Before election to the bishopric, he had been and Royal Chancellor of King Alexander III of Scotland and dean of Glasgow...
, Bishop of St Andrews - 1285-1291: Thomas Charteris, Archdeacon of LothianArchdeacon of LothianThe Archdeacon of Lothian was the head of the Archdeaconry of Lothian, a sub-division of the Diocese of St Andrews. The position was one of the most important positions within the medieval Scottish church; because of his area's large population and high number of parish churches, the Archdeacon of...
English Appointees during the Interregnum
- 1291: Alan de St EdmundAlan de St EdmundAlan de St Edmund was a 13th-century English cleric and administrator of the Roman Catholic Church. His name suggests a connection with Bury St. Edmunds Abbey in Suffolk, but there is no direct evidence. He was the chaplain of Hugh of Evesham, another Englishman, from the diocese of Worcester, who...
, Bishop of CaithnessBishop of CaithnessThe Bishop of Caithness was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Caithness, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The first referenced bishop of Caithness was Aindréas, a Gael who appears in sources between 1146 and 1151 as bishop. Aindréas spent much if not all of his career outside his... - 1292: William de Dumfries
- 1292: Alan de Dumfries
- 1294-1295: Thomas de Hunsinghore
- 1295-1296: Alexander Kennedy
- c.1301–c.1305: Nicholas de BalmyleNicholas de BalmyleNicholas de Balmyle , also called Nicholas of St Andrews, was a Scottish administrator and prelate in the late 13th century and early 14th century...
, Bishop of DunblaneBishop of DunblaneThe Bishop of Dunblane or Bishop of Strathearn was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunblane/Strathearn, one of medieval Scotland's thirteen bishoprics. It was based at Dunblane Cathedral, now a parish church of the Church of Scotland. The bishopric itself certainly derives from an older...
Robert I
- 1308–1328: BernardBernard of KilwinningBernard was a Tironensian abbot, administrator and bishop active in late 13th- and early 14th-century Scotland, during the First War of Scottish Independence...
, Abbot of ArbroathAbbot of ArbroathAbbot of Arbroath was the head of the Tironensian Benedictine monastic community of Arbroath Abbey, Angus, Scotland, founded under the patronage of King William of Scotland from Kelso Abbey and dedicated to St Thomas of Canterbury. The abbot, John Gedy, was granted the mitre on 26 June 1396...
(later Bishop of the IslesBishop of the IslesThe Bishop of the Isles or Bishop of Sodor was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Sodor, one of Scotland's thirteen medieval bishoprics. The bishopric, encompasing both the Hebrides and Mann, probably traces its origins as an ecclesiastical unity to the careers of Olaf, King of the Isles,...
)
David II
- 1328-1329: Walter de Twynham, Rector of Glasgow Primo
- 1329-1332: Adam de Moravia, Bishop of BrechinBishop of BrechinThe Bishop of Brechin is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Brechin or Angus, based at Brechin Cathedral, Brechin. The diocese had a long-established Gaelic monastic community which survived into the 13th century. The clerical establishment may very well have traced their earlier origins...
- 1338-1341: William Bullock, Chancellor to Edward Baliol
- 1342: William de Bosco
- 1335x1340–1346: Sir Thomas CharterisThomas CharterisSir Thomas Charteris styled "of Amisfield", was a Scottish nobleman. He supported the Bruce family and was appointed ambassador to England. In 1342 he was appointed Lord Chancellor of Scotland by Dvaid II. He was killed in 1346 at the Battle of Neville's Cross....
- 1350-1352: William Caldwell
- 1353–1370: Patrick de LeucharsPatrick de LeucharsPatrick de Leuchars [also de Locrys or de Lochrys] was a 14th century administrator and prelate in the Kingdom of Scotland. He first appears in the records in 1344 holding a church in East Lothian, and in 1351 attains national prominence as the new Bishop of Brechin...
, Bishop of BrechinBishop of BrechinThe Bishop of Brechin is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Brechin or Angus, based at Brechin Cathedral, Brechin. The diocese had a long-established Gaelic monastic community which survived into the 13th century. The clerical establishment may very well have traced their earlier origins...
Robert II
- 1370–1377: John de CarrickJohn de CarrickJohn de Carrick , a native of Carrick, Scotland, was a 14th century Chancellor of Scotland and Bishop-elect of Dunkeld. Although John's exact origins are obscure, he seems to have come from a branch of the old native comital family of Carrick...
