| Administrative History | John Scott was born in 1585, the son of Robert Scot of Knights-Spottie in Perthshire. The family were kin to the Scots of Buccleuch, and associated with the directorship of the chancery. He was educated at St. Andrews and abroad, returning in 1606. Though called to the bar on his return he did not practise much, and tended instead towards an interest in education, making sizeable endowments to St. Andrews and founding his own informal college at Scotstarvet (near Cupar in Fife), assisted by the brother of his first wife, William Drummond of Hawthornden (1585 - 1649). He was particularly supportive of Scottish Latinity, endowing the Chair of Humanity (Latin) at St. Andrews. He also sponsored Blaeu’s Scottish survey and maps, taking an active part in their compilation. He was knighted in 1617 by James VI and held several posts at court and as a Lord of Session, but his career suffered under the Commonwealth. Towards the end of it he at last found favour with Cromwell but this did not help him after the Restoration, and he retired to the lands he had bought at Scotstarvet to carry out literary work, until his death there in 1670. |
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