The peerage of Scotland: containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that Kingdom. ... By George Crawfurd, Esq;.

BRUCE, Earl of Elgin.

THAT the ancient and noble Family of Clackmanan, is branch|ed from the Earls of Carrick, all our Antiquaries do agree, tho they do not deduce the Line of that Descent in each Point alike, to the intent that it may clearly appear that it is, I thought fit to take notice, that King David II. made a Grant to Robert Bruce, dilecto consanguineo suo, of the Castle and Barony of Clackmanan, the 39th Year of his Reigna 1.1, which is sufficient to show he was of the said King's Kindred.

Sir Edward Bruce of Shires-Mill, a younger Son of Sir Edward Bruce of Clackmanan, by Margaret Daughter of Sir Patrick Blackader of Tilliallan in the Time of King James V. acquir|ing several Lands from John Abbot of Culross, in 1541b 1.2, he raised to him|self a fair Fortune. By . . . . . his Wife, Daughter to the Lord Semplec 1.3, he had Robert Bruce of Blairhall, Edward Bruce of Kinloss, and George Bruce of Carnock Ancestor to the Earls of Kincairn. Of these his Children, Edward the second

being the Person of whom I'm chiefly to speak here, I shall deduce what I found related of him from unquesti|onable Authority.

This Edward being bred a Lawyer, was first made one of the Commis|sarrs of Edinburgh, and after that pre••erred to be one of the Senators of the College of Justice by King James VI. 2d December 1597, by the Title of Commendator of Kinloss: And being a Person of great Parts, was by the said King, with the Earl of Mar sent Ambassador to Queen Elisabeth, Anno 1601, to Congratu|late her upon her good Success in re|pressing that Audacious Attempt of the Earl of Essex; and upon the Death of that Queen, being eminent|ly instrumental to the pe••ceful En|trance of King James to the Crown of England, by the Intelligence, which he held privately in her Life|time with Sir Robert Cicel, one of her principal Secretaries of State, and accompanying the King into Eng|land, Anno 1603, in Recompence of his faithful Services, he had the Of|fice of Master of the Rolls conferred on him during Life; and as a further Testimony of his Majesty's Favour, he had a Grant of the dissolved Abbay of Kinloss in Murray erected to him and his Heirs in a Temporal Lord|ship, by Letters Patent bearing date 8th of July 1604a 1.4, being of the Privy Council to his Majesty in both Kingdoms, he departed this Life in the 62 Year of his Age, on the 14th of January 1610, and was interred in the Chapel of the Rolls in Chancery Lane, London, where there is a fair Monument erected to his Memory, with this Inscription upon it.

FUIMUS
Sacrae Memoriae
Domini Edwardi Bruce, Baronis Bruce, Kin|lossensis, sacrorum scriniorum Magistri dicatum qui obiit 14 Jan. Anno sal. 1610. Aetat. 62. Jacobi Regis 8vo. Brucius Edwardus situs hic & Scotus & Anglus, Scotus ut ortu Anglis sic oriundus avis, Regno in utroque decus tulit auctus honoribus am|plis Regi a consiliis Regni utriusque fuit, Conjuge prole, nuru, genero, spe, reque beatus Vivere nos docuit, nune docet ecce mori.

He left Issue by Magdalen his Wife Daughter of Alexander Clark of Bal|birny, in Vicecomitatu de Fife, two Sons and a Daughter,

1. Edward Lord Kinloss.

2. Thomas Bruce Esq

3. Christian, married to William Earl of Devon-shire of the Kingdom of England, and had Issue; Also

Janet, a natural Daughter, mar|ried to Thomas Dalziel of Binns, Mo|ther by him of Lieutenant General Thomas Dalziel.

Which Edward Lord Kinloss was made Knight of the Bath at the Cre|ation of Henry Prince of Wales, and afterward one of the Gentlemen of the Bed Chamber to K. James VI. in 1613 he had the Misfortune to fall into a fatal quarrel with Sir Edward Sack|ville, afterward Earl of Dorset, upon which says a noble Historianb 1.5, They both transported themselves into Flan|ders, attended only by two Chirurgeons, placed at a Distance, and under an Obli|gation not to stir but upon the fall of one of them, they fought under the Walls of Antwerp, where this Lord was killed, whereupon Thomas his Brother became his Heir.

Which Thomas attended King Charles I. into Scotland, and at the Solemnity of his Coronation, was by Letters Patent bearing date the 19th of June 1633, created Earl of Elgin, afterward in the 17 of Charles I. ad|vanced to the Dignity of a Baron of England, by the Title of Lord Bruce of Whorletoun, in the County of York, he married Anne Daughter of Sir Robert Chichester, Knight. 2dly. Diana, Daughter, and one of the Co|heirs of William Lord Burleigh, Son

and Heir of Thomas Earl of Exeter, and departing this Life, Anno 1663, he left Issue by Anne his first Wife,

Robert his Son and Heir, who be|ing Lord Lieutenant of the County of Bedford; and having given great Testimony of his Loyalty to King Charles II. under his misfortunate Troubles; as also been instrumental in the Restauration, he was in the 19th of Charles II. created Lord Bruce of Skeltoun, Viscount Bruce of Ampthil, and Earl of Ailesbury. He married Diana Daughter to Henry Earl of Stamford, by whom he had Issue,

Thomas Lord Kinloss.

James Bruce Esq

Diana eldest Daughter, married first to Sir Seymour Shirely, Baro net, and after to John Duke of Rutland.

Anne, to Sir William ••ich of Sun|ning.

Christian, to John Rolls Esq eldest Son of Sir John Rolls of Stephenson, and afterward to Sir Robert Guyer of Stoke.

Mary, to Sir John Walter of Sares+don, in the County of Oxford, Baronet.

Anne-Charlotte, to Nicolas Bagnal Esq

Henrietta, to Thomas Ogle Esq only Son of Sir Thomas Ogle Governour of Chelsea College.

Which Thomas eldest Son succeed ed him in the Earldom, and married Elisabeth Daughter of Henry Beau|c••••mp, Son of William Marquis of Hartford, Sister, and at length Heir to William Duke of Somerset, by whom he had Issue,

1. Charles, now Lord Bruce of Kin|loss, who has married Anne Daughter and Co-heir to William Marquis of Halifax, and had Issue a Son Robert, born 1707.

This Earl's eldest Daughter Elisa|beth, was married to George Earl of Cardigan, and Lady Mary dyed young.

His Lordship has since married the Countess of Sanaw in Brabant, by whom he had a Daughter Charlot-Maria.

ARMS.

Or, a Saltyre and Chief, Gules, on a Canton Argent, a Lyon rampant, Azure, Supporters two Savages Pro|per, wreathed about the Head and Loins with Lawrel, Motto, Fuimus.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Sir George Mackenzies Collections from the publick Archieves of the Kingdom.
• b 1.2

  Charta in Rotulis Jacobi V.
• c 1.3

  Genealogy of the Family of Elgin.
• a 1.4

  Charta ad Annum 1604.
• b 1.5

  The Earl of Clarenden's History.