BOYD, ROBERT, fourth Lord Boyd (d. 1590), son of Robert the third lord, is mentioned by Herries (Hist, of the Reign of Mary Queen of Scots, 10) as defeating the Earl of Glencairn at Glasgow in 1544, thereby rendering material aid to the regent, the Earl of Arran, in quelling the insurrection of Lennox.
Lord Boyd's grandson Robert (d. c. 1550), a son of Alexander Boyd, was confirmed in the possession of the estates and honours of his grandfather in 1549, and is generally regarded as the 3rd Lord Boyd.
His son Robert, 4th Lord Boyd (d. 1590), took a prominent part in Scottish politics during the troubled time which followed the death of James V. in 1542. At first he favoured the reformed religion, but afterwards his views changed and he became one of the most trusted advisers of Mary, queen of Scots, whom he accompanied to the battle of Langside in 1568.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography:
Boyd, Robert, fifth Lord Boyd (c.1517–1590), nobleman, was the eldest son of Robert, fourth Lord Boyd (d. 1558), and Helen, daughter of Sir John Somerville of Cambusnethan. In 1535 he married Margaret (d. 1601), daughter of Sir John Colquhoun of Glins, with whom he had two sons, Thomas and Robert, and six daughters, Margaret, Helen, Egidia, Agnes, Christine, and Elizabeth. He succeeded to his father's title in 1558.
The problems seem to arise from the family tree and who was the second and third Lord Boyd
Cokayne explains it depends on whether James Boyd, grandson and h. or the first baron (who had the lost the title) is considered to be the Second Lord as he regained the lands but not the title. This means that
Extended content
Cokayne gives the line as:
Robert Boyd, s. and h. of Sir Thomas B., of Kilmarnock (who d'. 9 July 1 439). He was knighted, and was cr. a Peer of Parl. (LORD BOYD [S.]) by James II at some date between 1451 and 18 July 1454, when he took his seat, as such, in Pari. In 1460 he was one of the Regents [S.] during the King's minority. In 1464 he was one of the commissioners for a truce with Edward IV. Having obtained possession of the person of the young King (for which, as hereafter mentioned, he was eventually condemned for high treason), he was, by Act of Pari. 25 Oct. 1466, made sole Governor of the Realm [S.]; Great Chamberlain [S.] 1467. Early in this year he procured the marriage of his eldest son, Thomas, (cr. Earl of Arran [S.] for that occasion) with Mary, elder sister of the King, which aroused the jealousy of the other nobles. He obtained the cession of Orkney to Scotland, 8 Sep. 1468, from Christian, King of Norway, for whose da., Margaret, he negotiated a marriage with the King. While absent for that purpose he and his said son (the Earl of Arran) and his br. (and coadjutor) Sir Alexander Boyd, were attainted for high treason, as stated above, whereby his Peerage became forfeited. He m. Mariot (or Janet), da. of Sir Robert Maxwell, of Calderwood. She d. after 25 June 1472, apparently early in 1473. He ewas living Easter 1480/1, and d. before Oct. 1482, it is said, at Alnwick, where he had fled in 1469.
1482. 2. James Boyd, grandson and h., being only s. of Thomas B., Earl of Arran, by Mary, 1st da. of James II, which Thomas was 1st s. of the 1st Lord Boyd, but d. v.p., about 1473. He was restored to his lands 14 Oct. 1482, but has been generally supposed by Peerage writers not to have been restored to his honours. He had, however, sasine of various lands, on three different dates in Oct. 1482, as James Lord Boyd, and was witness to a charter, Jan. 1483/4, under the same designation. He d. v.p., and unm., in 1484, aged about 15, being killed in a feud with Hugh Montgomery of Eglintoun.
1484. 3. Alexander Boyd, uncle and h., and, but for the attainder, Lord Boyd (though he does not appear to have been recognised as such), being 2nd s. of the 1st Lord B. He is wrongly stated, by old writers, to have been beheaded at the time of his father's attainder in 1469. Chamberlain of Kilmarnock before 2 Aug. 1488. Witness to the sasine of Queen Margaret to the Lordship of Kilmarnock, 19 Apr. 1504. He m. (disp. after m. and birth of children, 23 Nov. 1 505) Janet, da. of Sir Robert Colville, of Ochiltree. He was living 26 June 1508.
1545 or 1546 4- Robert Boyd, of Kilmarnock, s. and h., Chamberlain of Kilmarnock till 1534. He was served h. 11 Mar. 1546. 1544, to James, 2nd Lord Boyd, (being thus acknowledged as the head of the family) was confirmed by a novodamus, dat. between Sep. 1545 and Nov. 1546, in all the estates, honours and dignities that belonged to his grandfather, whereby he became LORD BOYD [S.]. He m., 1stly, before 1518, Helen, da. of Sir John Somerville, of Cambusnethan. She was living 13 Aug. 1536. He m., 2ndly, before Dec. 1542, Elizabeth Napier, widow of Humphrey Colquhoun, of Luss. He m., 3rdly, before 10 Feb. 1548/9, Marion, da. of Sir John Colquhoun, of Luss. He d. between 29 July 1557 and 10 May 1558. His widow m. Capt. Thomas Crawfurd, of Jordanhill.
