Andrew Fletcher, Lord Innerpeffer facts for kids

Andrew Fletcher, Lord Innerpeffer (who died in 1650) was an important Scottish judge.

Andrew Fletcher was the oldest son of Robert Fletcher. His family lived in Forfarshire, Scotland.

Life as a Judge and Politician

Andrew Fletcher became a judge in Scotland on December 18, 1623. He was known as an "ordinary lord of session." This meant he was one of the main judges in the highest court. He kept his job even when other judges were removed in 1626.

In 1630, he joined a special group called a "commission." This group worked on improving Scottish laws. Later, in 1633, he helped review and update Scotland's laws. They wanted to create a new, clear set of rules, but this plan was not finished.

He also helped look at a book called Jus Feudale by Sir Thomas Craig. This book was about old Scottish land laws. Fletcher helped get it ready to be published. In 1638, he helped gather signatures for an important religious document.

In 1639, Fletcher worked on setting fair prices for legal services. The Scottish Parliament agreed with his ideas.

In 1641, the King and Parliament re-appointed Fletcher as a judge. Someone tried to say he shouldn't be a judge because he bought land that was part of a court case. This was looked into by the "privy council," a group of royal advisors. Since he kept his job, the charge was likely proven false.

Around this time, he was also chosen to be a member of Parliament for Forfarshire. However, his election was later cancelled because of a mistake. He did represent the county in Parliament in 1646, 1647, and 1648.

In 1645, he became a "commissioner of the exchequer." This meant he helped manage the country's money. He also served on war committees in 1647 and other important government groups in 1647 and 1648.

In 1648, Oliver Cromwell, a powerful leader in England, fined Andrew Fletcher £5,000. This was a very large amount of money at the time.

Fletcher was a strong supporter of King Charles I. When there was a debate about helping the King against the English army, Fletcher was one of only four people who voted to keep supporting the King.

Because of his support for the King, he lost his jobs as a judge and money manager in 1649. He had also given a large sum of money to help the King's cause. After his death, this money was paid back to his son in 1662. Andrew Fletcher passed away in March 1650 at his home in East Lothian.

Family

Andrew Fletcher married a daughter of Peter Hay. Peter Hay was the brother of George Hay, 1st Earl of Kinnoull. Andrew and his wife had two sons. Their son Robert was later knighted. Robert was the father of a famous Scottish writer and politician named Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun. Their other son, Henry, was the ancestor of the family's branch in Ireland.