LINDORES, Baron,
a title (dormant) in the peerage of Scotland, conferred in 1600, on
Patrick Leslie, eldest son of the Hon. Sir Patrick Leslie of
Pitcairly, second son of the fourth earl of Rothes. In 1574, on the
retirement of John Leslie, the celebrated bishop of Ross, to the
continent, Sir Patrick received the abbacy of Lindores in
commendam, which had been held by him. He was high in favour
with James VI., who, besides knighting him, appointed him one of the
gentlemen of his bedchamber. He also received various grants of land
in fife and other counties. In Douglas’ Peerage (Wood’s edition,
vol. ii. page 120) it is stated that he was created a lord of
parliament by the title of Lord Lindores, to him and his heirs male
whatever, 25th December 1600. But it appears that it was
his eldest son Patrick who had the abbacy of Lindores erected into a
temporal lordship in his favour, and was created Lord Lindores 31st
March of that year. He was, however, for a time only styled master
of Lindores, in consequence of his father taking the title during
his life. by his wife, Lady Jean Stewart, second daughter of Robert,
earl of Orkney, Sir Patrick had, with five daughters, five sons. The
latter were, besides Patrick, Lord Lindores, James, styled third
lord; Robert, who, after the abolition of episcopacy in Scotland,
got a nineteen years’ lease of the revenues of the bishopric of
Orkney in 1641; Colonel Ludovick Leslie, who served in the German
wars under Gustavus Adolphus, and was governor of Berwick in 1648;
and David, Lord Newark (see NEWARK, Lord).
The eldest son, Patrick, Lord Lindores, died, without issue,
in 1649, and was succeeded by his brother, James, third lord, who
died before 20th July 1667. His son John became fourth
Lord Lindores, and soon after his succeeding to the title, a great
portion of the lands of Lindores were apprised in favour of John
Bayne of Pitcairly, in consequence of debts incurred by his
lordship’s father. The fourth lord died in 1706, leaving a son,
David, fifth lord, who died without issue in July 1719, when the
title devolved on the heir male, Alexander Leslie of Quarter,
great-grandson of the Hon. Sir John Leslie of Newton, a younger
brother of Sir Patrick Leslie, the commendator, styled first Lord
Lindores.
This Sir John Leslie was a lord of session (admitted 13th
November 1641) under the title of Lord Newton, and in 1645 was
appointed one of the commissioners of the exchequer in Scotland.
Having acted as lieutenant-colonel of the king’s horse-guards, and
joined in the ‘Engagement,’ for the rescue of Charles I. in 1648, he
was deprived of his offices by the act of classes in 1649. With one
of his sons, he was killed at the storming of Dundee, by General
Monk, 1st September 1651. His second son, Andrew Leslie,
a major in the army, acquired the lands of Quarter, in the parish of
Burntisland, and died in 1669, leaving a son, John Leslie of
Quarter, who son, Alexander, succeeded as sixth Lord Lindores. His
lordship had the rank of major-general in the army, 24th
February 1761, and died at London, 3d September 1765.
His son, Francis-John, seventh lord, had a company in the
marine forces in March 1757, and died 30th June 1775,
without issue, when the title was claimed by the heir-male, John
Leslie of Lumquhat, the fourth in descent from James Leslie of
Lumquhat, an officer in the 26th regiment of foot, third
son of Lord Newton above mentioned. He voted as Lord Lindores at
several elections of representative peers, without challenge, but at
the general election, 24th July 1790, his votes were
objected to, and the House of Lords, 6th June 1793,
resolved, although on what ground is not apparent, that “the votes
given by the Lord Lindores at the said election were not good.” The
title is, in consequence, considered to have remained dormant since
the death of the 7th baron in 1775, and is said to be
represented by Sir Charles Henry Leslie of Wardes and Findrassie,
baronet. The lands are all in the hands of other families.
