The Secretary of Scotland or Lord Secretary was a senior post in the

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...

of the

Kingdom of Scotland The Kingdom of Scotland was a sovereign state in northwest Europe, traditionally said to have been founded in 843. Its territories expanded and shrank, but it came to occupy the northern third of the island of Great Britain, sharing a Anglo-Sc ...

. The office appeared in the 14th century (or earlier) when it was combined with that of Keeper of the Privy Seal. Called ''Clericus Regis'' (although some have applied that to the

Lord Clerk Register The office of Lord Clerk Register (Scottish Gaelic: ''Clàr Morair Clèireach'') is the oldest remaining Great Officer of State in Scotland, with origins in the 13th century. It historically had important functions in relation to the maintenanc ...

), he was regarded as an Officer of State. The Secretary was constantly to attend the King's person, receive the petitions and memorials that were presented to him, and write the King's answers upon them. All

Letters Patent Letters patent (plurale tantum, plural form for singular and plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, President (government title), president or other head of state, generally granti ...

passed through his hands, and were drawn up by him as with all the King's letters and dispatches, warrants, orders, &c. In the case of lengthy documents a short docket was also subscribed by the Secretary for the King's perusal, as a summary; and as all the writings signed by the King came through his hands, he was answerable for them if they contained anything derogatory to the laws or the dignity of The Crown. Scot of Scotstarvet, Sir John, Director of Chancery, ''The Staggering State of the Scots' Statesmen, 1550 - 1650'', Edinburgh, 1754, xxvii - xxviii From 1626 until their respective deaths, King Charles I divided the duties between two Secretaries, the Earl of Glencairn and Sir Archibald Achison of Glencairn. The Secretary did not invariably sit in the

Parliament of Scotland In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

after 1603, because his duties normally involved his attendance upon the

monarch A monarch () is a head of stateWebster's II New College Dictionary. "Monarch". Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest ...

who was thereafter resident in

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. Between 1608 and 1640 there were often two Secretaries, which became normal practice after 1680, although only one could sit in Parliament. The office was abolished as such in 1709, though from then until 1725 and again from 1742 to 1746 there was a third Secretary of State with particular responsibility for Scottish affairs, for those posts, see

Secretary of State for Scotland The secretary of state for Scotland (; ), also referred to as the Scottish secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Scotland Office. The incum ...

Secretaries of State

For the equivalent position after the 1707 Treaty see

References

{{Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom Political office-holders in Scotland Lists of government ministers of Scotland