Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

XVIII.
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William, fibst Maequis of Annaxdale.
SoPEU Faieholm, IIeief.ss of Ckaigieiiall, his FiiiST jMaechioness.
Chaelotte Vanden Bemi'DE, his second Maechioness.
1672-1721.
CHAPTER FIRST.
Outline of his life—His birtli, 166-1—Succession to his ftither, 1G72—Educated at Glasgow
Grammar School and University, 1G78-1681— Chooses his curators, 1679— Is served
heir to his father, 1680—Marriage with Sophia Fairhohu, 1682—Burning of Newhie
House—On commission to search for Covenanters, 16S4—Intercedes for Monmouth,
16S5—Attends the Parliament of King James, 1680-6—Appointed captain of a troop
of horse, 1688.
This great chief of the Jolu'.slones, the greatest of all the long line
of his family, lived ia the reigns of six sovereigns. Born a few years
after the restoration of King Charles the Second, and surviving till the
accession of King George the First, he v/as thus a subject successively
of King Charles the Second, King James tire Seventh, King William
and Queen ]\Iary, Queen Anne, and King George the First. Annandale
vras too J'oung to serve in any official capacity under King Charles
the Second, but under all the other sovereigns named he was more or
less actively engaged in prominent official positions. Under King James
the Seventh, he first came into official life in the not very enviable position,
in company v.ith Sir Eobert Grierson of Lag, of putting down the risings of
the Covenanters in the western counties of Scotland, a work apparently
very uncongenial to the young nobleman. King James also made him
a pri\7- councillor. When William of Orange made his descent upon
England, the youthful Earl of Annandale warmly espoused the cause of
the Eevolution. But immediately after, on account of his youth and
inexperience, he was casUy misled and induced by his brother-in-law,
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