Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Mackenzie, George (1630-1714)
MACKENZIE, GEORGE, Viscount Tarbat, first Earl of Cromarty (1630–1714), statesman, born at Innerteil, near Kinghorn, Fifeshire, in 1630, was eldest son of Sir John Mackenzie of Tarbat — grandson of Colin Mackenzie of Kintail, and nephew of the first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, Rossshire, the progenitor of the Mackenzies, earls of Seaforth. His mother was Margaret, daughter of Sir George Erskine of Innerteil, lord Innerteil, a lord of the court of session. He was educated at the university of St. Andrews and King's College, Aberdeen, where he graduated in 1646 (Fasti Aberd., Spalding Club, 1854, p. 468). He became an excellent classical scholar, and cultivated both literature and science, but politics absorbed his chief interests. In 1663 he joined Glencairn's expedition on behalf of Charles II, and on the defeat of Middleton [see Middleton, John, first Earl of Middleton], 26 July 1654, fled to the castle of Island Donan. He succeeded to the family estates on his father's death, 10 Sept. 1654, but after escaping to the continent remained in exile till the Restoration, occupying much of his leisure in the study of law.
At the Restoration Middleton, Mackenzie's old commander, had the management of Scottish affairs, and Mackenzie was his chief confidant and tool. His relative, Sir George Mackenzie [q. v.], describes him as at this time 'a passionate cavalier' (Memoirs, p. ,27); but a keen ambition influenced his political conduct as much as passion or prejudice. On 14 Feb. 1661 he was nominated a lord of session with the judicial title of Lord Tarbat, and was elected the same year a member of the estates for the county of Ross. He is credited by Sir George Mackenzie with being the chief originator of the act passed in 1661 rescinding all statutes passed in the parliament of 1640 and subsequently; but the chief aim of the act being to prepare for the establishment of episcopacy, it was not improbably suggested to Tarbat by Archbishop Sharp. In their policy on behalf of episcopacy, Middleton and Tarbat found themselves at this time opposed by Lauderdale, the minister for Scottish affairs. They resolved therefore to compass his ruin, the design being that Tarbat, who 'was then much considered at court, as one of the most extraordinary men that Scotland had produced' (Buknbt, Own Time, ed. 1838, p. 97), should succeed to Lauderdale's place as secretary of state. With this view they in 1662 devised the famous 'act of billeting,' the credit of which probably belongs to Tarbat. The proposal was by a secret vote of the estates to declare certain persons incapable of holding any office of public trust; but when the result of the vote-— which dis- qualified Lauderdale among others — was sent up to the king he ' threw the act of billeting into his cabinet, declaring that he would not follow their advice nor would he disclose their secret' (Mackenzie, Memoirs, p. 77). Further inquiry, instigated by Lauderdale, led to the discovery that Middleton had been misleading both the king and the parliament, and he was dismissed from office, while Tarbat, for his connection with the intrigue, was on 16 Feb. 1664 deprived of his seat on the bench. He remained in disgrace till 1678, when, through the offices of Sharp with the Duke and Duchess of Lauderdale, he was on 16 Oct. appointed lord justice general of Scotland. On the following day he received a pension of 200l. from Charles H, and on Nov. was admitted a privy councillor of Scotland. The day after his admission he presented a letter from the king, to be recorded in the books of sederunt, intimating the king's Eardon for his connection with the act of billeting. On 1 Oct. 1681 he was appointed lord clerk register, and on 11 Nov. following was again admitted one of the ordinary lords of session.
On the fall of Lauderdale in 1682 Tarbat succeeded to the position of chief minister of the king in Scotland, and retained this position till the revolution. Shortly after the accession of James II he was on 15 Feb. 1685 created Viscount of Tarbat and Lord Macleod and Castlehaven in the peerage of Scotland to him and heirs male of his body.
