Media: USB - 9 volumes, 5903 pages
File format: Adobe Acrobat
Author: J. Balfour Paul
Year: (1904-14) 2024
Publisher: Gould Genealogy

Sir James Balfour Paul (1846-1931) was the Scottish Lord Lyon, King of Arms from 1890 until 1927. Between 1904-1914 he was the editor of the well-known series 'The Scots Peerage'. These were founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland, which contains an historical and genealogical account of the nobility, together with armorial illustrations.

Now republished and available on USB flash drive, 'The Scots Peerage' is without question the most valuable genealogical and historical source available, not only for families holding titles of nobility but also for the innumerable other families who married into those major lines. Each peerage is discussed in detail, with as complete genealogical information as was possible at the time of publication at the beginning of the 20th century.

This immense work totals nine volumes, or 5903 pages. The volumes are each arranged alphabetically by title, beginning with the Kings of Scotland, and then proceeding from the Hamilton Earls of Abercorn through to the Seton Earls of Winton. This massive genealogical effort requires 8 volumes to complete the biographical and genealogical information; a final 9th volume (over 900 pages long) contains an index to all names cited. 'The Scots Peerage' was an incredibly complex, authoritative, and highly respected publication when it first appeared, but it has been out of print now for nearly a century, and is available as used copies only at an extremely substantial price.

SAMPLE ENTRIES: [note this chapter on the Earls of Airlie runs to 28 pages, so the examples below are only a very small snippet]:

Example 1: OGILVY, EARL OF AIRLIE
GILBERT is mentions as witness to a grant made between 1201 and 1204 by which his brother Gilchrist, Earl of Angus, gave the church of Monyfode to the Abbey of Arbroath. The next next record is

ALEXANDER DE OGILUILL, He was present along with William de Ramsay, Hugh de Anegous, and Duncan the 'Judex' at the court held at Forfar 17 February 1250, to determine the suit and attendance dur by the Abbey of Arbroath for the lands of Innerpeffray. To him succeeded

PATRICK DE OGGILUILL, who about 1267 is witness to a mortification by Roger de Quincy, Earl of Winchester, for the souls of his wife and himself, of the church of Lathrisk, with the chapel of Kettle, to the Priory of St. Andrews. Patrick de Eggilvyn signs as oath of fealty to King Edward I. on 15 July 1296, and renews his homage with the other magnates of Scotland at Berwick-on-Tween 28 August, and on 1 September 1305 was a member of the Inquisition held at Perth to examine into the circumstances under which Michael de Miggel was in the company with Sir William Wallace.

PATRICK OF OGILVY, probably a successor, obtain in 1309 from King Robert the Bruce a grant of the Barony of Kettins, in Angus. He, with John of Ogilvy, served on a commission to inquire into the privileges possessed by the Burgh of Dundee in 1325. and succeeded by [.... continues on]

Example 2: OGILVY, EARL OF AIRLIE
II. JOHN, second Lord Ogilvy of Airlie, succeeded his father. He had a sasine of lands in 1504. In 1472 he was styled 'of Fingask', and as 'John of Ogilvy, baron of Fingask', had a safe-conduct with other to pass between England and Scotland in 1493, as envoy of King James IV.
In the charter of Fingask his wife is named Marion. Douglas calls his wife 'Jean, daughter of William, second Lord Graham of Kincardine.' He held his title for a very short time, as he was dead before 9 January 1505-6. He had issue:-

1. JAMES, who succeeded him.
2. Anthony, Abbot of Glenlucs; living 1513
3. Margaret (Elizabeth according to Douglas), married to William Wood of Bonnytoun. She was his spouse in 1529.
4. Janet, stated to have been married to -- Leighton of Ulyshaven. ('Marjorie a woman' had in 1502 a dispensation to marry Walter Lichtoun of Ulyshaven, but there is nothing to connect her with Janet Ogilvy).

The most important genealogical reference work for Scottish families.

This USB contains scans of the original books and they can be browsed, enlarged and printed if required. Fully searchable.