Genealogy of the house and surname of Setoun

PREFACE. xiii
George, 4th Earle of Winton. " Now living — lie wes bred in France, and wes in
the French King's army a considerable tyme, particularlie during the siege of Beizaulson
in Burgundie. In his return home by England, the King made him a privie councellor,
and gave him a commission to command the militia of East Lothian, with whom and his
vassals he marched to Pentland Hills in the year 1666 ; in the year 1679 to Bothwell
Bridge; and in anno 16S5 against ye laite Earle of Argyle, imitating ye extraordinary
loyalty of his predecessors, never any of y m from ye first Dougall to this day being guilty
of rebellion or treason,* nor addicted to avarice, so y l never was there a remission in y r
charter chist, nor any of the lands of ye church in their possession. This Earl has reas-
sumed the surtout azur, charged with a blazen starr or, (which of laite was layd a syde)
with this suitable motto, ' Intaminatis fulget honoribus.' He built the new harbour east of
Cockenie, called now Port Seton, near to which he now lives in the house of Setoun, the an-
cient seat of his progenators, where being disengaged from publick business, by his prudent
and frugall managerie, will restore his fortune to its former opulent condition, being some
years bygon under debts, which his father and grandfather necessarly contracted by y r loyalty
to y 1 kings in the late rebellion, as said is. He married first Lady Mary Montgomery, daugh-
ter to Heugh Earle of Eglingtoun, with whom he had only a daughter, Lady Mary,
who died a chyld. 2ndly, to Mistres Christian Hepburne, heiress of jEiinston, an ancient
barton in East Lothian, who since King Robert ye Bruce were heritable standart bearers
to ye hous of Setoun ; and its observable that she only, and none of the former ladyes,
brought any lands to ye fortoun. By her the Earle hes tuo sons, George Lord Seton, now
in France, and Mr Christopher, t in whom is to be found such a lyvely transcript of the
raire qualities q ch ennobled y r predicessors, y' they may deservedly be termed the worthy
progenies, successores of y r noble ancestors progenitors."^
Papist, nevertheless, he died of that religion himself, anno 1CGG." Border Antiquities — In the MS. lie-
gister of the Kirk Session of Humbie, the following interdict is to be found : " 2G March, 1G40. The
which day, intimation was made anent the excommunicat Ladies and others at Seatone, that none resort to
them, or receive any sort of cure for their siknes from them." This sickness was the plague ! George, Earl
of Winton, died at Seton on Sunday, 15th Dec. 1G50, " of ane palsey ; and was internet among his ances-
ters in the churche ther, without any funerall solemnity." — Balfour's Annals.
* Excepting to K. James ye 3d, that George Lord Seton wes ane of ye rcbells against him ; and for
which he fell at Flowdon with King James ye 4th, his son. — Myine.
•j- " It is a fact almost forgotten, that the forfeited Earl of Winton quarrelled with his father, resided
some years abr'oad, worked as a journeyman blacksmith, and when he succeeded to the titles, no man knew
where to find him, till accident led to the discovery." — Edinburgh Advertiser, 1824 : For a proof of this, see
Fountainhall's Decisions, vol. ii. p. 391. G7G.
X Mr Christopher wes cut of by death 5 Jan. 1705, to ye great regrate of all that knew him. The
drunken Earle of who had been at Seaton with him at his christening, (sic in MS.) drunk him
so hard that he kust him in a feaver, wherof he died. Robert Mylne, wryter, sould have been with them,
and for whom the coach and they stayed severall houres, but he kept out of the way, — Mylne.