The office of Keeper of the

Privy Seal of Scotland A privy seal refers to the personal seal of a reigning monarch, used for the purpose of authenticating official documents of a much more personal nature. This is in contrast with that of a great seal, which is used for documents of greater impor ...

, one of the Great Officers of State, first appears in the reign of David II. After the

Act of Union 1707 The Acts of Union ( gd, Achd an Aonaidh) were two Acts of Parliament: the Union with Scotland Act 1706 passed by the Parliament of England, and the Union with England Act 1707 passed by the Parliament of Scotland. They put into effect the t ...

its holder was normally a peer, like the Keeper of the Great Seal. The office has remained unfilled since the death of Gavin,

Marquess of Breadalbane A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman wi ...

in 1922. Section 3 of the Public Offices (Scotland) Act 1817 limited the salary for the office to a maximum of £1,200 per annum. The salary was paid out of the fees charged for instruments passing the Privy Seal, after the salary of the Deputy Keeper had been paid.

Keepers of the Privy Seal of Scotland

*1371: Sir John Lyon *? *1424: Walter Foote, Provost of Bothwell *1426: John Cameron, Provost of Lincluden,

Bishop of Glasgow The Archbishop of Glasgow is an archiepiscopal title that takes its name after the city of Glasgow in Scotland. The position and title were abolished by the Church of Scotland in 1689; and, in the Scottish Episcopal Church, it is now part of th ...

*1432: William Foulis, Provost of Bothwell *1442: William Turnbull,

canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western can ...

of Glasgow *1458:

Thomas Spens Thomas Spens ''de Spens(c. 1415–15 April 1480), Scottish statesman and prelate, received his education at Edinburgh, was the second son of John de Spens, custodian of Prince James of Scotland, and of Lady Isabel Wemyss. Biography By ...

Bishop of Galloway The Bishop of Galloway, also called the Bishop of Whithorn, was the eccesiastical head of the Diocese of Galloway, said to have been founded by Saint Ninian in the mid-5th century. The subsequent Anglo-Saxon bishopric was founded in the late 7th ...

*1459:

John Arouse John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

*1463:

James Lindsay, Provost of Lincluden James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguati ...

*1467:

(again),

Bishop of Aberdeen The Bishop of Aberdeen (originally Bishop of Mortlach, in Latin Murthlacum) was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Aberdeen, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th-century cleric named Nech ...

*1470:

William Tulloch William de Tulloch (died 1482) was a 15th-century Scottish prelate. A native of Angus, he became a canon of Orkney, almost certainly brought there by his relative Thomas de Tulloch, Bishop of Orkney. He was provided to the bishopric upon the ...

Bishop of Orkney The Bishop of Orkney was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Orkney, one of thirteen medieval bishoprics of Scotland. It included both Orkney and Shetland. It was based for almost all of its history at St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall. The bi ...

, later of Moray *1482: Andrew Stewart, Bishop of Moray and half-brother to James III *1483: David Livingston, Provost of Lincluden *1489: John,

Prior of St Andrews The Prior of St Andrews was the head of the property and community of Augustinian canons of St Andrews Cathedral Priory, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. It was established by King David I in 1140 with canons from Nostell Priory, West Yorkshire. It ...

*1500:

William Elphinstone William Elphinstone (143125 October 1514) was a Scottish statesman, Bishop of Aberdeen and founder of the University of Aberdeen. Biography He was born in Glasgow. His father, also William Elphinstone, later became the first Dean of the Fac ...

*1507:

Alexander Gordon Alexander Gordon may refer to: * Alexander Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly (died 1470), Scottish magnate * Alexander Gordon (bishop of Aberdeen) (died 1518), Precentor of Moray and Bishop-elect of Aberdeen * Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly (died 1 ...

