MAITLAND (John), Lord Thirlstane, chancellor of Scotland, was the second son of Sir Richard. He was born in the year 1537, educated in Scotland, and was afterwards sent to France to study the law. On his return to his native country, he commenced advocate; in which profession his abilities became eminently conspicuous. In 1567, his father resigned the privy-seal in his favour. This office he kept till 1570; when, for his loyalty to the queen, he lost the seal, and it was given to George Buchanan. He was made a senator of the college of justice, or lord of session, in 1581; secretary of state in 1584; and lord high chancellor in 1586. The chancellor's power and influence created him many enemies among the Scottish nobility, who made several attempts to destroy him,
Maitland, but without success. In 1589, he attended the king on his voyage to Norway, where his bride, the princess of Denmark, was detained by contrary wind. The marriage was immediately consummated; and they returned with the queen to Copenhagen, where they spent the ensuing winter. During their residence in Denmark, the chancellor became intimately acquainted with the celebrated Tycho-Brahe. In 1590 he was created Lord Maitland of Thirlstane—Towards the end of the year 1592, the chancellor incurred the queen's displeasure, for refusing to relinquish his lordship of Musselburgh, which she claimed as being a part of Dunfermline. He absented himself for some time from court; but was at length restored to favour, and died of a lingering illness in the year 1595, much regretted by the king. He bears a high character both for talents and integrity among all historians. Melville, who writes the Memoirs, Mr Pinkerton observes, was his personal enemy, so much not receive much credit in his censures of him. Beside his Scottish poetry in the Maitland Collection, he wrote several Latin epigrams, &c. to be found in the Deliciae Poetarum Sectorum, vol. ii. The chancellor's only son, John Lord Thirlstane, was first made viscount and then earl of Lauderdale, by James VI. 1624. The earl's son was John, the only duke of Lauderdale, and born 1616 at Lethington.