Sir Robert Nairne of Strathord, 1st Lord Nairne (1600–1683) was a Scottish judge.

Life

He was the eldest son of Robert Nairne of Muckersie, and afterwards of Strathord, both in

Perthshire Perthshire (Scottish English, locally: ; ), officially the County of Perth, is a Shires of Scotland, historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore, Angus and Perth & Kinross, Strathmore ...

, by Margaret, daughter of Sir John Preston of Penicuick, Midlothian, lord-president of the court of session. Like his father, he became a member of the

Faculty of Advocates The Faculty of Advocates () is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary. The Faculty of Advocates is a const ...

. With other royalists Nairne was captured by a detachment from General

George Monck George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle (6 December 1608 3 January 1670) was an English military officer and politician who fought on both sides during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. A prominent military figure under the Commonwealth, his support ...

Alyth Alyth () () is a town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, northeast of Blairgowrie and Rattray, Blairgowrie and about northwest of Dundee. In 2022 the town had an estimated population of 3,046. First mentioned by name in a 12th-century royal char ...

Forfarshire Angus (; ) is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Dundee City and Perth and Kinross. Main industries include agriculture and fishing. Global pharmaceuticals ...

, 28 August 1651 in an incident known as 'the Onfall of Alyth', and sent a prisoner to the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...

, where he remained till the Restoration of 1660. By Charles II he was appointed a

lord of session The senators of the College of Justice in Scotland are judges of the College of Justice, a set of legal institutions involved in the administration of justice in Scotland. There are three types of senator: Lords of Session (judges of the Court ...

, 1 June 1661, and was knighted; and on 11 January 1671 he was appointed to the

court of justiciary The High Court of Justiciary () is the Supreme Courts of Scotland, supreme Scottish criminal law, criminal court in Scotland. The High Court is both a court of first instance, trial court and a court of appeal. As a trial court, the High Cour ...

. On 23 Jan. 1681 he was created a peer of Scotland by the title of Lord Nairne, to himself for life, and after his decease to his son-in-law, Lord William Murray, who assumed the surname of Nairne. At the trial of

Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll Archibald may refer to: People and characters *Archibald (name), a masculine given name and a surname * Archibald (musician) (1916–1973), American R&B pianist * Archibald, a character from the animated TV show '' Archibald the Koala'' Other us ...

in 1681 Nairne was compelled from fatigue to retire while the pleadings on the relevancy were still proceeding. The judges who remained being equally divided, and the

Duke of Queensberry The title Duke of Queensberry was created in the Peerage of Scotland on 3 February 1684 along with the subsidiary title Marquess of Dumfriesshire for the William Douglas, 1st Duke of Queensberry, 1st Marquess of Queensberry. The Dukedom was he ...

, who presided, being unwilling to vote, Nairne was sent for to give his vote. According to

Robert Wodrow Robert Wodrow (167921 March 1734) was a Scotland, Scottish minister and historian, known as a chronicler and defender of the Covenanters. Robert Wodrow was born at Glasgow, where his father, James Wodrow, was a Professor of Divinity (Glasgow), pr ...

he fell asleep while the pleadings for the relevancy were being read to him, but on being awakened voted for the relevancy of the indictment. On 10 April 1683 Lord Castlehill was appointed to be one of the criminal lords in place of Lord Nairne, who was excused from attendance on account of his great age.

Family

By his wife Margaret, daughter of Patrick Graham of Inchbrakie, Perthshire, Nairne had an only daughter,

Margaret Margaret is a feminine given name, which means "pearl". It is of Latin origin, via Ancient Greek and ultimately from Iranian languages, Old Iranian. It has been an English language, English name since the 11th century, and remained popular thro ...

, married to Lord William Murray, who became second Lord Nairne.

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Nairne, Robert Nairne, 1st Lord 1600 births 1683 deaths Nobility from Perth and Kinross Senators of the College of Justice Members of the Faculty of Advocates Lords of Parliament (pre-1707) Peers of Scotland created by Charles II