, Bishop-elect of Dunkeld - 1377–1390: John de Peebles, Bishop of DunkeldBishop of DunkeldThe Bishop of Dunkeld is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunkeld, one of the largest and more important of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th century cleric named Cormac...
Robert III
- 1394: Duncan Petit, Archdeacon of GlasgowArchdeacon of GlasgowThe Archdeacon of Glasgow was the head of the Archdeaconry of Glasgow, a sub-division of the Diocese of Glasgow. He was one of two archdeacons serving the Bishop of Glasgow, the other one being the Archdeacon of Teviotdale. This archdeacon was responsible for region of the Diocese of Glasgow...
- 1396-1421: Gilbert de GreenlawGilbert de GreenlawGilbert de Greenlaw was a medieval Bishop of Aberdeen and Bishop-elect of St. Andrews. He was a Licentiate in the Arts, and had been a canon of Bishopric of Moray by the late 1370s, before being provided by Avignon Pope Clement VII the church of Liston in the Bishopric of St. Andrews in 1379. By...
, Bishop of AberdeenBishop of AberdeenThe Bishop of Aberdeen was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Aberdeen, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th century cleric named Nechtan...
James I
- 1422–1425: William LauderWilliam de LawedreWilliam de Lauder [Lawedre] was bishop of Glasgow and Lord Chancellor of Scotland.The son of Sir Robert de Lawedre of Edrington, and The Bass, by his spouse Annabella, William was uterine brother William de Lauder [Lawedre] (born – June 14, 1425) was bishop of Glasgow and Lord Chancellor of...
, Bishop of Glasgow - 1426–1439: John CameronJohn Cameron (bishop)John Cameron was a 15th century Scottish cleric, bishop of Glasgow, and Keeper of the Privy Seal.A licentiate in decrees , and provost of Lincluden, he became an official of the bishopric of St Andrews, and a canon of Glasgow, as well as secretary to Archibald Douglas, Earl of Wigtown, who...
, Bishop of Glasgow
James II
- 1439–c.1444: William Crichton, 1st Lord CrichtonWilliam Crichton, 1st Lord CrichtonWilliam Crichton, 1st Lord Crichton of Sanquhar was an important political figure in Scotland.He held various positions within the court of James I. At the death of James I, William Crichton was Sheriff of Edinburgh, Keeper of Edinburgh Castle, and Master of the King’s household...
- 1444: James Kennedy, Archbishop of Saint Andrews
- 1444-1447: James BruceJames Bruce (bishop)James Bruce was a 15th century cleric who was bishop of Dunkeld, Chancellor of Scotland, and bishop of Glasgow. He was the son of one Robert Bruce, a middling landowner in Clackmannanshire. He was rector of Kilmany , and Archdeacon of Dunkeld...
, Bishop of Dunkeld and Glasgow - 1447–1453: William Crichton, 1st Lord Crichton,
- 1454–1456: William Sinclair, Earl of Orkney and CaithnessWilliam Sinclair, 1st Earl of CaithnessWilliam Sinclair , 1st Earl of Caithness , 3rd Earl of Orkney , Baron of Roslin was a Scottish nobleman and the builder of Rosslyn Chapel, in Midlothian....
- 1457–1460: George ShoreswoodGeorge ShoreswoodGeorge Shoreswood or Schoriswood , was a prelate active in the Kingdom of Scotland during the 15th century. He appears to have been of English-speaking origin, from the family of Bedshiel in Berwickshire....
, Bishop of Brechin
James III
- 1460–1482: Andrew Stewart, 1st Lord AvandaleAndrew Stewart, 1st Lord AvandaleAndrew Stewart was Lord Chancellor of Scotland from 1460 to 1482 and one of the leading servants of King James III of Scotland.-Early life:...
- 1482–1483: John LaingJohn Laing (bishop)John Laing was a 15th century bishop of Glasgow. He was from the family of "Redhouse" in the shire of Edinburgh. Before becoming bishop he was rector of Tannadice in Angus, vicar of Linlithgow, and was rector of Newlands in the diocese of Glasgow when he was provided to the see in 1474. He was...