*1514: David,

Abbot of Arbroath The Abbot of Arbroath or Abbot of Aberbrothok (and later Commendator) was the head of the Tironensian Benedictine monastic community of Arbroath Abbey, Angus, Scotland, founded under the patronage of King William of Scotland from Kelso Abbey ...

*1519: George Crichton, Abbot of Holyrood and from 1526 the

Bishop of Dunkeld The Bishop of Dunkeld is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunkeld, one of the largest and more important of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th-century cleric named Cormac. However, the first ...

*????: Robert Colvill, of Crawford *1542:

David Beaton David Beaton (also Beton or Bethune; 29 May 1546) was Archbishop of St Andrews and the last Scottish cardinal prior to the Reformation. Career Cardinal Beaton was the sixth and youngest son of eleven children of John Beaton (Bethune) of Ba ...

, Abbot of Arbroath,

Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **'' Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **'' Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, t ...

Archbishop of St Andrews The Bishop of St. Andrews ( gd, Easbaig Chill Rìmhinn, sco, Beeshop o Saunt Andras) was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of St Andrews in the Catholic Church and then, from 14 August 1472, as Archbishop of St Andrews ( gd, Àrd-easbaig ...

*1542: John Hamilton,

Abbot of Paisley The Abbot of Paisley (later Commendator of Paisley; Prior of Paisley before 1219) was the head of the Cluniac monastic community of Paisley Abbey and its property. The monastery was founded as a priory at Renfrew in 1163, but moved to Paisley in 1 ...

, later Archbishop of St Andrews *1547:

William Ruthven, 2nd Lord Ruthven William Ruthven, 2nd Lord Ruthven (died December 1552) was a Scottish nobleman. He served as an Extraordinary Lord of Session and Keeper of the Privy Seal. Life The 2nd Lord Ruthven was the son of William, Master of Ruthven (who was known as Li ...

*1533: Alexander Seton, 1st Lord Fyvie *1563: Sir

Richard Maitland Sir Richard Maitland of Lethington and Thirlstane (1496 – 1 August 1586) was a Senator of the College of Justice, an Ordinary Lord of Session from 1561 until 1584, and notable Scottish poet. He was served heir to his father, Sir William Mait ...

, of Lethington *1567: John Maitland,

Prior of Coldingham The Prior of Coldingham was the head of the Benedictine monastic community of Coldingham Priory in Berwickshire. Coldingham Priory was founded in the reign of David I of Scotland, although his older brother and predecessor King Edgar of Scotland ...

*1571: George Buchanan *1581: John Maitland, Prior of

Coldingham Coldingham ( sco, Cowjum) is a village and parish in Scottish Borders, on Scotland's southeast coastline, north of Eyemouth. Parish The parish lies in the east of the Lammermuir district. It is the second-largest civil parish by area in Berwi ...

*1583: Walter Stewart, commendator of Blantyre *1595: Sir

Richard Cockburn of Clerkington Sir Richard Cockburn of Clerkington, Lord Clerkintoun (1565–1627) was a senior government official in Scotland serving as Lord Privy Seal of Scotland during the reign of James VI.Anderson, William, ''The Scottish Nation; or the Surnames, F ...

*1626: Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Melrose, later 1st Earl of Haddington *1641:

Robert Ker, 1st Earl of Roxburghe Robert Ker, 1st Earl of Roxburghe (1650) was a Scottish nobleman. Early life He was the eldest son of William Ker of Cessford (died 1605), and Janet Douglas. His mother was the widow of James Tweedie of Drumelzier, and the third daughter of ...

*1649:

John Gordon, 14th Earl of Sutherland John Gordon (1609–1679) was the 14th Earl of Sutherland. He was the son of John Gordon, 13th Earl of Sutherland and Agnes Elphinstone (d. 1617), a daughter of the Lord Treasurer, Alexander Elphinstone, 4th Lord Elphinstone. Civil War A strong ...

