Secretary of State (Kingdom of Scotland) should not be confused with Secretary of State for Scotland.
The Secretary of Scotland or Lord Secretary was a senior post in the government of the Kingdom of Scotland.
The office appeared in the 14th century (or earlier) when it was combined with that of Keeper of the Privy Seal. Called Clericus Regis (although some have applied that to the Lord Clerk Register), he was regarded as an Officer of State. The Secretary was constantly to attend the King's person, receive the petitions and memorials that were presented to him, and write the King's answers upon them. All Letters Patent passed through his hands, and were drawn up by him as with all the King's letters and dispatches, warrants, orders, &c. In the case of lengthy documents a short docket was also subscribed by the Secretary for the King's perusal, as a summary; and as all the writings signed by the King came through his hands, he was answerable for them if they contained anything derogatory to the laws or the dignity of The Crown.[1]
From 1626 until their respective deaths, King Charles I divided the duties between two Secretaries, the Earl of Glencairn and Sir Archibald Achison of Glencairn.
The Secretary did not invariably sit in the Parliament of Scotland after 1603, because his duties normally involved his attendance upon the monarch who was thereafter resident in England. Between 1608 and 1640 there were often two Secretaries, which became normal practice after 1680, although only one could sit in Parliament.
The office was abolished as such in 1709, though from then until 1725 and again from 1742 to 1746 there was a third Secretary of State with particular responsibility for Scottish affairs, for those posts, see Secretary of State for Scotland.
| Image | Secretary | From | To | Monarch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas | Malcolm IV | |||
| 1380 | Robert II | |||
| Andrew de Hawick, Rector of Linton | 1410 | James I | ||
| 1418 | ||||
| John Cameron (later Bishop of Glasgow) | 1424 | |||
| 1429 | ||||
| 1432 | ||||
| 1442 | 1448 | James II | ||
| 1449 | 1452 | |||
| George Shoreswood, Chancellor of Dunkeld (later Bishop of Brechin) | 1453 | 1454 | ||
| Thomas Vaus, Dean of Glasgow | 4 December 1456 | 21 October 1458 | ||
| 9 November 1458 | 24 July 1459 | |||
| George Ledale, Parson of Forest | 18 September 1459 | 10 February 1462 | James II / James III | |
| 27 August 1462 | 1493 | James III / James IV | ||
| Richard Muirhead, Dean of Glasgow | 4 August 1493 | 4 March 1506 | James IV | |
| 22 November 1506 | 18 November 1519 | James IV / James V | ||
| Thomas Hay, Parson of Rathven | 1 April 1517 | 1 August 1524 | James V | |
| Patrick Hepburn, Prior of St Andrews | 8 March 1525 | 15 June 1526 | ||
| 5 October 1526 | 10 January 1543 | James V / Mary, Queen of Scots | ||
| 20 January 1543 | 28 February 1543 | Mary, Queen of Scots | ||
| 28 February 1543 | 4 May 1543 | |||
| 4 May 1543 | 1558 | |||
| 1558 | 16 May 1571 | Mary, Queen of Scots / James VI | ||
| 28 August 1571 | 1583 | James VI | ||
| 1584 | 1591 | |||
| 1591 | 1596 | |||
| 1596 | 1598 | |||
| 1598 | 1609 | |||
| 1608 | 1612 | |||
| 1612 | 1626 | James VI / Charles I | ||
| 1626 | 1640 | Charles I | ||
| 1626 | 1634 | |||
| 1641 | 1649 | |||
| 1644 | 1644 | |||
| 10 March 1649 | Parliament | |||
| 19 January 1661 | 1680 (dismissed) | Charles II | ||
| 26 September 1682 | 1684 | |||
| 11 October 1680 | 1688 | |||
| 15 September 1684 | 1689 | Charles II / James VII / William II and Mary II | ||
| 13 May 1689 | 1691 | William II and Mary II | ||
| 1 January 1691 | 1695 | William II and Mary II (later, only William II) | ||
| 3 March 1692 | 1696 | |||
| 15 January 1696 | 31 March 1698 | William II | ||
| 5 February 1696 | 21 November 1702 | William II / Anne | ||
| 31 January 1699 | 6 May 1702 | |||
| 6 May 1702 | 16 October 1704 | Anne | ||
| 21 November 1702 | 17 October 1704 | |||
| 16 October 1704 | 5 June 1705 | |||
| 17 October 1704 | March 1705 | |||
| 10 March 1705 | September 1705 | |||
| 5 June 1705 | 1 May 1707 (and then Secretary of State for Scotland to 25 May 1708) | |||
| 19 September 1705 | 1 May 1707 (and then Secretary of State for Scotland to February 1709) |