# Treasurer of Scotland

The Treasurer was a senior post in the pre-Union government of Scotland, the Privy Council of Scotland.

## Lord Treasurer

The full title of the post was Lord High Treasurer, Comptroller, Collector-General and Treasurer of the New Augmentation, formed as it was from the amalgamation of four earlier offices. Of these, the Treasurer and Comptroller had originated in 1425 when the Chamberlain's financial functions were transferred to them. From 1466 the Comptroller had sole responsibility for financing the royal household to which certain revenues (the property) were appropriated, with the Treasurer being responsible for the remaining revenue (the casualty) and other expenditure. The Collector-General, created in 1562, handled the Crown's revenue from the thirds of benefices, and the Treasurer of the New Augmentation was responsible for the former church lands annexed to the Crown in 1587.
From 1581 Elizabeth I sent James VI an annual sum of money. In February 1599 the Privy Council declared that the Treasurer would administer this English subsidy, spending it on clothes for the royal family and the household of Prince Henry. In previous years the goldsmith Thomas Foulis and cloth merchant Robert Jousie accounted this money.
All four offices were held by the same person from 1610 onwards, but their separate titles survived the effective merging of their functions in 1635. From 1667 to 1682 the Treasury was in commission, and again from 1686 to 1708, when the separate Scottish Treasury was abolished. From 1690 the Crown nominated one person to sit in Parliament as Treasurer.
The Treasurer-depute was also a senior post in the pre-Union government of Scotland. It was the equivalent of the English post of Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Originally a deputy to the Treasurer, the Treasurer-depute emerged as a separate Crown appointment by 1614. Its holder attended the Privy Council in the absence of the Treasurer, but gained independent membership of the Council in 1587 and sat in the Parliament of Scotland as a Great Officer of State in 1593 and from 1617 onwards.

