Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/185

 2* S. N 9., MAK. 1. '56.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

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chased the estate of Brunton, in Fife, and having been thrice married, was succeeded therein by his eldest son James. He had another son, Thoma: Law, minister of Inchinnan, from whom descended the family of Elvingston, in East Lothian. The elder branch continued for several generations, but it is believed the male line is now extinct.

There is no evidence that the notorious John Law, Comptroller-General of France, was a cadet of this family, but, on the contrary, there is au- thority to show that his grandfather was Andrew Law, minister of Neilston, and son of John Law of Waterfoot, in Renfrewshire. His father, Wil- liam Law, goldsmith in Edinburgh, could not have been (as has been asserted) son of James Law of Brunton (grandson of the archbishop) by Miss Preston, as it can be proved that their marriage took place 2nd October, 1668, while the eldest child of William and his wife Jean Campbell was born 1st February, 1666.

As to the notable mother of the comptroller, I cannot say whether she Could count kindred with Maccallummore, but, from the designations of the individuals of her name who figure in family mat- ters, her relatives do not seem to have held an elevated status. Thus, Hugh Campbell, mer- chant, was one of the witnesses to the baptism of her son John, in April, 1671, and Robert Camp- bell, merchant, in Edinburgh, was one of the tutors nominated by her husband in his will, in 1683, to his children, of whom one was named Robert and another Hugh. William, the gold- smith, purchased the lands of Lauriston, near Edinburgh, in 1683, and died in Paris in the same year. From his third surviving son descended the late Marechal Marquis de Lauriston, Pair de France. Jean Campbell, " Lady Lauriston," died 21st July, 1707, aged sixty-seven. William hud a brother, John Law, also a goldsmith, whose eldest son, William, followed the same trade, and died in 1701. I suppose MR. LEE has seen Wood's Memoirs of the Life of John Law, of Lau- riston. R. R.

In Keith's Historical Catalogue of the Scottish Bishops, by Russell, 8vo., 1824, is the following account of this prelate :

"James Law, son to Mr. Law, portioner of Lathrish, in Fife, and Agnes Strang, of the house of Balcasky, was first minister at Kirkliston in the year 1582 (some think 1585), where he married a daughter of Dundas of Xew- liston. He was afterwards Bishop of Orkney, and con- secrated by Archbishop Spotiswood, anno 1610. From that see he was translated to Glasgow in the year 1615, where he spent the remainder of his days, and died in the month of November, anno 1632, and was interred in the upper end of the chancel of the cathedral, where his second lady, Marion Boyle, daughter of Boyle of Kelburn, caused to be erected a very handsome monument over his grave. He was esteemed a man of good learning, and had a grave and venerable aspect. He left behind him

a commentary upon several places of Scripture, which remains still in MS., and gives a good specimen of his knowledge, both in the fathers and the history of the Church. He left his son the estate of Brunton, in Fife, and he completed the leaden roof of the cathedral of Glasgow." P. 264.

JOHN I. DREDGE.

In speaking of the mother of the financier Law, she is said " to be descended from one of the branches of the house of Argyll." There is little authority for this beyond the gratuitous statement of Mr. Wood in his Life of John Law, of Lauriston, a work which, nevertheless, has great merit, and which will afford MR. LEE all the information relative to the Law pedigree which had been collected at the date of its pub- lication.

I have a discharge by this lady, wherein she is designed " Jean Campbell, relict of the deceased William Law, goldsmith, burges of Edinburgh," of the sum of 5331. 4s. 2J. Scots, being part of a larger sum of 1344/. Scots, due by Thomas Robert- son, of Loch-bank, an Edinburgh tradesman, whose failure occasioned much distress in that city. The money, which was heritably secured, or, in English parlance, secured by mortgage, was paid by the trustees for Robertson's creditors. Mr. Law's agent was Mr. James Anderson the antiquary, whose Diplomata Scotia reflect so much credit on Scotland, and which would have done honour to a richer country. Law, her husband, was an Edinburgh burgess, and it is not very likely that the Argyll family would have been gratified by even a second cousin marrying a tradesman, for such in truth William Law was. I have an ac- count in his own handwriting, dated in " Febru- var," 1669, headed "David Pringell, his accomptto William Law," and bearing his discharge. Amongst the witnesses of the baptism of his son John, oc- curs the name of " Heugh Campbell," who is designed as a "merchant," meaning, scotice, a shop- keeper. Another witness is " Archibald Hislop, bookbinder." It is not very likely that a "lass wi a lang pedigree " would have had persons in so humble a position as witnesses to the baptism of her offspring, when there were plenty of High- land cousins to be got. J. M. (2.)

RUNNING FOOTMEN.

(2 n * S. i. 9. 80. 121.)

Scott, in Bride of Latnmermoor, vol. ii. p. 1 97., editor Ed. Cadell, 1830, has the following :

"Two running footmen, dressed in white, with black oekey-caps, and long staffs in their hands, hsaded the rain ; and such was their agility, that they found no dif- leulty in keeping the necessary advance, which the eti- quette of their station required, before the carnage and