At the revolution Tarbat, so soon as he discerned that the cause of James was lost, resolved if possible to secure his own safety and his continuance in power. By advising in council the disbanding of the militia he greatly facilitated the peaceful establishment of the new government. In the 'Leven and Melville Papers' (p. 14) there is printed, under date 25 April 1689, an exoneration and discharge to him of his office of register, securing him — on account of his faithful service both in putting 'in order and method' the various documents under his charge and recovering many that were missing — 'from all danger in his person or estate, notwithstanding of any acts, writings, councils, speeches, or any crimes committed by him,' It would appear, however, that he was not finally exonerated until after 17 Jan. 1690 (ib. p. 373). In 1689 he sent a memorial to the government, proposing a joint recognition of presbytery and episcopacy (ib. p. 125). After feilHecrankie he was employed by the government to treat with the highland clans (Warrant of 25 March 1690, ib. p. 423). He thoroughly understood highland politics, and his prudent counsel was of considerable advantage in bringing about a settlement (see Macaulay, History, 1883, ii. 44). If, says Macaulay, his plan (of distributing a few thousands sterling among the highland chiefs) had been tried when he recommended it, instead of two years later, 'it would probably have prevented much bloodshed and confusion' (ib. p. 881). On 5 March 1692 he was restored to the office of clerk register, but resigned it towards the close of 1695. According to Secretary Johnstone, he had been caught 'grossly malversizing in his office of clerk both in public and in private business' (Carstares State Papers, p. 172).
On the accession of Queen Anne, Tarbat was on 21 Nov. 1702 appointed one of the secretaries of state, and on 1 Jan. 1703 was created Earl of Cromarty. Subsequently he was chosen a representative peer of Scotland. In 1704 he resigned the office of secretary, and on 26 June 1705 was made lord justice general, retaining office till 1710. Lockhart states that though ' he pretended to favour the Royal Family [the family in exile] and the episcopal clergy, yet he never did one act in favour of any of them, excepting that when he was secretary to Queen Anne he procured an Act of Indemnity and a letter from her recommending the episcopal clergy to the Privy Council's protection; hut whether this proceeded from a desire and design of serving them is easy to determine when we consider that no sooner did Queen Anne desert the Tory party and maxims, but his Lordship turn'd as great a whig as the best of them, joined with Tweedale's party to advance the Hanoverian succession in the Parliament 1704, and was at last a zealous stickler and writer in favour of the Union' (Papers, L 74). Cromarty's able and judicious advocacy of the union is, however, his chief title to honour as a statesman, and atones for much that was foolish and inconsistent in his career. He died at New Tarbat 17 Aug. 1714, and was buried, not as he had directed beside his second wife at Wemyss, but beside his ancestors at Dingwall. Dean Swift states that 'my lord of Cromarty, after four score went to his country house in Scotland with a resolution to stay six years, and lived thriftily in order to save up money that he might spend it in London' ('Thoughts on Various Subjects,' Works, iv. 242). By his first wife, Anna, daughter of Sir James Sinclair of Mey, baronet, he had four sons: Roderick, who died young; John, who succeeded his father; Kenneth, and James. 'By his second wife, Margaret, countess of Wemyss, he had no issue.
The political career of Cromarty was, perhaps, more variable and inconsistent than that of any other Scottish statesman of his time. He began as a passionate partisan, and developed into a cautious and uncertain opportunist. Lockhart describes him as 'extremely maggotty and unsettled ' (Memoirs, p. 75), and Burnet says that he had 'great notions of virtue and religion, but they were only notions' (Own Time, p. 97). He was personally popular, had 'an extraordinary gift of pleasing and diverting conversation' (Lockhart Papers, ii. 75), and was the 'pleasantest companion in the world' (Macky, Memoirs of his Secret Services, p. 188). A portrait of Cromarty, after Sir J. Baptist Medina, 'ætatis 60, anno 1692,' is in the National Portrait Gallery of Scotland at Edinburgh. Medina's portrait has been engraved by Vanderbanck.