, Bishop of Glasgow - 1483: James LivingstoneJames Livingston (bishop)James Livingston was a 15th century cleric from East Lothian in south-eastern Scotland. Born at an unknown date in the 15th century, he was a son of the Laird of Saltcoats. He chose a career in the church, and became rector of the churches of Forteviot and Weme, and vicar of Innerleithen. By 1474,...
, Bishop of DunkeldBishop of DunkeldThe Bishop of Dunkeld is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunkeld, one of the largest and more important of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th century cleric named Cormac... - 1483–1488: Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of ArgyllColin Campbell, 1st Earl of ArgyllColin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll was a Scottish nobleman.-Biography:He was the son of Gillespic Campbell, Master of Campbell and Elizabeth Somerville. Elizabeth Somerville was the daughter of John Somerville, 3rd Lord Somerville and Helen Hepburn...
James IV
- 1488 (Feb–Jun): William ElphinstoneWilliam ElphinstoneWilliam Elphinstone was a Scottish statesman, Bishop of Aberdeen and founder of the University of Aberdeen.He was born in Glasgow, and educated at the University of Glasgow, taking the degree of M.A. in 1452. After practising for a short time as a lawyer in the church courts, he was ordained a...
, Bishop of AberdeenBishop of AberdeenThe Bishop of Aberdeen was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Aberdeen, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th century cleric named Nechtan... - 1488–1492: Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll
- 1493–1497: Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of AngusArchibald Douglas, 5th Earl of AngusArchibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus , was a late medieval Scottish magnate. He became known as "Bell the Cat"...
- 1497–1501: George Gordon, 2nd Earl of HuntlyGeorge Gordon, 2nd Earl of HuntlyGeorge Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly was Chancellor of Scotland from 1498–1501.Gordon fought on the King's side against the Douglases during The Douglas Rebellion and helped secure a defeat at the Battle of Brechin. The 2nd Earl completed the building work that his father begun in constructing Huntly...
- 1501–1504: James Stewart, Duke of RossJames Stewart, Duke of RossJames Stewart, Duke of Ross was the son of King James III of Scotland and Margaret of Denmark.-Titles and Offices:He was made Marquess of Ormond at his baptism...
- 1510–1513: Alexander StewartAlexander Stewart (Archbishop of St Andrews)Alexander Stewart was an illegitimate son of King James IV of Scotland and his mistress Marion Boyd. He was the eldest illegitimate child of King James IV of Scotland his mistress Marion Boyd...
(d. 1513), Archbishop of St AndrewsArchbishop of St AndrewsThe Bishop of St. Andrews was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of St Andrews and then, as Archbishop of St Andrews , the Archdiocese of St Andrews.The name St Andrews is not the town or church's original name...
James V
- 1513–1526: James BeatonJames BeatonDr. James Beaton was a Scottish church leader, the uncle of Dr. David Cardinal Beaton and the Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland....
, Archbishop of GlasgowArchbishop of GlasgowThe Bishop of Glasgow, from 1492 Archbishop of Glasgow, was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Glasgow and then, as Archbishop of Glasgow, the Archdiocese of Glasgow...
(later Archbishop of St AndrewsArchbishop of St AndrewsThe Bishop of St. Andrews was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of St Andrews and then, as Archbishop of St Andrews , the Archdiocese of St Andrews.The name St Andrews is not the town or church's original name...
) - 1527–1528: Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of AngusArchibald Douglas, 6th Earl of AngusArchibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus was a Scottish nobleman active during the reigns of James V and Mary, Queen of Scots...
- 1528–1543: Gavin Dunbar, Archbishop of GlasgowArchbishop of GlasgowThe Bishop of Glasgow, from 1492 Archbishop of Glasgow, was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Glasgow and then, as Archbishop of Glasgow, the Archdiocese of Glasgow...
Mary I
- 1543–1546: David BeatonDavid BeatonThe Most Rev. Dr. David Cardinal Beaton was Archbishop of St Andrews and the last Scottish Cardinal prior to the Reformation.-Career:...
, Archbishop of St AndrewsArchbishop of St AndrewsThe Bishop of St. Andrews was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of St Andrews and then, as Archbishop of St Andrews , the Archdiocese of St Andrews.The name St Andrews is not the town or church's original name... - 1546–1562: George Gordon, 4th Earl of HuntlyGeorge Gordon, 4th Earl of HuntlyGeorge Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly was a Scottish nobleman.-Biography:He was the son of John Gordon, Lord Gordon, and Margaret Stewart, daughter of James IV. George Gordon inherited his earldom and estates in 1524 at age 10...
