LAUDERDALE, Roux MArmAxn, Duke of (16)6-82). A Scotch statesman. the grandson of John, first Lord Thirlestane, brother of the famous Secretary Lethington, and son of John, first Earl of Lauderdale, and of Isabel. daughter of Alexamler Seaton, Earl of Dunfermline and Chancellor of Scotland. Ile was born at the ancient family seat of Letliington. May 24, 1616. lle received an excellent education, was carefully trained in Presbyterian principles, and entered public life as a keen Covenanter. In 1643 he attended the Westminster Assembly of Divines as an elder of the Church of Seotland, and was a party to the surrender of Charles I. to the English army at Newcastle. Shortly after, however, he changed his polities, and became a Royalist. When Charles 11. came to -Scotland from Holland, Lauderdale accompanied him. but. being taken at. the battle of Worcester in 1651, tea, kept a prisoner for nine years. Set at liberty by General Monk in 1660, he hastened to The Vague, and was warmly received by Charles. After the removal of Middleton in 1662, and of Rothes in 1667, Lauderdale was practically the sole ruler of Scotland. and for some time dis
played a spirit of moderation and an apparent regard for the religious feelings of his country men; but In soon became a bitter persecutor of the Covenanters. In 1762 Charles showed his appreciation of Lauderdale's conduct by creat ing him Alarquis of March and Duke of Lauderdale; two years afterwards he was raised to the English peerage as Viscount Petersham and Earl of Guilford. and received a seat in the English Privy Council. He was one of the famous `cabal'; hut, by his domineering arrogance, excited the disgust and hatred of his colleagues, as well as of the nation, fell into disgrace, was stripped of his offices and pen sions in 1682. and died at Tunbridge Wells, August 24 of the same year. Consult the articles by Airy in the Quarterly Review, vol. clvii. (Lon don, 1884). and in the English historical lerricw.
i. (London, 1886): and a seleetion from the 36 vols. of Lauderdale MSS. in the British Mu seum, edited for the Camden Society in 3 vols. (London, 1884-85).