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CHAPTER VI.

The First Laird Livingston-The Second Laird-The Third Laird -Flodden-The FIRST BARONET--Darnley and Mary— Banishment-Restoration-A Juryman in the Morton Trial -Earl of Lennox Arrested-Kilsyth Befriends Him-Divorced -THE SECOND BARONET-His Accomplishments-Fits out a Fleet-His Estates and Wealth-The FIRST VISCOUNT KILSYTH AND LORD CAMPSIE-Defends his Castle-Overpowered by Cromwell—Disgraceful Conduct of Cromwell's Troops-The Castle Burnt-The Supplication of the People— Cromwell's Act of Pardon--Cromwell and the Provost of Glasgow-Charles raises Sir James to the Peerage-The SECOND LORD KILSYTH—Changed Opinions—In Parliament -Resigns Commission- Resigns his Estates-His Vacillation and Character.

THERE have been four lairds, four baronets, and three viscounts in the Livingston line, proprietors of the Kilsyth estates.

The First Laird :-The noble house of Kilsyth was founded by William Livingston, the younger son of Sir John Livingston of Callendar, who fell before the prowess of Hotspur at Homildon Hill in 1402. He was established in Kilsyth by his father, who bestowed upon him the lands of Wester Kilsyth. Marrying Elizabeth, daughter of William de Caldcotis, a relation of his own within the forbidden degrees of consanguinity, he had to obtain a dispensation from the Pope before his nuptials could be consummated. Along with this lady he obtained the estate of Greden in Berwickshire.

The Second Laird :-William, the first proprietor, died in 1459, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Edward,

He

commonly called Edward Livingston of Balcastle. married a daughter of Thomas, Lord Erskine, and died

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SEAL AND AUTOGRAPH OF WILLIAM, SIXTH LORD LIVINGSTON. From original Charter at Colsium House, dated 15th March, 1560-1.

oldest son, William Livingston, who appears to have been a man of considerable mark. In cases of dispute his counsel was often sought after.

He was slain in the

memorable but disastrous battle of Flodden. The right wing of the Scottish army was under the charge of the Earls of Lennox and Argyll. It was under the former that William Livingston marched, and while fighting beneath his standard that he fell.

"The English shafts in volleys hail'd,

In headlong charge their horse assail'd;
Front, flank, and rear, the squadrons sweep
To break the Scottish circle deep

That fought around their King.

But yet though thick the shafts as snow,
Though charging knights like whirlwinds go,
Though billmen ply the ghastly blow,
Unbroken was the ring :

"The stubborn spearmen still made good
Their dark impenetrable wood,

Each stepping where his comrade stood
The instant that he fell.

No thought was there of dastard flight,
Linked in the serried phalanx tight
Groom fought like noble, squire like knight,
As fearlessly and well:

Till utter darkness closed her wing

O'er their thin host and wounded King."

The Fourth Laird :-Having married a daughter of the House of Montrose, the hero of Flodden was succeeded by his son, William Livingston, who having married a daughter of Sir Duncan Forrester of Garden, and dying in 1545, was succeeded by his grandson Sir William Livingston, first baronet of Kilsyth.

The First Baronet:-The first baronet occupied, if not a great, still a most respectable and prominent place amongst the men of his time. The baronetcy arose out of that dark affair, the connection of Darnley with Mary Queen of Scots. On the 15th May, 1565, the Queen

having, at Stirling, created Darnley, who was soon to be her husband, Lord of Armanach and Earl of Ross, to celebrate his accession to his new titles, the new lord was instrumental in getting fourteen gentlemen of his acquaintance knighted. Amongst the new creations was William Livingston of Kilsyth. It is interesting to notice, in the light of recent conflicts, that Sir William sat on the jury which raised John Erskine to the earldom of Mar. When Queen Mary was in captivity, the ministers of Elizabeth took the utmost precautions for the isolation of the Queen from her Scottish friends, who would very willingly have raised her again to the throne. Setting a close watch on all persons passing between England and Scotland, the bearer of a letter from Sir William Livingston was arrested. The contents of the letter were of a compromising character, and Walsingham, Elizabeth's secretary, was greatly enraged, believing that his friend Sir William was acting towards him a double part. It is not clear that his attempt to establish communication with Mary was the cause, but, nevertheless, at this time Sir William was banished several years from Scotland. When he is next heard of, in 1574, he is pardoned by the Regent on account of "his great repentance," and having repaid Walsingham a considerable loan which that minister had never expected to receive, he is once more in favour with the English authorities. On the 15th October, 1580, Sir William was appointed Gentleman of the Bedchamber to James the VI., and when in the following year, Morton, the late Regent, was tried for high treason on account of his supposed complicity in the murder of Darnley, Sir William Livingston was one of the jury of sixteen appointed from among the nobles and gentry of the land who brought in a verdict of guilty. The result of the finding was the execution of Morton.

After the Raid of Ruthven, the Earl of Lennox was arrested and sent to London. Sir William stood by his friend and neighbour in his adversity. He accompanied him to London, and, at an interview with Elizabeth, so softened the Queen's heart that Lennox was allowed to depart peaceably to France. But for Kilsyth's intervention there can be no doubt the most severe judgment would have been meted out. Sir William bore northward the letter to James, which said that it was for his sake Lennox had been treated "otherwise than he deserved." This was the last affair of importance in which Sir William was engaged. His wife, Lady Christian Graham of Menteith, whom he had infeft in the lands of Inchterff, divorced him towards the close of his life. The particulars of the charge do not appear. He died near the end of the century.

The Second Baronet :-The first baronet left one son, Sir William, and two daughters. Sir William Livingston succeeded his father in the estates. He was a man of much learning, solid parts, and great aptitude for business. On the 2nd July 1601 he was admitted a Privy Councillor. As a minor baron he attended on five separate occasions, between 1599 and 1609, the meetings of the Estates, and in the course of the latter year he was appointed one of the Lords of Session. The people of the Western Isles having committed great depredations on the peaceable inhabitants of the mainland, the Baronet of Kilsyth, along with the "Captain of the West Seas," was ordered to arm two ships of sixteen and twenty guns for the destruction of these petty marauders and buccaneers. He was not only a man of talent but also of large means. Besides the barony of Kilsyth, he acquired the estate of Herbertshire, near Denny, the lands of Kincaid and Birdston in Campsie; the superiority of the lands of

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