Tweeddale, John Hay, 1st marquis of

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Tweeddale, John Hay, 1st marquis of [S] (1625–97). Tweeddale's father Lord Hay was advanced to the earldom of Tweeddale by Charles I in December 1646, presumably as part of the negotiation for the Engagement. The son had been sympathetic to the covenant and fought against the king at Marston Moor, but in 1648 supported the Engagement and joined the Scottish army which was defeated at Preston. He attended Charles II's coronation at Scone in 1651 and succeeded to the earldom in 1653. He then came to terms with the Cromwellian regime. After the Restoration he was a member of the Privy Council [S] 1661–74, dismissed through the influence of Lauderdale, but reinstated in 1680. He gave strong support to William and the Glorious Revolution and was raised to the marquisate in 1694. From 1692 until 1696 he was lord chancellor [S] and served as commissioner to the 1695 Parliament. In 1696 he was abruptly dismissed by William as a scapegoat for England's anger at the Darien venture which, it was felt, would drag England into war with Spain. Burnet observed of him, not unreasonably, that ‘he seemed to think that what form soever was uppermost it might be complied with’.

J. A. Cannon

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