(appointed by the Parliament) *1660:

William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal (16101670 or 1671) was a Scottish nobleman and Covenanter. He was the eldest son of William Keith, 6th Earl Marischal. Life During the English Civil War, the 7th Earl Marischal joined James Graham, 1st Marque ...

*1661: Charles Seton, 2nd Earl of Dunfermline *1672: John Murray, 2nd Earl of Atholl, later 1st Marquess of Atholl *1689:

Archibald Douglas, 1st Earl of Forfar Archibald Douglas, 1st Earl of Forfar, 2nd Earl of Ormonde (3 May 1653 – 11 November 1712) was a Scottish peer. He was the second son and youngest child of Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus and 1st Earl of Ormond, by his second wife, Jean ...

*1689: John Keith, 1st Earl of Kintore *1689: John Carmichael, 2nd Lord Carmichael *1690:

George Melville, 1st Earl of Melville George Melville, 1st Earl of Melville (163620 May 1707) was a Scottish aristocrat and statesman during the reign of William III and Mary II. In 1643, he succeeded his father as Lord Melville. Career At the Restoration of the Stuarts Melvil ...

*1695:

James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry and 1st Duke of Dover (18 December 16626 July 1711) was a Scottish nobleman. Life He was the eldest son of William Douglas, 1st Duke of Queensberry and his wife Isabel Douglas, daughter of William Douglas ...

*1702: John Murray, 2nd Marquess of Atholl, later 1st Duke of Atholl *1705:

*1709:

James Graham, 1st Duke of Montrose James Graham, 1st Duke and 4th Marquess of Montrose (April 16827 January 1742) was a Scottish aristocratic statesman in the early eighteenth century. Life He was the only son of James Graham, 3rd Marquess of Montrose and Lady Christian Leslie ...

*1713: John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl *1714:

John Ker, 1st Duke of Roxburghe John Ker, 1st Duke of Roxburghe, KG, PC, FRS (30 April 1680–27 February 1741) was a Scottish nobleman. Early life Ker was born on 30 April 1680. He was the second son of Robert Ker, 3rd Earl of Roxburghe, and Margaret Hay, daughter of Jo ...

*1715: William Johnston, 1st Marquess of Annandale *1721: Archibald Campbell, 1st Earl of Ilay *1733: James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl *1763: The Hon. James Stuart-Mackenzie *1765: Lord Frederick Campbell *1765:

John Campbell, 3rd Earl of Breadalbane and Holland John Campbell, 3rd Earl of Breadalbane and Holland KB (10 March 1696 – 26 January 1782), styled Lord Glenorchy from 1716 until 1752, was a British nobleman, diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1727 to 1746. Background ...

*1766: The Hon. James Stuart-Mackenzie *1800:

Henry Dundas Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, PC, FRSE (28 April 1742 – 28 May 1811), styled as Lord Melville from 1802, was the trusted lieutenant of British Prime Minister William Pitt and the most powerful politician in Scotland in the late 18t ...

, later 1st Viscount Melville *1811: Robert Saunders Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville *1851: ''vacant'' *1853: Fox Maule Ramsay, 2nd Baron Panmure, later 11th Earl of Dalhousie *1874: Schomberg Henry Kerr, 9th Marquess of Lothian *1900:

Ronald Ruthven Leslie-Melville, 11th Earl of Leven Ronald Ruthven Leslie-Melville, 11th Earl of Leven and 10th Earl of Melville, (19 December 1835 – 21 August 1906) was a Scottish nobleman. Early life The son of the John Thornton Leslie-Melville, 9th Earl of Leven and his second wife, Sophia, d ...

*1907: Gavin Campbell, 1st Marquess of Breadalbane *1922: ''vacant''

Sources

*J. Haydn, ''The Book of Dignities'', 1894 *François Velde, in thread "Keepers of the Privy Seal of Scotland, 1874–1907", newsgroup alt.talk.royalty, 26 April 2005

Keepers of the Privy Seal of Scotland

Sources

See also