LOVAT, LORD. SIMON FRASER, afterwards Lord Levet, was born in 1668, at Beaufort, near Inverness, in Scotland. He belonged to the family of the Fraeers, who were powerful as early as the reign of Malcolm 1V. about 1153, and who had large possessions iu Tweedale and elsewhere in the south of Scotland. Simon Fraaer's father died when his eon was very young. After receiving the usual instruction at a grammar-school, he was sent to the University of Aberdeen, where he distinguished himself by his acquirements in classical learning.
In 1692 Fraser, through the interest of the Marquis of Athol, received a commission as captain of a company in Lord Tullibardine's regiment, but soon afterwards resigned in consequence of a dispute with the marquis, who was grandfather to the eldest daughter of the last Lord Lovat, and claimed the estates for her. Simon Fraser, on the contrary, asserted hie own right, as nearest male heir, not only to the estates, but to be chief of the Frasers. In 1694 he succeeded iu winning clandestinely the affections of the heiress, then fifteen years of age, and living with her mother, the dowager Lady Lovat, near Inverness, and she consented to elope with him. She did elope, but the man whom Fraser had engaged to conduct her changed his mind, took her back, and disclosed the plot to Lady Lovat. The heiress was immediately sent under an escort to Dunkeld, the seat of the Marquis of Athol. Fraser made some daring efforts to obtain possession of her, but without success.
About 1700 Fraser went to France, and to ingratiate himself with James IL, then living at the court of St. Germain, formally renounced the Protestant faith, and embraced that of the Roman Catholics. James II. having died in 1701, hls son, James Francis Edward, resolved to make an attempt to regain his father's kingdom, and Fraser was appointed by the courts of Versailles and St. Germain to stir up an insurrection in tho Highlands of Scotland. He was made a colonel (some say a major general), was furnished with credentials to treat with noblemen, gentlemen, and chiefs of clans, and was supplied with arms, ammunition, and money. He embarked at Dunkirk, and landed in Scotland about the end of 1702. He pretended to perform his engagement, but after his return to France in 1703 it was discovered that he had abused his trust, and had disclosed the plot to the Duke of Queetuibury. He was confined in the Bastile, where he remained till 1708, when, in order to obtain his release, he offered to enter into holy orders. By the influence of the popo'e nuncio and other Roman Catholic clergymen he was set at liberty, took orders, retired to St.
Omer, entered the College of Jesuits, and discharged for some years tho duties of a priest with apparent sincerity and much diligence.
When the Rebellion broke out in 1715 Fraser repaired to London, and with some difficulty and risk got to the Highlands of Scotland under the assumed name of Captain Brown. His great object was to obtain his hereditary estates. A large part of the elan of the Frasere received him as their chief, and were willing to act according to his decision ; and as Fraserdale, who bad married the heiress and held the estates, had joined the Pretender, Fraser adhered to the king. He took Inverness from the rebels, and after the rebellion was suppressed his services were rewarded with the title of Lord Levet and the grant of the forfeited estates.
In 1717 Lord married a daughter of the Laird of Grant, and by her had two eons and two daughters, who survived him. His wife having died, he married a young lady nearly related to the Argyll family, and bad a son by her, but treated her with so much cruelty that a separation was the consequence. He was appointed governor of Inverness and lord-lieutenant of Inverness-shire, and lived in tolerable quietness till the second rebellion broke out in 1745, when he joined the side of Charles Edward, the young Pretender, but kept himself at home, and sent his son with the Frasere, pretending, in his reply to the Lord President, who, on the 28th of October 1745, wrote to reproach him, that his son had acted without his authority. There was however abundant evidence of his participation, and ho fled and concealed himself in the wildest parts of the Highlands ; but after many escapes be was caught and conveyed to London. He was con fined in the Tower, and was not brought to trial till the 9th of March 1747. The trial lasted seven days, and he was then found guilty and sentenced to be beheaded. Both before and after his trial he amused every one near him with his jests. When he had received aeutence ho exclaimed on quitting the bar, "Farewell, my Lords, we shall never all again meet in the same place ; " a retort which, as Lord Mahon notices, is transferred by Byron, without acknowledgment, to his Israel Bertuccin. (' Doge of Venice,' act 5, scene 1.) On the 9th of April 1747 Lord Lovat was led to the scaeold on Tower-hill. He was then eighty years of age, and after sitting awhile in a chair, and talking deliberately to those about him, he laid his head quietly down on the block, and gave the sign quickly; and though he a as very fat and his neck unusually short, his bead was cut off at a single blow.