The peerage of Scotland: containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom, ... collected from the public records, and ancient chartularies of this nation, ... Illustrated with copper-plates. By Robert Douglas, Esq;.

MACGILL Viscount OXENFORD.

THE sirname of Macgill is said to be of great antiquity in the south and west of Scotland,* 1.1 and that there were several families of that name who had considerable possessions in Galloway, Carrick, &c. in very early times.

The immediate ancestor of this noble fa∣mily was,

I. JAMES MACGILL, who, in the reign of king James IV.* 1.2 was proprietor of the lands of Newton, Dalgavel, Glenquichen, &c. in the west of Scotland, which lands he sold, and retired to Edinburgh.

He married Elizabeth, daughter of— Cunninghame of Caprington, by whom he had a son and successor,

II. Sir JAMES MACGILL, who was pro∣vost of Edinburgh, enjoyed all the highest of∣fices

of that metropolis in the reign of king James V. and was amongst the first men of rank in Scotland who embraced the reformed religion.

He acquired some lands in the neighbour∣hood of Edinburgh,* 1.3 anno 1537, upon which he got a charter of confirmation, under the great seal, from king James V.

"to him and Helen Wardlaw his spouse, and their heirs,"

dated 7th September 1538.

By the said Helen, a daughter of Wardlaw of Torie, an antient family in the county of Fife, he left issue two sons.

1. James, ancestor of the Macgills of Ran∣keillor,* 1.4 which is instructed by many charters under the great seal; and of him Arthur Mac∣gill, now of Kemback, Esq; is the male re∣presentative.

2. David, progenitor of this family, to whose issue we confine these memoirs.

III. Mr. DAVID MACGILL, second son of sir James, was bred to the law, became e∣minent in that profession, and was one of the most famous barristers of his time.

He first acquired the barony of Nisbet, which appears by his charter and sasine of these lands,* 1.5 anno 1561.

He then purchased the lands and barony of Cranston-Riddel in Mid-Lothian,* 1.6 which af∣terwards became the chief title of his family.

He was made king's advocate anno 1582, which office he enjoyed till his death,* 1.7 and acquitted himself with great reputation for knowledge, candour, and integrity.

He married Elizabeth, daughter of James Forrester of Corstorphin, ancestor of lord Forrester, by whom he had two sons, and two daughters.

1. David, his heir.

2. Laurence, who was bred to the law, and made a good figure at the bar. He died without issue.

1st daughter, Elizabeth, married, 1st, to —Logan of Restalrig;* 1.8 2dly, to sir Thomas Kennedy of Culzean, Bart. ancestor of the present earl of Cassilis.

2. Jean, married to—Ross of Bal∣neil, in the shire of Wigton.

He died in an advanced age, anno 1596, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

IV. DAVID MACGILL of Cranston-Rid∣del, who, being also bred to the law, acquir∣ed great knowledge in that profession, and was one of the senators of the college of ju∣stice.

He married Mary, daughter of sir William Sinclair of Herdmanston,* 1.9 by whom he had two sons, and one daughter.

1. David, his heir.

2. Sir James, who carried on the line of this family, of whom afterwards.

His daughter, Margaret, married to James, second son of William first lord Cranston, ancestor of the present lord Cranston.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

V. DAVID MACGILL of Cranston-Riddel,* 1.10 who was also one of the judges of session in the end of the reign of king James VI. but dying without issue, was succeeded by his brother,

V. Sir JAMES MACGILL of Cranston-Riddel, who, being a man of great parts and learning,* 1.11 was highly esteemed by king Charles I. who created him a baronet, anno 1627, and appointed him one of the senators of the college of justice, anno 1630.

He obtained from his majesty a grant of the teinds, parsonage, and vicarage of the lands of Nisbet,* 1.12 and others, in the shires of Haddington and Edinburgh, anno 1631; also the teinds, parsonage, and vicarage of the lands and barony of Pencaitland, and others, anno 1636; likeways a charter of the lands and barony of Cousland, &c. in February 1639; his author being George, brother's son and heir of sir Hew Herries of Cousland, which sir Hew obtained a grant of these lands from king James VI. for the noble services he did his majesty at Perth (Gowrie's con∣spiracy) anno 1600.

All the above grants and charters are con∣firmed and ratified in parliament,* 1.13 anno 1641.

He was also in the same year appointed, by parliament,* 1.14 one of the lords of session for life, and one of the commissioners of exchequer, 1st February 1645.

Though he appears to have been engaged on the parliament's side,* 1.15 in the unhappy reign of king Charles I. yet king Charles II. was so much convinced of his loyalty,* 1.16 and the in∣tegrity of his heart, that he raised him to the dignity of the peerage, by the titles of vis∣count Oxfurd, lord Macgill of Cousland, &c. by patent to his heirs-male of tailzi•• and pro∣vision whatever, dated 19th April 1651.

After the restoration, he got charters under the great seal, Jacobo vicecomiti de Oxf••rd,* 1.17 domino Macgill de Co••sland, of the lands of Cranston, and several others, in the years 1661 and 1662.