- 1563–1566: James Douglas, 4th Earl of MortonJames Douglas, 4th Earl of MortonJames Douglas, jure uxoris 4th Earl of Morton was the last of the four regents of Scotland during the minority of King James VI. He was in some ways the most successful of the four, since he did manage to win the civil war which had been dragging on with the supporters of the exiled Mary, Queen of...
- 1566–1567: George Gordon, 5th Earl of HuntlyGeorge Gordon, 5th Earl of HuntlyGeorge Gordon, 5th Earl of Huntly , was Lord Chancellor of Scotland and major conspirator of his time.-Biography:...
James VI
- 1567–1573: James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton
- 1573 (Jan–Sep): Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of ArgyllArchibald Campbell, 5th Earl of ArgyllArchibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll was one of the leading figures in the politics of Scotland during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the early part of that of James VI.-Biography:...
- 1573–1578: John Lyon, 8th Lord Glamis
- 1578–1579: John Stewart, 4th Earl of AthollJohn Stewart, 4th Earl of Atholl-Biography:He was the son of John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Atholl and Grizel Rattray. He supported the government of the queen dowager, and in 1560 was one of the three nobles who voted in Parliament against the Reformation and the confession of faith, and declared their adherence to Roman Catholicism...
- 1579–1584: Colin Campbell, 6th Earl of ArgyllColin Campbell, 6th Earl of ArgyllColin Campbell, 6th Earl of Argyll was a Scottish nobleman and politician. He was appointed to the Lord Chancellorship of Scotland.-Biography:...
- 1584–1585: James Stewart, Earl of ArranJames Stewart, Earl of ArranCaptain James Stewart, Earl of Arran was created Earl of Arran by the young King James VI, who wrested the title from James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran...
- 1586–1595: John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of ThirlestaneJohn Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of ThirlestaneJohn Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane, , Knight , was Lord Chancellor of Scotland.He was the second son of Sir Richard Maitland of Thirlestane, Berwickshire, and Lethington, Haddingtonshire, who settled the lands of Thirlestane upon him, and he was sent abroad for his education.Upon John...
- 1599–1604: John Graham, 3rd Earl of MontroseJohn Graham, 3rd Earl of MontroseJohn Graham, 3rd Earl of Montrose was a Scottish peer and Chancellor of the University of St Andrews from 1599 to 1604. He was Lord High Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland, from 1605 to 1607....
- 1604–1622: Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of DunfermlineAlexander Seton, 1st Earl of DunfermlineAlexander Seton, 1st Earl of Dunfermline was a Scottish lawyer, judge and politician. He was Lord President of the Court of Session from 1598 to 1604 and Lord Chancellor of Scotland from 1604 to 1622....
- 1622–1634: George Hay, 1st Earl of KinnoullGeorge Hay, 1st Earl of KinnoullGeorge Hay, 1st Earl of Kinnoull was a Scottish nobleman.He served as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber from 1596, and was knighted around 1609. He was appointed Lord Clerk Register and a lord of session in 1616. He supported the five articles of Perth. He was Lord Chancellor of Scotland from 1622 to...
Charles I
- 1635–1638: John SpottiswoodeJohn SpottiswoodeJohn Spottiswoode was an Archbishop of St Andrews, Primate of All Scotland and historian of Scotland.-Life:...
, Archbishop of St AndrewsArchbishop of St AndrewsThe Bishop of St. Andrews was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of St Andrews and then, as Archbishop of St Andrews , the Archdiocese of St Andrews.The name St Andrews is not the town or church's original name... - 1638–1641: James Hamilton, 1st Duke of HamiltonJames Hamilton, 1st Duke of HamiltonGeneral Sir James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton KG was a Scottish nobleman and influential Civil war military leader.-Young Arran:...
- 1641–1660: John Campbell, 1st Earl of LoudounJohn Campbell, 1st Earl of LoudounJohn Campbell, 1st Earl of Loudoun was a Scottish politician. He was the eldest son of James Campbell of LawersJohn Campbell married Margaret, the daughter of George Campbell around 1620. Margaret was heir to her grandfather Hugh Campbell, first Lord Loudoun, who resigned his peerage in John's...
