3' "Memoirs of the Earl of Marr. fan. 4. 



of Mr John Colvill*, a strict presbyterlan, but of 

 no great scope of genius. On the death of the re- 

 gent, which happened on the 29th of October 

 1572, the care of his children as well as of King 

 James VI. was committed to the regent's brother, 

 ^ir Alexander Erskine of Gogar, to George 

 Buchanan, Mefs. Adam f and David ErskinesJ, 

 and Mr Young, under the government and di- 

 rection of the old Countefs of Marr, whofe loyalty 

 and tendernefs to the royal family of Stuart, had in- 

 duced her to suckle the young king and afterwards 

 to be his nurse and attendant, under the com- 

 mifsion of the regent and parliament of Scotland Ij. 



* See Randolph's memorial to Queen Elizabeth, hereafter to be in- 

 serted in this memoir, who colls. him. Marr's Pedagogue. 



■\ Adam Erslcine, commendator of Cjmbuskenneth, was the na- 

 tural fon of Thomas, mafter of Erskine, the immediate elder brother 

 of the regent, who was ambafsador in England in the year 1551, and 

 marrying Margaret, daughter of Macolm Lord Fleming, died, without 

 Jawful ifsue. 



( David Erskine, natural son of Robert, master of Erskine, the im- 

 mediate elder brother of Thomas, by Jean Home, he was first 

 abbot and then commendator of Dryburgh ; from whom are descend- 

 ed the families of Shieldfield in Lauderdale, Ralph and Ebenezer 

 Xrskinesjthe famous Scotch seceders, their families, and feveral others- 

 Mr Peter Young sub-preceptor, was chosen by BucliananJ 

 j] A curious account is given of a cholic with which her royal charge 

 was seized at Stirling, whereupon, in the dead hour of the night, the la- 

 dies were all called out of bed to attend the childj when it was remarked 

 by the recorder of this accident, that none of the ^adies had any shifts, 

 except the auld Countefs of Marr, her ladyship being tender, 

 '(sickly.) The young king having one day got for his theme from 

 Burhanan, the history of the conspiracy against James III. at Lauder, 

 wtere Archibald, Earl of Angus obtained the name of Bell the Cat, 

 ifrom his telling them the fable of some rats that had combined against 

 -a cat; when they proposed to 5ei«e and tye a bell ab9ut his necl;, tQ 