He married, 1st, Catharine, daughter of sir John Cockburn of Ormiston, by whom he had two daughters.

1. Elizabeth, married to Patrick Hamil∣ton of Preston, as will be mentioned here∣after.

2. Anne, married to sir James Richardson of Smeaton.

He married, 2dly, Christian, daughter of sir William Livingston of Kilsyth, by whom he had a son,

Robert, his heir,—and a daughter,

Christian, married, 1st, to Alexander Craw∣furd of Carse; 2dly, to George Ross of Gal∣ston.

He died anno 1663, and was succeeded by his son,

VI. ROBERT, second viscount Oxenford, who married lady Henriet Livingston, daugh∣ter of George third earl of Linlithgow, by whom he had a son,

George, master of Oxenford, who died be∣fore his father without issue, anno 1701;— also two daughters.

1. Christian, who became her father's heir.

2. Henriet, married to James Hamilton of Orbieston, as hereafter.

He dying without male-issue, anno 1706, was succeeded in his estate and honours by his eldest daughter,

VII. CHRISTIAN, viscountess of Oxen∣ford, who married William Maitland, Esq; son of Charles, third earl of Lauderdale, to whom she had a son,

VIII. ROBERT, who, in right of his mo∣ther, succeeded to the titles of Oxenford, and was third viscount.

But these honours were also claimed by James Macgill of Rankeillor, the heir-male, being descended in a direct male-line from James Macgill, eldest son of the first sir James in this account, and uncle to the patentee.

This Robert and that James both gave in lists,* 1.18 and voted with the peers at an election in 1733; but protested against one another.

The said James also presented a petition to his majesty, claiming that peerage, as heir-male to the patence, which was laid before the house of peers; but it seems the lords found, that he had not sufficiently made out his title, whereby this Robert enjoyed it as long as he lived; but he dying without issue anno 1755, and the said James of Rankeillor dying also without issue, Arthur Macgill, now of Kemback, is heir-male and representative, as before observed.

The next heir of line was,

Henriet Macgill, second daughter of the second viscount of Oxenford, married to James Hamilton of Orbieston, before-mention∣ed. She also assumed the titles of Oxenford; but dying without issue, the honours have never been claimed since, though the repre∣sentation now devolves upon Thomas Hamil∣ton of Fala, Esq; the next heir of line, being lineally descended of the first viscount's eldest daughter, to whom we now return.

VI. ELIZABETH MACGILL, eldest daughter of James first viscount Oxenford, married to Patrick Hamilton of Preston, as before observed, and had issue a son,

VII. Colonel THOMAS HAMILTON of Preston, who succeeded to the lands of Fala, which hath ever since been the chief title of his family.

He married Elizabeth Stewart, a daughter of the house of Grantully, by whom he had a son,

Thomas, his heir,—and a daughter,

Elizabeth, married to Malcolm Gibson, Esq; a son of the family of Duric.

He was succeeded by his son,

VIII. THOMAS HAMILTON of Fala, Esq; who, since he became heir of line of the fa∣mily of Oxenford, designs himself Hamilton-Macgill of Fala and Oxenford.

He married Elizabeth, daughter of sir John Dalrymple of Cousland, Bart. one of the prin∣cipal clerks of session, by whom he hath issue one daughter,

IX. ELIZABETH, married to John Da∣rymple, Esq; younger of Cousland, advocate, by whom she hath issue a son,

Thomas,—and a daughter,

Elizabeth.

ARMS.

Gules, three martlets or.

CREST; a phoenix in flames, proper.

SUPPORTERS; on the dexter side, a horse at liberty argent, gorged with a viscount's coronet, with a chain thereto affixed, ma••ed and hoosed or; on the sinister, a bull sable, collared and chained as the former.

MOTTO; Sine fine.

CHIEF SEAT,

At Cranston, in Mid-Lothian.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Martin's col∣lections, vol. II. p. 385. Nisbet. vol. I. p. 358.
• * 1.2

  Martin's col∣lections.
• * 1.3

  Chart. in pub. archiv.
• * 1.4

  Ibidem.
• * 1.5

  Ibidem.
• * 1.6

  Ibidem.
• * 1.7

  Ibidem.
• * 1.8

  Charta penes comi••••m de Ca••••lis.
• * 1.9

  Crawfurd's peerage.
• * 1.10

  Crawfurd's peerage, Cambden, &c.
• * 1.11

  Chart. in pub. archiv.
• * 1.12

  Ibidem.
• * 1.13

  Minutes of parliament, ad ann. 1641.
• * 1.14

  Rescinded acts of parlt.
• * 1.15

  Chart. in pub. archiv.
• * 1.16

  Report of the lords of sessi∣on, &c. ad hae∣redes mascu∣los taliae et pr••visionis quoscunque.
• * 1.17

  Chart. in pub. archiv.
• * 1.18

  Report of the lords of sessi∣on.