THE present Earl derives his peerage from his maternal uncle, the late Alexander Wedderburn, Earl of Rosslyn, Lord High Chancellor of England. I therefore will first give an account of the family of Wedderburn. The surname of Wedderburn is local, and was first assumed by the lords or proprietors of the barony of Wedderburn, in the county of Berwick, when surnames became hereditary in Scotland, in the reign of King Malcolm the Third, who was contemporary with William the Conqueror. WALTER de Wedderburn was one of the great Barons of Scotland, who swore fealty to King Edward the first of England, for the lands he possessed in the county of Berwick, as in Prynue's Ragman's Roll, 2d Ann. 1296.a The direct male line of the Barons of Wedderburn having terminated in an heiress, in the reign of King Robert the Third, married to a younger son of the noble family of Home, that Barony has been in the possession of their descendants from that period till the present. Several collateral descendants of this ancient family were proprietors of lands in the county of Berwick; Willielmus de Wedderburn obtained a charter, under the great seal of King James the First, of the lands adjoining to the barony of Blackader, dated the 20th of January, 1425. He is also mentioned in another royal charter of the same King, dated the 12th May, that year, together with Sir Thomas Hay of Yester, Sir Archibald Douglass of Cavers, Sheriff of Tweedale, and others; a W. Prynne's Hist. of King John, Henry III. and Edward I. Vol. III. b Record of Royal Charters in the Lord Register's office. c Ibid. another Gulielmus de Wedderburn, a man of considerable property, was administrator to his kinsman, Sir John Swinton, of Swinton, during his minority. The immediate ancestor of this family was James Wedderburn, Esq. descended in the collateral male line from the ancient Barons of Wedderburn; he acquired considerable property in the county of Forfar, where he resided, and had issue two sons: David, the eldest son, is mentioned in a charter of confirmation, under the great seal, of a donation," ad sustentationem capellani in ecclesia de Dundee," bearing date, February 19th, 1498. He died without issue. JAMES, second son, succeeded his father, and was styled son of James Wedderburn, merchant-burgess of Dundee. In the reign of King James the Fourth, he married Janet, daughter and heiress of David Forrester, of Nevay, Esq. with whom he acquired a considerable addition to his fortune; by this Lady he had one son, who succeeded him, JOHN Wedderburn, of Tofts, Esq. who got a charter, under the great seal of King James the Fifth; "Johanni Wedderburn, filio Jacobo Wedderburn, jun. burgen. de Dundee, inter ipsum Jacobum, et Janetam Forrester, ejus conjugem procreat;" of lands, in the barony of Tullock Hill, and county of Forfar, dated June 20th, 1527. He also obtained a part of the Lordship of Dudhope, which was confirmed to him by another royal charter from the same King, dated August 3d, 1533.8 He was a gentleman of fine accomplishments, and much in favour with King James the Fifth. When Lord William Howard was sent Ambassador from England, to negotiate an interview between King James and his uncle, King Henry the Eighth, in the year 1530, the Queen-mother challenged his Majesty to produce three landed gentlemen, and three yeomen, to contend in archery with six of the ambassador's retinue; the prize of the victors was an hundred crowns and a tun of wine. This John Wedderburn, together with David Wemyss, of Wemyss, and David Arnot, of Arnot, were the landed gentlemen chosen by the King; they contended at Saint Andrews, and though the Englishmen acquitted themselves as excellent archers, the other party carried away the prize: this is related at length by the Scottish historian, Robert Lindsay, of Pittscottie. He left issue two sons; David, his heir; and John, who was bred to the church. DAVID Wedderburn, of Tofts, Esq. succeeded his father, John. He obtained the lands of Hilltown, of Craigie, in the county of Forfar, by a charter to him and Helen Lawson his wife, under the great seal, dated the ninth of October, 1535;h also the mains of Huntley, in the county of Perth, by another royal charter, under the great seal of Queen Mary, dated the eighth of October, 1552. He lived to a great age, and died about the year 1590. He married Helen Lawson, of the family of Boghall, by whom he had two sons. 1. Alexander, his heir. k 2. James, who was bred to the church, and of whom Bishop Keith gives the following account: "He studied some time at Oxford; but Archbishop Laud's Life of Doctor Heylin says, it was at Cambridge, and perhaps he might have studied at both these universities; in the year 1631, he became a Prebendary of Whitchurch, in the diocese of Wells, in England; afterwards, he was Professor of Divinity at St. Andrews; and on the first of February, 1636, was preferred to the see of Dumblane, but in 1638, was deprived and excommunicated by the Assembly at Glasgow; after this he went back into England, where he died next year (on the 23d of September), 1639, aged fifty-four, and was buried in the Virgin Mary's chapel, within the cathedral church of Canterbury, with the following inscription on his grave-stone: Reverendissimus in Christo pater, Jacobus Wedderburn, Taoduni in Scotia natus, sacelli Regii ibidem decanus Dumblanensis sedis per annos IV Episcopus, antique probitatis & fidei magnumque ob excellentem doctrinam patriæ suæ ornamen tum." It may here be proper to observe, that the excommunication of this worthy prelate above-mentioned, was the effect of the fanatical zeal of the Presbyterian covenanters, who suppresed the whole hierarchy in Scotland at once. David, of Tofts, was succeeded by his eldest son, ALEXANDER Wedderburn, who acquired the Barony of Kingennie, in the shire of Angus, which was for a long time the principal seat of the family; he was frequently intreated to adjust and settle the differences which happened among his neighbours; in which office he was so judicious and impartial, that he gave general satisfaction to all parties. Being entrusted by the town. * Historical Catalogue of the Bishops of Scotland, p. 107. 