[-wade. THE MELVILLES..
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LASSWADE CnuKCH, 1773. (Afdw an Etching by Yohn Clerk of E(din.1
CHAPTER XLIII.
THE ENVIRONS OF EDINBURGH-(ccmclz&d).
Melville Castle and the Melvilles-The Viscounts Melvil1::-Sheriffnall-Newton-Monkton-Stonyhill-" The Wicked Colonel Charteris "-
New Hailes-The Stair Obelisk-Lord Hailes-His Death.
MELVILLE CASTLE stands on the left bank of the
North Esk, about five furlongs eastward of Lasswade,
and was built by the first Viscount Melville,
replacing a fortress of almost unknown antiquity,
about the end of the last century. It is a splendid
mansion, with circular towers, exhibiting much
architectural elegance, and surrounded by a finelywooded
park, which excited the admiration of
George IV.
Unauthenticated tradition states that the ancient
castle of Melville was a residence of David Rizzio,
and as such, was, of course, visited occasionally by
Queen Mary; but it had an antiquity much more
remote.
It is alleged that the first Melville ever known
'in Scotland was a Hungarian of that name, who
accompanied Queen 'Margaret to Scotland, where
he obtained from Malcolm 111. a grant of land
in hiidlothian, and where he settled, gave his surname
to his castle, and became progenitor of all
the Melvilles in Scotland. Such is the story told
by Sir Robert Douglas, on the authority of Leslie,
143
Mackenzie, Martin, and Fordun ; but it is much
more probable that the family is of French origin.
Be all that as it may, the family began to be
prominent in Scotland soon after the reign of
Malcolm 111.
Galfrid de Melville of Meldle Castle, in
Lothian, witnessed many charters of Malcolm IV.,
bestowing pious donations on the abbeys of Holyrood,
Newbattle, and Dunfermline, before 1165, in
which year that monarch died.
He also appears (1153-1165) as Vicecomes de
CasieZZo Pzd'Eamm, in the register of St. Marie
of Newbattle. He witnessed two charters of
William the Lion to the abbey of Cambuskenneth,
and made a gift of the parish church of
Melville (which, probably, he built) to the monastery
of Dunfermline, in presence of Hugh, Bishop
of St. Andrews, previously chaplain to King
William, and who died in 1187.
Galfrid of Melville left four sons-Sir Gregory,
his successor, Philip, Walter, and Waren. Of the
last nothing is known, but the other three founded
362 OLD AND NEW EDINBURGH. [Iauwade
families of note. Philip became sheriff of the
Mearns, and ancestor of the Melvilles of Glenbervie
; Walter, of the Melvilles in Fife ; but Waren
cannot be traced beyond I 178.
By the chartulary of Aberdeen, Sir Gregory of
Melville, in Lothian, would seem to have witnessed
a charter of Alexander II., confirming a gift of
Duncan, eighth Earl of Mar, to the church of
Aberdeen, together with Ranulph de Lambley,
bishop of that see, who died in 1247.
His son William was succeeded in turn by his
son, Sir John Melville, lord of the barony of
Melville, between the years 1329 and 1344.
In the reign of King Robert II., the Melvilles
of Melville ended in Agnes (grandchild and sole
heiress of Sir John of that ilk), who married Sir
John Ross of Halkhead, to whom and his heirs
the estate passed, and continued to be the property
of his descendants, the Lords Ross of Halkhead,
till the middle of the eighteenth century,
when that old Scottish title became extinct, and
Melville passed into the possession of a family
named Rennie.
The present castle, we have said, was built by
the first Viscount Melville, who married, first, Elizabeth,
daughter of David Rennie of Melville, and
was raised to the peerage in 1802. As Henry
Dundas-descended from the old and honourable
house of Arniston, well known in Scottish legal
history-he had risen to eminence as Lord Advocate
of Scotland in 1775, and subsequently filled
some high official situations in England. He
mamed, secondly, Jane, daughter of John, second
Earl of Hopetoun, by whom he had no family.
In 1805 he had the misfortune to be impeached
by the House of Commons for alleged malversation
in his office as Treasurer of the Navy, and after a
full trial by his peers in Westminster Hall, was
judged not guilty. On this event the following
remarks occur in Lockhart?s ?? Life of Scott ? :-
? The impeachment of Lord Melville was among
the first measures of the new (Whig) Government ;
and personal affection and gratitude, graced as well
as heightened the zeal with which Scott watched
the issue of this-in his eyes-vindictive proceeding
; but though the ex-minister?s ultimate acquittal
was, as to all the charges involving his personal
honour, complete, it must be allowed that the investigation
brought out many circumstances by no
means creditable to his discretion-and the rejoicings
ought not, therefore, to have been scornfully
jubilant. Such they were, however-at least, i n
Edinburgh ; and Scott took his full share in them
by inditing a song, which was sung by James
Ballantyne at a public dinner given in honour 01
the event, 27th June, 1806.? Of this song one
verse will suffice as a specimen of the eight of
which it consists :-
?? Since here we are set in array round the table,
Five hundred good fellows well met in a hall,
Come listen, brave boys, and I?ll sing as I?m able,
How innocence triumphed and pride got a fall.
Push round the claret-
Come, stewards, don?t spare it-
Here, boys,
Off with it merrily-
With rapture you?ll drink to the toast that I give :
MELVILLE for ever, and long may he live ! ?
It was published on a broadside, to be sold
and sung in the streets.
Kay has a portrait of the first Lord Melville in
the uniforni of the Edinburgh Volunteers, of which
he became a member in July, 1795, but declined
the commission of captain-lieutenant. .
Kay?s editor gives us the following anecdote :-
During the Coalition Administration,. the Hon.
Henry Erskine held the office of Lord Advocate
of Scotland. He succeeded Dundas (the future
Viscount Melville), and on the morning of his
appointment he met the latter in the outer house,
when, observing that Dundas had already resumed
the ordinary stuff gown which advpcates generally
wear, he said, gaily, ?I must leave off talking, and
go and order my silk gown,? the official costume
of the Lord Advocate and Solicitor-General. ? It
is hardly worth while,? said Mr. Dundas, drily,
?for all the time you will want it : you had better
borrow mine.?
Erskine?s retort was very smart.
?From the readiness with which you make me
the offer, Dundas, I have no doubt the gown is
made tojtaanyparo; but it shall never be said
of Harry Erskine that he put on the abandoned
habits of his predecessor.? .
The prediction of Dundas proved true, however,
for Erskine held office only for a very short period,
in consequence of a sudden change of ministry.
Lord Melville died on the 29th May, 1811, in
the same week that saw the deatin of his dearest
friend and neighbour, whose funeral he had come to
attend, the Lord President Blair of Avontoun ; and
the fact of ? their houses being next to one another
with only a single wall between the bed-rooms, where
the dead bodies of each were lying at the same
time, made a deep impression on their friends.?
He was succeeded by his eldest son, Robert
Saunders-Dundas, as second Viscount Melville in
Lothian, and Baron Uunira in Perthshire. He
was born in 1771, and married Anne, daughter
and co-heiress of Richard Huck Saunders, M.D.,
upon which he assumed the additional name of
.