## List of treasurers

The following have been identified as treasurers of Scotland.
| 1420 | Sir Walter Ogilvie of Lintrethan |
| | Thomas de Myrton, Dean of Glasgow Cathedral |
| 1430 | Patrick de Ogilvie |
| 1433 | Walter Stewart, Dean of Moray |
| 1437 | Sir Walter de Haliburton, Knt. |
| | Robert Livingston, son of Sir Alexander Livingston of Callendar, Governor of the Kingdom |
| 1440 | Walter de Haliburton, 1st Lord Haliburton of Dirleton |
| 1449 | Andrew Hunter, Abbot of Melrose |
| 1455 | James Stewart, Dean of Moray |
| 1466 | Sir William Knowlys, Preceptor of Torphichen Preceptory |
| 1473 | John Laing, parson of Kenland |
| 1480 | Archibald Crawford, Abbot of Holyrood |
| | Sir John Ramsay of Balmaine |
| 1490 | Henry Arnot, Abbot of Cambuskenneth |
| 1499 | Sir Robert Lundie of Balgony |
| 1507 | David Beaton of Creich |
| 1509 | George Hepburn, Abbot of Arbroath, later Bishop of the Isles |
| | Andrew Stewart, Bishop of Caithness |
| 1512 | Cuthbert Baillie, Commendator of Glenluce |
| 1515 | James Hepburn, Bishop of Moray |
| 1516 | Sir Walter Ogilvie of Strathearn |
| 1517 | John Campbell of Lundy |
| 1520 | Archibald Douglas of Kilspindie |
| 1526 | William Cunningham, 4th Earl of Glencairn (26 June 1526 – 29 October 1526) |
| 1528 | Robert Cairncross, Abbot of Holyrood, later Bishop of Ross |
| 1529 | Sir Robert Barton of Over Barnton |
| 1530 | William Stewart, Bishop of Aberdeen |
| 1537 | Robert Cairncross, Abbot of Holyrood |
| 1538 | Sir James Kirkcaldy of Grange (Hallyards, Fife) |
| 1546 | John Hamilton, brother of Regent, Abbot of Paisley, later Bishop of St Andrews |
| 1555 | Gilbert Kennedy, 3rd Earl of Cassilis |
| 1561 | Robert Richardson, Commendator of St Mary Isle |
| 1564 | William Stewart, Provost of Lincluden |
| 1571 | William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie |
| 1584 | John Graham, 3rd Earl of Montrose |
| 1585 | Sir Thomas Lyon of Auldbar and Baldukie, Master of Glamis |
| 1595 | Walter Stewart, 1st Lord Blantyre |
| 1599 | Alexander Elphinstone, 4th Lord Elphinstone |
| 1601 | Sir George Hume, 1st Earl of Dunbar, first holder of the four combined treasury offices. |
| 1611 | Sir Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset |
| 1616 | John Erskine, 2nd Earl of Mar |
| 3 April 1630 | William Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton |
| 21 May 1636 | John Stewart, 1st Earl of Traquair |
| 17 November 1641 | in commission |
| | John Campbell, 1st Earl of Loudoun, Lord Chancellor |
| | Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll |
| | William Cunningham, 9th Earl of Glencairn |
| | John Lindsay, 1st Earl of Lindsay |
| | Sir James Carmichael |
| 23 July 1644 | John Lindsay, 1st Earl of Lindsay, Earl of Crawford from 1652, dismissed 13 February 1649 |
| 1660 | in commission |
| | John Lindsay, Earl of Crawford and Lindsay |
| | John Leslie, 7th Earl of Rothes |
| 19 January 1661 | John Lindsay reappointed |
| 4 June 1663 | John Leslie, 7th Earl of Rothes - appointed Chancellor 16 April 1667 |
| 20 June 1667 | in commission |
| | John Leslie, 7th Earl of Rothes, Lord Chancellor |
| | John Maitland, 2nd Earl of Lauderdale |
| | John Hay, 2nd Earl of Tweeddale |
| | Alexander Bruce, 2nd Earl of Kincardine |
| | John, Lord Cochrane (eldest son of Earl of Dundonald) |
| | Sir Robert Murray, Lord Justice Clerk |
| 1674 | in commission |
| | John Leslie, 7th Earl of Rothes, Lord Chancellor |
| | John Maitland, 2nd Earl of Lauderdale |
| | John Cochrane, 2nd Earl of Dundonald |
| | Colin Lindsay, 3rd Earl of Balcarres |
| | Charles Maitland, Deputy Treasurer and Master of the Mint |
| 1 May 1682 | William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Queensberry, later Duke of Queensberry |
| 24 February 1686 | in commission |
| | William Douglas, 1st Duke of Queensberry, |
| | James Drummond, 4th Earl of Perth, Lord Chancellor |
| | William Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton |
| | John Keith, 1st Earl of Kintore, Treasurer Depute |
| | George Mackenzie, Viscount Tarbat, Lord Clerk Register |
| | William Drummond, later Viscount Strathallan |
| 1687 | in commission |
| | James Drummond, 4th Earl of Perth, Lord Chancellor |
| | John Murray, 1st Marquess of Atholl, Lord Privy Seal |
| | William Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton |
| | George Gordon, 1st Duke of Gordon |
| | John Hay, 2nd Earl of Tweeddale |
| | Colin Lindsay, 3rd Earl of Balcarres |
| | George Mackenzie, Viscount Tarbat |
| | William Drummond |
| | Richard, Viscount Maitland, eldest son to the Earl of Lauderdale, Treasurer Depute. |
| 1689 | in commission |
| | William Lindsay, 18th Earl of Crawford |
| | John Kennedy, 7th Earl of Cassilis |
| | John Hay, 2nd Earl of Tweeddale |
| | David Ruthven, 2nd Lord Ruthven of Freeland |
| | Alexander Melville, eldest son to the Earl of Melville |
| 1692 | in commission |
| | John Hay, 2nd Earl of Tweeddale, Chancellor |
| | James Douglas, Earl of Drumlanrig, eldest son to the Duke of Queensberry |
| | John Kennedy, 7th Earl of Cassilis |
| | George Livingston, 4th Earl of Linlithgow |
| | John Campbell, 1st Earl of Breadalbane and Holland |
| | Alexander, Lord Raith, treasurer-depute |
| 1695 | in commission |
| | John Hay, 1st Marquess of Tweeddale, Chancellor |
| | James Douglas, Earl of Drumlanrig |
| | John Kennedy, 7th Earl of Cassilis |
| | George Livingston, 4th Earl of Linlithgow |
| | John Campbell, 1st Earl of Breadalbane and Holland |
| | John, Lord Yester, eldest son of the Marquess of Tweeddale |
| 30 January 1696 | in commission |
| | John Hay, 1st Marquess of Tweeddale, Chancellor |
| | James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry |
| | Archibald Campbell, 10th Earl of Argyll |
| | William Johnstone, 2nd Earl of Annandale and Hartfell |
| | Alexander, Lord Raith, treasurer-depute |
| | Sir John Maxwell, 1st Baronet |
| 24 May 1696 | in commission |
| | Patrick, Lord Polwarth, Lord Chancellor James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry Archibald Campbell, 10th Earl of Argyll William Johnstone, 2nd Earl of Annandale and Hartfell Alexander Hume, treasurer-depute Sir John Maxwell, 1st Baronet |
| 1698 | in commission |
| | Patrick Hume, 1st Earl of Marchmont, Lord Chancellor James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry Archibald Campbell, 10th Earl of Argyll William Johnstone, 2nd Earl of Annandale and Hartfell Adam Cockburn of Ormiston, treasurer-depute Sir John Maxwell, 1st Baronet |
| 1702 | in commission |
| | James Ogilvy, 1st Earl of Seafield, Lord Chancellor James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry Archibald Campbell, 10th Earl of Argyll William Johnstone, 2nd Earl of Annandale and Hartfell Alexander Montgomerie, 9th Earl of Eglinton Hugh Campbell, 3rd Earl of Loudoun David Boyle, Lord Boyle, treasurer-depute David Wemyss, Lord Elcho |
| 1703 | in commission |
| | James Ogilvy, Earl of Seafield, Lord Chancellor James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry Archibald, Duke of Argyll William Johnstone, 1st Marquess of Annandale Alexander Montgomerie, 9th Earl of Eglinton Hugh Campbell, 3rd Earl of Loudoun David Boyle, Lord Boyle Francis Montgomerie |
| 1704 | in commission |
| | John Hay, 1st Marquess of Tweeddale, Lord Chancellor William Johnstone, 1st Marquess of Annandale Hugh Campbell, 3rd Earl of Loudoun Charles Douglas, 2nd Earl of Selkirk John Hamilton, 2nd Lord Belhaven and Stenton George Baillie, treasurer-depute Francis Montgomerie Sir John Hume, baronet |
| 1705 | in commission |
| | James Ogilvy, 1st Earl of Seafield, Lord Chancellor James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry James Graham, 1st Duke of Montrose James Stewart, 5th Earl of Galloway David Carnegie, 4th Earl of Northesk Archibald Douglas, 1st Earl of Forfar David Boyle, 1st Earl of Glasgow, treasurer-depute Lord Archibald Campbell William Ross, 12th Lord Ross Francis Montgomerie |
| 1706 | in commission |
| | James Ogilvy, 1st Earl of Seafield, Lord Chancellor James Graham, 1st Duke of Montrose James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry David Carnegie, 4th Earl of Northesk Archibald Douglas, 1st Earl of Forfar David Boyle, 1st Earl of Glasgow, treasurer-depute William Ross, 12th Lord Ross Francis Montgomerie |
| 1707 | in commission |
| | James Ogilvy, 1st Earl of Seafield, Lord Chancellor James Graham, 1st Duke of Montrose, president of the privy council James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry, keeper of the privy seal David Boyle, 1st Earl of Glasgow, treasurer-depute William Ross, 12th Lord Ross Francis Montgomerie |

## Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer

The final audited accounts of the Lord High Treasurer were public records of Scotland. These survive as an almost complete record from 1473 to 1635 at the National Archives of Scotland in Edinburgh. Even the early accounts were written on paper rather than vellum. The Scots language was preferred over Latin for the expenditure or "discharge" side. The income, of rents and feudal duties, especially the fees on property transactions known as "compositions", was written in Latin. The record of expenses varies considerably over the reigns. For example, as Regent, Mary of Guise paid for her stable, costume, and wardrobe separately and these expenses do not occur in her treasurer's accounts.
There are also surviving duplicate volumes for the years 1574 to 1596. These volumes were kept for many years by the family of the Earl of Leven and Melville, and were deposited in the National Archives of Scotland in 1944. Their exact purpose in royal accounting remains unclear. The layout of these duplicate accounts and the wording of the entries is not an exact replica of the main series.
The manuscripts were published between 1877 and 1978 in thirteen volumes covering up to 1580. The editors silently abbreviated and omitted some material, especially details of making costume.
Historians often refer to the published volumes in references as TA:
* Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, 1473–1498, vol. 1, HM General Register House, (Edinburgh, 1877).
* Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, 1506-1507, HM Register House, vol. 3 (Edinburgh, 1901)..
* Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, 1507-1513, HM Register House, vol. 4 (Edinburgh, 1902).
* Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, 1515-1531, HM Register House, vol. 5 (Edinburgh, 1903).
* Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, 1531-1538, HM Register House, vol. 6 (Edinburgh, 1905).
* Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, 1538-1541, HM Register House, vol. 7 (Edinburgh, 1907).
* Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, 1541-1546, HM Register House, vol. 8, (Edinburgh, 1908)
* Accounts of the Treasurer of Scotland, 1566–1574, vol. 12, Scottish Record Office, (1970)
* Accounts of the Treasurer of Scotland, 1574–1580, vol. 13, Scottish Record Office, (1978)