William Scott of Thirlestane facts for kids
Sir William Scott (around 1670 – 1725) was a Scottish lawyer and a poet. He was known for writing poems in Neo-Latin, which is a type of Latin used after the Middle Ages. He held the title of the 2nd Baronet of Thirlestane.
About His Life
William Scott was the oldest son of Francis Scott, who was the 1st Baronet of Thirlestane. His mother was Lady Henrietta. His parents got married in 1673. William's father built a large building in Edinburgh in 1679.
William studied to become a lawyer in Edinburgh. He became a member of the Faculty of Advocates, a group of senior lawyers, on February 25, 1702.
In 1719, Sir William made a special legal document for his lands at Thirlestane. This document, called a deed of entail, made sure his land would stay in the family for future generations.
It's important to know that there are two places called Thirlestane. One is in Selkirkshire, which is where Sir William's family lived. The other Thirlestane is in Roxburghshire. These two places are sometimes confused.
Sir William Scott passed away on October 8, 1725. He is buried in a special, sealed part of Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh. This area is often called the Covenanter's Prison.
His Writings
Sir William Scott contributed some poems to a book called Selecta Poemata (1726). This book was put together by Archibald Pitcairne. William's poems included lyrics and a type of fun poetry called macaronic verse, which mixes different languages. People who knew him praised his writing skills in the book's introduction.
Some people believed that Sir William wrote a famous song called The Blythsome Wedding. However, another person named Francis Sempill was also thought to have written it. Today, many experts believe that no one knows for sure who wrote this song.
His Family
In 1699, Sir William Scott married Elizabeth. She was the only surviving child of Margaret Brisbane, 5th Lady Napier. After Elizabeth passed away, he married Jean. Jean was the daughter of Sir John Nisbet and the widow of Sir William Scott of Harden.
Sir William's son from his first marriage was named Francis Scott. When his grandmother (Elizabeth's mother) died, Francis became the sixth Lord Napier. This happened because his own mother, Elizabeth, had passed away before her mother.