Cromarty retained through life varied interests outside politics. He was consulted by Sir Robert Moray [q. v.] in regard to the formation of the Royal Society of London, and contributed to its 'Transactions' the following papers: 'Remarks on the Transactions of April 1675' ('Transactions,' x. 305); 'Account of Severe Wind and Frost' (ib. x. 807); 'Observations on Natural History made in Scotland' (ib. x. 396); 'Mosses in Scotland,' in a letter to Dr. Hans Sloane, 15 Nov. 1670 (ib; xxvir. 296) An 'Account of Hirta and Rona' (islands of the Hebrides) was published in 'Miscellanea Scotica,' 1818, ii. 79. He published a large number of political pamphlets, some of which are now rare. They include
- 'Memorial for his Highness the Prince of Orange in relation to the Affairs of Scotland, together with the Address of the Presbyterian party in that Kingdom to his Highness, and some Observations on that Address by two Persons of Quality,' published anonymously, London, 1689.
- 'Parainesis Pacinca. or a Persuasive to the Union of Britain,' Edinburgh, 1702, in which he exhaustively demonstrates that ' there remains but one mode of union, viz. that of being united in one body, under one and the same head, by a perpetual identifying oneness.'
- 'A Few Brief and Modest Reflections persuading a Just Indulgence to be granted to the Episcopal Clergy and People of Scotland,' 1703.
- 'Continuation of a Few Brief and Modest Reflections. Together with a Postscript vindicating the Episcopal Doctrine of Passive Obedience,' 1703.
- 'Speech to the Parliament of Scotland, 11 July 1704' (on the reading of the queen's speech).
- 'A Letter from E. C. [Earl of Cromarty] to E. W. [Earl of Wemyss] concerning the Union, and a Second Letter on the British Union,' 1706.
- 'Letter to M. of P.'
- 'Trialogues: A Conference between Mr. Con, Mr. Pro, &c, concerning the Union,' 1706 (anonymous).
- 'Friendly Response to a Letter concerning Sir George Mackenzie's and Sir John Nisbet's Observations and Response on the Matter of the Union,' 1706.
- 'Several Proposals conducing to a Further Union of Britain,' 1711.
His other works are:
- 'A Vindication of King Robert III from the Imputation of Bastardy, by the clear Proof of Elizabeth Mure (daughter to Sir Adam Mure of Rowallan), her being the First Lawful "Wife of Robert the II, then Steward of Scotland and Earl of Strathern,' Edinburgh, 1695.
- 'Several Proposals conducing to a Further Union of Britain,' 1711.
- 'Historical Account of the Conspiracy of the Earl of Gowrie and of Robert Logan of Restalrig against James VI,' 1713.
- 'A Vindication of the Same
from the Mistakes of Mr. John Anderson, preacher of Dumbarton, in his Defence of Presbytery,' 1714. He also published:
- 'Synopsis Apocalyptica, or a Short and Plain Explication of Daniel's Prophecy and of St. John's Revelation in concert with it,' 1707 (an attempt to apply the prophecies to events and to calculate by years when the events predicted will happen).
His 'Vindication of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland, with some Account of the Records,' was printed in the 'Scots Magazine' for 1802 from a manuscript in the possession of Constable, the publisher. A 'History of the Family of Mackenzie,' by Sir George Mackenzie, first earl of Cromarty, is printed in Fraser's 'Earls of Cromartie,' ii. 462-573.
[Sir George Mackenzie's Memoirs; Burnet's Own Time; Lauder of Fountainhall's Historical Notices and Historical Observes (Bannatyne Club); Carstares State Papers; Lockhart's Papers; Macky's Memoirs; Brunton and Haig's Senators of the College of Justice, pp. 856-8; J.P. Wood's History of Cramond, 1794, pp. 122-31; Sir William Fraser's Earls of Cromartie; Walpole's Royal and Noble Authors; Douglas's Scottish Peerage (Wood), i. 396-7.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.189
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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