Scottish Text Society publications > Third series > Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount, 1490-1555 > Volume 4, 1936

288
THE WORKS OF SIR DAVID LINDSAY
Again, we do not know the age of the second David Lindsay. The
poet died in 1555, aged about sixty-five, but David Lindsay of Rathillet
did not die until 1591. If his father died in 1507 he may quite easily
have been old enough to be a member for the borough in 1541, though
perhaps a little young. But if his father did not die until about 1520
he may not have been much over twenty-five, and too young to be a
provost. And it is perhaps not above suspicion that David Lindsay
of Rathillet should become a provost and then a herald, as he was by
1554-
The problem will probably not be solved until more of the records
of Fife are published, especially more of The Sheriff Court Book of Fife.
The town records of Cupar, I understand, have been destroyed.
VIII.
Appendix V.
When did Lindsay become Lyon King of Arms ?
It is usually stated that Lindsay became Lyon King of Arms in 1530.
This is not quite correct. At most he became Lyon-Depute. He
did not become Lyon King of Arms until 1542.
The confusion is due to Chalmers (I. 14), Laing (I. xxii) and DNB.
Chalmers, who is repeated by Laing and DNB, quoted from MS.
A2. 18 in the National Library of Scotland. This MS., written in
1661, is an account of the office of herald (Balfour MS.). On
p. 38 is : "I find in an old record belonging to Thomsone, lylla herauld,
about 14 K. James 5th, that this same king gave to Sir David Lindsay,
his Lyon King of Armes, of Month, in proper heritadge to him and his
aires in the few dewties of Luthrie, extending to 4 chalders 9 bolls
victuall for his ordinarie fee, and to every herauld the said King gave
lands extending per annum to 20 pound in antiquo rentali, with xo
pound lands of old extent also to each pursevant for the fee.” 1
14 James V. is 1527. No known document supports the evidence
here offered. Yet the main conditions of the grant may be sound.
In January 1529 Lindsay, with the Marchmont, Ross and Hay heralds,
was appointed to act in nomine et ex parte Leonis Regis Armor uni.2
This looks as if the office of Lyon King had been put into commission,
and before Lindsay became a herald he must have been a pursuivant.
There are no records of him as such, but there is one period when it
might have been easily possible for James V. to have made him a
pursuivant—namely, when the poet was dismissed from his office at
Court during the Douglas ascendancy (1525-28). Later, Lindsay pays
a tribute to the king for his personal protection during that period.
But, of course, he could not have been made Lyon King without previous
1 Quoted from Rot. Scac., XVI. xlvi.
* G. Seton, Law and Practice of Heraldry in Scotland. Edinburgh, 1863. Page 480.