1558. 5. Robert (Boyd), Lord Boyd [S.], s. and h., b. about 1517. Chamberlain of Kilmarnock 1534. Heappears,in 1544, to have aided the Regent Arran in defeating the Earl of Glencairn [S.] at Glasgow, but in 1546 to have taken the part of the Lords of the Congregation against the Queen Regent. P.C. 17 May 1567. His political conduct was unstable, but he was a supporter of Queen Mary at the battle of Langside, 13 May 1568, and appears to have stood high in her favour. P.C. [S.] 7 Sep. 1571 to 1573/4, and July 1574 till his death. He was an extraordinary Lord of Session [S.], 1573-78, 1578-83, and 1586-88; a Commissioner to treat with England, 1578 and 1586, besides holding a variety of smaller offices. He was a party to the Raid of Ruthven, in Aug. 1579, and was banished after the King's escape in June 1583, being recalled Feb. 1585/6. He m. (cont. 1535) his cousin, Margaret, da. and h. of George Colquhoun, of Glins, by Margaret, da. of Alexander, 3rd Lord Boyd. He d. 3 Jan. 1589/90, in his 72nd year, and was bur. at Kilmarnock. M.I.(*) Will pr. 8 June 1590, at Edinburgh. His widow d. Aug. 1601, and was bur. at Glasgow. Will dat. 13 May 1601.
1590. 6. Thomas (Boyd), Lord Boyd [S.], 2nd but 1st surv. s. and h., b. about 1547. He, with his father, fought at the battle of Langside, 13 May 1568, on behalf of his Queen. He resigned his whole estate to the King, from whom, on I2 Jan. 1 591/2, he obtained a new charter thereof, "erecting the same into a free Lordship and Barony, to be called the Lordship and Barony of Kilmarnock" to himself for life, with rem. to his s. and h. ap., Robert, Master of Boyd, in tail male, rem. to "heirs male," thereby excluding the heirs gen. Under this grant he, not improbably, became LORD BOYD OF KILMARNOCK [S.]. He m., 1stly, before 1568, when she was living, Margaret, 2nd da. of Sir Matthew Campbell, of Loudoun, by Isabel, da. of Sir John Drummond, of Innerpeffry. He m., lastly, Elizabeth Wallace, who surv. him.(^) He d. June 1611.
VII. 1611. 7. Robert (Boyd), Lord Boyd (or Boyd OF Kilmarnock) [S.], grandson and h., being s. and h. of Robert Boyd, styled Master of Boyd, and Jean his wife abovenamed. He was b. Nov. 1595, and was ed. at Saumur. He w., istly, before 24 Mar. 1614/5 (cont. dat. Oct. 1614), Margaret, widow of Hugh (Montgomerie), Earl of Eglintoun [S.], I St da. and, after 1613, h. of the Hon. Robert Montgomerie, of Giffen, by Jean, ist da. of Sir Matthew Campbell, of Loudoun. She was living as his wife 4 Mar. 161 5/6, but d. s.p., in 16 16. He m., 2ndly (cont. dat. 9 Dec. 161 7), Christian, widow of Robert (Lindsay), Lord Lindsay of Byres [S.], ist da. of Thomas (Hamilton), ist Earl of Haddington [S.], by his 1st wife, Margaret, da. of James Borthwick, of Newbyres. He d. 28 Aug. 1628, aged 33.(^) Will dat. 17 Oct. 1623, pr. 7 May 1632. His widow, an ardent Presbyterian, b. between 1588 and 1594, d. "very comfortably" at the house of her da.. Lady Scott, of Ardross, in the parish of Elie, shortly before 22 Jan., and was bur. 6 Feb. 1645/6.
VIII. 1628. 8. Robert (Boyd), Lord Boyd (or Boyd of Kilmarnock) [S.], only s. and h. by 2nd wife, b. about 1618, served h. 9 May 1628. He was under age on 19 June 1633. He m. (cont. 10 Sep. 1639) Anne, (tocher 25,000 merks) 2nd da. of John (Fleming), 2nd Earl of Wigtoun [S.], by Margaret, da. of Alexander (Livingstone), Earl of Linlithgow [S.]. Hed. s.p., of a fever, 17 Nov. 1640, aged about 22, and was bur. with his ancestors. Will pr. 9 Mar. 164 1/2. His widow m. (cont. 10 Dec. 1644) George (R.amsay), 2nd Earl of Dalhousie [S.], who d. II Feb. 1673/4. She d. 20 Apr. 1661.
IX. 1640. 9. James (Boyd), Lord Boyd (or Boyd of Kilmarnock) [S.], uncle and h. male, was served h. 10 Apr. 1641. He was a Royalist, joining the association at Cumbernauld in Jan. 1641, and being fined £1,500 by Cromwell's Act of Grace, 1654. He m. before 1640, Catharine, 1st da. of Robert Creyke, of the City of York, (the disinherited son of Ralph C. of Marton, co. York) by Margaret, da. of George Thornborough, of York. (She was bap. 3 Jan. 161 8/9, at Bridlington. He d. Mar. 1654. Will pr. 23 Oct. 1655.
X. 1654. 10. William (Boyd), Lord Boyd (or Boyd OF Kilmarnock.) [S.], only s. and h. On 17 Aug. 1661 he was cr. EARL OF KILMARNOCK [S.] to him and his heirs male for ever. In this title the Barony of Boyd [S.] continued merged till both were forfeited (on the attainder of the 4th Earl) in 1746. See "Kilmarnock," Earldom of [S.], cr. 1661 forfeited 1746.
As the ODNB is the most recent source and it ties in with the Cokayne, (the second most recent source). It is my intention to change the names and numbers to match those of these sources. This will also allow brief biographies to be created for all the red links up to the William Boyd, 10th Lord Boyd the 1st Earl of Kilmarnock. -- PBS (talk) 05:09, 13 November 2010 (UTC)Reply
