CHALMERS, DAVID, of Ormond, was born in the shire of Roes about the year 1530. He was bred to the church, and having taken orders at Aberdeen, where he had his early education, he proceeded abroad and studied theology and the laws in France and Italy. At Bologna he was, in 1556, the pupil of Mariannus Sozenus. On his return to Scotland he was successively appointed parson of Suddy, provost of Creichton, and chanoellor of the diocese of Ross. He was then employed in digesting the laws of Scotlabd, and was principally concerned in publishing the acts of parliament of that kingdom, by authority, in 1566.
On the 26th January 1565, he was admitted an ordinary lord of session on the spiritual aide, and he was also called by the queen to her privy council. In December 1566, he obtained a charter of the lands of Cutleton, and others in the earldom of Roes, from the crown. This grant was ratified by parliament in April 1567, two mouths after the murder of Darnley, although he was commonly moused of being concerned in that deed. He is said to have afterwards acknowledged his guilt by a precipitate flight to France. (Tytier's Craig,' 95.) If so he must soon have returned again; for on the 19th August 1568, he was forfeited for his assistance to Queen Mary, in her escape from Lochleven (' Act. Part.; iii. 54); and on the 2nd June that year, his place of a lord of session was given to Robert Pitcairn, oommendator of Dunfermline. (Pltmedden Manuscript.)
After the deposition of Mary he retired to Spain, where he was well received by Philip II., and after some stay in that country he went to France, where, in 1572, he presented Charles IX. his 'Histoire abrdisee de tons lea !toys de France, Angleterre, et Ecosse ; ' a work which was afterwards enlarged with a History of the Popes and Emperors, and dedicated to King Henri III. In 1573 he published his 'Discoura de la Legit1m6 Succession des femmes, et du Uouverne ment dea Princesses aux Empires et Royaumea,' which was meant as an answer to Knox's First Blast against the monstrous Regiment of Women. And in 1579 ho published La Recherche des Singularitez plue remarkable concernment l'dtat d'Ecosso,' which he dedicated to Queen Mary. He soon afterwards returned to Scotland, and ou the 4th of September 1583, was restored by the kiug to all his lands, offices, and dignities. The remission was ratified by parliament on the 22nd of May 1584, but under proviso that it should not cover "the odious murthers of our soverane lordia dearest fader and twa regents." (' Act. Purl.' iii. 314.) He was never brought to trial for these or any other crimes; and on the 21st of July 1586, he was restored to his seat on the bench. He retained his seat till his death, which happened in 1592.