1 Ant. Wood's Athen. Oxon. of Dundee, in all their principal affairs, he had frequent opportunities of waiting upon King James VI. with whom he became so much in favour, that he accompanied his Majesty when he came to take possession of the crown of England in 1603; and when he was taking leave, to return homeward, the King took a diamond ring from his finger, which he presented to him as a token of friendship, which has been handed down with the property of the estate, and is now in the possession of Alexander Scrymgeour Wedderburn, of Wedderburn, Esq. He was appointed one of the Commissioners, on the part of Scotland, for a treaty of union with England, which did not take effect at that time. He married Helen Ramsay, daughter of the Baron of Brackmouth, in the county of Fife, descended of the family of the Earl of Dalhousie, by whom he had three sons; 1. Alexander. 2. James. And, 3. John. Also three daughters; 1. Elizabeth, married, first, to John Campbell, of Balyershoe, Esq. son of Campbell, of Crenan; and, secondly, to the Rev. Peter Bruce, D. D. Principal of St. Leonard's college, in St. Andrews, a son of the family of Fingask, descended from the house of Clack-Mannan, chief of that ancient name. By him she had a daughter, Elizabeth, married to Simon Mackenzie, of Lochslyne, Esq. brother of George, Farl of Seaforth, by whom she was mother of the celebrated Lawyer, Sir George Mackenzie, of Rosehaugh, Lord Advocate for Scotland, in the reign of King Charles II. 2. Agnes," married to Andrew Haliburton, of Pitcur, Esq. chief of that name, and was representative of the Earl of Dirleton. 3. Magdalene, married to the Rev. Mr. William Wedderburn, Rector of Pittenweem, son of Alexander Wedderburn, of Pittormie, Esq. John, the youngest son of Alexander, first Baron of Kingennie, was bred to the study of physic, and became very eminent in his profession. He was physician to King Charles the First, with whom he was in such great favour, that his Majesty not only conferred the honour of knighthood upon him, but also, in consideration of his long and faithful services, allowed him (by a warrant, under the privy seal, dated the 10th January, 1647-8), a pension during life, of two thousand pounds Scots per annum (166l. 13s. 4d. sterling); but on account of his attachment to his royal master, he was deprived of the benefit of this gift. m Register of the town of Dundee. n Contracts in Archiv. Famil. • Mackenzie's Works, sub tit. Precedency, Cap. 8. 56. In the last mentioned year, when the Rev. Doctor Barwick, afterwards Dean of St. Paul's, London (who was intrusted with the management of the King's correspondence with his friends in England), was seized with a consumption that threatened him with death," The care of his health was wholly intrusted to his dearest friend, Doctor John Wedderburn, who, as he was formerly Physician to his Majesty, so was he afterwards most deservedly distinguished with the honour of knighthood." During all the time of this worthy Divine's sickness and confinement in the Tower, Sir John shewed great address in the King's business in England, and was very instrumental with his Majesty's other friends, in bringing about the Restoration. Immediately after the King's return, Sir John was appointed Physician to his Majesty. King Charles II. in reward of his faithful services, confirmed the yearly pension settled on him by his royal father, by a writ under the privy seal, very honourable to the family, dated the 28th of June, 1661. He was incorporated in the university of Oxford, the 9th of April, 1646, by virtue of the Chancellor's letter, who writes, that "he is one of his Majesty's physicians in ordinary, and a gentleman of known learning, and vast experience." He likewise writes, that "he was originally a professor of philosophy in the university of St. Andrews, but that being too narrow a place for so great a person, he left it, travelled into various countries, and became so celebrated for his great learning and skill in physick, that he was the chief man of his country for many years for that faculty. Afterwards, he received the honour of knighthood, and was highly valued when he was in Holland with the Prince, in 1646 and 47. At length, though his infirmities, and great age, forced him to retire from public practice and business, yet his fame contracted all the Scottish nation to him; and his noble hospitality and kindness to all that were learned and virtuous, made his conversation no less loved, than his advice was desired" He was a most munificent patron and donor to the University of St. Andrews, his alma mater. There is an obligation extant, holograph of his nephew, Sir Peter, dated at Gosford, the 31st of October, 1671,' whereby he became bound to pay an annuity to Sir John. It recites, that Original in the above Charter Chest of the family. r Wood's Fasti Oxon. Vol. II. col. 735. |