BUCCLEUCH'. The Scotts, dukes of B., arc one of the oldest and most distinguished families in Scotland. The family traces its descent from sir Richard he Scott, in the reign of Alexander III. (124945); but the ancestor who first becomes historically con spicuous is sir Walter Scott of Branxholm and B., a brave and powerful chieftain on the border. B., which from this early period was destined to be associated with the family title, is a lonely estate in the vale of Rankleburn, at the head of Ettrick, Selkirkshire. The sir Walter alluded to flourished in the reign of James V., and on some incidents in his life, his great namesake founded the Lay of the Last Minstrel. Sir Walter fought bravely at the battle of Pinkie, 1547, and was slain in an encounter with sir Walter herr of Cession] in the streets of Edinburgh, 1552. He was succeeded by his grandson, sir Walter Scott of B., a knight "wise, true, and modest," who was succeeded by his only son, who bore the same name, This sir Walter is celebrated for his military exploits on the border, not the least daring of his enterprises being the rescue of one of his attend ants, Rinmont Willie, from the castle of Carlisle. (See Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border.) For his services to the state, in which is to be reckoned his carrying away of large num bers of the border marauders to foreign wars, he was raised to the peerage, 1606, as lord Scott of Buccleuch. Dying in 1611, he was succeeded by his only son. Walter, who, in 1619, received an elevation in the peerage, as lord Whitchester and Eskdale, and earl of Buccleueli. Through his son Francis, the second earl, the family, by a grant, acquired the extensive domain of Liddesdale, formerly belonging to the house of Bothwell; also. by purchase, large territories in Eskdale: awl to 1642, the barony of Dalkeith from the Morton family. Francis left only two daughters, the eldest of whom dying without issue, the titles and estates went to her sister, Anne, who, in 1663, was married to James, duke of Monmouth, an illegitimate son of Charles II. In 1673, this pair were created duke and duchess of B., earl and countess of Dalkeith, etc. After a marriage of twenty-two years, the unhappy duke, on a charge of rebellion, was tried and beheaded, 1685; the duchess, however, retaining her honors, title, and estates, as in her own right. The duke left a family of four sons and two daughters. The duchess afterwM.ds mar ried Lord Cornwallis. by whom she had a son and two daughters, and died In 1732, at Dalkeith house, where she had occasionally resided in princely splendor. James, her
eldest surviving son, pre-deceased his mother, and his son, Francis, by the death of his grandmother, succeeded to the title of duke of Buccleueh. Notwithstanding the con +.
nection with the sou of Charles II., the family still preserved the surname of Scott.
Duke Francis, in 1743, obtained a restoration of his grandfather Monmouth's earldom of Doncaster and barony of Tynedale, and was hence a British peer. In 1720, he mar ried a (laughter of James, second duke of Queensberry, and by this fortunate connection, a portion of the Queensberry estates, along with the dukedom, merged in the family of B. in 1810. Henry, third duke of B., born in 1746, was the greatest and most estimable •of his family. He had for his tutor and friend Dr. Adam Smith, and his beneficent talents were directed towards the improvement of his extensive estates iu the south of Scotland. The amelioration of the soil, the planting of trees, the making of roads, the improving of the breed of sheep, and the social elevation of his numerous tenantry, uniformly engaged his attention. He died in 1812, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Charles, fourth duke, who, dying in 1814, was succeeded by his son, Walter Francis, born 1806, who bears the title of duke of B. and Queensberry, marquis of Dumfriesshire, earl of Drumlanrig, B. Sanqultar, Dalkeith, etc., in the peerage of Scotland; and earl of Doncaster, etc., in the peerage of England. His eldest son, William Henry, takes the courtesy title of earl of Dalkeith. The duke, like his grandfather, is noted for the improvement of his estates, which in Scotland are situated in Mid-Lothian, Dumfries shire, Roxbitrglishire, Selkirkshire, Peeblesshire, Lanarkshire, and stewartry of Kirk cudbright; his farms everywhere being noted for their good steadings and thriving ten antry. As an heritor, the number of churches and school-houses which the duke has been concerned in building is very considerable. He has one small possession in Fife— the island of Inchkeith (q. v). The greatest public improvement ever executed in Scot land by an individual at his own private cost, was carried out by the duke of B. at vast expense. We allude to the creation of the deep-water harbor and port of Granton, on the firth of Forth, 2 in. from Edinburgh. The duke of B. was one of the chief patrons of church livings in Scotland, but waived all claim to compensation when pat ronage was abolished in 1874. The duke is lord-lieutenant of Mid-Lothian and Roxburgh shire, and captain of the Queen's body-guard in Scotland.