Charles II
- 1660–1664: William Cunningham, 9th Earl of Glencairn
- 1664–1681: John Leslie, 1st Duke of RothesJohn Leslie, 1st Duke of RothesJohn Leslie , son of John Leslie, 6th Earl of Rothes, was the 7th Earl of Rothes and 1st Duke of Rothes. He was a descendant of Princess Beatrix, sister of King Malcolm III of Scotland...
- 1681-1682: Office vacant
- 1682–1684: George Gordon, 1st Earl of AberdeenGeorge Gordon, 1st Earl of AberdeenGeorge Gordon, 1st Earl of Aberdeen , Lord Chancellor of Scotland, was the second son of Sir John Gordon, 1st Baronet, of Haddo, Aberdeenshire, ; by his wife, Mary Forbes.-Education:...
William II and Mary II
- 1689-1692: In commission
- 1692–1696: John Hay, 1st Marquess of TweeddaleJohn Hay, 1st Marquess of TweeddaleJohn Hay, 1st Marquess and 2nd Earl of Tweeddale was Lord Chancellor of Scotland....
- 1696–1702: Patrick Hume, 1st Earl of MarchmontPatrick Hume, 1st Earl of MarchmontPatrick Hume, 1st Earl of Marchmont , known as Sir Patrick Hume, 1st Baronet from 1648 to 1690 and as Lord Polwarth from 1690 to 1697, was a Scottish statesman...
Anne
- 1702–1704: James Ogilvy, 1st Earl of Seafield
- 1704–1705: John Hay, 2nd Marquess of TweeddaleJohn Hay, 2nd Marquess of TweeddaleJohn Hay, 2nd Marquess of Tweeddale was a Scottish nobleman.Hay was the eldest son of John Hay, 1st Marquess of Tweeddale and his wife, Jean, daughter of Walter Scott, 1st Earl of Buccleuch. In 1666, at Highgate in London, he married Lady Mary Maitland, daughter of John Maitland, 1st Duke of...
- 1705–1707: James Ogilvy, 1st Earl of SeafieldJames Ogilvy, 4th Earl of FindlaterJames Ogilvy, 4th Earl of Findlater and 1st Earl of Seafield KT PC was a Scottish politician.Findlater was the son of James Ogilvy, 3rd Earl of Findlater, and Lady Anne Montgomerie. He was elected to the Faculty of Advocates in 1685, and was a Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland for...
See also
- Privy Council of ScotlandPrivy Council of ScotlandThe Privy Council of Scotland was a body that advised the King.In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of material on the political, administrative, economic and social affairs of Scotland...
- Treasurer of ScotlandTreasurer of ScotlandThe Treasurer was a senior post in the pre-Union government of Scotland, the Privy Council of Scotland.The full title of the post was Lord High Treasurer, Comptroller, Collector-General and Treasurer of the New Augmentation, formed as it was from the amalgamation of four earlier offices...
- Treasurer-depute of ScotlandTreasurer-depute of ScotlandThe Treasurer-depute was a senior post in the pre-Union government of Scotland.Originally a deputy to the Treasurer, the Treasurer-depute emerged as a separate Crown appointment by 1614...
- Secretary of State, ScotlandSecretary of State, ScotlandThe Secretary of Scotland was a senior post in the pre-Union government of Scotland.The office appeared in the 14th century when it was combined with that of Keeper of the Privy Seal. Called Clericus Regis , he was regarded as an Officer of State...
- Master of RequestsMaster of RequestsThe Master of Requests was a Great Officer of State in Scotland.The office first appeared in the reign of James V. Its functions in Scotland included that of receiving petitions from subjects and presenting them for consideration by the Privy Council...
Sources
- Cowan, Samuel, The Lord Chancellors of Scotland Edinburgh 1911. http://www.archive.org/stream/lordchancellorso01cowauoft#page/n7/mode/2up
- "Lord chancellors of Scotland in the Oxford DNB", in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2007 accessed 20 Feb 2007
- Dowden, JohnJohn DowdenJohn Dowden was an Irish cleric and ecclesiastical historian.He was born in Cork in 1840 as the fifth of five children by John Wheeler Dowden and Alicia Bennett. His famous brother was the poet, professor and literary critic Edward Dowden...
, The Bishops of Scotland, ed. J. Maitland Thomson, (Glasgow, 1912)