lords of secret council, and senator of the col∣lege
of justice, and raised him to the dignity
of the peerage, by the title of lord Balmerino,
to him, and his heirs-male, tailzie, and pro∣vision,
by a charter, under the great seal, dat∣ed
the 20th of February 1603.
He was possessed of a great estate, which
appears from no less than nine charters under
the great seal, in the public registers; parti∣cularly
he purchased from Robert Logan of
Restalrig the lands and barony of Restalrig,
anno 1604, upon which lands he got a char∣ter,
under the great seal, Jacobo domino de
Balmerinoch, terrarum baroniae de Restalrig,
dated 16th May 1605.
This circumstance of the purchase of the ba∣rony
of Restalrig, evidently disproves a story,
which has long prevailed with many, that Lo∣gan
was forfeited by the king, after he was
dead, for the immediate purpose of bestowing
his lands on his favourite secretary Balmeri∣no;
Logan was not forfeited till the 24th
June 1609: 'Tis plain from the above char∣ter,
that Balmerino purchased these lands at
least four years before, and it may be further
observed, that tho' Logan had once a good
estate, he appears to have been denuded of
all, and entirely bankrupt some years before
his death. For,
His lands of Mount Lothan and Nether Go∣gar,
were purchased by Andrew Logan of
Coatfield, anno 1596.
His lands of Fastcastle, and others in the
shire of Berwick, were acquired by Archi∣bald
Douglas of Pittendreich, anno 1602.
His lands of Restalrig, by lord Balmerino,
in 1604, as before observed.
And his lands of Quarrelholes, &c. in
1605. All which is fully instructed by char∣ters
under the great seal, &c.
We now return to James lord Balmerino,
who married, 1st, Clara, daughter of sir John
Menteith of Carse, by whom he had a son,
John, his heir.
He married, 2dly, Margaret, daughter of
Hugh Maxwel of Tealing, by whom he had
a son,
James, lord Coupar, (vide Title, Coupar.)
and two daughters.
1. Anne, married to Andrew lord Fraser.
2. Mary, married to John Hamilton of
Blair.
He died anno 1612, and was succeeded by
his eldest son,
II. JOHN, second lord Balmerino, who,
betwixt 1612 and 1616, got charters, under
the great seal, of his lands of Balmerino, Rest∣alrig,
and many others.
He was likewise a man of great parts and
learning. At the beginning of the civil wars,
he was on the parliament's side but he no
sooner observed them making too great en∣croachments
upon the royal prerogative, than
he joined the king's party, and continued stea∣dy
in his majesty's interest till his death.
He married Anne, daughter of Sir Thomas
Ker of Fernyhurst, sister to Andrew lord Jed∣burgh
and Robert earl of Somerset, by whom
he had a son and successor,
III. JOHN, third lord Balmerino, who
married Margaret, daughter of John earl of
Loudon, by whom he had a son,
John, his successor
He died anno 1704.
IV. JOHN, fourth lord Balmerino, was a
man of eminent parts, great capacity, and a
true lover of his country.
At the parliament 1706, he opposed the
union with all his interest; however, some
years after it was concluded, he was elected
one of the sixteen peers to represent Scot∣land
in the British parliaments, called to
meet anno 1710 and 1713, and was made
general of the mint and sheriff of Edinburgh.
He married, 1st, lady Christian Montgo∣mery,
daughter of Hugh earl of Eglington,
by whom he had two sons, and two daughters,
1. Hugh, master of Balmerino, who was kil∣led
at the siege of Lisle in 1708, without issue.
2. James, afterwards lord Balmerino.
1st daughter, Margaret, married to sir
John Preston of Prestonhall, and had issue a
son, and a daughter.
2. Jean, married to Francis earl of Murray,
and was mother of James now earl of Murray.
He married, 2dly, Anne daughter of Dr.
Arthur Ross, archbishop of St. Andrews, by
whom he had two sons, and one daughter.
1. Arthur, afterward lord Balmerino.
2. Alexander Elphingston, died unmarried.
His daughter,—, died also without issue.
This worthy lord died in 1736, and was
succeeded by his son,
V. JAMES fifth lord Balmerino, a man of
great worth, honour, and integrity. He was
one of the senators of the college of justice,
and always behaved with judgment and im∣partiality.
He married lady Betty Carnegie, daughter
of David carl of Northesk, but died without
issue, and was succeeded by his brother,
V. ARTHUR, sixth lord Balmerino, a man
of great honour, courage, and intrepidity.
He was bred to the army, and, in the queen's
time, was captain of a company of foot.