HADDINGTON, EARL OF, a Scottish title bestowed in 1627 upon Thomas Hamilton, earl of Melrose (1563-1637). Thomas was a lawyer who became a lord of session as Lord Drumcairn in 1S92. He was on very friendly terms with James VI., and was one of the eight men, called the Octavians, who were appointed to manage the finances of Scotland in 1596. Hamilton became secretary of State for Scotland (1612), and received a barony in 1613. In 1616 he became lord president of the court of session, and in 1619 was created earl of Melrose, a title exchanged in 1627 for that of earl of Haddington. After the death of James I. the earl resigned his offices, but served Charles I. as lord privy seal. He died on May 29, 1637. James referred familiarly to his friend as Tam o' the Cowgate, his Edinburgh residence being in this street.
The earl's eldest son THOMAS, the 2nd earl (1600-164o), was a covenanter and a soldier. His sons, THOMAS (d. 1645) and JOHN (d. 1669), became respectively the 3rd and 4th earls of Haddington, and John's grandson THOMAS (I679—I 73 5) succeeded his father CHARLES (c. 1650-1685) as 6th earl in 1685, although he was not the eldest but the second son. Charles had married Margaret (d. 170o), the heiress of the earldom of Rothes. It was agreed that the two earldoms should be left separate ; thus the eldest son John became earl of Rothes while Thomas became earl of Haddington. Thomas died on Nov. 28,