KEITH, keth. A Scottish historical house which first appears on record during the latter half of the twelfth century. It took its name from the lands of Keith in East Lothian, to which the office of the King's marisehal was at tached. About 1.158 Sir WILLIAM KEITH was created Earl Marischal and Lord Keith. His house reached its highest power in the person of his great-great-grandson, the fourth Earl, who by marriage with his kinswoman, the co-heiress of Inverugie, nearly doubled the family domains. which now included lands in seven shires. These vast possessions passed to his grandson GEoncE, the fifth earl, who, in 1593, fomuled the schal ('allege and University of Aberdeen. After adding, the lands of the ancient Abbey of Deer to his misfortunes fell upon flee house, and within less than a century Dunnottar was in ruins, and its lord a landless exile. At the age of twenty-two, GEolmE. the tenth and last Earl Maris-deal, took part, with his younger brother JAM ES. in the rising of 1715. He was
attainted, and his estates were forfeited, but he himself escaped abroad, where he rose to dis tinction in the Prussian service. His communi cation to thee British Government of a political secret which he learned when Prussian Ambassa dor at proenred his pardon in 1759. A year or two afterwards be revisited Scotland. and bought bad: part of the family estates, but re fused the proffered restoration of the family titles. lie speedily returned to Prussia. and died there in 1778 at the age of eighty-six. his brother, who had risen in the Prussian service to the rank of field-marshal, fell at Iloehkirch in 1758. (See KErru. Neither leaving any issue, the direct male line of the 'mike came to an end. Consult: Douglas. Peerage of S'eotlond ; Buchan. The inrient and Noble Family of Keith (Peter head. 1820).